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Location: Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States

Sunday, April 22, 2007

3rd Sunday of Easter 4/22/07 Text: Acts 9:1-20 Title: Blessed Interruption

3rd Sunday of Easter4/22/2007
Text Acts 9: 1-20Title: Blessed interruption

I have titled my sermon for this morning, “Blessed Interruption” because that is what God did to Saul’s life, (who becomes the apostle Paul) and Ananias’s life, a Christian in Damascus. This is truly an amazing story! We have Saul of Tarsus, who was so enthusiastic about his own Jewish faith that he was: “breathing threats and murder against the followers of the Way; that is disciples of Jesus. He was so zealous that he was 80 miles from Jerusalem. In those days a good week’s journey
Saul was a powerful, self-confident, influential person; very much in control of his life with a clear purpose, namely, to persecute Christians. Then, at a most unexpected time, while on the road to Damascus, the resurrected Jesus appears and speaks to Saul. Now the tables are turned. Saul, a powerful, self-confident, controlled man has had his life so interrupted by the risen Christ that he is laying on the ground, blind and helpless.
Jesus said to Saul: “rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The man who was in control, use to giving orders and getting his way up to this point is now receiving orders from the very one he was persecuting!
The powerful, self-confident, controlled Saul is helpless. To emphasize this even more, we are told that the people traveling with Saul: “led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.” Now for Saul, who up to this point had been in control, everything has changed, for the Lord has interrupted him.
Saul’s life was not the only one whose life was interrupted. Ananias’ life was also interrupted when the risen Christ comes to him and gives him orders too. When Ananias is told about Saul, I am sure that he certainly does not jump up and down with excitement over the mission Jesus had given him.
Who knows, he may even have complained and argued with Jesus at first, although we’re not told. Ananias had heard of Saul’s reputation as a persecutor of Christians at Jerusalem. He was now supposed to go to this man.
Think about it for a moment. What would we do if we were in Ananias’s shoes? “You’ve got to be joking Jesus! This is mission impossible! Is this really the voice of Jesus, or am I hearing things? Maybe it is just my imagination playing tricks on me.
The hesitation on Ananias’s part was probably due to his fear for his own life as well as the other Christians in Damascus. What agony Jesus was putting him through. Jesus tells Ananias to go to the very person, Saul, who had the reputation of being one of the worst enemies of Christians.
He did not go willingly, for we read that Jesus tells him, “Go”. It was not a suggestion, but an order, and who would not do what Jesus wants them to do? I wonder?
Ananias ends up going in faith and obedience and doing what Christ had ordered him to do. His first words to Saul, who he did not personally know are, “Brother Saul!” The two men, who on their own, without Christ’s interruption in their lives, who would likely be enemies, were now united as brothers in Jesus Christ. Two potential enemies, now brothers!
God continues to interrupt lives today in the most unexpected times. Oh, we may think that everything is in control and our life is carefully planned. Things are going well. We think we are doing the will of God, and then, at a time we least expect, God comes along to interrupt it.
I don’t have a doubt that God chooses a time when it is no longer we but God who is in control; it is no longer we but God who plans our life. It doesn’t matter whether a person is starting out, well established in the middle of a career or in retirement; God interrupts lives when he needs to, when he needs to get our attention to his calling.
God still continues to choose the most unlikely people, people like you and me! He chooses people who are far from perfect, people of all shapes, sizes, colors, backgrounds and personalities. He does that because God and only God can mold and shape those he chooses, just like he did with Saul and Ananias, so that he can reach those people he wants to reach.
God still continues to work in the most unpredictable ways. For some, actually very few, it may be like Saul’s Damascus road experience. For others it may be through special insight or inspiration through the scriptures. For yet others, I think this is the way he interrupts most Christian’s life, it is just through the ordinary and familiar things or events of life. For other’s, may be a combination of any or all of these.
Unexpected times, unlikely people, unpredictable ways—all of this and more to carry out God’s holy will and purposes. Saul of Tarsus becomes Paul the apostle, one of the greatest disciples of Jesus and missionary to the Gentiles. He who had caused suffering of Christians, himself becomes a sufferer for the sake of Christ.
My dear fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, what interruptions and disturbances have come into your life lately? Could it be that they are from God, that he has allowed what has happened, so that he can be a work in your life?
Some of you here will testify to this, God works, in the most mysterious ways. God chooses the most unexpected times; the most unlikely people; the most unpredictable ways in which to carry out God’s will and purposes.
Don’t waste your time trying to figure out the reason behind God’s interruption in your life, for God’s ways are not our ways. Thank God for that! Just let him work, do not hinder the Holy Spirit, by turning back to your sinful self.
Know that in all things, things as bad as the mass murders this past week that God’s purpose will be worked out. He will use this event to interrupt our lives, so that our eyes can be opened to those who need God in their lives. Let us, starting right here, do what God wants us to do as we begin building mutual respect, trust, friendship and love for one another, all to the glory of God
Rest secure, knowing that God Jesus is alive and well. He is the only way to fully live one’s life, for it only through his death and resurrection that we can without doubt look forward to that time when the new heaven and earth will be created, restored to be the world God wants it to be. Amen