A CHOSEN VESSEL

God informed Ananias that Saul of Tarsus—better known as Paul the Apostle—would be “a chosen vessel.”  In His sovereign grace, the Lord Jesus saved him and would set him apart to serve Him. Christ made the choice to reveal Himself and Saul chose to respond to His call. Those who are set apart for God’s use have no reason to boast of their worthiness, but only to glory in the grace of God. We are mere vessels that He pours into that we may pour out His Word.

Paul’s task would be to take the saving name of Jesus to all the world—Gentiles, Jews, even kings. It is such a privilege to represent the King of kings—to be His ambassador, (cf. 2 Cor. 4:20-21). 

While it is a privilege, it comes with a price.  Paul was to be told upfront that he would suffer much for the cause of Christ. As His ambassadors, we travel into hostile territory, and our message while welcomed by some, will bring the wrath of many. The world has a measure of tolerance—at least indifference—to religion. It is the exclusivity of the Gospel—the name of Jesus as the only means where one must be saved—that is the demand that ignites the world’s fury. 

There are several characteristics of a chosen vessel suggested in Acts 9:10-25. 

First, we see PRAYER.  Ananias was told of Saul of Tarsus, “behold, he is praying,” (v. 11). As natural as an infant who is born, crying out at his or her arrival, this is indicative of a spiritual birth into the family of God. Instinctively, we know we must pray. Yet, too often as we get busy in public work, we may neglect private worship. We will never be a choice vessel that God can use apart from a consistent prayer life. Paul was a productive worker, because he was a prayer warrior. 

Then, consider PERCEPTION. Ananias was to lay hands on him and pray, “so that he might receive his sight,” (v. 12). Paul had been blinded by the glorious light radiating from the Risen Christ—a light brighter than the noonday sun. Now, physically the scales would fall from his eyes so he could see, but spiritually his eyes would be opened also to see God’s purpose for his life. God gives vision to those He uses in His service. We can lead others because we have seen the path to travel.

Also, we must have POWER.  Paul would, “be filled with the Holy Spirit,” (v. 17). The assignment God has for us is too great for us. It is spiritual work and demands supernatural power. When we are saved, we have the Spirit residing in us, but when we are serving, we need the Spirit presiding over us. As we die to sin and become empty of self, the risen life of Christ fills us and makes us fruitful.  God fills the chosen vessel with His Spirit and pours out His power through us. 

This enables PERSISTENCE. We are told that Paul ate and, “was strengthened,” (v. 19). Just as his physical healing gave him sight, this literal food gave him strength. Metaphorically, this would be true in the spiritual dimension. Feeding upon the Bread of Life, he would be able to persist in service despite the opposition he would face. This might for ministry is mentioned in verse 22, “But Saul increased all the more in strength.”  God supported and sustained him as the Jews sought to kill him, (v. 24). J. Vernon McGee noted, “That all of God’s men are immortal until God is through with them.”

There will also be PROCLAMATION. “Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God,” (v. 20). God called this chosen vessel to be a preacher. His proclamation pointed to a Person—the Lord Jesus Christ. What a privilege it is to open the Bible, preach it, and point people to the Savior!  While it is true that every child of God is called to confess Christ—to bear witness to the world—there are those selected to stand in the pulpit and preach. Spurgeon put it, “If God calls you to be a minister, don’t stoop to becoming a king.”

THE WINDOW OF THE SOUL

When I was a child I learned a song in church that conveys a warning still applicable, “Be careful little eyes what you see…”. Is that not the same caution Jesus gives here?  “The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.” (Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭34‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Think of the eye as the window of your soul. What you allow in shapes what you become—either light or darkness. Many of God’s men have been disqualified for ministry, caused many to stumble over their downfall, and given the enemy occasion to blaspheme, all because they looked too long, when they should have looked away!

I think of David, whose eyes should have been closed in sleep, looking at a woman bathing, and when enflamed with lust succumbed to adultery. The results were tragic. It is not unusual, sadly, to hear of a preacher whose ministry burns to the ground because he was, “looking for love in all the wrong places,” as the old country classic says. 

Then, there is the darkness that comes from the look of materialism. “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world,” Paul spoke with heartbreak in 2 Timothy 4:10. The allure of this material world had captured the attention, and at last the affection, of Demas. If it is not sex, it may be money and power that the world offers which enter the eye and darken the soul with demonic force. While the lifestyle of the rich and famous is often connected to celebrity preachers, it is possible for a minister who may not have much to be mastered by covetousness for what he lacks that leads him to sell out for a lesser  amount. 

What do I say? “There but for the grace of God, go I!”  Had it not been for the Lord helping me, I could have done what David or Demas did. If you deny that possibility, you are setting yourself up for a fall. The reality is that in this fallen world, we cannot avoid, “seeing,” some things. You do not have to be searching for them, for Satan will see to it that Potiphar’s wife beckons you and reaches out to you, as she did to Joseph. 

How do we overcome?  How do we escape like Joseph did?  The godly Job said, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why should I then look upon a young woman?” (Job 31:1). There is a negative and positive side to this. 

First, the negative choice of denial: God has given you eyelids as shutters to close the windows!  These protect our eyesight physically, but they may also spiritually. Further, we have a neck that can swivel our head away from the seduction of temptation. We must purpose to look away. 

Second, and this is vital, the positive choice of delight: we not only covenant not to gaze upon darkness, but open the windows of our vision wide to the light!  The windows are there for a good reason.  We must look to the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, and in so doing be captivated by Him!  The old hymn states it:

    Turn your eyes upon Jesus
    Look full in his wonderful face
    And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
    In the light of his glory and grace.  (Helen Howarth Lemmel)

There is a covenant we must keep each morning with the dawn to look upon Jesus in the light of His Word. We must open the windows of our soul and let truth and beauty fill our soul with Gospel light!  

Recall how Jesus resisted the Tempter with, “It is written!”  His eye was full of light, so He rejected the appeal of the world in its lust of the flesh, (turn stones to bread), the lust of the eyes, (the kingdoms of the world), and the pride of life, (make a grand entrance by angel escort to the ground). The Last Adam succeeded where the first Adam fell. That first Adam looked upon forbidden fruit and salivated over it. He tasted it with hellish consequences. Where will you direct your eyes?

“How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. …Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. …Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law. …Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way. …Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. …Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” (Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭9,11,18,37,97,105‬‬).

David knew better. In the end he failed to apply what he taught.  Had he buried his face in the Scriptures that morning, he might not have been restlessly pacing the floor in dark of night—and we know the tragic result.

Be careful little eyes, what you see.