#070 This is our sixth of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Greatest Victory EVER! | Matthew to Acts. This is our second of two episodes overviewing the book of Acts. On this episode we’ll cover chapters 15 to 28 looking in particular at the Apostle Paul as he testifies of Jesus as the Christ to Jewish religious leaders, councils, officials, courts, and kings. In these testimonies will learn about what was empowering Paul to stand firm as the Apostle to the gentiles.
We first encountered Paul, also called Saul, on our last episode as the coats of those stoning Stephen were placed at his feet. After the stoning of Stephen, great persecution against believers broke out within Jerusalem. It says of Saul in Acts 8:3 – But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Later, Saul obtained letters from the high priest and was on his way to synagogues in Damascus to arrest Jesus followers and return them to Jerusalem for prison and punishment. While on his way Jesus interrupted Saul’s journey in dramatic fashion. As a result of his conversion Saul dedicated the rest of his life to active full-time apostolic duties to Jesus Christ and to his church.
On this episode we’re going to focus on what Paul did and said as he interacted with both Jews and gentiles, believers and haters. It is important for us to understand who Paul was and why he did and said the things we have recorded in Acts. He was not one of the original twelve Apostles and yet he wrote at least 13 and perhaps 14 of the 27 New Testament books.
Paul’s life and ministry are not unimportant. The churches understanding and theological underpinnings of many of the doctrines of the Christian faith are found in Paul’s writings. The book of Acts provides the backstory for many of Paul’s books we’ll cover on later episodes. And with that, let’s get started.
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