1. ANANIAS: READY FOR THE MASTER'S USE

Acts 9:10-20 .

ANANIAS teaches us that the Lord takes up for His use, the inconspicuous. He was just one of the Lord's disciples, one of the rank and file. But through this humble vessel, the Lord accomplishes far-reaching results. He was just a "certain disciple", but he had a good report of those within and those without.

Acts 22:12 "And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,"

He was fit and ready for the Master's use.

2 Timothy 2:21 "If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work."

1.1. ANANIAS WAS READY TO LISTEN

Acts 9:10 "... and to him said the Lord in a vision, ... "

Learn from this:-

Sometimes we do not hear God's voice because of our pre-occupation. (Martha)

Luke 10:39 "... Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word."

1 Samuel 3:9 "Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth..."

We must listen as well as speak. The hymn writer could say, "I am listening Lord to Thee, What hast Thou to say to me?"

He expressed surprise that he should be given a message for "Saul" - but no surprise that the Lord should speak with him. The Lord does speak by His Spirit - through His Word, but do we recognise His voice? Test by what you read in the scriptures, the witness of the Spirit, and God's ordering of the circumstances.

Ananias is given the name of the street, and of the householder (Act 9:11 ). Paul sat in blindness there, and to him Ananias was sent. He was in such close touch with the Lord, that God could manifest His care of His people through him. Like Philip, he could receive and fulfil minute instructions (Acts 8:26- 40 ).

1.2. ANANIAS WAS READY TO OBEY

His question re Saul, is very understandable, but note - it does not affect his obedience. He carried out his Lord's instructions in every particular. Compare Jonah, who after hearing, disobeyed.

Jonah 1:3 "But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; ..."

Ananias was ready to obey, even when he could not understand. Like the servants of John 2:7.

John 2:7 "Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim."

He was Christlike.

Philippians 2:8 "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

1.3. ANANIAS WAS READY TO SPEAK

He came to the man who sat in darkness with a message to meet his every requirement (Acts 9:17, 18 ). Are we ready to speak with men?

Men are spiritually blind through sin.

Matthew 6:23 "But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!"

John 3:19,20 "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."

Jesus was appointed to remove spiritual blindness.

Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; ... and recovering of sight to the blind, ..."

Isaiah 42:7 "To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house."

John 9:39 "And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; ..."

Acts 9:17-20.

Acts 1:8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; ..."

The power of the Holy Spirit will enable us to speak boldly to men, for Christ (Acts 9:20,21 ).

Acts 4:13 "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; ..."

Power to obey God regardless of the consequences. Note some of the personal consequences to Paul (2 Corinthians 11:21-28 ).

There are different kinds of workers:

	Workers like CANAL BOATS dragged along by a power outside themselves - influenced. Let the leader fail, and the work stops.
	Workers like SAILING VESSELS - Dependent upon wind and tide. Let the winds be contrary and they are running before what others say.
	Workers like ATLANTIC LINERS - go on no matter what the wind or tide may be like - the power is within.

We need the power of the Holy Spirit today. We need to speak to others that they too may be "endued with power from on high".

1.4. ANANIAS WAS READY TO WELCOME

Ananias greets this new convert with "brother Saul" (Acts 9:17 ). How these words must have thrilled the heart of the blinded one! How slow some are, to believe in the genuineness and thoroughness of God's work (Acts 9:26, 27 ). Ananias and Barnabas believed in the mighty saving power of God. These words of welcome would bring confidence and assurance to Saul.

At a Bryan Green campaign: A girl said, "Through this campaign I have found Christ and He made me able to forgive the man who murdered my father."

Oh, for more Ananias's in our churches - men and women ready to welcome and strengthen new converts.

1.5. ANANIAS WAS READY TO SERVE

Ready for the Master's use - therefore, one to whom opportunities of service could be given. Because he was prepared, he of all the disciples in Damascus was selected. Through this prepared man, the Apostle evangelist Paul was started on a career which reached into all parts of Asia. The world received thirteen of the greatest epistles ever written, and thousands were won for Christ. All because "a certain disciple" was ready for service.

Let us seek to be ready and willing and prepared "unto every good work".