January 15 Acts 9:1-19 (ESV) The Conversion of Saul 9:1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now … More January 15 Acts 9:1-19
John Piper in a sermon, “Jesus Still Turns Things Around” brings this encouragement from Acts 9, our reading for today: Luke drives this home by showing the persecutor becoming the persecuted. First, in verse 23 Luke tells us that the Jews in Damascus plotted to kill him. The hunter becomes the hunted. And he escapes … More Piper: God Is Turning Things Around All Over the World
John Piper, in a sermon “Overflowing Grace for All Who Believe” comments on the conversion of Saul in Acts 9 This is the kind of person that no one expects to be converted. His opposition is too deep and too articulate. So much of his life would be threatened if Christianity were true! And he … More Saul: the most unlikely people CAN be converted and ARE converted
He was understandably reluctant. He had heard the horror stories. All his friends at church were afraid. He knew the reputation of this man as a terrorizer. This man was a murderer of missionaries. He spouted threats against believers wherever he went. And now God was telling him, Ananias, to go and pray for this man! “But LORD….I have heard….” … More Sovereignly Chosen for Missions
Bob Deffinbaugh comments on the ending of the book of Acts: One final word about the supposedly “sudden and abrupt” ending of the Book of Acts. Many have noted the unusual ending of Acts. Some have explained this ending by suggesting that Luke intended to write yet another volume. I think that the ending of … More The Gospel-centeredness of Paul
Bob Deffinbaugh describes it like this: Paul did not describe his conversion as some kind of evolution, but rather as a radical transformation, a change from darkness to light, from death to life, a change from persecuting Christianity to practicing and promoting it. He was actively opposing the church when Jesus stopped him dead in … More Paul’s Testimony Before Agrippa
Dialogue Instead of Decision By Bob Deffinbaugh 24 Some days later, when Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 While Paul was discussing righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for now, and … More Dialogue Instead of Decision
A Sudden and Remarkable Reversal So suddenly, out of the blue, he takes the key player in the persecution of his people and turns him totally around on the Damascus road. The Saul who was breathing out threats and murders against Christians doesn’t just drop dead—which would have been a big enough reversal for … More Jesus Still Turns Things Around…John Piper on Acts 9:20-43
The following information is from Theopedia.com, An Encyclopedia of Biblical Christianity: The word apostle (Greek apostolos) is a common term for someone sent forth or sent out, as an emissary. In the formal Christian sense, it is the title attributed to the Apostlesof Jesus Christ. As the Bible says, “And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, … More Background on the apostles for Acts’ readings…
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