I am sending you to them
Verse 17,18
to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
Jesus’ goal in sending Paul to them is to open our eyes and to make us turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. This means that our eyes are closed to something. We are blind to something. We don’t see something to be shown. What that is? What do not we see now?
Spiritual things are blinded to us. The Kingdom of God is blocked by something. The truth is hidden by Satan. We are blocked by Satan’s power. Satan stole our minds from God. So we are in darkness not to see those spiritual things and not to see God’s kingdom.
The purpose of sending his servant Paul is to make us set free from capture by Satan. To release us from death and perishment. We had sinned in this world by cheating on Satan so we fell in sin and are going to die.
But by Jesus’ love for us, we can get a way to be saved from this death. Jesus said to turn back from where we are. But there is some barrier to knowing this one. So Jesus has sent his servants to us to let us know the way to escape from the curse. Paul is witnessing that he is the preacher of Jesus and the contents received from Jesus is to open our eyes and see the truth and turn from darkness in Satan to light in God. Jesus said that we must turn back to God which is the only way we can receive forgiveness.
I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.
Verse 20
Paul’s preaching is based on Jesus’ order and that is to repent and turn back from the dark power of Satan to God’s light. But the confession by speech is not enough to prove that we did turn back from sin. Jesus says that we have to prove our turning back to God through our deeds. All repent shall be proved by our deeds not only by our speaking. If someone says that he has repented from sin but there is no change in his life then this means that he did not repent at all. All good trees can be known by those fruits.
I look into myself that I have repented really and there are some things changed from before doing bad.
They left the room, and while talking with one another, they said, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.”
Verse 31
The people who listened to Paul’s defense said that he is not guilty and cannot find anything wrong. Paul’s imprisonment is purely by Jesus’ name and it is the proof that his name is written in the Book of Life and the seat of Heaven is ready for him. Without sin, if someone is suffered pain then he can get a crown of Glory.
I am looking into myself whether I am suffering without fault and by Jesus’ name. And I don’t find prominent suffering in me by Jesus’ name. So I feel to try much more to be suffered by Jesus’ name.