Day 258 – Acts: Paul’s ministry

“Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is made right in God’s sight -something the law of Moses could never do.” Acts 13:38-39 NLT

Read Acts 13:1 to Acts 28:31

Through imprisonment, beatings, plots, and riots, Christians were persecuted by both Jews and Gentiles, but the opposition became a catalyst for the spread of Christianity. Paul (Saul) was one of the persecutors of the church and stopped at nothing to zealously defend the Jewish faith. But these times of oppression showed that Christianity was the work not of humans, but of God. Jesus had a divine appointment with this prosecutor and called him for one of the greater tasks in the planting of churches. Paul’s conversion to Christianity is an amazing story that no one is beyond the love of Jesus, and even with Paul and his mission to rid Jerusalem of Christians, Jesus forgave him. Which was something the disciples had to do too. Forgive like Jesus.

Acts present the history of a dynamic, growing community of believers spreading from a small group of believers to dozens of people in the cities and provinces in Syria, Africa, Asia, Europe, and elsewhere. Where the Holy Spirit works, there is movement, excitement, and growth. By faith in Jesus Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit, the church can be a vibrant agent for change. As we face problems within our church community, the book of Acts gives important principles for solving them.

Prayer: Father, thank You that we can learn through Paul’s story that there is no such thing as a lost cause and that You love every person. Thank You for the heavenly insight and wisdom You shared with the church through him, and that we still learn from it today. Guide us to understand and implement these truths in our lives.