Our preaching minister, Jovan Barrington, has been blessing us with a sermon series entitled, “Light for Our Path.” In this blog, I want to reflect on a passage that speaks to our role in bringing the light of God to others.
For Luke, in the book of Acts, Paul is a central figure in the story of the spread of the earliest church. Paul’s sermon to a synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia gives us an insight into his message to Jews, about the Messiah, Jesus. As often happens in Acts, Paul first goes to a synagogue, where his message is largely rejected, and then goes to the Gentiles. Here, we find Paul and Barnabas’ response to the synagogue’s rejection of Paul’s message.
… “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth. (Acts 13:47 NIV)
Paul knew his Bible and knew that the Isaiah passage he quoted (Isaiah 49:6) was first directed to His servant, who faithfully personified true Israel.
And now the Lord says—
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
and gather Israel to himself,
for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord
and my God has been my strength—
he says:
“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:5-6 NIV)
Here, Paul and Barnabas apply this servant passage to themselves. While they knew that Jesus was the true Servant of Isaiah, they saw themselves as servants of the true Servant. That Paul did so is clearly seen in Romans 1:1.
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God…(NIV)
To serve the Servant is to be a bringer of light to others. It is to live in His light and carry that light to others. It is, in fact, to be that light because the Holy Spirit within us illuminates our very being.
Yet Paul knows that the Servant of Isaiah 49 is also the suffering Servant of Isaiah 53. In Acts 9, Luke tells of Paul’s dramatic encounter with the risen Christ, which left him blind and likely confused. Through a vision, the Lord spoke to Ananias, telling him to go to Saul. The Lord responded to Ananias’ reluctance by telling him:
“Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” (Acts 9:15-16 NIV)
Was this suffering the punishment for persecuting the followers of the Messiah, Jesus? No, but it was and always is part of the consequence of being the Lord’s chosen instrument. In John’s Gospel, Jesus is Himself the light, yet those in darkness crucified Him. Those who carry Jesus to the dark world will likewise suffer, physically, emotionally, or socially. These might include rejection by our family, friends, or community.
We must ask ourselves how any of this applies to us. As we ask, we would do well to remember Jesus’ words to a large group of simple disciples, who were listening on a hillside:
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16 NIV)
So, being the light enables others to glorify our Father through what we do. And what are we to do? Micah 6:8 is a good start.
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God. (NIV)
Tim Kelley