November 6, 2014
Acts 13-15
Saul the Persecutor! Paul, the Apostle! This is the chapter when Luke switches names, probably because Paul switched names. In Acts 13:2, Luke reports the Holy Spirit’s directions to the Christians in Antioch: “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” They fast and pray and send them off. But while telling us of the first stop on their mission trip, Cyprus, Luke refers to “Saul, who was also called Paul”—then never speaks of Saul again.
Acts 13-14 describe the entirety of what has been called Paul’s First Missionary Journey. After preaching on Cyprus, they cross over to Asia Minor and work their way inland. In this account we read excerpts from Paul’s preaching, Gentiles coming to faith, some Jews mounting violent opposition, and new churches in nearly every town. Read the account of their stop in Lystra (Acts 14:-23) and see how quickly tides can turn against the servants of the Lord! By the end of Acts 14, however, they are safely back in Antioch reporting on the journey to the Church there.
Acts 15 gives us a clear picture of a tension that arose in the church as a result of Gentiles coming to Jesus. Some Jewish Christians felt that Gentiles should, in essence, become Jews first (and be circumcised), before being accepted into the Christian church. Peter, Paul and others felt that God had opened a way for the Gentiles to come to Christ by faith alone. The First Council of the Church in Jerusalem sided with the latter, affirming salvation by grace through faith for all, Jews or Gentiles!
Your fellow traveler through the New Testament,
Pastor Gary
No comments:
Post a Comment