AuburnChick's Adventures

My pastor, Tom, preached another amazing sermon this morning.

Today’s verses were Acts 9:1-19…

Acts 9

The Conversion of Saul

¹ Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, ² and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; ⁴ and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” ⁵ And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, ⁶ but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” ⁷ The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. ⁹And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰ Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, ¹² and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” ¹³ But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; ¹⁴ and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; ¹⁶ for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” ¹⁷ So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; ¹⁹ and he took food and was strengthened.

One of the key points that Tom pulled out of the passage was that Ananias, a disciple, was told to go and minister to Saul. Despite being afraid of Saul, who had persecuted scores of Christians, Ananias went, albeit somewhat in fear, so that Saul (later to be renamed “Paul”) would be healed of his blindness and, thus, be sent into the world to spread the Gospel.

Tom emphasized that Ananias was called to action.

I think that, as Christians, we often allow ourselves to become complacent in the knowledge that we have accepted Christ as Savior.

We also become quick to identify ourselves as Christians and to “witness” somewhat superficially.

Yet, God calls us to so much more.

As Tom pointed out, a doctor who practices medicine on himself does no real good to others.

Such it is with our knowledge of God’s saving grace.

But, merely telling people about Jesus isn’t enough.

We must show people…in practical ways…in everyday actions and words.

Now, I cannot claim to be the biggest saint around.

My family would be the first to tell you that my halo is cracked in places.  In fact, I tend to fail in this area with regard to the people I care for the most.

Sigh.

Now I want to share something with you.

One day, about three months ago, I was told by someone to “leave my Christianity in the car.”

Folks, I have to be honest with you.

I told that person, and the other people in the room at the time, that my faith is not a sweater that I can slip off whenever I want or for the convenience of others.

As a daughter of the King, saved by Christ’s blood on the cross, I carry His message with me everywhere.

I learned, during the last twelve months, the very lesson that Tom spoke of today.

The best way to share God’s love with people is through actions.

For me, this extends to my interactions with the students in my classroom…when I take pictures of the band kids during football games…attending soccer games and photographing my soccer kids in action…baking brownies for students who improve their test scores…the ways I show I care are only limited by my creativity.

I know that I am not the perfect wife, mother, or daughter.

But, I try…aiming to do more than just spout off Christian “legal speak.”

This life we Christians lead is not for ourselves.

Oh, sure, we do start out that way because we need to be redeemed from the sentence of hell that our sins require.

However, after our own salvation has been taken care of, we must look to the world.

As Tom said, we are not all called to be the Billy Grahams of the world.

However, we are called to touch lives…one at a time…through sincere, meaningful connections.

That is the example that Jesus himself set with every person he met:  the woman at the well, the blind man lowered from the roof of a house, the woman who touched His garments as He passed by…

This is why I cannot leave my faith in the confines of my home or my car.

My love for God permeates my entire being, affecting, as often as I allow, my very actions.

This is the call for every follower of Christ.

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