Acts 12-13

I'm not so good at keeping up with this daily blogging of my reading, am I?

Acts 12

Peter has been arrested and is heavily guarded. Herrod is out for blood. He has had James killed and received favorable ratings for it so plans to get Peter, too. Peter is very heavily guarded at all times in prison. In the middle of the night, an angel comes to Peter and frees him and leads him to safety outside of the gates. Peter goes to his family and tells them what has happened and then leaves for another place.

When his disappearance is discovered and a search does not reveal him, Herrod has the guards executed.

21On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. 22They shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man." 23Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. 21On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. 22They shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man." 23Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

That would suck as a way to die, wouldn't it?

Acts 13

The Holy Spirit calls upon Barnabas and Saul.

They travel a great distance. And meet with Bar-Jesus (Elymas) and proconsul, Sergius Paulus.

Proconsul is a government leader type. I looked it up.

The proconsul wanted to hear Barnabas and Saul. But Elymas, a magician, wanted to stop them.

9Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10"You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun."

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

The chapter goes on to say that seeing this happen to Elymas made him believe in the power of the Lord. Wonder about Elymas? Did he become a believer and have his sight restored?

Paul and his companions travel to Pisidian Antioch. Paul preaches at the synagogue about the history of David- how we got to David and how David became king and David's descendants. Paul goes on to tell how Jesus came and was not recognized as being the Son of God but also fulfilled the prophecies. Paul states that Jesus is the way. Through his sacrifice, we have forgiveness.

They go to leave and the people want to hear more. The crowds disperse and the Jews continue to hear more of what Paul has to say. The next day, a very large crowd forms to hear Paul. The Jews are jealous. Paul tells them that they had the chance to hear it first and chose to not believe.

46Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47For this is what the Lord has commanded us:

" 'I have made you[g] a light for the Gentiles,
that you[h] may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'[i]"

48When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

The Jews stir up persecution against Paul and Barnabas so that they are expelled from the region. They continue on their journey with joy, filled with the Holy Spirit.

Peace,
Liz