Getting Up
This article was inspired by a lesson given at Horizons this year by my friend and brother Joe Wells. This thought was not his main point, but it was one he mentioned that I had never picked up on in this text before. Joe, if you’re reading this, thank you.
The Book of Acts is full of conversion stories, but perhaps the most well known of them all is the conversion of the man who at that time was known as Saul of Tarsus. Saul was one of the most passionate persecutors of Christians at the time (Acts 9:1-2), which made it truly unbelievable to many of his former comrades and former enemies when he suddenly became one of the most passionate defenders of the faith (Acts 9:20-21). The difference between those two realities is found in his encounter with the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus, which is told by the narrator Luke in Acts 9 and recounted twice by Saul – now Paul – in Acts 22 and 26.
All three retellings paint the same picture: Saul was on his way to Damascus and was knocked down by a flash of great light that left him blind. He was spoken to by Jesus and told to continue on into Damascus and await further instructions, which he did. Eventually, a Christian named Ananias was sent to him (somewhat begrudgingly at first, as Ananias was not ignorant of Saul’s reputation), who preached the Gospel to him. Saul regained his sight – and gained spiritual sight for the first time – and was baptized for the remission of his sins, becoming a Christian and, in almost every way imaginable, a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
That is the testimony of the apostle Paul, and that is the way in which it is usually told. There is a detail, though, that deepens the transformation of Paul even further. This seemingly simple aspect of this story is one that is instrumental in explaining the formation of Paul’s relationship with the Lord as the basis for his passionate defense of the faith, and also grants us a deeper understanding of Ananias’s role in these events. The key to understanding Paul’s conversion is found in the first commandment that Jesus gives both men:
“Get up” (Acts 9:6, 11).
These two words (one word in the original Greek) may seem insignificant, yet in His perfectly simple way the Lord addresses the true challenge faced by both men: doubtful inertia. Saul is actively encountering an unfathomable God and is having everything he has assumed about Jesus challenged when he is told to “get up” and go towards Damascus. Ananias is receiving a message from the risen Jesus and is having everything he has assumed about Saul of Tarsus challenged when he is told to “get up” and share the Gospel with him. Both men have doubts about the circumstances in which they find themselves, and both men have doubts about their ability to change in the ways they will need to change to accomplish the task at hand. With these mental and emotional obstacles in the way, it is easy – even justifiable – to stay
put.
In these circumstances, the command to “get up” becomes the Lord’s perfect answer. In those two little words, Jesus is telling both men much more than it may seem. He is telling them that these sudden challenges to their worldview are not insurmountable, and that changing for the better to account for them is possible. He is telling them that He is still in control and dedicated to helping them fulfill their purposes as part of His greater purpose. He is telling them that His Gospel, as the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16), has no limitations in what it can accomplish. He is telling them that He believes in them, and He is challenging them to believe in Him, too.
In the end, both men answered the call. Ananias did go to share the Gospel with Saul, and Saul “got up” (Acts 9:18 – same Greek word) and was baptized, becoming the man that the Lord knew he could be. The rest, as they say, is history.
What doubts do you have that are contributing to the spiritual inertia in your life? Is there something you struggle to believe about yourself or about the people around you that prevents you from sharing the Gospel with others? Is it hard to believe the best about the congregation of which you are a member, and is that collective struggle draining your congregation of its energy and passion? Does the Lord seem far from you, as though His promise to be with you always (Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5) has become foreign, and so your communication with Him has dwindled or become shallow?
Hear the Lord’s call: “Get up.” He believes in you, and He is challenging you to believe in Him, too.
AUTHOR: Luke Tatum
