JESUS, THE LIGHT OF ALL WORLDS [Part II]

This light and this purpose are of God. Let’s explore Paul a bit further: In Acts 26, we come to
acknowledge that while living a ‘legal’ life, as he testifies, he obviously was not thoroughly godly,
although a legitimate Pharisee. He persecuted Christians. He had a specific purpose, and it was
religiously dressed up, and he was fully engaged. Zealous even. [v.9-12] He had zeal, was grounded in misinformation and disinformation, with which he ran full-throttle---like us, but God--- “...I saw on the way, a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and with those journeying with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying in Hebrew, ‘Saul. Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’... And I asked, “Who art Thou Lord?” And the Lord said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting...”

When we sin, we sin against God, Himself. This is a pivotal moment for Saul [Paul], a turnabout. [This is his testimony, given what he experienced as expressed in Chapter 9] “But ARISE, AND STAND on your feet; FOR THIS PURPOSE I HAVE APPEARED TO YOU, TO APPOINT YOU A MINISTER AND A WITNESS, not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; delivering you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, TO OPEN THEIR EYES so that they TURN FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT, and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND AN INHERITANCE among those who have been sanctified BY FAITH IN ME...that they should REPENT and TURN TO GOD, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.” [Acts 26:16-18, 20(b)]

“And so, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great,
stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; that the Christ, the Messiah, was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He should be the first to proclaim LIGHT both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” [Acts 26: 22, 23]
Consider Luke 2:25-32.

The audience, stunned, left with a question, in so many words, ‘DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?’ This query is the penultimate pivot point of our own turning through someone God used. Like Paul, this is where our pivot takes us, the pivot that we arouse for others near, and nearing us, knowing God will give the increase. Our task is to sow and water, with the expectation of NEW BIRTH, LIGHT, AND LIFE, such as can only be found in Jesus. Brothers and sisters, as the ‘spiritual’ of old states, ‘Keep your lamps trimmed and burning...the time is drawing nigh.’
We all have that proverbial ‘Cloud of Witnesses’ drawn to the light of our living. Let your light so shine...

PRAYER: Dear Lord, enlarge our trust and our hope that we, with all diligence, share your gift of life and light, that we sow the gospel message with love. Amen.
By Bro. Brockington