Acts 26:16-18 – “But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”
In this New Testament passage today, Paul is giving his defense before King Agrippa. He recalls his conversion on the road to Damascus and is retelling how Jesus spoke to him. These were the instructions the Lord Jesus gave him concerning his ministry and it contains some very powerful principles that I believe apply to every believer today. It answers two questions at a very fundamental level: Why were you chosen? What are you supposed to do?
God chose us specifically for two reasons. To make us 1) a minister and 2) a witness. Notice the word “make.” There is process suggested here. In that process there is growth that needs to take place. God expects us to grow to the point that we become ministers and witnesses of the things we have seen and of the things yet to be seen. To be a minister means to row. The idea is to have an oar in hand and listen to the leader give the orders when to row. It is assisting in getting the ship to its intended destination. To be a witness is to give testimony to what we have experienced.
Specifically, we are sent to people who are in darkness. We are to open their eyes, turn them from darkness to light, and turn them from the power of Satan to the power of God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins. We have in essence the job description for every believer listed in these three verses. To turn people from where they are now to where they need to go is a tall order. However, if we will be effective as a minister and a witness, realizing it is God who sends us, we will fulfill the purpose for which we have been created and we will see many people mightily forgiven of their sins.
Who was your minister and witness that helped turn you from darkness to light?