(1) Be Thou My Vision

The hymn, “Be Thou My Vision,” has its origins almost fifteen hundred years ago in Ireland. Written by the sixth-century Irish poet, Dallán Forgaill, also known as St. Dallán. Monks chanted his poetry, and someone much later used it as the basis for this hymn. St. Dallán lost his sight, which inspired the first line, “Be Thou our vision”.

The hymn is a prayer — a prayer that Christ will be our vision — our best thought — our presence — our light.

What would it mean if Christ were our vision? How would it change our lives?

The truth of the resurrection was sorely challenged as an untruth. But the truth cannot be nullified because it is fixed upon the backbone of history. The Apostle Paul himself saw the resurrected Christ. He was an eye-witness. He cannot deny the truth of the resurrected Christ that he saw. He has to be true the heavenly vision that turned his life around.

The Apostle Paul said in Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” The miracle that came with the preaching of the gospel is that souls were saved into God’s kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ.

It was the grace of God that enabled the Apostle Paul to labour for the Lord. He testified how God enabled him to go labour on, spend and be spent. God’s favour was with him to make a way for him to do His work. It was effectual. The Apostle Paul not only was enabled to spread the gospel to Asia Minor and Europe leading to the conversion of souls and the formation of churches but he was gifted to write the Scripture. Scroggie gave this chart highlighting the grace of God upon this man to complete the bulk of New Testament Scriptures.

The resurrected Christ was witnessed by the Apostle Paul and he writes to testify for our blessing. He felt himself unworthy but salvation is indeed only by God’s grace. It certainly keeps us humble because we cannot boast any wit concerning our salvation. It enabled him to be an effective witness for his Lord. In his testimony to King Agrippa, he testified of His God-given mandate for the gospel:

Hymns: RHC 532 Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Me; My Wonderful Shepherd; 344 The Lord Is My Shepherd

Psalm 23 (KJV)

1 A Psalm of David The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

The resurrection Christ appeared to all the apostles including James and lastly by Paul himself on the road to Damascus:

Acts 9:1-6 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ was seen of above 500 brethren at once. What a proof of the resurrection. Jesus is alive. And many of God’s people have seen Him personally. We receive this truth by faith in the infallible record of Scripture.

It’s so wonderful to consider the realities of the day that Christ rose and even more wonderful to consider the realities of all that has happened since He rose and happens every day as sinners are given salvation who believe in the risen Christ. If you confess Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you’ll be saved.

The Apostle Paul testified the resurrected Christ appeared and was seen by Cephas or the Apostle Peter. This is the Peter who denied the Lord three times and yet the Lord was gracious to appear to him first. Jesus also appeared to the twelve disciples. It is proof of the resurrection by eye-witnesses. Jesus’ disciples testified of His resurrection. It is an eye-witness truth and is to be made known to the world. The resurrected Christ’s appearance to the disciples made them bold proclaimers of the truth of the resurrection from the Day of Pentecost.

Acts 25:13-27 (KJV)
13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.
14 And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:
15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.
16 To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.