The Book of Acts: Message Seventy
Eight
By Dr. Michael
Guido, D.D.
Under the
picture of a missionary in the church he founded are
these words: "When he came there was no light;
when he died there was no darkness." That brings
out the commission of the Christian. It's found in
Acts 26:18, "To open their eyes, and to turn
them from darkness to light, and from the power of
Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of
sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified
by faith."
Should you ask
me, "What is the purpose of your program? What
is the mission of your ministry?" I'd cite you
to this charge. I wouldn't attempt to amend it, I
only accept it. For "Christ, the Son of God,
hath sent me
Through the
midnight lands;
Mine the
mighty ordination
Of the pierced
hands."
Sin blinds,
for the commission is "to open their eyes."
When our blessed Lord was on earth "He saw a man
which was blind from birth." That's the
condition of every man and woman. The sinner is blind
spiritually. He is born blind, for the Bible says
he's a "transgressor from the womb."
Because he's blind he can't see the awfulness of his
condition and of its consequences. So he needs to be
born again, for the Bible says, "Except a man be
born again he cannot see." If you haven't been
born again you need more than glasses, that is,
reformation. You need more than medication, that is,
religion. You need more than a correction of your
vision, that is, refinement. Those things don't reach
and they can't reach the root of your trouble. What
you need is sight. O that you'd say to the Lord as
did the blind beggar of old, "Lord, make me
see!" Then the Lord would open your eyes. Now
it's not my business to befog or befool you, but to
preach the Word. For the Bible says, "The
entrance of Thy words giveth light."
Sin not only
blinds but it binds. The commission continues,
"To turn them from darkness to light, and from
the power of Satan unto God." Boys have ensnared
birds by a simple scheme. Forming a funnel with
paper, they stick it in the ground, dropping a seed
in it. The bird, to get the seed, shoves its head
into the funnel. But when it lifts its head the
funnel sticks on, and it can't see to go anywhere.
Satan is continually ensnaring men and women in his
funnel, and thus he blinds and binds. That's why
there's such a veil of darkness hanging over the
hearts of the unsaved. The Bible says, "If our
gospel be hid (or veiled), it is veiled to them that
are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded
the minds of them which believe not." The god of
this world is Satan. He's your god if you're unsaved,
and he blinds and binds you. You see, you've heard
the gospel. But you've said, "It means nothing
to me." Why? You're deceived and dominated by
the devil. "Oh," you say, "the gospel
is good, but I can't believe it." Why? You don't
want to believe it. If you'd believe it, you'd have
to turn from your sins to the Savior, and you don't
want to. Someone said to Sir Issac Newton, "I've
tried to believe the gospel, but I can't." He
answered, "Sometimes in my absentmindedness I
attempt to light my candle when the extinguisher is
over it, but I can't. But when I remove the
extinguisher I am able to light my candle." He
continued, "The extinguisher in your case is the
love of your sins. It's deliberate unbelief that's in
you. Turn to God in repentance. Be prepared to let
the Spirit of God reveal His truth to you, and it
will be His joy to show you the glory of the grace of
God in the face of Jesus Christ."
As you turn
from your sins to the Savior, you'll not only be set
free, but you'll be forgiven. When the missionaries
first came to Labrador they found no word for
forgiveness in their language. So they coined one
which meant,
"Not-being-able-to-think-about-it-any-more."
To you that come to Christ He says, "Their sins
and iniquities will I remember no more."
Remembered,
remembered no more, my sins are remembered no more.
They're lost
in the depths of His fathomless love,
And
remembered, remembered no more.
copyright 2000 Guido Evangelistic
Association
All Scripture verses are
quoted from the New King James Version.
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to the next message in this Sower Scripture Study on
the book of Acts.
This series of messages on the
books of the Bible were originally written for
broadcast on Dr. Guido's radio program, "The
Sower." They are collected and reprinted here
for your enjoyment and spiritual edification.
