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Articles
A Forgotten Disciple
“Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said unto him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ And he said, ‘Behold, I am here, Lord’” (Acts 9:10). Luke records the beginning of a sequence of events that would eventually lead to the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. Many sermons have been preached on Paul the apostle – perhaps more than any other single New Testament character. And while we readily admit the almost super human accomplishments of this great apostle for Christ, we would do well to consider the man who played a vital role in the conversion of Saul.
That man’s name is Ananias. For some reason Ananias seems to have been forgotten when it comes to sermons and lessons about good and godly men. Acts 9:10 tells us that he was a “certain disciple.” So far as we know he was not an elder in the church, and there is no indication that he served as a deacon, or even a preacher or evangelist for that matter. He is simply referred to as “a certain disciple.” It is possible that we may have never heard of this man had Luke not recorded for us the role he played in the conversion of Saul. He is mentioned only twice in all the New Testament: here and in Acts 22:12-13. Even then he is only mentioned in an incidental way. Ananias became a link in the chain that helped to change the history of the world. There are some great lessons to be learned from this wonderful servant of the Lord that lend encouragement to those who may struggle to find their place in the Lord's kingdom. Let us consider a few.
First, a child of God does not need to be “in the spotlight” in order to be an effective laborer in the Lord’s kingdom. Leaders in a local congregation often overshadow those quiet and seemingly unimportant members of the church. This is because leaders – elders, deacons, song leaders, preachers, et. al. – are out front leading. The names of our shepherds ought to be on the lips of every member at the local level. They should be easily recognizable and well known for their works’ sake. This is to be expected. The local preacher is more apt to be known by more members than will a “certain disciple” who attends faithfully, and is actively putting his Christianity to work in his life, at home, or at the office, but who never leads a prayer, has no special ability to lead singing, or has never taught a public Bible class. We do not read of Ananias ever in the spot light, but this does not mean that he was of no value to the growth and expansion of the church.
Second, an otherwise “forgotten disciple” may serve as a vital link in a chain that leads to greater things. Historians often attempt to trace the “chain of events” that led to an event, whether good or bad. A crazed gunman may take the life of innocent fellow human beings, and the police immediately focus on the chain of events that culminated in the tragedy. A great leader emerges to lead a nation in time of despair or tragedy, and history may reveal that one insignificant event in that individual’s life set him on a path that would bring him to this point in time. Does not the story of Esther teach us this vital truth? The inspired record of Esther is a remarkable story of how a young Jewish woman eventually ended up as the queen of the mightiest nation on earth. Exactly how God uses an individual to the fulfillment of His purpose is the fabric of divine providence. All along the path from Esther's childhood to her elevation as queen there are those forgotten servants of God who influenced her actions and decisions – Mordecai being one among so many.
Third, we learn that “ordinary” disciples play a vital role in the work of the church. While others may not recognize the value of the unseen and unsung heroes of faith, God does. There is a need for the “ordinary” disciple. Ananias was needed at that particular moment in Saul’s journey toward the truth. Not only that, but Ananias was the right man for the job. He was a humble servant who was willing to confront the number one enemy of the church. It was not an easy job, but once given the assignment he did not delay in the fulfillment of his task to take the gospel message to Saul.
Someone once said, “Success is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.” To this I might add, “God’s purpose will be accomplished when ordinary disciples do ordinary things extraordinarily well.” This is the lesson of Ananias, the forgotten disciple of the Lord.
