Armed With Love
Acts 9:10-19

"Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?" - Abraham Lincoln

"It is natural to love one's friends; it is supernatural to love one's enemies." - Dr. Ralph Earle

After his experience on the road to Damascus, Saul needed someone to bring healing, to explain the gospel and to give assurance of salvation. The Lord called Ananias, and armed only with love, Ananias obediently went to disciple the new convert.

I. God prepares listening saints to meet the needs of praying believers (vv. 10-12).

A. God is eager for us to help one another grow spiritually.
B. Characteristics of a Discipler:

1. A discipler must also be a disciple.
2. A discipler must be available.
3. A discipler is to possess a positive attitude ('Yes, Lord').

II. Human perception is not always the Divine perspective (vv. 13-16).

A. Discipleship means risk.

Jesus said, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching" (John 14:23).

B. Doing the will of God means seeing from God's point of view.

Randal Denny wrote: "Of all people, the church must be redemptive - forgetting the past, accepting people as they are, viewing them as God does."

C. God doesn't lift us out of the battles of life; He keeps us steady during the struggles.

A missionary wrote these words in the flyleaf of his Bible: "No reservation; no regrets; no retreat."

A. M. Overton wrote:
My Father's way may twist and turn,
My heart may throb and ache;
But in my soul I'm glad I know
He maketh no mistake.

My cherished plans may go astray.
My hopes may fade away;
But still I'll trust my Lord to lead,
For He doth know the way.

Though night be dark and it may seem
That day will never break,
I'll pin my faith, my all in Him;
He maketh no mistake.

There's so much now I cannot see,
My eyesight's far too dim;
But come what may, I'll simply trust
And leave it all to Him.

For by and by the mists will lift,
And plain it all He'll make.
Through all the way, though dark to me,
He made not one mistake.

 

III. Only loving forgiveness and acceptance can conserve converts for spiritual growth (vv. 17-19).

A. Christian discipleship begins with forgiveness.
B. The real proof of our faith is in the touch of our lives.
C. When testimonies are backed up by godly living, spiritual parenting can and will take place.

 

The story of Ananas is the account of one man who took seriously the Great Commission: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching to obey everything I have commanded you" (Matt. 28:19-20). He was willing to obey God and start with one man - a man who desperately needed care and guidance in his early days as a Christian.