Set sail. Acts 27.

Before the Roman roads, the Mediterranean Sea was the highway
for the people who lived around it. And while the sailors in Paul's time were accomplished, the sea is an unforgiving place, where skill and technology and resourcefulness are matched against the relentless forces of nature -- wind, tide, and geography. If you've ever been sailing in a high wind, you might recognize that place at the edge of disaster, where you understand that life is fragile.

I did sail for a few years in my 20s, and today's reading, even with its clear message that God had Paul in His hands, is all about the adventure that takes place. Luke is once again with Paul, and the first person narrative draws me in: "we would sail to Italy." I remember the moments when I had to make smart, quick decisions about what to do next to keep from breaking a mast. I remember holding on to a rope when I fell overboard in the San Francisco Bay. And I remember all the planning and thought about how to handle different situations that might come up, so that if and when they did, I'd be ready. And that edge...

Our lives are fragile. While God may allow us to experience adventure, heartache, tragedy, the consequences of our own mistakes, and eventually death, we need to remember that we are held in His hand. Then we can have joy in the midst of sorrow and pain. We can be prepared for that storm that lasts a long time, that storm we could have avoided had we made a different decision, that storm that leaves us shipwrecked in a remote place. And in the most painful moments, when what I've just written sounds like empty platitudes, if we can stay focused on Him, on our understanding that someday we will see things like God does, we can have that assurance Paul has, in the midst of the storm. He wrote to the Corinthians:

"Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now." (1 Cor. 13:12 NLT)

Ready to set sail again today?

Cornered. Acts 26.

Paul's defense of his actions depends on the truth of Jesus' death and resurrection. We can't lose sight of that. He doesn't resort to any other defense, even if he does employ certain tactics in the process. Paul's proclamation is simply that the same fervor for the law and hope in the promise of the prophets, the fervor that led him to persecute Christians, is still at the heart of his actions now. The difference is that he now knows that Jesus was the fulfillment of that hope.

Paul reminds King Agrippa, who had to be aware of who Jesus was, what He said, and how He died, in verse 26: "For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely to him, because I cannot believe that any of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner." It was all done in public, not in some secret, hidden corner.

And then... he corners the king. "Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe.” The king is equal to the task, and and steps out of the corner rhetorically. He responds, "In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?" Even today, we don't know if Agrippa's answer was an ironic rebuttal, or an admission that he was almost persuaded. But what I want to emphasize is that the question of Jesus always comes down to a decision to make. Is Jesus the end-point of God's revelation introduced through the people of Abraham? Or isn't He? Agrippa may have avoided answering Paul's question, but in so doing he also made a decision about Jesus. And true to his evangelical heart Paul replied back to the king, “I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains.”

All roads lead to Rome. Acts 25.

Now after all these things had taken place, Paul resolved to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. He said, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” (Acts 19:21 NET)

"I appeal to Caesar!" (Acts 25:11b NET)

After two years in prison in Caesarea, Paul gets a chance to have his case heard, when Festus replaces Felix as governor. When it is clear to Paul that he's not going to be released, he once again uses his Roman citizenship to his advantage. He wanted to take the good news to Rome, and while it certainly would have been preferable to do this as free man, one way or another, he's going to go to Rome. God said He would.

Rome is the big time. It's Broadway for the playwright, Hollywood for the actress, Cooperstown for the baseball player, the Bolshoi for a dancer, the Louvre for an artist. It's only fitting that the missionary campaign of Paul would include Rome. We know that the gospel has already been taken to Rome by others (from the letter to the Romans), but Paul has not yet been there, to leave his particular mark in teaching and training of the new church. It's time.

The Way. Acts 24.

In Acts 24:14, Paul says this: But I confess this to you, that I worship the God of our ancestors according to the Way (which they call a sect), believing everything that is according to the law and that is written in the prophets. (NET)

I've been wrestling with this statement for over an hour. I'm guessing that for many people, maybe most, there's nothing particularly remarkable about it. "Nothing to see here... move along." Of course Paul believes according to the law and prophets -- those writings are his text, his revelation. Jesus did too. Of course he views them with a new understanding, the Way that Jesus laid out. Of course God, the I am, is still the same God. And of course, when I pick up a Bible there's an Old and a New Testament.

So what's the big deal? After considering this for a while, I suppose it's the stark declaration that Paul makes about the law, in contrast to his releasing the Gentiles from many of its requirements. Paul is thoroughly Jewish, and not just in name. He had Timothy circumsized. He made a vow, and shaved his head when it was completed. He argued in the synagogues. He has gone to the temple to worship, offer sacrifices, and undergo a purification ritual. This is the same Paul who would write to the Galatians:

The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? Although you began with the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by human effort? (Galatians 3:2,3 NET)

I realize that my understanding of Paul and what he has written to the Romans and to the Galatians is far from complete. I'm looking forward to the days when we read these books together, with this fresh recognition from the book of Acts.

How do you view the Old Testament when you read it? How does its message affect your reading this year through the New Testament? And what caught your attention in this chapter? How about the fact that Paul was innocent of all charges, but remained imprisoned?

Tribes. Acts 23.

In Acts 23, Paul gets a chance to tell his story to the Jewish leaders. But he doesn't even get as far as he did with the crowd earlier before he's treated violently. Once he realized that he wouldn't be able to give his testimony, he pulled a fast one. He shifted the anger that was directed solely at him, by exploiting the long-standing rift between the Pharisees and Sadducees that were in the group judging him. He appealed to his tribe, the Pharisees. Chaos ensued.

Tribal instincts run deep in us. Tribes help individuals and families survive better. They meet the physical and social needs we share has human beings. They are the source of what we call culture.

They are also often the source of conflict. One tribe claims territory that another tribe occupies. Twelve tribes entered the land promised to them by God. That meant other tribes had to be kicked out. Worse, tribes reinforce the idea of us and "the other." When someone or some group is the other, we don't have to think of them as human beings. We can justify all kinds of behavior because it's being inflicted on the other.

Paul's tactic had immediate results. This group that was there to judge him, to punish him, to stomp out a leader this Jewish heresy of those who follow Jesus, was fractionalized along tribal lines - Sadducees versus Pharisees. And the head of the Roman tribe had to protect Paul from the ensuing riot, because Paul was also a member of the Roman tribe.

Here's the thing. At the beginning of Acts we read that Jesus told His disciples to go to all nations, to all people groups, to all the tribes, and share His message of hope, of good news. God's tribe is all of humanity, and he invites everyone into His kingdom. Oh yeah, we're the ones who are supposed to extend the invitation.

The rest of the story. Acts 22.

Well, it's not quite the rest of the story, but at least we get to see the outcome of Paul's speech to the crowd. In fact, we're now in the midst of a philosophical thriller that continues to the end of Acts in chapter 28. The action is fast-paced. The stakes are life and death. The plot is driven by differing belief systems, and the clash of cultures and kingdoms.

Paul begins his speech. The crowd listens. Paul tells his story. The crowd continues to listen even as Paul describes his encounter with Jesus. But then he uses the fatal word, Gentiles, and the crowd erupts, garments rent, dust in the air, screaming, and a dramatic rescue by the Roman officer in charge. Paul is rescued, but only to face a flogging to determine the cause of all the uproar. But Paul is rescued once again, just before the whip touches his skin, this time by his own timely words, "is it legal to flog a Roman citizen...?"

This is great stuff. In our vernacular, "a real page turner," "can't put it down." I'm keeping myself from reading ahead just so I can savor this moment, knowing Paul is about to speak to the Sanhedrin, and that we'll learn more of the rest of the story.

Allow me to speak. Acts 21.

Please allow me to speak to the people. (Acts 21:39b NET)

I admit that this sentence blows me away every time I read it. It's so unexpected. I have a hard time imagining myself saying it. Paul, the Jew who was a Roman citizen, who had rights that could be enforced by the Roman officer who now had him in custody. I expect to hear different words. "Sir, I am a Jew of Tarsus, a citizen of an important city. I'm a Roman citizen." And at that moment, Paul's rights as a Roman citizen would be an obligation for the officer. Instead, Paul asks to speak to the crowd.

This shouldn't be a surprise after reading about the earlier episodes and adventures in Paul's life. Even in the beginning of this chapter, Luke shows us Paul's resolute desire to face what awaits him in Jerusalem, in spite of the expected outcome - bound up and handed over to the Romans. And yet...

How many moments in my life, have I stepped away from the opportunity to speak up? Caught up in something else, including self-preservation, or a demand for my rights? Too many. I think what Paul understood is that there are only so many opportunities to speak when someone will be listening. And he never stopped seeing those opportunities, even when someone else wouldn't view a situation as such.

"Please allow me to speak to the people."

Many acts... but let's sit and talk a while. Acts 20.

This chapter of Acts is filled with significant activites and events, and powerful words from Paul to the elders of Ephesus. Words that speak of sacrifice, false teachings, responding to prophetic words, and finishing the race. There's plenty for you to respond to in this chapter, and I hope you'll do so.

But I want to talk about a smaller moment, that takes place after Eutychus' plunge to death, and recovery by Paul. In verse 11, we read, Then Paul went back upstairs, and after he had broken bread and eaten, he talked with them a long time, until dawn. (Acts 20:11, NET). Paul had already been speaking to the believers in Troas until midnight. It's likely that this was their church service, held on Sunday, and begun after their working day. It was a long sermon. Long enough and late enough that Eutychus fell asleep, fell out the window, and fell into church history when Paul brought him back to life and back upstairs.

And then after all the excitement, the group shared a meal and continued to talk through the rest of the night. While Paul may have been the main "talker", the Greek word used indicates this was no longer a speech, but a discussion, a chat, if you will. Paul was in town for just a short while, and much had taken place in his life, and, no doubt, in the lives of the Christians in Troas, So they stayed up all night, sharing, discussing, and catching up. If this event happened today, I can imagine the group sitting around a kitchen table, additional chairs pulled into the kitchen to accomodate everyone, someone preparing tea and coffee in the background, and occasionally someone munching on whatever snacks were available.

This is one of those rare glimpses we get into the life of the early church. The word church tends to mislead us. Church is us, the followers of Jesus, in shared community. Jesus gave us a clue about the need and power of community when He said, "For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.” And while our setting on Sunday mornings is not the comfy surroundings of the kitchen table, I cherish our moments together as a moment of community, of church. We get to share what Luke tells us about Paul's latest adventure, what Jesus said to us all, and what Paul said to the early communities of believers. Someone put on a pot of coffee, and let's catch up.

A Clean Cut. Acts 19.

Sometimes as Christians we know we should stop some besetting sin, but we hang on to it even if ever so slightly. But in Acts chapter 19 verses 17- 20 we see people confronted with the seriousness of sin and the power of God. In fact they were all "seized with fear". Why? Because they had heard of the power in the name of Jesus. So much were they seized with fear they came and openly confessed their evil deeds, some even burning the scrolls they used in sorcery. Perhaps we need to be reminded not only of the power in the name of Jesus, but also in the seriousness of dabbling in our pet sins. God is not to be mocked. Give them up. Come to a realization that the name of Jesus is to be held in high honor.

Continuing to grow. Acts 18.

Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker, well-versed in the scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm he spoke and taught accurately the facts about Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak out fearlessly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately. (Acts 18:24-26 NET)

Apollos must have been quite an individual. Here we see him in Ephesus. Luke speaks very highly of his speaking and teaching - eloquent, enthusiastic, and accurate. And yet he still had more to learn. So he stayed at the house of Priscilla and Aquila and they shared the rest of the gospel, the things he had not yet heard. No doubt, that even as good as the Roman roads were, it took a while for the news to spread throughout the Mediterranean. So Apollos stayed and learned and then was sent out enthusiastically to Greece, and eventually we know that he teaches the church in Corinth.

We all have room to grow in our knowledge and understanding of God and can learn from other godly people. Priscilla and Aquila were able to share their wisdom and knowledge with Apollos, equipping him for more service. And Apollos put that knowledge to work. He took the message out from Ephesus, using his gifts to benefit other Christians, and to share the knowledge of Christ -- When he arrived, he assisted greatly those who had believed by grace (v. 18:27).

We have the benefit of having Apollos' story as a part of our text, something he didn't have. We have God's oracles, all of them, in book form that we can carry around with us. And we have ways to instantaneously communicate with other believers for godly counsel, and to share our faith with our friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc.

Our time in the New Testament this year, is much like Apollos' experience. We're continuing to grow by understanding the ways of God more accurately.

The Power of God’s Word. Acts 17.

Paul has moved into Macedonia in response to God’s guidance in a vision and we find him traveling to Thessalonica, Berea, and finally Athens. In this chapter I see the power of God’s word when it is faithfully delivered and studied. At Thessalonica the Jews became jealous and even stirred up a riot when Paul’s powerful preaching of the Word bore fruit in new converts there. Berea saw similar results as the people there were eagerly diving into God’s Word. Finally in Athens Paul takes God’s Word to the marketplace and there were more changed lives there too.

I see the power of God’s Word in all of these venues and I believe that as people open themselves to the truth of God’s Word and apply it to their lives then God will work mightily on their hearts and lives. My prayer for you as you become like the Bereans in the 5x5x5 daily search of the Scriptures is that God’s Word would be active, powerful, and life-changing for you.

Hello Timothy. Hello Luke. Acts 16.

Take a look at your Bible maps to see just how far off the beaten path Paul went to reach Timothy. He'd been there before, in Lystra, and the people had tried to treat him like a god, a hero. They ended up treating him like a villian. Timothy was plucked out of that countryside village, half-Jew, half-Gentile, like the Samaritans, to learn and grow at the side of Paul and Silas, and then to go out on his own, supervising the churches and elders in Ephesus.

And how about that Luke? Do you see him? What else do you see in this chapter?

Knowing God's will. Acts 15.

In writing these posts, there's a temptation to write about the main point(s) of the passage each day. I've tried to avoid that somewhat, for two reasons. First, I think it's important that each one of us wrestle with the text and discover the main point for ourselves and I don't want to prejudice your reading. Second, you have a chance to express your own thoughts and ideas, either as comments here, or in class on Sunday morning if you're attending, and this leaves room for you to express those thoughts.

I should add a third reason to that list, which is that God has a way of speaking to each one of us individually, and the message for you may be contained in a detail within the big picture. In Rembrandt's painting, The Return of the Prodigal Son, the painting captures the moment the prodigal is greeted by his father. That's the big picture. But what might capture your attention as you viewed this painting is the posture of the son as he leans into his father, maybe even something as small as the arch of his neck and head.

I've been looking for these small details most days, too, both in my reading, and in the subject of my posts. Today, I was struck by the manner in which the church reached its decision about the requirements for the Gentile members. First, the testimony of Peter describes how communication with God, and circumstances -- a vision and arrival of the delegation -- led him to share the gospel with the Gentiles at Cornelius' household. The Spirit then confirmed their reception of the gospel, by duplicating the experience of the disciples at Pentecost for these Gentiles. His advice is that the Gentiles should be accepted without additional burdens. Then, the confirmation from the experience of Paul and Barnabas is received -- again, the Holy Spirit confirming that God was at work in the church at Antioch as evidenced by "signs and wonders". Finally, James lays these claims alongside the Scriptures, making sure that the claims measure up to the written Word of God.

In seeking God's will the church recognized God was speaking to them, because the communications with God (Peter's vision), circumstances, advice from Godly people, and in God's written Word, were all in agreement. As a result, they were able to go forward, welcoming the Gentiles fully into the church, without placing the burden of the whole law on them.

Our own acts. For Harold Tanner.

In case you haven't heard, Pastor Clark's dad, Harold Tanner, was called home about 2:00am Sunday morning, February 4, 2007. Clark and Glennie are back in Kansas and will be staying for the memorial service, to be held Wednesday, February 7, 2007 at 10:30am CST at the Westmoreland Christian Church. Further details here.

The actions of the church, empowered by the Holy Spirit, only began in Acts. There is an unbroken line from the days we've been reading about to the present. Sometimes that line was pretty thin, or pretty jagged, or followed a wide detour from Jesus' command to be witnesses to the ends of the earth, to make disciples. At other times, we see the church as the shining bride of Christ, powerful in its witness, and obedient to His will. For each one of us, at least one someone acted in obedience to Jesus' command, and joined that long, unbroken line of people sharing the gospel, and shared it with us.

From our pastor, we know that his heritage includes life growing up on the farm, son of Christian parents, Harold and Virginia, and an influential grandmother, Kellsy. Clark has shared how he went to a Christian college, mainly to play basketball, and discovered his calling to speak to others about Christ. In this man that we know, we can see the influence of his family, and maybe especially the disciplines and routines of life on the farm, and a farmer dad, who knew the bounty of good harvests and the difficulties of poor ones.

For those of us who had the pleasure of meeting Harold, a straightforward, plain-spoken man, we share just a bit in his family's grief. For those of us who know Clark and Glennie, we draw closer to that shared grief, and have some understanding of Harold's life and how it has touched others. We can also rejoice with Harold's family that he is present this day, with the Lord.

Acts... actions. We're called to Acts just as the first members of the church were. Whether it's simply praying for Clark and Glennie, for Harold's widow, Anna Marie, and his family; or a special touch for Clark and Glennie when they return; or holding the hand of someone close to you today because Harold's death reminds you of the brief time we have together now; or the boldness to speak to someone about eternity and the time you want to spend together with them; today is a day when we can make our actions count.

We're praying for Clark and for Glennie, for Anna Marie, and all of Harold's family as they suffer the pain of separation, and for their hope and joy of reunion in heaven.

If you'd like to post a comment, please do.

Adulation to Antagonism. Acts 14.

As Paul and Barnabas were delivering the good news to the people of Lystra, they encountered a man who couldn't walk, but who had faith enough to be healed. Paul spoke the words that put that faith into action, and he was healed. As a result, the people of Lystra thought Paul and Barnabas were gods come down to earth. Paul tried to talk them out of this understanding, and eventually he did. Barely.

Even by saying these things, they scarcely persuaded the crowds not to offer sacrifice to them. But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and after winning the crowds over, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, presuming him to be dead. (Acts 14:18,19 NET)

The wild adulation toward Paul and Barnabas quickly turned into deadly antagonism. Heroes become villians when the passion we invest in them is disappointed. Sometimes, it's because of what those heroes do -- the celebrity downfall, the fall from grace. Sometimes it's because those heroes aren't really who we think they are, and when we discover that, we realize they're not really heroes. But primarily, it's because our adulation is misplaced.

God let us know about this pretty early on -- commandments one and two are all about getting our worship focused in the right place -- on Him. The last thing Paul and Barnabas wanted was to be worshipped. The last thing the crowd wanted, was to have their passion thwarted. The Jews who were stalking Paul and Barnabas found an opening in that thwarted passion, and turned the crowd against Paul and Barnabas.

This theme runs all through the Old Testament -- false idols receiving undeserved worship. Our own culture provides us with many heroes, celebrities, and (American) idols. The best example we have of this phenomenon is the change that takes place during the few days between Palm Sunday, and the crucifixion of Jesus. He was greeted like a king, then condemned as a criminal, by the people who couldn't accept Him for Who He was, but wanted Him to be made in the image of their expectation.

What did you see in the reading today?

Astounded at the teaching. Acts 13.

What do you think of, when you read about the miraculous happenings in Acts? One thing that comes to my mind, is that I don't see this happening much today. We do get reports from other countries, from missionary efforts, that there are astounding miracles taking place. We hear it from certain quarters of the church in America, too. This makes me wonder about my own receptiveness to the idea of miracles today.

But another thought is that in a missionary effort, it's sometimes not enough to teach the Word. There's a need for the stamp of authority to it. Certainly the primary purpose of the signs and miracles in Jesus' life and in these Acts we've been reading through, is to attest to the authority of the teaching of the good news. With that in mind, I was struck by this verse describing the conversion of the Roman governor, Sergius Paulus:

Then when the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, because he was greatly astounded at the teaching about the Lord. (Acts 13:12, NET).

For Serguis Paulus, it was not the blinding of Elymas that astounded him, but the teaching about the Lord. The blinding was the catalyst so that he could accept the astounding teachings about Jesus, as having real authority.

For many of us, the attesting miracle that gives authority to our testimony about Jesus, is the change that has taken place in our own lives, or the lives of close brothers and sisters. In the living of your life each day, let that change show through. Share your faith by letting people know you better. Sometimes you'll have to talk about it. Be ready. Sometimes it'll be apparent in your actions. Live uprightly. Most of all, keep reading the text, so that you know well the teaching of the Lord, and you live well by the teaching of the Lord. OK, I'm done preaching.

As in previous chapters of Acts, there are many items of interest and teachings to absorb and apply, so feel free to comment on any aspect of what you've discovered in chapter 13.

A poke in the ribs. Acts 12.

Once again, Peter's back in prison. This time at the hands of Herod Agrippa, the Jewish "king" installed by Rome. He knows it's deadly serious, because James has just been executed. But it's night, and when there's nothing you can do, sleep is a wise choice. What happens next is described in verse 7 -

Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. (NET)

The NASB and NIV translations uses similar language, while the New Living Translation (NLT), says the angel "tapped" Peter on the side.

Gang, that angel poked Peter in the ribs. "Wake up!" Poke, poke. I've experienced that. Only it wasn't an angel, except in the sense that my wife can sometimes be angelic. And while we're talking about translation terms, it's probably useful for us to think of angels as messengers or agents of heaven, in order to remove some of the popular associations in our mind about angels.

So, God sends His heavenly messenger to wake up Peter with a poke in the ribs and to lead him out of prison. I could use a good poke in the ribs today too, and I'm going to pay attention to see if I get one.

There are big things happening in this chapter, especially the contrast between Antioch in chapter 11, and Israel in chapter 12, so feel free to share what you thought about chapter 12.

Breaking Inhibitions. Acts 11.

The inhibitions that the Jews felt toward associating with the non-Jews (Gentiles) ran very deep. God gave Peter a vision to help him to overcome those inhibitions, and then to help the church in Jerusalem accept what had taken place in the conversion of Cornelius. Not so for the believers who lived in the Greek world. Because of their initiative, the gospel spread quickly in Antioch, and the church grew. For those early Christians who went to Antioch to share the good news, the inhibitions inherent in Judaism were broken by the message of love and salvation that Jesus had shared.

A side note, really. Acts 10.

Through the last few chapters of Acts, big things have been happening. Signs and miracles, healings, death and resurrection. The church is growing incredibly fast. So fast, opposition has surfaced again. Steven martyred. The people staying in Jerusalem chased back to where they came from, taking the good news with them. Saul the persecuter, converted in a flash.

In Acts 10, God prepares the way for the next big thing -- full acceptance of the Gentiles into the new church. It won't overnight, but it will happen. But instead of this new big thing, I was struck this morning by a phrase, a side note, really, to the enormous change God is nurturing in this chapter.

Now while Peter was puzzling over what the vision he had seen could signify, the men sent by Cornelius had learned where Simon’s house was and approached the gate. (v.10:17 - NET)

Two thoughts jump out at me from this verse. The first thought, is that Peter was spending the time trying to understand what God had said to Him in the vision. While he was confused as to the meaning of the vision, he didn't just let it go. The second thought is that the men sent by Cornelius arrived at precisely this moment.

I don't want to make too much of this. But I'm sitting here wondering right now, about whether there are moments of opportunity to learn about God, about ourselves, about life, about what to do next, and what we need to change and grow, that come right at the moment we spend time meditating on what God has told us in the text. Perhaps especially at the moment when we wrestle with something hard to understand. Do we, do I, miss those opportunities if we don't wrestle, but just move on? Are they the very moments God planned for us to grow, and if they slip by, how long before we again have the chance to discover what we could have discovered in that moment? And under what new circumstances?

So, I'm going to post this now, but continue to think about what God wants to signify in Acts 10.

Conversion! Acts 9.

Conversion, change, translation, exchange – a mind-boggling change of character must have had the men with Saul scratching their heads, but it was all part of God’s sovereign plan to spread the gospel to the “ends of the earth”. So far we see the gospel preached in Jerusalem , Judea, and Samaria and Acts 8 shows us how God used persecution to help scatter his church and the gospel with it. In Acts 9 God confronts Saul and he is radically changed from an avid persecutor of the church into a great apostle to the Gentiles. In Paul’s own words - “For I am, by God’s grace, a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News and offer you up as a fragrant sacrifice to God”. (Romans 15:15-16) One thing that really struck me this time reading through Acts is the result of this conversion of Saul. Whereas he had stood by and approved of the stoning of Stephen, a powerful preacher to the Greek Jews in Jerusalem, Saul is now converted to be the most powerful evangelist to the Gentiles in the 1^st century. God is at work in the book of Acts and we see it in this powerful change in the life of Saul. Makes you wonder, “what can the Spirit of God accomplish or change in my life if I will only allow him?”

The Great Reversal. Acts 8

Nobody likes to get picked on, let alone persecuted. Yet as we read about the early church in Acts 8 we see a wave of persecution breaking out against them. Why? Maybe Stephen ticked somebody off with his sermon in chapter 7. Actually, I think it was a follow up to God’s plan that was laid out by Jesus in Acts 1:8 – ( “be my witnesses to the ends of the earth”) that wasn’t getting done. You see after the Day of Pentecost and the birth of the Church everybody was doing well in this new Jesus Movement, well maybe not Ananias and Sapphira. But this one big happy family that was experiencing this new way of real life needed to be reminded of the bigger plan – go and make disciples of all nations. My theory – God allowed Acts 8:1 because the Church didn’t get Acts 1:8 –so he encouraged the "going" through the persecution. Perhaps today we would do well to “go and make disciples” or we too may experience God’s great hand of motivation in our own church and generation.