How Saul Became Paul

Act 13:6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: 7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. 9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, 10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

Can you imagine changing your name in honor of one of your converts? That's how Saul became Paul.

This is a fantastic story. Barjesus, also called Elymas the sorcerer opposed the gospel message brought to Mediterranean Island, Paphos by Barnabas and Paul.

I can only imagine, by reading between the lines, that he was trying to put a hex on the preachers. He was employing sorcery. Paul had strong words for him. He told him that he was full of all subtlety (trickery and deceit) and mischief (malignity). He called him a child of the devil and an enemy of everything right, a perverter of God's ways.

So Paul turned the tables on him and cursed him with blindness. Alas, Elymas left with his tail between his legs, begging for someone to lead him by the hand.

This altercation between good and evil, God's men and Satan's slave, left quite an impression on the Roman Proconsul, Sergius Paulus. Seeing this display of God's power and hearing the gospel, he apparently trusted Christ. In honor of this conversion, Saul told him, "I am changing my name to Paul. Been nice knowing you, we gotta sail now."

I am thinking that he was needing a new name anyway. Everywhere he went, his reputation as Saul of Tarsus preceded him. People had a hard time believing that he was for real as a Christian. So the name change was a welcome blessing.

Had this not happened, we would be used to hearing of St. Saul's Cathedral and listening to Peter, Saul and Mary. Sounds strange, doesn't it?

Losing Some Sunday School Teachers

Act 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Antioch Church, where they were first called Christians, had 5 adult Sunday school teachers. They were Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius Manaen and Saul. Now, these weren't just your run of the mill, Sunday morning only Christians. These were ministering, fasting, praying, hard-working, soul-winners.

But 40% of their teacher corps is about to be lost to the mission field. Antioch's loss, the world's gain. Antioch's sacrifice would mean churches planted in Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, Rome, Thyatira, Pergamum, Philadelphia, Smyrna, Sardis, Laodicea and Lincoln, Nebraska.

Oh, that the Holy Ghost would count our workers faithful enough to separate many of them unto great works whereunto He has called them.

Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Bride!

Acts 12:1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) 4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. 5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. 7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. 8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. 9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

Acts 12:21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. 24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.

You mess with the bride of any man and you have asked for some serious problems. But if you mess with the bride of Christ, have your funeral plans in place.

How hot the nether regions have burned! Hell has several Herods in residence who have been suffering for a long time now, regretting the persecution of Christ and His church.

An interview with any of them would reveal how mistaken they were in there malicious activity against the faith.

Fact is, Jesus does not countenance evil actions against His body, His Bride, His church. Persecution abounds around the globe, but woe to those who act maliciously against those that are Christ's.

Make sure you are with the church, and not working against it. Don't mess with the Bride.

Go Thy Way!

Act 11:25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: 26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. 27 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.

The great church at Jerusalem had been scattered by tremendous persecution. Having grown to over 100,000 in membership, the government decided enough was enough and clamped down on the believers, forcing many of them to leave town.

Great things were going on at Antioch. The Apostolic band relocated in Antioch, and was eventually joined by the new convert Paul. Then, another great man of God came to the church, Barnabas.

This Antioch church enjoyed great teaching, fellowship, growth and revival for a whole year. Imagine the vast amount of spiritual gifts endowed to this single body of believers. Among them was a prophet named Agabus.

His prophecy forewarned of a global dearth and portended the initiation of missionary activity. It was because of the sufferings of believers elsewhere that the church commissioned Paul and Barnabas to bring relief to the elders from place to place. What began as a social relief program would become the spreading of the Gospel as God predicted in Acts 9:15, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

Whatever the circumstances, whether it be persecution in Jerusalem which brought about a dispersion of believers, or a famine which would send relief efforts throughout the region, or God leading you to go downtown for lunch or to the other side of the globe for a missions trip, God has one thing in mind, preach the gospel to every creature.

Go!

All Manner of Creeping Things

Act 11:5 I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: 6 Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. 8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

The sheet let down from heaven 3 times in Peter's vision contained a zoo full of live, non-kosher animals.

Who knows, maybe there was a piglet, an owl, a rabbit, perhaps a snake and a lobster. None-the-less, it would be enough to make any self-respecting Jew turn his nose up in disgust.

Did you hear about the guy caught red-handed hunting spotted owls in California? At his trial, the judge decided to go easy on him because he was so back-woodsy and ignorant of the law.

Finally, the judge asked the fellow, "By the way, what does a spotted owl taste like?"

"Well," he drawled, "Somewhere between a bald eagle and a California condor."

Overcoming Peter's distaste for unclean foods was simply preparation for overcoming religious bigotry. Jews would be reluctant to believe that repentance could be granted to the Gentiles. But this little zoological lesson would serve as a big hint, God loves everybody and sent His Son for every one of every race.

Once, while teaching in a Navajo church, we took a coffee break and I was relating to one gentleman about our church on the Ute reservation.

"Ugh!" He said, "Waste of time! Utes have no souls!"

As sad as that was, later on, I couldn't help but chuckle. Old prejudices die hard. Some are reluctant to bury the hatchet.

God has indeed granted repentance unto the Gentiles, and anyone else because, whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Pass out a tract or witness today to someone who doesn’t look like you, God loves their eternal soul.

And the Wall Came a' Tumbling Down

Act 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, 2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

Goyim, that's what the Jews would call us Gentiles. Some would even have considered us dogs, because we were outside of the covenant.

But God so loved the world, not just a particular race of people that He sent His Son to die for all and as many would believe on Him could be saved.

The wall which separated Jew and Gentile would have to come down so that all believers could be one in Christ.

Enter the man that changed it all. His name was Cornelius. He was an Italian, a soldier among soldiers. It so happened that he loved and feared God when the rest were bowing to Caesar. He was a big hearted giver to the poor. His prayer life would have made many Jews jealous.

This is the Gentile that would first come to an apostle to show that the Goyim were indeed eligible to become equal to the Jew in the sight of God. Old ways die hard, but die they must if God's plan of world evangelization would come to pass.

So the Lord prepares two men, Cornelius that Gentile and Peter the Jew for a meeting that would change the economy of God's dealing with mankind.

It is because of this historic tete a tete between these two godly greats that we Gentiles have been brought in to the family. There is now no difference to God whether we are bond or free, male or female, Jew or Gentile. We are all made one and brought near to God through the blood of Christ.

Thank God for this godly Italian who was worthy to be the first of millions to be a part of a new dispensation of grace for the Gentiles.

Speak for Yourself!

1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Almost 400 years ago, a couple of my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfathers, John Alden and William Brewster came to the new world on the Mayflower. I hope I got the right amount of ‘greats’ in there.

Anyway, the captain of the ship, Miles Standish, was smitten by the beautiful Priscilla Mullins (gr, gr, gr, etc… grandma). He had to vie for her affections with the ship’s carpenter, John Alden. Alden eventually acquiesced to his friend, the captain. He gave up the fight to allow Miles to be the lone suitor.

One problem, the captain was unable to speak in the presence of Priscilla, so he prevailed upon his friend to ask for her hand in marriage for him.

As John knelt before Miss Mullins to propose for Captain Standish, she interrupted him by stating, “Why don’t you speak for yourself, John?” So he did. “Priscilla Mullins, will you marry me?” and John and Priscilla officially became America’s first couple. You have them to thank for me being with you today!

John Alden Foods existed until the mid-1960’s with the motto on their cans, “It speaks for itself.”

All that to say, we ought to always be ready and willing to speak up and give an answer to any and all for what God has done for us.

Why don’t you speak for yourself!