TO WHOM HAVE WE BEEN SENT?

Acts 9:10-19

"Long ago, God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God's Glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than others." Hebrews 1:1-4

God, the Father, sent his Son Jesus whom he gave all authority into the world that we might be saved. To whom has Christ sent us?

During a storm, an infant watches drops of water run down window panes. The child experience this, but it’s not until an adult gives her the words to name it, she doesn’t know that what she sees is rain.

A young man, blind from birth, through the gift of medical science has his vision restored. Then and only then can he look at the sky and say, “So that’s what blue looks like.”

The summer before my senior year in high school, I felt restless, as if something wasn’t quite right with my life. It felt like my life was a t-shirt that I was wearing backwards. It wasn’t until that fall when some of my friends took me to the youth night event at a lay witness retreat at the local United Methodist Church, that it was confirmed that what I was experiencing was God’s grace convicting me of my need for Christ in my life. That night, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

Throughout our lives, God has sent people into our lives to teach us, to help us put words to our experiences, and to invite us into a relationship with God through Christ. Even now, there are people who have been sent into my life to help me continue to grow in love for God and for neighbor.

Christ sent Ananias to Saul, whom would be be known to us as Paul the apostle. When Saul had an extraordinary, overwhelming experience with the living Christ, he was on his way to arrest and execute followers of Christ. Imagine how puzzled and shaken Paul felt, how helpless in his blindness. For three days after that, Paul fasted and prayed, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

Paul needed someone like Ananias to confirm, to guide, to open the eyes of his understanding, to explain what happened to Paul the meaning of what happened to him.

We never know who Christ is going to send us to. Maybe it’s to plant a seed, maybe it’s to share Christ’s love with them through our actions and our relationship with them. Maybe it’s to answer questions or to invite someone to attend church with us. We never know.

And, maybe, like Ananias, we might be fearful about approaching that person – afraid of being rejected, afraid of being seen as some kind of “religious nut,” afraid of stepping on toes or just afraid we won’t know what to say in that situation. I’ve been there.

In Lay Ministry School, one of the classes was about that scary subject, “Evangelism.” We were to go out in pairs to the parking lot of a busy store and pass out rolls of Life-Savers with the name, address and worship times of the local United Methodist Church to strangers. We were instructed not to accept donations, because the candy was a gift of God’s love which is freely given.

There was no way I could ever do that. Uh-uh, not me. Not shy, introverted me. I was afraid, but I did learn the lesson that this story from acts illustrates.

Just as Christ had prepared the heart of Paul to receive Ananias and his ministry, just as the Holy Spirit had been at work in my life before that night at the Alma United Methodist Church, the Holy Spirit had gone before us and opened people’s hearts to receive our gifts. It turned out to be such an empowering experience.

So, to whom are we sent? Anyone and everyone that needs to experience the living Christ, who is seeking to fill the emptiness and restlessness of their souls or who needs some compassion and a friend. Don't be afraid - just remember this: Christ has gone before us and Christ is with us. As for having the “right words,” if we focus on listening with one ear toward the person and the other toward the Holy Spirit, Jesus will give us whatever we need to minister to that person’s needs.