Sent To

2.19.2011

Acts 26:17b-18 “'I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’” NIV

What a pregnant statement! Paul is telling his audience what the Lord Jesus had told him to do and why. Paul was sent to open their eyes, not their physical eyes but the eyes of their souls and hearts. When someone ‘gets it’ their eyes become opened. Paul was sent to turn them from the darkness of human existence to the light of God’s presence; sometimes the light hurts your eyes. And Paul was sent to turn them from the power of Satan – who maintains there is no God and no need for God – to God, so that they would receive forgiveness for the things that separate them from God; and have by faith, a place in the presence of God.

This was the calling of the Apostle Paul and is, I believe, the calling of every follower of Jesus Christ. For what do unbelievers need? Do they not need sight, and enlightenment, and freedom, and forgiveness, and faith? That is what the Gospel promises and has the power to offer.

Unfortunately much of our modern application of the Gospel is selfish – we spend an inordinate amount of time trying to heal ourselves of self-inflicted misery rather than spending our time trying to reach the unsaved. The only power to heal the believer is in obedience to God’s word because we are not called to be healed, but to be sent; our healing comes in our going out to serve God and assist in the salvation of others.

I repent. I repent of all my selfish and self-centered whining about what I think I don’t have. I repent of focusing mostly on my spiritual health as if I was solely responsible for it. I repent of trying to protect me. I will go to the unsaved around me and share the truth of what God offers: sight, enlightenment, freedom, forgiveness, and faith. I will focus on the message and quit trying to save myself by just not doing anything wrong – that, in itself, is wrong according to what I read here…

Lord Jesus,
You saved me to be sent. You saved me to share You to help others turn from themselves and to You. Today, Lord – today I repent of trying to fly under the radar and I take my stand for You. You are with me and will help me as You said You would – in Your Name, amen.