Daily Bread for Nov 19, Acts 9-10

Today’s readings are Acts 9-10.

The dramatic conversion of Saul, a rising star in the Sanhedrin and prominent antagonist of the new church, in Acts 9 teaches us that no one is beyond redemption. Saul is his Hebrew name; Paul is his Roman name.

Significantly we see Paul in the synagogues "proving that Jesus was the Christ." Paul was not only a highly educated and well-respected Jew but quite the theologian as well. Using the only Scriptures available to him, the Old Testament, he was effectively preaching the gospel. This shows us that the Old Testament is far more than a history book. It is the word of God and has the same power as the New Testament (Heb 4:12).

Later in the chapter, we see another miraculous healing. The result? "Many believed in the Lord." (Acts 9:42). The signs are always followed by a gospel proclamation and a decision.

Acts 10 relates Peter's vision of what is clean and unclean before the Lord. That which was formerly considered unclean is proclaimed clean by God Himself. This has less to do with food (although it addresses food also) then it does the fact that Peter is about to be called to a Gentile's house to present the gospel. The Gentiles were considered unclean by the Jews. The homeowner, Cornelius, and his family hear the gospel and believe. This is the first conversion of a Gentile we read about. Acts 10:44 tells us the Holy Spirit was poured out on those who heard the word. We've seen the Spirit poured out on the Jews first, then the Samaritans and now the Gentiles.

This progression of the Spirit from Jew to Gentile is an important point to keep in mind. Paul tells us, in Rom 1:16 that the gospel is "the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." To a Jew, that would include everyone in the world as they considered there to be only two types of people, Jew and Gentile (Greek). We see the gospel go out from Jerusalem (Jews), the Samaria (half-Jews), to the Gentiles (non-Jews). The Spirit is poured out on all people groups (Act 11:1), radiating out from Jerusalem.

As we continue through Acts, we'll see that that Spirit, once poured out on "all mankind," is given freely and completely upon receiving the gift of salvation and not in stages nor as a "second blessing" nor as a second type of baptism. Luke records the movement of the Spirit to make sure all his readers understand the gospel is for all people and all nations. This is a new way of thinking for most of the Jews who believe one must convert to Judaism to have a relationship with God.

The story in Acts shows us that it is belief in Christ, not Judaism gives us that relationship. This is precisely what is in evidence when we read Act 10:46-48 where Peter has the new Gentile believers baptized. Baptism was previously reserved for those Gentiles converting to the Jewish faith. Now, we see that they are baptized as a public declaration of their belief in Christ.