Let’s backtrack a little and look over the portion of Acts we have read so far – all the way back to where the believers were gathered when Peter and John were arrested. The believers had formed a community, devoting themselves to the gospel and to each other. Peter and John went to the Temple one day and ended up healing a crippled beggar. An audience formed when the people saw the crippled man walking and heard him praising God. Peter took this opportunity to preach .

While speaking to the crowd, Peter and John were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard and some of the Sadducees. They were arrested, kept overnight and then commanded to never again speak or teach in the name of Jesus.

Have you ever been afraid? Have you ever experienced extreme fear? It seems safe to believe that the followers of Jesus were experiencing some fear while waiting for Peter and John to be released. When faced with fear and the threats that were being made against them, the believers chose to gather together and pray – not for the threats to end but for boldness in the midst of the persecution:

“…And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give your servants great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant, Jesus.”

After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. – Acts 4:29-31

When faced with a very difficult situation, the believers chose to pray. They knew who could take their fear and turn it into boldness. They did not just pray for survival, they prayed for power. They were unsure of the kind of persecution that was ahead of them but willing to be used by God if He wanted. He took their fear of what was ahead, answered their prayer and gave them great boldness through the Holy Spirit.

One of the reasons the believers had to be fearful was a man named Saul. Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them – both men and women – back to Jerusalem in chains (Acts 9:1-2).

But the man causing great fear experienced great fear when a light shone done from heaven and a voice said, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” The voice instructed him to go into Damascus until he was told what to do next. When he opened his eyes, he was blind. For three days he could see nothing – he did not eat or drink for three days.

The scriptures do not say how Saul was feeling during this time but I can only imagine how scared he must have been. He knew how vicious he had been towards those who believed in Jesus and now Jesus had come to him on the road to Damascus and said, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do” (9:5-6). What we know is that Saul spent these three days praying to God (9:11). Just like the believers, Saul chose to pray when faced with fear.

Now imagine the fear of another man – Ananias. The Lord also came and spoke to him, telling him to go to this man who had been pursuing the death and arrest of the believers. The short version of the story:
Ananias – “But Lord…”
God – “Go…”
So Ananias went…

“Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.

Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!” – Acts 9:17-20

When faced with fear, we should pray. A simple statement but one we seem to forget so easily. Paul was blind and scared, so he spent three days praying to God. Ananias was scared to go to Paul, so he talked to God about his fear. God is waiting to fill us with His Spirit and give us strength for what we are facing. All we have to do is ask.

Fear…Prayer…Spirit …Strength. That seems to be the pattern here. When faced with fear, these believers fell on their knees in prayer to the Source of their strength. God filled them with His Spirit and they overcame their fear and became bold in their faith. What a great reminder for us today. No matter what is causing fear in our hearts, God is willing to fill us with the power of His Spirit if only we will ask.

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love and sound judgment. – 2 Timothy 1:7

Third time’s a charm? Paul did not spend very much time in Antioch before he set out on his third missionary trip, again going back to many of the areas he had visited before to check in on those who had come to believe in Jesus. His purpose was to encourage and strengthen them. On this journey, Paul found many believers who had been baptized with John’s kind of baptism of water, which included repenting of their sins, but they had not yet been baptized by or received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Paul traveled through the country we now know as Turkey, stopping in Ephesus on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. He stayed there for two years teaching both Jews and Greeks. It is possible that Paul wrote his first letter to the church in Corinth during this time in Ephesus.

God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled…Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars. So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect (Acts 19:11-12, 18-20).

Just as Paul was wrapping up his ministry in Ephesus and making plans to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem and then Rome, trouble began to brew for Paul. Those who made their money from the worship of false gods were losing business and creating accusations against Paul. But God rescued Paul from an intense situation, allowing Paul to leave and go to Macedonia and then to Greece, where he wrote the second letter to the Corinthian Church.

Paul made many more stops as he hurried to make his way back to Jerusalem for the Festival of Pentecost. Rather than go into Ephesus, Paul sent for the elders of the church at Ephesus to meet him in Miletus, where he said these words of farewell:

“You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now, I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. I have one message for Jews and Greeks alike – the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.

“And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” – Acts 20:18-27, 35

What a wonderful testimony – one I hope I can have as I feel my time on earth coming towards an end.

– To be able to say I served humbly and opened my heart up to others.

– To be able to say I survived hard times or opposition, not because I shrank back and avoided, but because I stayed true and committed regardless of the situation.

– To have no feelings of regret – regret that I didn’t say enough or that I wasn’t bold enough in my faith, that I loved others enough to have tough conversations.

– I want to work hard in order that those in need can be helped – to live a life that echoes Jesus’ words – “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” – (Acts 20:35)

Paul knew that jail and suffering were in his future, yet said, “My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it to finish the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus – the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” – (Acts 20:24) Paul was right. He later wrote his letter to the Ephesians while in prison in Rome. But, I’m getting ahead of myself…

Have a great weekend! I’m looking forward to our morning coffee together next week as we hear what happened next to this apostle who has taught us so much already!

On his second missionary journey, Paul took Silas and Timothy with him. Their purpose was to go back and visit each city where they had previously preached the word of the Lord, in order to see how the new believers were doing. The result of their trip was that believers were encouraged but also many more found faith in Jesus Christ. Just like the first missionary journey, there were communities where Paul’s message was accepted but also cities in which he faced opposition.

Paul knew before he even began his second tour that he would again face persecution and potentially death. On the first missionary journey, he had been stoned and dragged out of the city. The memories of that pain and rejection would still be vivid in his mind. Yet he returned out of faithfulness to the God who had saved him from a life of persecuting others. The result of his courage and obedience – the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day (Acts 16:5).

In the city of Philippi, Paul and his team experienced both good and bad. Let’s look first at the good:

On the Sabbath we went a little way outside of the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. She was baptized along with other members of her household, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed (Acts 16:13-15).

Lydia was one of three people who were forever changed by Paul’s visit to Philippi. Because of this trip, Lydia’s faith in God increased and she and the members of her household were baptized. Lydia extended hospitality to the apostles and God provided them with a place to stay while in the city.

The second person greatly affected by Paul’s time in Philippi was a slave girl possessed by a demon. She was a fortune-teller and her owners made a great deal of money from the abilities the demon living inside of her possessed. Each day she would follow after Paul’s team shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved” (16:17).

Out of compassion for the slave girl, Paul cast out the demon. Actually, that’s not what happened. Paul, human like we are, became so exasperated after listening to her shout for days that he turned to the girl and said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her (16:18). She was now free from the demon that had tortured her for so long. This young girl, a slave with little to no “worth” in the eyes of the community she lived in, was forever changed.

This is where we see the bad that Paul experienced while in Philippi:

Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the market place. “The whole city is an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.”

A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. – Acts 16:19-24

During the good times and the bad, Paul praised God. Because of his spirit of devotion to God instead of self-pity, one more person was greatly affected by Paul’s trip to Philippi.

Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God. – Acts 16:25-34

It’s possible that God wants to greatly affect the life of someone else today through our obedience. What is God telling us to do? Where is God telling us to go? If we do what He asks us to do, someone’s life will be forever changed, just as ours will be. So, what if God asks us to make a second journey – to do something again, even if we are still a little scarred from the last time? Will we respond in obedience? Someone’s forever may be depending on it.

While spending time worshiping the Lord and fasting, the early Church heard from God, through the Holy Spirit, telling them to dedicate Barnabas and Saul (now known as Paul) to a special work God had for them. The next two chapters of Acts describe Barnabas and Paul’s first missionary journey from Antioch. Their experience varied from town to town and so did their response.

In Paphos, Paul and Barnabas met with the governor, Sergius Paulus. There was an obstruction in the way of the governor accepting the good news of salvation and they were there to remove that barrier. Sometimes there are barriers or distractions in our lives preventing us from trusting in God fully. In the governor’s case it was a Jewish sorcerer named Bar-Jesus. Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, identified the man for what he was – a tool of the devil and an enemy. Instantly mist and darkness came over his eyes and he began groping around begging for someone to take his hand and lead him. The distraction was silenced and the governor became a believer for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord (Acts 13:6-12).

Next they ended up in Antioch of Pisidia, where they were invited to give a word of encouragement for the people during the weekly service in the synagogue. Paul reminded them of the history of Israel and how Jesus fulfilled many prophecies, how he was condemned instead of recognized and how God raised him from the dead.

“Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God…” (Acts 13:38-39).

Paul’s message was accepted and they were invited to stay for another week. During that week, the Gentiles were thankful for these missionaries and many became believers. Opposition arose, however, among the Jews and a mob ran Paul and Barnabas out of town.

So they shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection and went to the town of Iconium. And the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. – Acts 13:51-52

The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. Some of the Jews, however, spurned God’s message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. – Acts 14:1-3

Paul and Barnabas experienced the same thing in Iconium that they did in Antioch of Pisidia, yet instead of moving on, they stayed. Sometimes in the face of opposition, the Holy Spirit leads us to walk away. Sometimes he tells us to stay. And sometimes he directs us to flee. That is what Paul and Barnabas did next when a mob of both Gentiles and Jews threatened to attack and stone them.

They went on to Lystra and Derbe and preached the good news there instead. The reaction at first was quite the opposite as the people tried to make Paul and Barnabas into gods to worship.

“Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings – just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the Living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.” – Acts 14:15-17

Trouble followed Paul and Barnabas to Lystra, stirring up the crowds against them. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. So what did Paul do this time? Did he shake the dust off his feet and leave? Did he choose to stay or did he flee? As the believers gathered around the injured apostle, he rose to his feet and went back into the town.

The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe, where he made many disciples. Paul and Barnabas stopped by Lystra, Iconium and Antioch of Pisidia on their way home from this long journey. They had one more message to convey using the example of their own lives – a reminder that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God (14:22).

This is a good reminder for us today. God has called each of us to a special purpose. He promises to be with us but He does not promise that our journey will be without distractions, opposition, persecution and sometimes suffering. He has given us the Holy Spirit, who will show us what to do when these problems arise. He might lead us to walk away or He may call us to stay. He might warn us to flee from the enemy or He may give us the strength to get up on our feet and go back.

I am so thankful for His direction and strength in any and every situation. I praise Him and thank Him for the wisdom He gives us to know how and when to respond. As long as we continue to worship and fast and remain close to God, He will communicate to us through His Spirit. Praise God!

I studied the tendencies of two men this morning as I drank my coffee – Peter the Apostle and Herod the King. Peter was highly esteemed and respected in the early Church and among both Jewish and Gentile believers. King Herod was highly esteemed and given much power. He was well liked among the Jewish leaders as well, gaining their favor for his persecution of the early Christians and his order to kill the apostle James with a sword.

When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter (This took place during the Passover Celebration.) Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover. – Acts 12:3-4

Herod was SO pleased with the praise and attention he received for himself when he put the apostle James to death that he craved more attention. How could he top this one? By arresting an even more popular apostle, one who had already been arrested at one point but had escaped – arrest Peter! Prove that he could accomplish what others could not! Arrest Peter and put so many guards on him that it would be impossible for him to escape this time.

Consider the timing of Peter’s arrest. Herod wanted the attention of as many of the Jewish people as possible so he arrested Peter during the Jewish Passover celebration with the intent of bringing him to public trial right after the Passover. Sound familiar? At the same time the traditional Passover lamb was to be slain, Jesus was crucified. If the Jewish people wanted a blood sacrifice to save them, Herod would give it to them through the death of Peter.

The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered.

Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!” – Acts 12:6-11

If you have read this story so many times that you were able to read it just now without getting chills or experiencing any emotion, I invite you to go back and read it again. Let the reality of this moment in Peter’s life truly sink in and join me in praising God for one of the most miraculous moments recorded in Scripture. My sister-in-law, Cheryl, showed a video of the story of Noah’s Ark in the children’s worship service and the children broke out in spontaneous applause when the ark landed safely on dry land. How pleased God must be when we read the Scripture with the heart and reaction of a child! God’s rescue of Peter from Herod’s chains deserves applause.

Now laugh with me and have an “in your face!” moment as we think of Herod’s reaction the next morning when he realized he had been defeated in his efforts to receive glory for himself. How angry and humiliated he must have been! So angry that he sentenced the guards to death and then fled to Caesarea to sulk.

Imagine what this experience must have been like for Peter. I picture him standing in the middle of the dark street, all quiet as everyone is already in their homes for the night. He is standing there in confusion and thinking, “Did that really just happen?!!” As reality sinks in, I imagine a big smile coming across Peter’s face as tears of joy begin to fill his eyes. I picture Peter raising his arms towards heaven and thanking the God who loves him THAT much. At some point, I wonder if Peter thought, “I have to tell everyone! The church needs to know how faithful God is!”

While Peter was in prison, the church was earnestly praying for him (12:5). Peter went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many believers were gathered for prayer. Imagine their shock when they opened the door and saw Peter standing there. Scripture says they were “amazed.” Peter motioned for them to quiet down and then told them how the Lord had led him out of prison. He was quick to let them know that his escape was not about him but about God, not by his strength but by God’s power, mercy and grace! – (Acts 12:12-17)

In contrast, Herod is in Caesarea, dressed in royal robes and sitting on his throne. A delegation of people trying to win his favor from Tyre and Sidon are his audience and he is making a grand speech. The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, “It’s the voice of a god, not of a man!” Just the attention and glory he craved! But God has never been impressed with man’s need for pride or our tendency to soak in the glory of men’s praise.

Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died. – Acts 12:23

How much does God hate our pride? How angry does God get when we crave the attention and praise of others? Consider this – Herod killed the apostle James, whom God loved very much, and nothing happened. Herod arrested Peter with the intent to bring him to trial and God rescued Peter without bringing physical harm to Herod. Herod accepted the praise of men when they worshipped him as if he was a god and God struck Herod with a sickness that would lead to a painful and miserable death.

Oh great and wonderful God, only you are worthy of our praise and glory today and forevermore! Forgive us for our moments of satisfaction and pride in ourselves. May we crave only your attention and may you be pleased with our humility and service to you today. We love you! Amen.

Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean…I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right…” – Acts 10:28, 34-35

Peter, like all Jewish young men, had grown up with the false idea that Gentiles were impure – that God’s plan of salvation was only for the Jewish people. It took a vision from God to wake Peter up to the truth. It took God Himself revealing His love for all people for Peter to understand that God does not show favoritism. There are a few things I noticed about Peter’s experience.

God spoke to Peter WHILE Peter was praying to Him – if we want to hear from God, we need to spend time with Him. Peter had gone up on the roof to pray. It was during this time of separating himself and spending time with God in prayer that God was able to reveal to him some erroneous thinking that needed corrected.

The vision was of a large sheet being let down from the sky, full of all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. This group of animals included those that the Jewish people considered unclean and were forbidden to eat. Imagine Peter’s confusion when, in the vision, God told Peter to get up and eat the animals.

Peter’s reaction: “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.”
God’s correction: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” – Acts 10:14-15

Like Peter, sometimes God has to tell us something multiple times before we get it. This vision from God was repeated three times and still Peter did not get it. God moves on to part 2 of His plan. The Holy Spirit tells Peter to go downstairs and go with the three men he has sent. These men took him to the home of Cornelius, a Roman officer – a devout and God-fearing man but also a Gentile. Now Peter gets it. Now he understands. He will no longer call one of God’s children unclean.

Peter preached the Good News to Cornelius, as well as to his household and friends, and the Holy Spirit came upon all of them. Peter and the Jewish believers with him were amazed that God’s gift of the Holy Spirit was being poured out on the Gentiles also.

Don’t argue with God. When His presence is obvious in the lives of others, don’t look for reasons to criticize or exclude them. Then Peter asked, “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” (10:47)

Do not worry about what other people think. When Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, he was criticized by the Jewish believers. Instead of weakening from their pressure, Peter told them what God had revealed to them and of how the Holy Spirit had filled the Gentile believers. The result – the Jewish believers stopped objecting and began praising God, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life” (11:18).

If Peter had not stood up for what he knew was right, the beliefs of others would not have changed. Because he was bold for Christ, their understanding of God’s love for EVERYONE led to the sending of missionaries to the Gentiles for the express purpose of their salvation. They went from seeing the Gentiles as unclean to seeing their need for a Savior and investing in their salvation by sending preachers to them.

Two of these missionaries were Barnabas and Paul. They stayed in Tarsus for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. And it was in Antioch that these new Gentile believers were first called Christians. Wait – the best part is coming! These new Gentile believers heard the predictions by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. The believers generously sent relief to their new brothers and sisters in Christ in Judea. I love it!

Sometimes God teaches us things and corrects our wrong thinking, not just for the benefit of others, but also as part of a bigger plan to save us. Our God is complex and He is generous. He shows no favoritism. Do we? He does not look down on groups of people because of their ethnicity or background or sin – instead, He loves them. Do we?

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” – and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen. – 1 Timothy 1:12-17

Paul has this huge story to tell everyone after his conversion. Paul describes himself as the worst sinner. His testimony is extreme and God used him in powerful ways. But what about those of us who do not have a big story to share, whose transformation was still very real, yet less dramatic? This week we have looked at the stories of Stephen, Philip and Saul – all of whom had BIG transformation stories to tell. Now let’s listen to the story of Aeneas the Paralytic.

Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydda. There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly. Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord. – Acts 9:32-35

His story was not about what a wicked man he was, but about how he had suffered. The same God of mercy who forgave Paul and then used his story also had mercy on this unfortunate man and used his healing to turn two towns to the Lord.

Consider Tabitha the Seamstress (also known as Dorcas). Tabitha was a good person. She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. She made clothing for others and cared deeply for them. Her life was a stark contrast to Paul’s history of making life miserable for others. Two people, two very different backgrounds, both in need of the mercy of God and the salvation available through faith in Jesus Christ.

About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room. But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, “Please come as soon as possible!”

The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord. – Acts 9:37-42

5 people, 5 different stories – all used by God in the lives of other people:

– Stephen gave his life and the result was the scattering of the believers, which brought about the wide spread of the gospel.

– Philip obeyed the Lord and the Ethiopian eunuch was saved.

– Paul changed his ways and began one of the strongest evangelistic ministries in history.

– Aeneas simply allowed God to take his story of suffering and use it for His glory and the salvation of others.

– Tabitha’s reputation as a good and selfless person caused people to care enough about her death that her resurrection ended up changing their lives forever.

Don’t let anyone tell you that your story is not powerful enough to make a difference in someone else’s life. Don’t convince yourself that God would never use you. In fact, He plans to use you today. Are you ready? Are you willing?

The first two verses of Acts 9 show us just how vile a man Saul was. We know Saul witnessed the death of Stephen, agreeing completely with the stoning. Now we see the level at which he is participating in the persecution of those who believe in Jesus.

Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them – both men and women – back to Jerusalem in chains. – Acts 9:1-2

This man was evil. His heart was full of hatred and an eagerness to protect Jewish law to the extent that he was willing to see the followers of Jesus die – he not only wanted it, he wanted to be the one to do it. Hopefully this paints a picture that explains just how much the believers in the early Church would have feared Saul. But God was NOT afraid of Saul. He loved him and had a plan for his life. Saul was in pursuit of the Christians but God was in pursuit of him!

As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”

The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. – Acts 9:3-9

Imagine Ananias’ fear when God spoke to him in a vision telling him to go and lay his hands on Saul. After hearing terrible things about this man and his plans, Ananias now was being commissioned by God to go to Saul, heal him, baptize him and help him become Spirit-filled. Because he chose to obey God instead of reacting to his own emotions, Ananias played a key role in the conversion of Saul from a villain to an instrument to take God’s message to the Gentiles and to Kings, as well as to the people of Israel (Acts 9:15).

Things were not automatically easy for Saul. The believers were still afraid of him, not trusting his motives or conversion. The Jews who were delighted in Saul’s plan to persecute Christians were now angry with him and plotting to kill him. Like Ananias, another man stood in the gap for Saul. Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them of Saul’s conversion and the way in which he had been preaching boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.

Ananias responded to God in obedience and God used him in the life of Saul. Barnabas stood beside this new believer, supporting the call he had received from God to preach the gospel. Because these two men were willing to be used by God and to mentor Saul in his first steps as a new Christian, the entire Church benefited and many more became believers.

The church had peace through Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers (9:31).

So what will God do with our obedience today? Who does God want us to come alongside and what will be the long-term results of our willingness to be used by God? Are we going to choose our ministry today or allow God to direct our paths?

God, give us eyes to see those around us as you see them. Help us to see even the vilest offender as someone you love and whom you are pursuing for your purposes. Use us, Oh Lord!

A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. HE went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. – Acts 8:1b-3

When I stop and think of how difficult this time must have been for the believers, I find myself sympathetic. I have gone through some difficult times in my life but I have never had to flee for my life. I have had to move my family a great distance from the home and life we knew well, but never under negative circumstances.

What I can take from this is – no matter how difficult a circumstance in my life may appear now, God can do something wonderful with it. The severe persecution the believers experienced led to the spread of the gospel – to a revival that went beyond Jerusalem and spread across the land, across nationalities, and across the world.

The believers did not just leave Jerusalem in fear, feeling sorry for themselves for the difficult time they were enduring. They left praising God in the midst of the storm and preaching the Good News about Jesus wherever they went (8:4). One of these believers was Philip.

Philip was uniquely equipped for this experience because he was a Jew who could speak Greek. This gave him the opportunity to reach more people. Also consider the fact that Philip went first to Samaria (8:5). The Jews did not like Samaritans and the Samaritans did not like Jews, YET this is where Philip began his ministry as an evangelist and this was the response.

Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city…the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized (8:6-8,12).

A sorcerer named Simon was among those who accepted Philip’s message and was baptized. The problem was that Simon was so caught up in the miracles and the laying on of hands that his desire became selfish. He wanted this kind of ministry but for his glory and not for the purposes of God. The disciples pointed this out to him and Simon’s response was to repent of his selfish motives (8:14-24).

I think this is VERY similar to what many of us in the Church struggle with. We see how God is using someone else and we find ourselves jealous and wishing God would use us in the same way, but for the wrong reasons. It begins to affect our relationships and attitudes towards our brothers and sisters in Christ.

An Ethiopian eunuch was the next person to benefit from Philip’s new role outside of Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit led Philip to walk alongside the eunuch’s carriage, overhear his struggle to understand the Scripture and offer his help. By coming alongside the eunuch and being willing to answer his questions, Philip had the opportunity to tell him the Good News about Jesus. The eunuch believed and was baptized (8:26-38).

Sometimes God shakes things up and moves us out of our comfort zone. We then have a choice – to feel sorry for ourselves or to let the Holy Spirit lead us into new situations and new relationships. It may be our presence in someone else’s life that God uses to bring them to a saving knowledge of Him. It may be our willingness to come along someone very different than ourselves that brings about new life.

I do not know if anyone else needed to hear this today but I know it is EXACTLY what I needed to hear. Lord, forgive me for my moments of jealousy and selfish ambition. Lord, forgive me for this cloud of self-pity I’ve comforted myself with all too often. Place me where you want me to be today. Give me new opportunities and new relationships for your purposes. Make me an evangelist like Philip, willing to go WHEREVER, WHENEVER, and to WHOMEVER. Amen.

The apostles continued to perform miracles and preach the gospel. Out of jealousy, the high priest and his officials arrested them and put them in the public jail. An angel of the Lord opened the gates and brought them out telling them to go back to the Temple and give the people the message of life. Imagine the surprise of the high council the next day to find the jail empty and the apostles back in the Temple preaching.

The apostles were again arrested and questioned as to why they were doing exactly what the high priest had told them not to do. “We must obey God rather than human authority…” (Acts 5:29)

They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go. The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And every day, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.” – Acts 5:40-42

So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too. Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people… (Acts 6:7-8)

A plot against Stephen formed and he was soon arrested and brought before the high council. When questioned, Stephen preached with boldness. He spoke of Abraham and Joseph, Moses and King David. He ended his sermon with a strong accusation against the Jewish leaders.

“You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you! Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One – the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.”

As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” and with that he died. – Acts 7:51-60

The apostles were arrested and flogged and what did they do? They left rejoicing because they had the opportunity to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. Stephen is arrested and falsely accused and what does he do? He uses his arrest as an opportunity to preach and expose sin. When drug out of the city and while being stoned, Stephen prays. While dying, Stephen forgives those who are killing him.

How will I react to situations in my life this week? Will I complain or rejoice? Will I defend myself or defend Christ? Will I forgive those who wrong me? Will I look for opportunities to glorify God?

Lord, I give you my week. See my heart. See how much work is left to be done in my attitudes and in my perspectives and change me. Lord, do a work in my heart so that my reaction to every situation this week brings glory to YOU. Lord I pray for protection for those who speak out boldly against the demands of this world and for those who are persecuted for their faith. May your message of grace spread and the number of believers increase. Amen.