Today's Devotion

Today's Scripture Summary Saul seeks permission from the high priest to bind the believers and bring them to Jerusalem. Suddenly, near Damascus, a light from heaven surrounds Saul. As he falls to the ground, Saul hears the voice of Jesus. Blinded, he is carried by men to Damascus, where he abstains from eating and drinking for three days. 1. Saul persecutes believers (9:1-2) Saul was the one who took the lead in killing Stephen (7:58; 8:1). Saul asks the high priest for a letter to take to the various synagogues in Damascus. The intent is to bind all believers to Jerusalem. At the time, Damascus was a very large and developed city, with many Jews living there and several synagogues. The believers fled there because of persecution. The reason the Jews, including Saul, persecuted the believers is because the gospel is in conflict with Jewish beliefs. Judaism never recognizes Jesus as the Christ (Messiah) sent by God. - Why did Saul want to go to Damascus? What can I do to help someon

Today's Scripture Summary Philip travels the wilderness road down to Gaza as the messenger of the Lord has commanded. There he meets a eunuch in charge of the Ethiopian queen's treasury, who reads from the book of Isaiah but doesn't realize it. Philip starts with that passage and preaches the gospel. He baptizes the eunuch, and as he comes up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord leads him. 1. Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch (8:26-31) Philip is an evangelist who hears and obeys the voice of the Holy Spirit. Philip obeys the angel's instructions and travels to Gaza. Gaza is located on the Mediterranean coast west of Jerusalem and on the wilderness road to Egypt. There, Philip meets an Ethiopian eunuch, a high official in charge of the country's finances. The "Ethiopia" in the text is the Nubian kingdom to the south of Egypt, which corresponds to the area of northern Sudan today. In Old Testament times, it was called "Goeth." &q

Today's Scripture Summary Peter and John go down to Samaria and lay hands on those who have been baptized "in the name of the Lord Jesus," and they receive the Holy Spirit. When Simon sees this, he tries to buy the power with money. Peter rebukes him, telling him to repent of his wickedness. On their way back to Jerusalem, Peter and John preach the gospel in several villages in Samaria. 1. The Holy Spirit comes on the Samaritans 8(:14-17) The gospel and the Holy Spirit go hand in hand. The apostles in Jerusalem send Peter and John to Samaria. The purpose is to confirm the faith and salvation of the Samaritans and to teach them more about the faith. The Holy Spirit has not yet come upon any of the Samaritans; they have only been water baptized by Philip. So Peter and John lay their hands on them and they too receive the Holy Spirit. The coming of the Holy Spirit to Jerusalem at Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit to Samaria after the martyrdom of Stephen are the sa

Today's Scripture Summary After Stephen's death, Saul throws the saints into prison in an attempt to eliminate the church. The scattered saints travel around preaching the gospel, and Philip preaches Christ in the city of Samaria and performs signs. There is great joy in the city as unclean spirits leave and people are healed. As a result of Philip's preaching, Simon the magician believes and is baptized. 1. Philip preaches in Samaria (8:2-8) Persecution and scattering are new opportunities to spread the gospel. Saul (Paul), who deserved the death of Stephen, wants to get rid of the church, so the believers in Jerusalem are scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. The scattering of believers results in an expansion of the gospel: they go to all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth, as chapter 1:8 says. Philip goes down to the city of Samaria and preaches the gospel. Jews don't get along with Samaritans, but Philip preaches the gospel in the city of Samaria, cas

Today's Scripture Summary Stephen says that the Jews, like their ancestors, killed the righteous. When he says that he sees heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God, they plug their ears and stone him. Stephen falls asleep, entrusting his soul to the Lord and asking for forgiveness for their sins. That day there is great persecution in the church in Jerusalem, and the saints are scattered. 1. Stephen's rebuke (7:51-53) It is not easy to expose one's sins in the presence of the powerful, but Stephen boldly points out the sins of the Jews before the council. He had addressed his audience favorably as "we," but now he distances himself from them by saying "you" (v. 51). He criticizes the Jews for being stiff-necked, uncircumcised in heart and ears, and always resisting the Holy Spirit. He says that their ancestors killed those who prophesied that the righteous one (Messiah) would come, and now the Jews are the ones who murdered tha

Today's Scripture Summary The people of Israel multiply, and the king of Egypt kills the babies of Israel. Moses is saved by Pharaoh's daughter and learns the wisdom of the Egyptians. He becomes a murderer to save his people and flees, but after 40 years, God calls him back to lead Israel out of Egypt. But the people make idols and worship them. 1. Moses (7:17-43) Stephen speaks about Moses, the leader of the Exodus. He mentions Moses at length because of the accusation that he had blasphemed Moses (6:11). Stephen says that Moses fulfilled his calling to save the Israelites (vv. 34-36) and testified to the coming of a prophet like himself, "Jesus Christ" (v. 37). The phrase "wilderness church" (v. 38) suggests that a community of faith as a people gathered by God existed even in Old Testament times. Stephen refers to the Law of Moses as the 'living word' (v. 38), emphasizing the fact that he is not against the law. The 'armies of heaven' (v.

Today's Scripture Summary Stephen answers the high priest's interrogation. God promised Abraham the land of Canaan and gave him a covenant that his descendants would be servants in other lands for 400 years. God was with Joseph, one of Jacob's twelve sons, and sent him to Egypt to be a ruler and deliver Israel from tribulation. 1. Abraham (7:1-8) Stephen begins his sermon before the council. Rather than trying to prove his innocence, he uses this opportunity to teach that Jesus Christ is the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. He gives a redemptive account of the tabernacle and temple, along with key figures Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, and Solomon (7:2-50). At the beginning of his sermon, he addresses his audience, including the council members, by calling them "fathers and brothers" to let them know that he holds no ill will toward them. He also refers to Abraham as "our father" (v. 2), recognizing that Hebrew Jews and the Hellenistic Je