In Acts 7:54-60 we read about the stoning of Stephen. Stephen was stoned by a group of Hellenistic Jews for preaching the gospel. One of the young men in the crowd that day giving his approval of Stephen’s murder, was a young man named Saul.
- Acts 8:1 And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
As a zealous Pharisee, Saul became a vehement opponent of Christianity. But on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians, Saul had a life-changing encounter with the risen Christ. The result was that he not only became a Christian himself, but eventually the renowned “apostle Paul.”
God had chosen Saul to be “his instrument” (Acts 9:15) in spreading the gospel. It is not up to us to decide whom God will lead to repentance. Nor do we have the liberty to choose whom we will forgive and not forgive. That means we must do as Jesus did and pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44; Luke 23:34) and if they repent we are to forgive them, accept them, love them, and teach them just like the early church did with Saul. We must not limit God – He can do anything. We must obey and follow God’s leading, even when he leads us to difficult people and places.
This Sunday we are going to look at just how bad Saul was and how in Acts chapter 9 Christians came to accept and encourage him in his new life in Christ.
Praying everyone has a great week!
In Christ,
Gary T.