The Book of Acts ~ Study Thirty

"Determined"


Acts 8:1-3 (NLT)  Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.
   A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.


Watching the stoning of Stephen was a young man named Saul. He completely approved of the stoning and was so moved by Stephen's trial and execution that he began persecuting the believers with an umatched fervor. "He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison."


Have you ever believed in something so strongly that you would go to any length to see that it was successful? Have you ever believed in something you thought was right and later found it to be wrong?


Who was this Saul that is referred to in this passage? Look at the following Scripture and list the things you find there that can help us learn a little bit about him:


Acts 22:3 (NLT) Then Paul (formerly known as Saul) said, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today.


Before he was a believer he was a strong advocate of the Pharisees and in the extinguishing of the believers of Jesus. Though he was devoted to God as an Israelite, he was a cruel man who calmly witnessed the murder of Stephen. 


Do you remember the name Gamaliel? (See Acts 5:33-39) He was a Rabban, a Rabbi of the Rabbis. Saul was a student of his and wholeheartedly believed everything he had learned and was determined that the Christians would be stopped. It all started when he witnessed the death of Stephen. Saul, who we'll learn more about later, was convinced that Jesus and his followers were a danger to the Jewish way of life and to the control of the Temple. It appeared that nothing could change his mind. Nothing could, perhaps, but Someone would.


Do you know someone who you believe will never change? Maybe you have views that have been changed. What are some of these views or beliefs that you previously held? How did they get changed?


Sometimes I think that there is no way that certain people I know will have a change of heart toward Jesus. No matter what I say to convince them of Jesus and His love for them seems to make a dent. Is it my responsibility to change their minds? What does the Bible say?


1 Corinthians 1:6 (NLT) This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.


2 Corinthians 5:20a (NLT) We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.


The Good News of Jesus is what changes peoples minds. We are ambassadors of this Good News are only responsible for telling it and living our lives as an example. The Holy Spirit does the rest. We are merely the mouthpiece He uses to tell others about Jesus. 


Romans 8:16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 


Inside each person there is a spirit which was placed there by God and longs to know God. That is why so many people seek "spiritual things" of this world. They are looking for a Savior. Think about all the "religions" in the world. Not one leads to God through a Savior that died and rose again. No one offers a personal relationship with the God of the universe. Only Jesus offers this.


John 14:6 (NLT) Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."


The hearts of people change because the Holy Spirit touches their spirit and the person responds. Hearts and minds can be changed. We should never give up telling others about Jesus. We'll learn more about Saul later but for now let's remember to live our lives for Jesus and tell others about Him.