Paul is finishing his defence in the Caesarean court. He’s using his own conversion story to do so, in a form shaped to challenge King Agrippa, which includes a summary of his gospel call (v20). That call has three elements:
Prodded by the Lord
We like to tell anecdotes: stories from our lives which stand out. They aren’t simply factual records. Rather, we shape them to be striking, memorable and suited to the effect we want them to have. Sadly, due to our sin,
Why do you persecute me?
In the 1st century, Israel was a nation with a long history, embedded customs, strong bonds and great pride. To see such a nation radically changed is hard work; to see such a nation changed when all you can do
Preparing for change
Times of change turn up in all our lives and in a variety of ways. However, knowing how to handle them is not always easy. These verses show us the Lord dealing brilliantly with change, as he prepares his church
Now I see
Moments come when the world looks different to us. The most dramatic feel like the world will never be the same again. Saul of Tarsus experiences that here in his conversion to Christ. In the first eight chapters of Acts