“Was
blind, but now I see.” from the hymn “Amazing
Grace”
Paul
was a “type A” get-‘er-done kind of a guy. His persecution of Christians was
legendary, and the Pharisees held Paul up as a prime example of someone who
would go the extra mile for the sake of his religion.
But
Paul’s religion had distorted Biblical facts over the years, and put ceremonies
and rituals into practice that had no heavenly basis. These people had seen
Jesus with their own eyes, and totally missed the fact that it was the Son of
God standing right before them. And remember, God wants more than just
religion. God desires a relationship with us – a relationship, not
repetitious religion.
Understand
that Paul was spiritually blind – God had not yet opened his spiritual eyes. It’s
not that Paul wouldn’t see the light (didn’t want to,) or that he didn’t
see the light (somehow missed it) – no, he was spiritually blind. He could
not see the light.
Paul
being struck blind on the road to Damascus is the perfect visualization of
spiritual darkness, of not yet being enlightened. And as God eventually lifted
the scales from Paul’s eyes, so he also lifted the veil from Paul’s spiritual
eyes, so that Paul was no longer blind – now he could see!
God
first chose Paul, Paul answered, “Yes, Lord,” and then God called him into
ministry. Paul could not find God on his own, because at the time he was
spiritually blind. Besides, God knows where God is; it was Paul who was lost,
so God had to do the seeking.
Next
week – Are you chosen, and what’s the deal with the dead burying their dead?
Norton
Lawellin
Jesus in the City
Fellowship (JICF) meets at 10:30am every Sunday. We’ll open up Luke Ch. 10,
Jesus sending out disciples. We gather in the North end (gym) of the Oliver
Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. See you at
church!
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