-Different Approaches To Serving Which Ananias? Part 1
In a free society, religious life has options. As in any modern supermarket, the western client may choose his brand of “faith” and the degree to which he is willing to adhere to it. While we believe that no person comes to a true faith unless the Holy Spirit works in his heart, as we observe Paul’s evangelistic methods, we learn that there is also an intellectual element in conversion: “He explained and declared ... and tried to convince them about Jesus” (Acts 28:23NIV).
Conversion to Christ has moral and lifestyle implications. In his defense before King Agrippa, Paul declared, “I preach that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds” (Acts 26:20). It is impossible to yield to Christ and then just live a good life like everybody else. Christian engineers, teachers, nurses, business people, homemakers, cooks, shop keepers, etc. should be different. But different in what way?
Once a new convert joins the Christian community, he searches for models of spirituality. How does Christ expect him to live his new faith? In time, the new believer will usually become like those around him. Will he be a materialistic believer? A carnal, fun-seeking saint? Will he be lazy or alert? Will he develop an evangelistic or a defensive mind set? Will he ever enjoy true communion with Christ? Or will he spend his life running from one religious activity to the next, seeking the admiration of fellow saints? Given a choice, our corrupt sinful nature naturally inclines us towards the vices.
In the New Testament we find three men named Ananias. They were contemporaries. Each, for his own reasons, chose faith in God over being an atheist. Each evidenced personal sacrifice as they lived in their God-fearing community. Yet, each displayed a different approach to being spiritual. We find these three men in the Book of Acts.
Ananias: The Shallow Approval-Seeker
The first Ananias appears in Acts 5. He is a wealthy man who, with his wife Sapphira, joined the early church at a very exciting time. There was some persecution, but there was also great boldness, togetherness and evidence of God among them. Can you imagine being in a church where “no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything” (Acts 4:32)?
In my late teens I read the novel, “Exodus” by Leon Uris. Among other things, it described the formation of the first kibbutz. My youthful imagination was inspired by the idea of living in community without private property, sharing everything. At the next holiday I traveled from London to Israel to volunteer for six weeks in a kibbutz. It was fun but disappointing, as some members of the kibbutz had private bank accounts.
The degree of integrated living among early Christians was not simply a product of need or social engineering. It was proof that God was transforming corrupt human hearts. The apostle John sets this quality of relationship as evidence of being a true disciple of Jesus Christ (Jn. 13:35) and even as a test of new birth (1 Jn. 3:14).
One day, “Joseph … sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 4:36-37). Ananias noticed that his generosity created good feeling within the Christian community. Many thankful and admiring comments were heard. Such was the impact of Joseph’s way of living, that the apostles changed his name to Barnabas, meaning “Son of Encouragement.” In Barnabas, Ananias found a good model of spirituality to follow. However, there’s a danger of following good behavioral externals without having the necessary internal reality.
We humans are strange: we have the capacity to give all we possess to the poor and surrender our body to the flames – for the wrong reasons (1 Cor. 13:3)! This sacrificial giving without a genuine heart leads to disappointment and bitterness. People aren’t so thankful. Those who give and serve expecting human praise sooner or later get hurt and discouraged. It may even lead to anger and depression. Ananias desired the popularity of Barnabas. He coveted the admiration of God’s people. But in his heart, there was serious unfinished work.
To follow men of God, we need to have their transformed heart. Are we giving and working hard, expecting to hear “well done” from fellow saints? Are we concerned about our “standing” in the Christian community? In some communities we need to speak in tongues to be considered spiritual. In others we need a suit and tie or a certain prayer vocabulary to be considered spiritual. To strive for human approval will eventually force us to pretend, to lie, to be what we are not.
One of the many blessings of married life is to have at our side a second conscience that cannot be manipulated by endless mental arguments. Was it Sapphira’s or Ananias’ idea to deceive the apostles? Acts 5:2 hints that perhaps Ananias was the one who initially proposed the deceit. The ending would have been so different had Sapphira said, “Ananias, you are a very generous man. Let’s sell the plot of land and give half to the apostles and invest the other half in stocks and shares towards our pension plan. And let’s be open about it!”
This last sentence would have made the difference between life and death. A wife has a key role to play in her husband’s conscience. She should speak up in love, and not allow her husband to drift towards hypocrisy. She knows him better than anybody else, and the Lord holds her responsible for her agreed actions.
It has been said that the image others have of our godliness usually exceeds reality. The difference between what we are and what we should or would like to be is at times depressing. The name Ananias means “God is gracious.” The Lord knows our shortcomings. He is very aware of the gap between our biblical knowledge and our lifestyle, between our talking and doing. But He is always gracious. If the Lord would kill inconsistent Christians today, who of us would be alive? Let’s set aside our preoccupation with appearances and work on reality. Honesty and transparency are two important elements in the spiritual journey.
Ananias: The Obedient Risk-Taker
In Acts 9 we find our second Ananias, a converted Jew who lived outside Israel in the large city of Damascus. Paul later described him as “a devout observer of the Law and highly respected by all the Jews living there” (Acts 22:12). Perhaps this referred to his life before conversion. If he still observed the Law, we could conclude that he was a new convert to Christianity. But his conversion was real, as he was called a “disciple” and was persecuted for his new-found faith (Acts 9:10). The depth of character of this Ananias far exceeds the previous one. It is evident that the Lord Jesus Christ had grabbed this man’s soul.
In becoming a Christian, Ananias knew he was no longer a free agent, able to do as he pleased. He was now a servant of Christ. Although he expressed doubts as to his personal security, he always referred to Jesus as “Lord” (Acts 9:10,13,17). It is acceptable to express our fears and doubts to the Lord. The virgin Mary did this (Lk. 1:34). Some prefer intelligent obedience, others blind obedience. But the key is obedience. It is not a matter of just using the word “Lord” when we pray or talk, but rather of submitting happily to His rights in our life.
There is a very telling detail in this story. Saul was in Damascus – blind, confused and praying. The Lord then gave him a vision: he saw “a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight” (Acts 9:12). Then the Lord gave a second “audio-visual” message, where He informed Ananias about Saul’s vision. What’s amazing is that Saul’s vision came before Ananias’ vision. The Lord had such confidence in the obedience of Ananias that He included his name in Saul’s vision before even talking to him.
Ananias’ understanding of Lordship had developed into obedience. The Lord could count on him. Could the Lord include us by name in a vision to someone else? Can the Lord rely on us to listen and obey? Or does our obedience depend on what others do, whether we like the proposal, whether it’s ever been done before, or if we agree? The Lord expected Ananias to risk his welfare and his reputation. He was asked to do something risky and uncomfortable.
A similar pattern of visions appears in Acts 10 in which we find the first vision to Cornelius, in which Peter’s name is mentioned, and then Peter’s own vision. Although the Lord’s instructions went against Peter’s natural instincts, his religious feelings, and his traditions, Peter risked his reputation and obeyed. The Lord knew He could also count on Peter. Obedience, like faith, grows stronger with use: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much” (Lk. 16:10).
Ananias was exposed to risk along the path of obedience. There is nothing spiritual about risk. In fact, different personalities feel differently about risk-taking. The virtue is not in the risk, but in obedience. But usually obedience requires faith, and faith involves risk. When does the Lord guide His servants? The Lord had a few words for Saul on the road to Damascus, but fuller guidance followed later. Saul’s attitude of prayer probably placed him in the condition to receive a vision from the Lord. The Lord also gave Peter a vision. What was he doing when he saw the vision? “Peter went up on the roof to pray” (Acts 10:9).
If we want guidance from the Lord, we too need to be praying. How else can the Lord lay on our heart the need to visit the sick or disciple a new believer? We need quietness in His presence. Do we desire to be used by the Lord in some church work? We need quietness in His presence. Do we desire guidance for an important decision? The Lord longs to guide, but we need to be still in His presence.
After Ananias delivered his message to Saul, he returned to obscurity. Like John the Baptist, he obeyed and then disappeared. The needs are great and we can’t do everything, yet each of us is called by God to do something. Let’s obediently do our little bit before we also “disappear.”
By Philip Nunn
With permission to publish by: Sam Hadley, Grace & Truth, 210 Chestnut St., Danville, IL., USA. Website: www.gtpress.org
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