Acts of the Apostles 22,3-16.
"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city. At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated strictly in our ancestral law and was zealous for God, just as all of you are today. I persecuted this Way to death, binding both men and women and delivering them to prison. Even the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify on my behalf. For from them I even received letters to the brothers and set out for Damascus to bring back to Jerusalem in chains for punishment those there as well. "On that journey as I drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from the sky suddenly shone around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' I replied, 'Who are you, sir?' And he said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.' My companions saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me. I asked, 'What shall I do, sir?' The Lord answered me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything appointed for you to do.' Since I could see nothing because of the brightness of that light, I was led by hand by my companions and entered Damascus. "A certain Ananias, a devout observer of the law, and highly spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me and stood there and said, 'Saul, my brother, regain your sight.' And at that very moment I regained my sight and saw him. Then he said, 'The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice; for you will be his witness before all to what you have seen and heard. Now, why delay? Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away, calling upon his name.'
Psalms 117,1.2.
Praise the LORD, all you nations! Give glory, all you peoples!
The LORD'S love for us is strong; the LORD is faithful forever. Hallelujah!
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 16,15-18.
He said to them, "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents (with their hands), and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
FINISHING LINE
"Saul, my brother, I have been sent by the Lord Jesus Who appeared to you on the way here, to help you recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." –Acts 9:17
On the way to Damascus, Saul saw a light flash around him. He fell to the ground, heard Jesus' voice, and was struck blind (Acts 9:3, 4, 8). People have similar experiences every day. We may not realize this because we haven't been at the right place at the right time due to our disobedience. The Lord is constantly shaking people up. This doesn't necessarily convert them but prepares them to hear the gospel message.
The Lord calls Ananiases to finish the work He's begun (Acts 9:10, 15). The Lord will put hundreds of fish at the side of the boat but we must throw out the net (Lk 5:4-6). He will assemble outside our house thousands of people from many nations but we must leave the upper room and go into the streets (Acts 2:4). The Lord will get an Ethiopian eunuch to read the Bible and drive by, but we must knock on his car door (Acts 8:29ff).
Jesus likes to use people to convert others to Him. He was already talking to Saul. He could have converted Saul Himself, but He chose to work through Ananias. He also wants to work through you. The Sauls are ready to listen. Will you speak in Jesus' name?
Prayer: Jesus, may I never miss an opportunity to tell someone about You.
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