Acts 9-10

God Speaks

Saul of Tarsus, Peter and Cornelius Have Encounters with Jesus or His Messengers

Verse of the Day: Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (Acts 9:31 NIV 2011)

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Acts 9

Reflection: Acts chapter 9 covers the activities of the Holy Spirit in the lives of two of the most influential men in the early Church–Paul (first known as Saul) and Peter (first known as Simon). Both had their lives drastically changed by encounters with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. They were both also used in mighty ways to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. Verses 1-30 cover Paul, and verses 32-43 cover Peter with verse 31 being a sort of bridge. Saul had been threatening the followers of Christ and was on his way to Damascus to arrest both men and women and take them back to Jerusalem for trial as heretics of Judaism. These Christians were claiming that Jesus was alive from the dead and that He was the Jews’ promised Messiah. This enraged Saul. Suddenly, Jesus appeared to Saul in a blinding light. He questioned Saul as to why he was persecuting Him. Then He told him to go on into Damascus and await further instructions. While blinded Saul did so, the Lord spoke to a believer named Ananias in a vision. The Lord instructed him to go to Saul, heal his blind eyes, and tell him how he was chosen to suffer while taking the message of Christ to the gentiles and to kings. Ananias obeyed the Lord and delivered His message to Saul. Immediately Saul was healed, filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to preach in the synagogues, saying, “Jesus is indeed the Son of God.” Everyone who met him was amazed at the change. He created such a stir that fellow disciples had to go to extraordinary means to help him escape persecution. Later, Saul went to Jerusalem where Barnabas introduced him to the leaders of The Way (what Christ followers were called at that time). He continued to preach boldly in the name of the Lord. Fellow believers again had to send him away for his own protection. For a time, there was peace. Believers grew stronger, lived in the fear of the Lord, were encouraged by the Holy Spirit, and grew in numbers. In the meantime, Peter traveled around to various towns, and God used him to heal a paralyzed man named Aeneas, who became walking evidence of the Lord’s grace and power. Many people believed in Jesus because of him. Next, God used Peter to bring Dorcas (also known as Tabitha) back to life, much like how Jesus brought Jairus’ daughter back to life. Peter stayed a long time in Joppa with Simon the tanner.     

Prayer: Loving Father in heaven, please save even the most forceful persecutors (Saul) of those who follow Your ways. When necessary, appear to them in Damascus-road type experiences. Cause them to be aware of their spiritual blindness and seek You in fasting and prayer. Lord, fill those of us who know and belong to You with courage. Then we will be able to go to even those who are determined to torment us and instruct them in God’s plans for their future. We will lay hands on them, pray for them, and see them healed. May we have the joy of seeing lives changed by faith in Christ. May we, like Barnabas, stand up for those who are truly changed from raging against Christians to preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. May Your church, wherever it is, have peace and be walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. May believers like Aeneas and Dorcas be healed and/or raised from the dead to further serve You and Your people. May many believe because of these miracles.  All for Your glory, LORD. AMEN 

Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)

  • I will pray daily for those I care for to have a life changing encounter with Jesus, either directly like Saul on the road to Damascus or indirectly through interactions with true followers of Christ.
  • I will read, study, and meditate on the Word of God so that I can explain it to others in such a way that they turn in faith to Jesus as their Savior and Lord.
  • I will surrender to God regarding any suffering that He has for me to make me a more usable servant for Him. 
  • I will ask the Lord if He would give me the privilege of being used to see someone healed, brought back to life physically, or be brought into eternal life through faith in what Jesus has done for them.

Acts 10

Reflection: I agree with author and pastor Warren Wiersbe. “Chapter 10 is pivotal in the book of Acts, for it records the salvation of the Gentiles.”* Peter was instrumental in preaching the gospel to the Jews at Pentecost (Acts 2), to the Samaritans (Acts 8), and now to the Gentiles. This follows the pattern set out in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere–in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”** This incident occurred about 10 years after Pentecost. It is just the beginning. It will take the power of the Holy Spirit to complete this tremendous task which is still going on 2,000 years later. Regardless of the level of morality and respectably, God’s order in the process of salvation is the same: Both God’s spokesman (Peter) and the hearer (Cornelius) are prepared (in this case through visions). God’s servant obeys. The “seekers” hear the Word of truth clearly presented. Receptive hearts believe on Christ (Cornelius’s family, servants, neighbors, and friends who had gathered). They display evidence of receiving the Spirit. They are baptized and unite with other believers in the church to serve and worship God. Leaders are chosen to teach the truth of God’s Word and continue the process of making disciples of Christ.

The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: New Testament by Warren W. Wiersbe, p. 355-357

** Acts 1:8 NLT

Prayer: Father God, thank You for affirming and calling people, like Cornelius, who are upright, God-fearing, generous, and seeking You in prayer; however, it is only when they put their faith in the finished work of Christ that they are saved. May the people I am concerned about follow his example. May these good and respectable people understand that this is not enough for eternal salvation, but that believing in Jesus Christ and depending on the Holy Spirit is what will give them eternal life. As You did with Peter, please use whatever is necessary (including dreams and visions) to break down whatever barriers or misconceptions that are keeping the Gospel from reaching the people You are choosing to cleanse, heal, and set free. Help Your people, especially leaders, to recognize and respond to how You are leading us, even when it goes against our normal inclinations and training. May those who are seeking the Lord gather their friends and relatives to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. May both Christians and seekers share with each other how You are leading them, especially to overcome prejudices. May the good news of peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ be clearly and completely preached. May many people believe in Him and receive forgiveness of sins through His name. May the presence of the Holy Spirit be evident to all present. May new believers be baptized and filled with a desire to learn more about life in Christ. May we see lives changed in God-honoring ways. AMEN

Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)

  • I will strive to live a moral, respectable life like Cornelius, but not look to that as my means of salvation: only by believing in what Jesus did on the cross can I truly be saved.
  • I will receive what Jesus Christ has done for me and daily ask the Holy Spirit to fill me with the evidence of His presence in my life.
  • I will ask about being baptized as a public profession of my faith in Christ. (If I haven’t done so already.)
  • I will join with other believers in service and worship of the One who saved me.

Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.