The disciples are in the Upper Room after Jesus’ ascension,
and are seeking to fill Judas’ place among the twelve. They say, “It has to be
somebody who was with us the whole time.” It appears as if they, too, think
those who didn’t know Jesus personally had a disadvantage, because in fact,
many Bible scholars over the centuries, Ellen White among them, suspect God
really intended to choose Saul of Tarsus, of all people, as the twelfth
apostle, and he had never met Jesus. Until one day on the road to Damascus.
The disciples would have thought it was an insane idea.
Ananias, who lived in Damascus, was a brave follower of God when he agreed, not
without surprise and trepidation, to go and lay hands on this terrorist, and
ordain him for the ministry of God. The story is in Acts 9, and in verse 19 it
says Saul stayed with the disciples in Damascus, so it would appear that
Ananias, and probably Judas of Straight Street, also helped to train him for
his work. These two passages, taken together, show us that even we who have not
met Jesus face to face can be and are anointed as His witnesses. And what do we
proclaim? Changed lives and forgiveness!
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