Podcasts about Tarsus

2. Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, is introduced as a powerful member of the Ptolemaic dynasty who turned Egypt into a Mediterranean "gold mine". She meets Antony at Tarsus in 41 BC with a spectacular, perfumed barge presentation that immediately wows him. Strauss portrays her as a tough political player who survived dynastic murders to secure her throne. She claims her son, Caesarion, is Julius Caesar's child, a significant political asset. By providing Antony with her massive treasury, she bankrolls his ambitions while demonstrating Alexandria's cultural and scientific superiority over Rome. (2)

Today's question is one that Pastor says has been the question asked with the most fear.  Other ways this question is asked:     ⁃    What is the unforgivable sin?     ⁃    What is the sin against the Holy Spirit?     ⁃    How can I be sure I haven't done this?     ⁃    If I have done this is there any hope?     ⁃    How do I avoid the unforgivable sin? Matthew 12:31-32 Jesus says, "And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come." What is that sin? Let's start by looking at the context …     ⁃    Jesus was preaching and healing. Religious authorities saw Jesus as a threat. Jesus heals a paralyzed man and the religious leaders say Jesus is blaspheming because He told the man your sins are forgiven, take up your mat and walk. And the religious leadership are angry and they continue to get angrier. Matthew 9:3     ⁃    Matthew, one of Jesus' disciples, hosts a dinner, invites his tax collector friends and Jesus attends too. The religious leaders accuse Jesus of "eating with tax collectors and sinners." Matthew 9:11     ⁃    Jesus heals a demon possessed man and the religious leaders say Jesus was able to heal the man through demonic powers. Matthew 9:34     ⁃    Jesus and disciples are walking in the grain fields on the Sabbath Day, picking and eating grain and the religious leaders say they are working on the day of rest, which is unlawful. Matthew 12:2     ⁃    Jesus heals a demon possessed man and now the religious leaders plot to kill Jesus. Matthew 12:14     ⁃    Jesus heals a man and they say that Jesus healed by the power of Beelzebul (the devil) Matthew 12:24 It is at this point that we continue with the verses just before our text for the day on the unforgivable sin. We read in Matthew 12:25-28 "Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? (Meaning how can I be healing from demons by using demons?) And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." What Jesus is saying is look at what you see.  Stop judging on the basis of your own anger and bitterness and look at what the Bible has said along. God's healing is being brought to people. The Holy Spirit is testifying that the Messiah has arrived! Then Jesus speaks the words we started with this morning. Note that the first words are "EVERY KIND OF SIN AND SLANDER CAN BE FORGIVEN." Jesus goes on and what He's saying is if we continually refuse to listen to the Holy Spirit and actually go so far as to call what the Spirit does as demonic then we are setting ourselves up for the unforgivable sin.  (Note: Jesus is not saying they have done this, but He is calling them to search the scriptures, to search their hearts.) The Holy Spirit always testifies to Jesus. Jesus is saying do not sin against the Spirit because if you persist in that you are cutting yourself off from the only One who can save. The Holy Spirit leads us to faith and to Jesus, who opens our eyes to see the goodness and grace of God. What is the sin against the Holy Spirit? IT IS THE CONSCIOUS, DELIBERATE AND PERSISTENT REJECTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT'S TESTIMONY TO THE IDENTITY AND SAVING POWER OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. Jesus speaks these words of warning to them to lead them to repentance and faith.  God is merciful. His desire is for ALL. Classic example:     ⁃    Saul of Tarsus - the persecutor of believers who becomes a transformed man - Apostle Paul.  Pastor shares Saul's story of transformation. Paul understood the sin of the Holy Spirit because that was the path he had been on in his life. But then Saul has an encounter with God that changes him and he understands the immense patience of God and His amazing grace. Pastor closes with Romans 10:9-10 "If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." God is good! So let us listen to the Holy Spirit's voice who leads us to Jesus our only Hope. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/whats-the-answer Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world."  Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches.  Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18 In 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church.  These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church.  Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth. Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter.  We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized. Acts 9:1-18 (NRSVUE) Isang mapagpalayang araw sa lahat ng kababaihan. Ngayon ay Pandaigdigang Araw ng mga Kababaihan (International Women’s Day). Inaalala natin ang mga dakilang kababaihan sa kasaysayan—ang ating mga ina, kapatid, asawa, kasamahan sa trabaho, mga lingkod-bayan, at lingkod-simbahan na patuloy na bumubuo ng mas mabuting mundo at kinabukasan para sa ating lahat. Tayo ay nasa Lenten series pa rin ng ating simbahan. Noong nakaraang dalawang linggo, tinalakay ni Pastor Jom ang kalikasan ng “sin theology”. Noong nakaraang linggo naman, pinaalalahanan tayo tungkol sa Juan 3:16, ang ating paboritong memory verse, ngunit binigyang-diin din ang talata 17: na hindi tayo nais hatulan ng Diyos. Sa hapong ito, ipagpapatuloy natin ang talakayan at magpopokus sa kung ano ang susunod. Susubukan nating unawain ang Metanoia. Ang Metanoia ay kombinasyon ng dalawang salitang Griyego: ang “Meta” na nangangahulugang beyond, after, o change; at “Noos” na ang ibig sabihin ay perception, understanding, o mind. Sa Griyegong Bagong Tipan, karaniwan itong isinasalin sa Ingles bilang repentance o pagsisisi. Kaya naman sa Marcos 1:15, sinabi ni Jesus: “Magsisi (repent) at maniwala sa mabuting balita dahil malapit na ang kaharian ng Diyos”. Sa Gawa 2:38, sa sermon ni Pedro noong Pentecostes, sinabi rin niya: “Magsisi (repent) at magpabinyag ang bawat isa sa inyo sa pangalan ni Jesu-Cristo upang mapatawad ang inyong mga kasalanan”. Sa tradisyong Kristiyano at teolohiya, tinitingnan ang metanoia bilang isang karanasan ng konbersyon—isang pagbabago mula sa lumang gawi patungo sa bago at mas mabuting buhay. Sa kuwento ni Saul, makikita natin na ang tunay na pagbabago ay madalas nagsisimula sa isang hindi inaasahang pagtatagpo o mystical experience. Habang si Saul ay naglalakad patungong Damascus—bitbit ang kanyang mga plano at awtoridad—bigla siyang nabulag ng isang matinding liwanag. Dito natin makikita ang ironya: si Saul, na akala ay “nakikita” ang lahat at alam ang lahat ng tama, ay kailangang mabulag upang tunay na makakita. Ang kanyang pisikal na pagkabulag ay sumasalamin sa kanyang espirituwal na kalagayan. Sa loob ng tatlong araw, siya ay nasa dilim—walang pagkain, walang inumin, at walang kasiguruhan. Ito ang yugto ng paglilinis, ang sandali kung saan ang lahat ng kanyang pinaniniwalaan ay gumuho upang bigyang-daan ang isang bagong katotohanan. Upang mas maunawaan ang pinagdaanan ni Saul, maaari nating gamitin ang konsepto ng Old Testament scholar na si Walter Brueggemann tungkol sa buhay ng pananampalataya. Ayon sa kanya, ang ating buhay ay dumadaan sa isang cycle: Orientation: Ito ang panahon kung saan maayos ang lahat. Alam natin ang ating gagawin, kontrolado natin ang sitwasyon, at panatag ang ating loob sa ating mga nakasanayan. Ito si Saul bago ang Damascus. Disorientation: Ito ang “madilim na gabi ng kaluluwa.” Dito pumapasok ang krisis, pagkabulag, at ang pagkawala ng kontrol. Ito ang tatlong araw ni Saul sa Damascus kung saan ang kanyang mundo ay nagulo. New Orientation: Ito ang yugto ng Metanoia. Hindi tayo bumabalik sa dati; sa halip, tayo ay nagiging bagong nilalang na may mas malalim na pag-unawa at mas malawak na pananaw. Ang pagbabagong-loob ay hindi lamang tungkol sa paghinto sa paggawa ng masama, kundi ang pagyakap sa isang bagong paraan ng pag-iisip at pamumuhay na mas malapit sa puso ng Diyos. Ang Metanoia o ang pagbabago ng isip ay dapat humantong sa Metamorphosis—ang pagbabago ng anyo o buhay. Tulad ng isang uod na nagiging lilibuyo, ang ating pagbabago ay dapat maging kitang-kita sa ating mga gawa at pakikitungo sa kapwa. Ang pagbabago ay hindi isang minsang kaganapan lamang; ito ay isang patuloy na proseso. Sabi nga ni Hesus, tayo ay tinatawag na mamuhay sa liwanag. Ang mga “kaliskis” na nalaglag sa mga mata ni Saul ay simbolo ng pag-alis ng ating mga maling akala, paghuhusga, at poot sa ating mga puso. Sa kuwento, makikita natin na hindi lamang si Saul ang sumailalim sa metanoia. Si Ananias din ay kinailangan ng pagbabago ng isip. Takot siya kay Saul dahil sa reputasyon nito, ngunit sumunod siya sa utos ng Panginoon. Tinawag niya si Saul na “Kapatid na Saul” (Brother Saul)—isang pagkilala na ang dating kaaway ay isa na ngayong kapamilya sa pananampalataya. Ito ang hamon sa atin: Handa ba nating tanggapin ang mga taong nagbago na, o patuloy natin silang huhusgahan base sa kanilang nakaraan? Ang metanoia ay hindi lamang para sa “masasamang tao” na kailangang maging mabuti, kundi para rin sa mga “mabubuting tao” na kailangang maging mas mapagmahal at mapagpatawad. Ang pagbabago ay hindi natatapos sa isang iglap. Tulad ng nabanggit natin, ang metanoia ay dapat humantong sa isang tuloy-tuloy na metamorphosis. Bilang mga Kristiyano, tinawag tayo ni Hesus na lumakad sa liwanag. Hindi tayo iniwan sa ating lumang kalagayan; patuloy tayong hinuhubog ng Diyos araw-araw. Sa pagtatapos ng ating pagninilay sa Lenten series na ito, nawa’y maging tapat tayo sa ating sarili. Siyasatin natin ang ating mga puso: Ano-anong mga “maskara” ang kailangan nating tanggalin? Ano-anong mga “kaliskis” sa ating mga mata ang kailangang malaglag upang tunay nating makita ang pangangailangan ng ating kapwa? Ang tunay na pagsisisi ay hindi lamang pag-iyak sa ating mga pagkakamali, kundi ang matapang na paghakbang patungo sa direksyong nais ng Diyos para sa atin. The post Metanoia: What’s Next appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world."  Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches.  Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18 In 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church.  These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church.  Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth. Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter.  We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Friday morning, the 6th of March, 2026, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go to the Gospel of John 21:22: ”Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” That's what Jesus said to Peter when Peter wanted to know what was going to happen to John. I think the Lord is saying to you and me this morning that what other people are doing is not your business. They belong to God and God will deal with them in His own time.I think of Saul of Tarsus, who persecuted the Christians terribly, and then he got converted, and became Paul the Apostle. Probably, in my humble opinion, the greatest of all the apostles in the Bible, and I can hear a young man, a young girl, saying, ”I wish that I could be like Paul the Apostle.” Well if you look at 2 Corinthians 11:23, you will see how much it cost Paul to be an apostle for Jesus Christ. He gives a whole list of what he went through to follow the Master in his calling. Jesus gives us enough grace for our work and our calling. He says that His grace is sufficient for you and me. Do not be concerned about how other people are living. “Can you drink of the cup?” That's what He asked James and John. They said, ”We can.” And He said, ”and you will.” I want to tell you that 1 Timothy 6:6, is a very special scripture to me, ”Now godliness with contentment is great gain.” Be satisfied with your lot, where you are in life, and be grateful to God, and pray for those who have a tremendous burden to carry, but don't ask for things that you cannot handle, because those will trip you up eventually. The Lord knows how much you can take, and as He said to Peter, ”It's got nothing to do with you, what I'm going to do with John. You follow me.”Today, follow the Lord and be content with what you've got.Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day.Goodbye.

Was the Apostle Paul a Slave? | Dr. Mark Fairchild on Paul's Early Life as Saul the ZealotWas Paul once a slave? If so, how did his early life shape his theology, mission, and message? In this compelling episode of the Bible and Theology Matters podcast, Dr. Paul Weaver sits down with Dr. Mark Fairchild to discuss his groundbreaking book, Paul's Enslavement: The Early Life of Saul the Zealot. Together, they explore the provocative thesis that the Apostle Paul may have been a former slave—and how that possibility sheds powerful new light on his language of slavery, freedom, adoption, redemption, and identity in Christ.Dr. Fairchild draws from the Book of Acts, Paul's letters (especially Galatians), early church tradition from Jerome, and the historical writings of Josephus to examine:-Paul's Roman citizenship and how slaves could receive citizenship through-manumission -The “Synagogue of the Freedmen” in Acts 6-The meaning of stigmata in Galatians 6:17-Honor, shame, and status in the first-century Mediterranean world-How slavery differed from modern conceptions of 16th–19th century chattel slavery-Why does Paul use slavery and adoption language more than any other New Testament writer -How Saul's zealotry transformed after his encounter with Christ on the Damascus RoadThis conversation also explores Paul's rabbinic training under Gamaliel, his intense persecution of the early church, and how his radical conversion reshaped his understanding of identity, freedom, and gospel ministry.If you want deeper insight into:-The historical Paul: First-century slavery in the Roman world-The background of Galatians: Paul's theology of freedom and redemption-How archaeology and ancient sources illuminate Scripture…you won't want to miss this episode. Dr. Fairchild also discusses his extensive research in Turkey (ancient Asia Minor) and his work on Paul's “unknown years” in Cilicia. This episode is hosted by Dr. Paul Weaver, Associate Professor of Bible Exposition at Dallas Theological Seminary and host of the Bible and Theology Matters podcast.

In our journey to better understand what it means for us to be made in the image of God, we accompany Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus Road as his life is upended in an encounter with the resurrected Jesus. How is it that God transforms us? What light shatters the dark shackles of our soul? Join us as we, with unveiled faces, look into the glory of God.

Mystery rides were part of growing up at our house. Usually it was a Sunday afternoon, and I'd pile our three kids into our car for a ride. I think we explored every corner of our area. And as we did, we discovered over the years, a lot of great things. But I've got one son who's a lot like me. He wants to know the plan before we leave. "Hey, Dad, where are we going? Where are we going to eat? What are we going to eat? What are we going to do while we're there? How long will we be there? What time are we going to get home?" He would pump me with more questions; I felt like I was being interrogated by a police sergeant. Sometimes I knew it was better not to explain where we were going. I mean we've done things that would have sounded boring if I had told about them, but they turned out to be exciting and I knew they would. Plus surprises are fun anyway. So, my kids got used to hearing two words when we were about to begin a mystery trip, "Trust me." I don't think I let them down. It was good training for journeys with their other Father. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Going Not Knowing." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from the life of the Apostle Paul. He's still Saul of Tarsus here. Acts 9 - he's on his way to wipe out Christians. He missed some in Jerusalem. So he said, "I'll get them in Damascus. They all went there; I'll find them in Syria." We begin in verse 3: "As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?' 'Well, who are you, Lord?' Saul asked. 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' he replied. 'Now, get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.'" Now, it's interesting that Saul's training for his whole life in Christ began immediately with a mystery trip. Yeah, did you notice that? He has just opened up to Jesus, and the Lord says, "Go into the city and you will be told." "Lord, what do you want me to do there? Who am I going to meet there? How am I even going to be able to see; I'm blind right now?" The Lord says, "Go and you will be told." Well, he spent the rest of his life living like that. In Acts 20, when he was on his way to Jerusalem as the great Apostle Paul and his friends were trying to discourage him, he said, "Compelled by the Spirit, I am going not knowing." See, you have a heavenly Father who often takes His children on mystery trips. Maybe you're on one of His mystery trips right now. There's a good destination He's got in mind, but right now He's telling you just the next step. In essence, He's saying to you as He did to Saul, "Go, and you will be told as you are on the way." It may well be that you're in the middle of one of those times right now, and the tendency is to say, "Now, Lord, if you'll just give me all the information, give me all the facts, I'll start going that direction." And the Lord says, "No, you start moving in that direction I've told you to go, and you'll get more information as you go." Now, maybe you're waiting to have all your questions answered before you move, and right now there are more question marks than there are periods or exclamation points for sure. Can you almost hear your Father saying as He bundles you into His car, "Trust Me, let's start traveling together." Hey, He died for you. Is He ever going to do you wrong? God's mystery trips always lead to a destination that is selected with you in mind, for your good. So, why not settle back, enjoy the trip, and let Him drive. Trust your Father and don't be afraid of going not knowing.

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world."  Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches.  Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18 In 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church.  These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church.  Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth. Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter.  We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world."  Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches.  Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18 In 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church.  These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church.  Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth. Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter.  We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

God didn't call you to a life on the sidelines. There's new ground God wants you to take — and it will stretch you beyond your comfort zone. That's the point.This week, we dive into what Paul really meant when he said "run in a way to get the prize"—by actually following his footsteps in Tarsus (modern-day Turkey). This week, Kyle Ranson helps us to see what he saw then, and feel what God is calling you to right now.Recorded live at Crossroads Church in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Saul of Tarsus knew the Scriptures better than most of us ever will. He was disciplined, devoted, and certain he was right. Yet, he was still blind. Acts 9 shows us what happens when certainty collides with the living Christ. It's the story of how knowing about God becomes truly knowing Him.

Paul and Barnabas spent several days climbing in the gruelling mountains of Tarsus to reach Pisidian Antioch. At the top they shared the Good News of Jesus with the people but were quickly booted out of town. Life is a journey marked by many steep ascents into the unknown. How we perceive success is critical for finding joy no matter what meets us at the top. 

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world."  Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches.  Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18 In 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church.  These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church.  Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth. Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter.  We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

Packinghouse's Sunday morning worship service from February 15, 2026 Acts 6:8–15 | Pasot Greg Stephen, a Regular Guy with an Uncommon Grace Stephen wasn't an apostle or a leader with a title—he was a faithful servant in the church—and yet God's grace and the Holy Spirit were powerfully on him, proving that spiritual influence isn't about status but about being filled with Christ. As the young Jerusalem church passes a crucial “test of love” by caring for neglected widows and choosing Greek-speaking believers to lead the solution, the church multiplies—and that momentum brings Stephen straight into conflict. When educated opponents in the synagogue can't refute his Spirit-given wisdom, they pivot to slander, false witnesses, and dragging him before the Sanhedrin, showing how people often try to destroy the messenger when they can't defeat the message. The passage ends with a striking picture: Stephen stands in the middle of injustice with a face “like an angel,” a calm that becomes its own testimony and even plants seeds in Saul of Tarsus, reminding us that God uses ordinary believers—and that our response to unfairness can preach louder than our words. - Greg Opean - Sunday, February 15, 2026

Packinghouse's Sunday morning worship service from February 15, 2026 Acts 6:8–15 | Pasot Greg Stephen, a Regular Guy with an Uncommon Grace Stephen wasn't an apostle or a leader with a title—he was a faithful servant in the church—and yet God's grace and the Holy Spirit were powerfully on him, proving that spiritual influence isn't about status but about being filled with Christ. As the young Jerusalem church passes a crucial “test of love” by caring for neglected widows and choosing Greek-speaking believers to lead the solution, the church multiplies—and that momentum brings Stephen straight into conflict. When educated opponents in the synagogue can't refute his Spirit-given wisdom, they pivot to slander, false witnesses, and dragging him before the Sanhedrin, showing how people often try to destroy the messenger when they can't defeat the message. The passage ends with a striking picture: Stephen stands in the middle of injustice with a face “like an angel,” a calm that becomes its own testimony and even plants seeds in Saul of Tarsus, reminding us that God uses ordinary believers—and that our response to unfairness can preach louder than our words. - Greg Opean - Sunday, February 15, 2026

Aloha and welcome to The Mission North Shore's Podcast! This powerful message takes us to the ancient city of Beit She'an, where we witness the tragic end of King Saul's life and discover what it truly means to finish well. Through the contrasting lives of two men named Saul—King Saul and Saul of Tarsus (the Apostle Paul)—we're confronted with a sobering truth: it's not how we start our spiritual journey that matters most, but how we finish it. 

THE HOLY SPIRIT PREPARES THE HEART (Acts 9:32-10:23) Today's lesson is a continuation of the three conversions that we began to study with the salvation experience of the Ethiopian eunuch, followed by the conversion of Saul of Tarsus as he met Jesus on the road to Damascus.   In each of these examples, we looked at the three elements that brought these men to the feet of the Savior.  It is through these three elements that we can see how God works to bring a person to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  It is through these three elements that man is given the choice to accept Christ and make Him their Lord and Savior, or reject Him. First, the Holy Spirit of God who begins the work in the heart of the lost person.  This is essential, for without this work nothing will happen.  We will see a tremendous example of this as the Holy Spirit prepares the heart of Cornelius. Second, the Word of God.  This is also essential, for it is the Word of God that provides the basis of our faith.  It is because we know that its promises are true that our faith in Jesus rests.   Third, the man of God.  When God gets ready to save somebody, He uses human instrumentality.  God doesn't reach out of Heaven and simply convict, and convert, and save a person without human instrumentality being involved someway. That is the plan of God.  Now, I am not saying that God couldn't do it by Himself, for He can do anything He wants, but that is not His plan.  Listen, the ministry of the Holy Spirit of God is primarily a ministry of cooperation. He will not do it without you, and you cannot do it without Him.  He will not do it without you, and you cannot do it without Him.  The Bible tells us that faith cometh by the hearing of the Word of God, and in today's lesson it will be Peter that the Holy Spirit prepares as the man of God.   It is important to understand the concept that as a lost person it is our sins that condemn us, but that is not what sends us to an eternity in hell.  We will be judged and condemned to the fires of hell for the light of Jesus Christ that we have rejected.  It is the rejection of Jesus as our Savior that sends us to hell, not the fact of our sins.   Click on the link below to hear a message on how the Holy Spirit works to prepare the heart of a believer. This is a live recording of The Master's Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS. Amen.

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world."  Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches.  Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18  n 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church.  These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church.  Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth. Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter.  We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

When Saul of Tarsus travelled to Damascus to arrest any Christians he could find there, he experienced something that would radically transform his life forever. Somehow, he came to believe that Jesus of Nazareth was raised from the dead and was, in fact, the Messiah. In these defining moments of his life, Saul of Tarsus finally began to understand the message he had been given to proclaim all over the world.

The conversion of Manasseh, like New Testament Saul of Tarsus, stands as an example that God can save anyone and will hear and save those who repent and Call out to him.

In Acts 9:1-19, God turned the world upside down for Christianity's #1 enemy: Saul of Tarsus. Appearing to him on the Damascus road, Jesus called him out of darkness and into the light. Nothing is impossible with God! Pastor Doug Horner preaches a message titled, "The Conversion of Saul."

⁠⁠Support us on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠---Across the world, over two billion people believe that a human being is God. This confession of faith lies at the very heart of Christianity, a movement that exalts the life of a single individual far beyond that of any other world religion. But who was this man? What do we know about Jesus of Nazareth?This epsiode of Gladio Free Europe explores the historical question and historical personage of Jesus, an apocalyptic Jewish preacher from 1st-Century Galilee who was crucified by the Romans. Though this preacher is not attested in any contemporary documentation, his life and his death would have consequences more far-reaching than perhaps any other human up to this point.Liam, Sam, and Jackson chart the past three centuries of rationalist inquiry into the existence of Jesus, beginning with Enlightenment firebrands like Hermann Reimarup, moving through the development of mythicist speculation by figures such as Bruno Bauer and Arthur Drews, and the development of contemporary New Testament scholarship as represented by figures such as Paula Fredriksen, John Meier, and Bart Ehrman.Effectively all historians today agree that Jesus existed. Beyond this, there is not much certainty. Different scholars have different criteria for assessing the historical reliability of evidence on Jesus, predominately the Christian Gospels and the writings of Paul of Tarsus, but also roughly contemporaneous Greek and Roman sources, such as the great Greek Jewish historian Josephus. Additional insights can be gleaned through research into the Jewish religion of Jesus, the cultural and archaeological landscape of Ancient Palestine, and broader developments in Greco-Roman philosophy and spirituality.In addition to sharing contemporary academic findings concerning this peculiar individual, Liam, Sam, and Jackson share their own thoughts on the significance of the life and afterlife of Jesus. The earliest history of Christianity, as documented by texts such as the Acts of the Apostles, is enormously relevant to reconstructing the story of its founder. In addition, the spread of Christianity from an underground sect to the largest religious tradition in human history presents striking parallels with contemporary social movements. The Quest for the Historical Jesus, as so-described by Albert Schweitzer in 1906, thus holds profound consequences not only to Christians, but to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the human capacity for passion and perseverance. 

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world."  Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches.  Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18 In 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church.  These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church.  Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth. Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter.  We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

THE MARKS OF A MAN MADE NEW (Acts 9:17-22) When we make Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, we become a new creation.  We are made new.  A great preacher once said, “Nature forms us. Sin deforms us. School informs us. Prison reforms us. But, only Christ transforms us.”  In Christ, we become new. A Christian is not just somebody who has become nice; he has become new. He doesn't just turn over a new leaf; he receives a new life. A Christian is not like a tadpole that has become a frog, which has gone through a series of changes, but basically, it is the same creature. No, a Christian is more like a frog that has received the kiss of grace and has become a prince.  That is what we are. We are changed radically and dramatically.  We are a new creature. When Saul of Tarsus met the Lord Jesus on that road to Damascus, Saul asked the two greatest questions that anybody in this world could ever ask: “Who art thou, Lord?” and “Lord, what [would you] have me to do?”  Somebody has said that the Apostle Paul spent the rest of his life finding the answer to those two questions: “Who art thou, Lord?” and “Lord, what [would you] have me to do?”  They truly are wonderful questions! I would to God that everyone in the whole wide world would sincerely ask those questions: Who is Jesus, and what does Jesus want me to do?   As you study the Bible, you will see that the Bible doesn't put the emphasis upon receiving Christ as Savior.  The Bible puts the emphasis upon making Jesus Lord. And, when you make Jesus Christ Lord, He is, therefore, your Savior. Now, I'm not saying that He doesn't save.  Indeed, He does save.  But, while the Bible mentions Him as Savior 24 times, it mentions Him as Lord 433 times. When they spoke of the Lord Jesus, they called Him “the Lord Jesus.” Nobody is saved, who has not made Jesus Lord.  Listen, you cannot have what He gives—salvation—unless you receive what He is—and that is Lord. Click on the link below to hear a message on the marks of a man made new in Christ. This is a live recording of The Master's Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS. Amen.

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world."  Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches.  Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18 In 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church.  These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church.  Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth. Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter.  We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

In this episode of The Leader's Notebook (Ep. 295) from our seven-part series, The Magnificent Seven, and the final message in this series, I turn our attention to Paul the Apostle and the decisive turning points God used to shape the most influential voice of the early church. We begin with his commissioning in Acts 13 and look back to his dramatic conversion, his unmistakable calling, and the costly obedience that followed. Saul of Tarsus emerges as a Roman citizen, an elite rabbinical scholar, and a relentless Pharisee who encountered the risen Christ and was forever changed. From that encounter, Paul became the great theologian of salvation by faith alone, clarifying what it means for Gentiles to be grafted into the body of Christ. His life reminds us that to touch the church is to touch Christ Himself, and that true Kingdom leadership is not formed by ease, reputation, or advantage, but by answering God's call wherever it leads. – Dr. Mark Rutland Chapters (00:00:03) - The Leaders Notebook(00:00:25) - Paul the Apostle(00:04:02) - Paul the Apostle(00:12:10) - Saul of Tarsus(00:20:22) - Paul the Apostle's life(00:21:30) - Why Do Certain People Change Their Names?(00:27:40) - Paul the Apostle: Suffering and Joy(00:35:58) - Simon Peter on the Book of Hebrews(00:43:17) - Gentiles and the Law

Movements rarely grow the way we plan them. In Acts 11, we watch grace move ahead of structure as scattered believers carry the message of Jesus into Antioch, a bustling hub where cultural lines blur and new possibilities open. What happens next is not a victory lap but a blueprint for long-term faithfulness: leaders who refuse to grasp at control, a community that chooses slow formation over quick acclaim, and generosity that binds people once divided by history and habit.We walk through the turning points. Barnabas arrives not with a clipboard but with discernment, looking for “evidence of grace.” Instead of capturing the movement, he encourages it, then travels to Tarsus to bring Saul back to teach alongside him for a year. Their shared leadership reframes authority as service, collaboration, and trust. It's leadership without anxiety—confident enough to multiply itself and humble enough to celebrate what God has already begun through ordinary people. Along the way, we talk about how to organize around grace, not manage it, and why that shift matters for churches, teams, and any community trying to follow the Spirit's lead.When a prophet warns of famine, Antioch acts—no delay, no theatrics, just clear-eyed generosity. Each gives as they are able to support believers in Judea, a stunning reversal of social boundaries that once kept these groups apart. This is where transformation becomes visible: resources stop being private possessions and start functioning as tools for shared survival and mutual care. We offer a simple practice to carry forward this posture—meet one real need this week without being asked or praised—and reflect on how communion forms us into a people who belong to Christ and therefore to one another.If this conversation helps you rethink leadership, generosity, or the shape of community, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway so others can find it too.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, consider subscribing to Madison Church on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback means the world to us, so please take a moment to leave a review and share the podcast with your friends and family.For inquiries, suggestions, or collaboration opportunities, please reach out to us at help@madisonchurch.com. For the latest updates and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube New episodes are released every Monday, so mark your calendars and join us weekly! If you'd like to support the show, you can make a donation here. Your generosity helps us continue to bring you meaningful content. This podcast is intended for general informational purposes only. The views expressed by the hosts or guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Madison Church. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. For detailed information regarding our terms of use and privacy policy, please visit our website.Thank you for being part of the Madison Church community! We appreciate your support.

Acts 21:37-22:21  As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, "May I say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek? 38 Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?" 39 Paul replied, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people." 40 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying: 22 "Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you." 2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said: 3 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. 4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished. 6 "As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. 7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' 8 And I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.' 9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 And I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.' 11 And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus. 12 "And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, 'The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.' 17 "When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw him saying to me, 'Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.' 19 And I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. 20 And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.' 21 And he said to me, 'Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"   Key Words: Defense, Persecute, Light, Lord, Sight, Witness, Righteous One, Baptize, Sins Keystone Verses: For you will be a witness for Him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name. (Acts 22:15-16) Download Bulletin

God brings people who are different from us into our lives to enrich our spiritual experiences. Today, Pastor Bill refers to these individuals as "Odd Couples." He shares examples of various church members who were initially very different from others when they came. God chose Saul of Tarsus to be the first missionary in order to glorify Jesus and demonstrate His redemptive power. God always has a purpose and a plan in the choices He makes. The greatest “Odd Couple” is Jesus and you.

God brings people who are different from us into our lives to enrich our spiritual experiences. Today, Pastor Bill refers to these individuals as "Odd Couples." He shares examples of various church members who were initially very different from others when they came. God chose Saul of Tarsus to be the first missionary in order to glorify Jesus and demonstrate His redemptive power. God always has a purpose and a plan in the choices He makes. The greatest “Odd Couple” is Jesus and you.

In this honest and hope-filled message from Acts 9, we explore the heart of the gospel through the dramatic conversion of Saul of Tarsus. Tracing Paul's conversion alongside the wider witness of Scripture, this sermon exposes the illusion of neutrality before God and invites us to reckon with the ongoing work of transformation in the Christian life. From the blinding light on the Damascus road to the quiet obedience of Ananias, we see that God transforms people internally, gradually, and always within community.

SAUL'S COMMISSION (Acts 9:9-31) As I prepared the lesson this week, I began to consider how it described the tremendous life changing effect that accepting Jesus as your Savior can have.  Statistics tell us that the vast majority of conversions take place when a person is young.  In fact, the older a person gets, the less likely they are to accept the conviction of the Holy Spirit.  This is why is it is so important that our children are taught the Word of God from an early age.  For an adult, accepting Christ may mean changing your friends, changing the way you spend your entertainment time, and changing what you watch on TV and social media.  It can mean being ridiculed by, or even ostracized from, your family.   All of your preconceived notions about God that have been engrained in your mind from our public education system and the media, about the absolute moral truths that are found in the Bible, your ideas about the Bible itself, and about who Jesus is, and what He did for you, are suddenly changed.  For many new believers, there is a period of loneliness as they move away from old relationships and search for new ones.   In today's lesson we will see Saul go through this change, and then we will see Barnabas as he befriends the new Saul when no one else would, and then we will see the power of the Holy Spirit create a tremendous new warrior for Christ in Saul.  If nothing else, this lesson should challenge each of us to be open to welcoming new believers, mentoring them, and letting them know that they have a brand new family to be a part of.   Saul, who later became the Apostle Paul, was a chosen vessel, as we all are.  No two believers are alike.  We all have been prepared by God to do His will in this world.  Saul was the vessel chosen to carry the saving name of Jesus before the Gentiles, kings, and Israel, in that order.  He was to be more than anything else, an apostle to the Gentiles.  His training and his background prepared him in ways that not even Peter could match.  Nobody else within the new church had Paul's intellect, and training, and God would use these tools to the good of His will.   Click on the link below to hear a message on how Saul of Tarsus, the greatest enemy of the body of Christ, became the apostle Paul, the greatest missionary of the Gentile world.   This is a live recording of The Master's Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS. Amen.

Discover the transformative power of prayer and how God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. This message explores the biblical foundation of prayer as partnership with God, drawing from the powerful example of Ananias in Acts 9 who prayed for the apostle Paul's conversion and healing. Learn how prayer moves beyond simple requests to become a divine collaboration that changes lives and transforms communities. The early church understood prayer as their primary response to every situation, resulting in miraculous breakthroughs including prison doors opening, chains breaking, and impossible circumstances shifting. Explore the story of Ananias, an ordinary disciple with no special platform or recognition, who became God's chosen vessel to minister to Saul of Tarsus. Discover why God selected this humble believer and what qualities made him available for such a significant moment in church history. Understanding Ananias's immediate obedience and willingness to see people through God's eyes provides a powerful model for modern believers. This teaching addresses common fears and hesitations that prevent people from stepping into prayer ministry, including pride, intimidation, and feelings of inadequacy. Learn how to overcome these barriers and position yourself as someone God can use to bring healing and breakthrough to others. The message includes practical application for developing a lifestyle of availability and obedience in prayer. Discover how to hear God's voice more clearly, respond with immediate yes like Ananias, and see people not as they are but as God wants them to become. Explore the biblical foundation for signs and wonders following believers, including healing the sick, casting out demons, and supernatural protection. Learn why these manifestations aren't limited to church leaders but are available to all who believe and step out in faith. This teaching emphasizes the importance of standing in the gap through intercessory prayer, drawing from Ezekiel 22:30 where God searched for someone to stand in the gap. Understand your role as a bridge between heaven and earth, preventing destruction and releasing God's purposes in your community. Whether you're new to prayer ministry or looking to deepen your understanding of spiritual partnership with God, this message provides biblical foundation and practical steps for becoming someone God can use to transform lives through prayer.

A Sermon for the Epiphany Ephesians 3:1-12 and St. Matthew 2:1-12 by William Klock   Have you ever wanted to live in another story?  For me the high point of Second Grade came every day after our lunch recess.  We'd sit down at our desks and Mrs. Andrews would sit on a stool at the front of the class and read us a chapter from C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia.  From the get-go, I was completely drawn into this story of four kids who stumble through the door of an ordinary wardrobe into another land of magic and talking animals.  And pretty soon I was obsessed.  Now, in 1979 there was no Narnia “merch” like there was in the early 2000s after The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe movie came out, but I still had everything I could get my hands on.  Pretty soon I had my own set of the books, because our teacher wasn't reading them fast enough.  I had a calendar.  I had a giant map my dad laminated so I could hang it on the wall.  My mom even spent months making me a quilt with all my favourite characters sewn on it.  And I couldn't open a closet door without a little tingle of hope: maybe this time there'd be a path to Narnia.  I'd even reach in and push on the back wall.  I remember blowing out my birthday candles at least once and wishing Narnia would be real.  But Narnia wasn't my story.  It wasn't even real.  There was no escape from my real-life story. Decades later I reconnected with one of my old school friends from those days.  “Remember when we wished Narnia was real?”  And he said, “You wanted to get into Narnia.  I just wished I could be part of your family.”  His home life wasn't good.  His family was kind of a mess.  It didn't help that they were poor—not that we were rich, but it's funny that he thought we were even though we weren't.  But he wanted out of his family and his story and into mine.  “That's why I used to hang around your house so much and hardly ever invited you over to mine,” he said to me.  I felt really bad when he told me that.  I knew his life wasn't easy, but it had never occurred to me that he might think mine was.  And I wonder: How often do we wish we could escape our story and live in someone else's?  I guess if we were to go by things like Pinterest and Instagram, by the prevalence of all the home and garden and renovation shows on cable TV, by all the ways our culture gives us to try to escape reality—when you think of all the fantasies we obsess over that aren't real and aren't ours—a lot of us long to live in a story that isn't the one we were born into. But here's the thing.  Raise your hand if you're baptised.  Put that hand on your head—on the place where the priest, the pastor poured those baptismal waters on you.  Martin Luther used to say that when the devil caused him to doubt his standing before God, he would put his hand on his forehead where the baptismal waters had been poured, and he would say to himself, “You are baptised!”  A tangible fact, an historical event in each of our pasts, that has objectively marked us out as God's own.  Not fantasy.  Reality.  You belong to God.  And not just that.  Our baptism marks us out as the people, as the sons and daughters of the God of Israel, made one with the Messiah—with Israel's anointed king—and filled with the God of Israel's own Spirit.  And Brothers and Sisters, that means that you have been transferred into a story, into a family, into a household that is not your own.  I think of my ancestors.  A few of them were Sephardic Jews who eventually became Christians.  But most of my ancestors were born into a story of paganism.  They danced with druids or worshiped oak trees.  One branch of my family comes from a place not far from where Thor's Oak was said to be, that sacred tree that St. Boniface set out to chop down with his axe.  I've wondered if my ancestors were amongst the pagan who watched, expecting him to be struck down by the gods for felling their sacred tree and then stood in awe as, instead, a great wind blew it down for him.  Were they amongst those first German converts who gathered to worship Jesus in the church Boniface built from that fallen oak tree?  One way or another, they heard the gospel, the good news about Jesus the Messiah who died and rose again and they were invited to pass through the waters of baptism.  And they weren't just captivated by this story and its good news—by this family that was filled with riches they never could have imagined.  When they passed through those baptismal waters in faith, they stepped out of their old pagan stories and into a new story, not one that was theirs by birth, but one that was now fully theirs by faith and by the grace of God.  Just like the Israelites leaving behind their slavery in Egypt as they passed through the Red Sea to be named God's beloved firstborn, so we've passed from a story of idolatry and sin into a new story of redemption and of light and of life.  What my friend longed for every time he came over to my house, what I longed for every time I pushed on the back wall of my closet, it's happened for real in Jesus.  By faith, I—and you all—have been given a place, a home, a part in a story not originally our own.  And in that, Brothers and Sisters, God has revealed his glory.  But now I'm getting ahead of myself. What's this got to do with Epiphany?  Epiphaneia is a Greek word that means “appearing” or “appearance”.  Or you could say, “manifestation” like the Prayer Book does when it gives the subtitle for the Feast of the Epiphany: the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles.  That's us—most of us, at any rate.  We're gentiles.  And that makes Epiphany our great feast.  The day we remember the wise men—those Persians astrologers—who came to worship the new-born King of the Jews.  And I have to think that if Christians had observed Epiphany in the First Century—they didn't, it came along later, but not all that much later—I think Paul would have had a special place in his heart for Epiphany.  Because proclaiming the good news to the gentiles and offering them a welcome into this story that was not theirs by birth, that was—as we say today—that was Paul's “thing”.  He was even in prison because this was so much his “thing”.  Look at our Epistle from Ephesians 3. He writes: “It's because of all this that I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus the Messiah on behalf of you gentiles…”  He trails off at that point.  He needs to say something else before he goes on.  But what we need to know is that the Church at Ephesus was predominantly a gentile church.  Paul had started it when he visited the city on his second missionary journey.  Now he's in Rome, under house arrest, waiting to be able to appeal his case to Caesar.  He goes on: “I'm assuming, by the way, that you've heard about the plan of God's grace that was given to me to pass on to you?  You know, the mystery that God revealed to me, as I wrote briefly just now.  Anyway…  When you read this you'll be able to understand the special insight I have into the Messiah's mystery.  This wasn't made known to human beings in previous generations, but now it's been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets.  The mystery is this, that, through the gospel, the gentiles are to share Israel's inheritance.  They are to become fellow members of the body, along with them, and fellow sharers of the promise of Jesus the Messiah.”   The great mystery, Paul's passion, is the message that in Jesus, the gentiles are fellow heirs with the Jews.  A lot—most—of Paul's fellow Jews would have gasped at this.  He could have gotten himself stoned, proclaiming this in Jerusalem.  Imagine your family is really wealthy.  And then imagine that you've got a brother—let's call him Paul—who goes to the house of some strangers.  They're not even remotely related to you.  They're poor and miserable.  Maybe they're even slaves.  But worst of all, they don't share your values.  In fact, they laugh at your family's values. They scoff at the very things that made your family rich.  But Paul goes to them and announces: My family's riches?  Yeah, they belong to you as much as they belong to me and my brothers and sisters.  That's what Paul's doing here.  And that's why he calls it a “mystery”.  The old Paul—Saul of Tarsus—would be gasping at the thought that he'd be saying these things a few decades later.  Even the Jewish believers in Jesus had trouble with this mystery.  Yes, gentiles could share in Israel's inheritance, but to do so they had to become Jews.  Ritually purified, circumcised, observing torah so that they weren't gentiles any longer.  But Paul's now saying you don't even have to do that.  The great “mystery” of the gospel is that it brings the gentiles—through Jesus—into the family, into the people of the God of Israel.  The law, torah, is no longer the defining mark of the family of God.  Faith in Jesus the Messiah is. “This is the gospel,” he writing in verse 7, “that I was appointed to serve, in line with the free gift of God's grace that was given to me.  It was backed up with the power through which God accomplishes his work.  I am the very least of all God's people.  However, he gave me this task as a gift: that I should be the one to tell the gentiles the good news of the Messiah's riches, riches no one could begin to count.  My job is to make clear to everyone just what the mystery is, the purpose that's been hidden from the very beginning of the world in God who created all things.  This is it: that God's wisdom, in all its rich variety, was to be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places—through the church!  This was God's eternal purpose, and he's accomplished it in Messiah Jesus our Lord.  We have confidence and access to God in him, in full assurance, through his faithfulness.”   It took Paul a while to sort it out after he met the risen Jesus and realised that he really was the Messiah, but what Paul realised is that his people had got their own story wrong.  The way Israel told her story, it no longer had a meaningful place for the gentiles.  As far as they were concerned, they—the Jews—were God's people, God cared about them, God would deliver them from their oppressors and put them on top, and one day he would rain down destruction on all the unclean people of the world.  Salvation was for the Jews, they might have said.  But judgement was for the gentiles.  Even those first Jewish Christians were still thinking in this vein.  Jesus was their Messiah.  There were a few gentiles who believed, but they had to first become Jews.  And there were the Samaritans who believed.  That was a challenge to this kind of thinking, but until Paul, no one had this vision of the deliverance, of the salvation of the Gentiles—at least not on a large scale.  But Paul, when he met Jesus, it started to sink it.  If Jesus had risen from the dead, then he was the Messiah, and if he was the Messiah, he had redefined the people of God around himself.  Jesus and the Spirit now define “Israel”. The irony is that today we've made the opposite mistake.  We've so dehistoricised, flattened out, and universalised the story that we've all but forgotten that “Salvation is of the Jews.”  Jesus spoke those words—Salvation is of the Jews—to the Samaritan woman and they ought to be a rebuke to much of the Church today that has forgotten our own story.  St. Paul writes in today's Epistle to explain his unique apostolic ministry to proclaim the good news about Jesus to the Gentiles.  It has been my experience that many Christians have never stopped to consider just how odd Paul's ministry would have seemed at the time.  They've never stop to think, because we have largely removed the gospel from its narrative and historical context and unnecessarily flattened it to communicate its universal nature.  Occasionally we need to recall that, even though “God so loved the world,” it is also true that “salvation is of the Jews”.  Out of a world that had lost all knowledge of him, the Lord chose and called Abraham and from him created a people whom he made holy and in whose midst he lived.  He gave this people his law and his presence and made them unique amongst the nations.  Jesus was born a Jew.  He was the Jewish Messiah.  He fulfilled the Jewish law and the words of the Jewish prophets.  He proclaimed good news about a coming kingdom and a coming judgement to Jews and for Jews.  While gentiles were welcomed when they came to him, he made it clear that his ministry was to his own people.  Even in his death by crucifixion, Jesus foreshadows the means of execution that the unrepentant Jewish rebels would face when judgement came a generation later.  Jesus literally took the death of his people on himself in that sense.  It cannot be stressed enough that Jesus, Israel's Messiah, lived and died for the sake of his own people and to fulfil their story and to fulfil God's promises to them. We can't jump over this to get to John's announcement that God so loved the world that he gave his Son, because when we do that, we short-circuit the story, we leave out most or all of the bits that show us how God, in Jesus, has been faithful to his promises made under the old covenant.  And when we short-circuit the story that way—hear me, because this is incredibly important—when we do that, we cast a veil over God's glory.  It was necessary for Jesus to fulfil the story of his own people, because only then would the Gentiles see the faithfulness of Israel's God, be drawn to what they saw, give him glory, and in the process be incorporated into the new people of God by faith.  In this, too, we see that the means by which the Gentiles are incorporated into the new Israel fulfils the message of Israel's prophets and glorifies the Lord.  While it is certainly true that a dehistoricised and flattened gospel has brought millions to the Lord Jesus, it is also true that communicating the gospel within its context communicates the faithfulness of God as the basis for our own faith with far greater depth and builds upon a firm foundation, in contrast to so much that passes today for evangelism and Christian faith that is merely subjective.  Again, Christians today need to understand just how weird Paul's ministry would have seemed in his day—even, at first, to the other apostles.  Again, most believed that the good news about the Jewish Messiah was for other Jews, and of little interest (or even relevance) to gentiles.  Jesus radically changed what it meant to be the people of God and this became Paul's passion—and it should be ours.  Like you've spent your life pushing on the back wall of the wardrobe to no avail, but suddenly in Jesus you push through and find yourself in Narnia—you finally find yourself in that story of new life you've always longed for and the child of a God unlike any other god you've ever known of. To be clear, Israel should have known all of this all along.  Jesus and Paul are both clear about that.  The Lord delivered Israel from Egypt and set her apart before the watching nations.  She was to be his witness.  Through her he would restore and reconcile humanity to himself.  But as Paul points out in our Epistle, this “mystery” was largely lost on Israel—on previous generations.  And yet there it was from the beginning, all the way back in Abraham's day—if anyone was paying really close attention—that the Lord's intent was to one day bring the gentiles into his family and to make them fellow heirs with those who were children by birth rather than adoption.  This truth had been revealed by the Spirit to the prophets of old and, in the same way, had been revealed to the apostles—who took some time to parse it out—and to Paul it was a personal commission: to proclaim the good news about Jesus to the gentiles.  Paul adds here that this mission is not simply to ordinary people, nor is it a matter of personal piety.  As gentile believers come into their inheritance in the Messiah, the church becomes both a witness and a challenge to the rulers of the gentile world.  This diverse body of Jews and gentiles of every sort, living in unity the inheritance given them by Jesus, announces that he is Lord and that a new age is breaking in.  Just as was the case with Israel, the lords of the earth can submit in faith to the lordship of Jesus or face the judgement to come. Our Gospel today foreshadows all of this in story form.  Matthew puts the messiahship, the kingship of Jesus at the forefront.  First he shows us Jesus over against Herod.  The true King of the Jews over against the pretender and cheap imitation.  But very quickly, Matthew drives home the point that in Jesus the prophecies about Israel's King are being fulfilled.  When the wise men go to Herod to ask where this newborn king is, it sparks a discussion of Micah's prophecy.  Matthew includes a paraphrase of Micah 5:2-4.  This King of Israel, he said, will shepherd the Lord's flock.  The Messiah is the King of Israel.  It is only once Micah has established that the Messiah will be King over Israel, that he will fulfil the Lord's promises to judge and to renew his own people, that he will take up the role of King David, that he then goes on to tell us that this King “shall be great to the ends of the earth”.  Why?  Because in Jesus and in how he fulfils the Lord's promises to his own, the pagan nations of the world will see the living God—a God unlike any god they've ever known.  Their idols—and our idols—pale in comparison.  And in the end, the nations can't help but come to bow before him and to give him glory.  The wise men, the magi foreshadow this.  Matthew bookends his Gospel with the gentiles.  It begins with these wise men from the east coming to worship Jesus and to honour him as King.  And it ends with Jesus sending his disciples to go out and make disciples of all the nations.  The good news is only good news to the Gentiles because it reveals that the God of Israel is unlike the gods of the nations: he does what he says he will do and he fulfils his promises to his own.  Think of the gentiles in the book of Revelation: They worshiped the beast and frolicked with the great prostitute, but they discovered in the downfall of the beast that the kings and gods of this world can't hold a candle to the God of Israel revealed in Jesus, to his power and might, and most importantly, to his faithfulness.  Specifically, he fulfils his promises to his people in Jesus.  It is this faithfulness just as much as the amazing report of Jesus risen from the dead and the defeat of his enemies that draws the Gentiles to give glory to the God of Israel and to submit in faith to Jesus, the King of the Jews.  Of course, this carries the same ramifications for Caesar and the other rulers and gods of this age as it did for Herod.  This is what Paul stresses in the final verses of our Epistle.  Their days are numbered, for as the royal summons to the King goes out, Jesus “shall be great to the ends of the earth”. Brothers and Sisters, the gospel about Jesus is good news, because it reveals the faithfulness of God.  He does what he says he will do.  He fulfils his promises.  He does so like no other.  And that's reason for us to trust him, to give him our allegiance, to worship him and to give him glory.  And to proclaim his good news to the world.  And the wonderful part of it is that the gentiles, that we aren't simply left to look into the windows of this rich family's house and to wish that we could have part of it.  Jesus welcomes us in.  And there's no having to go back home to our poor houses and our silent idols when the party's over.  Through Jesus, we belong.  Later in Matthew 12, Jesus will say to the people with him, “My mother and brothers are those who do the will of my Father in heaven.”  By faith, we become his family.  He is our brother.  His house is our house.  Think about that today as you come to the Lord's Table.  Eat the bread.  Drink the wine.  And think on the fact that it is our brother by adoption and faith, it is King Jesus, who welcomes us—not as outsiders, but as family.  If we are in him, if he has marked us out by baptism, this is where we belong.  This is our life and this is our story. And if you're still looking in from the outside and wishing to be a part of it—like a kid who keeps pushing on the backwall of the closet in hopes of finding his way into a new world and a new story.  Stop pushing on the wall.  That's not the way into this house.  Instead, take hold of Jesus' hand in faith knowing that in him all the promises of God are fulfilled, knowing that he is supremely trustworthy and faithful.  Take his hand in faith and he will lead you, as he has led so many, through the waters of baptism and into this new story of redemption and light and life. Let's pray: O God, who by the leading of a star manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: mercifully grant that we, who know you now by faith, may at last behold your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

The transformative power of God's grace is exemplified in the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, later known as the Apostle Paul. Paul's past as a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent of the church was not excused by ignorance but was met with divine mercy precisely because it revealed Christ's perfect patience as a model for all who would believe. Genuine faith is not merely intellectual assent but a life transformed by grace, marked by faith and love in Christ, God invites us all to embrace our calling to ministry, to share our testimonies, and to live in joyful, faithful service to others.

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Saturday morning, the 10th of January, 2026, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go to the New Testament, to 1 Timothy 1:15-16: “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.“ And then he goes on in verse 16 to say: ”…for this reason I obtained mercy,…” Saul of Tarsus was the chief of all sinners. Remember, his objective was to kill Christians. He was an enemy of Jesus Christ and Jesus' people, but God had mercy on him on the road to Damascus. Remember? He knocked him off his horse and said to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” “Who are You, Lord?” “I am Jesus”. Paul himself says, “I am the chief of all sinners.” We need to understand one thing. None of us can earn our way to Heaven, none of us can try and live good lives. We are sinners saved by grace and grace alone. We have to understand that it is by mercy and mercy alone that we have eternal life. Now, I looked up the Oxford Dictionary to define the word, “mercy” and this is what it says. It says, “it is kindness, or forgiveness shown towards someone who is in your power.” Now, when you are given mercy, it's at the expense of someone else. They decide to forgive you and to give you another chance, and to be lenient with you, and not to prosecute you, but to act in charity and sympathy and kindness and tolerance. Now we have to do the same. You know the story of John Newton. I have told you many times. John Newton was a captain of a slave ship. I cannot think of a worse occupation in the world and yet he was forgiven and shown mercy by God, and he wrote that beautiful hymn called Amazing Grace. Now his favourite quote was, and I am going to read it to you. He says: “I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God, I am what I am. Although my memory is fading,” he says, “I remember two things: First, I am a great sinner, and secondly, Christ is a great Saviour”. Now, He saved you and me through mercy alone. Go and show mercy to others!Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day.Goodbye

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world."  Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches.  Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18   In 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church.  These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church.  Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth. Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter.  We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

Acts 21:37-22:24 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? 38 Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” 39 Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” 40 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying: 22:1 “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.” 2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they be- came even more quiet. And he said: 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. 4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and deliver- ing to prison both men and women, 5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed to- ward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished. 6 “As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. 7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' 8 And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?' And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.' 9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.' 11 And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus. 12 “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.' 917 “When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.' 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. 20 And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.' 21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'” 22 Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” 23 And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this.

Chapter 1 of Heroes in the Bible: Paul with Michael Chandler is inspired by the book of Acts. Paul vs. Jesus - Story Inspired by Acts 9Saul of Tarsus was an unstoppable force. He was zealous and determined to end the Christian movement. But what happens when the unstoppable force meets the immovable Rock of Ages? In this episode, inspired by Acts 9, Saul the Pharisee is awakened to the deity of Jesus… And history will never be the same. Hosted by world champion fighter Michael Chandler, each episode goes beyond the story to uncover the deeper meaning behind Paul’s trials, victories, and inner battles. Drawing from his own life experiences as an elite athlete, competitor, husband, and man of faith, Chandler brings a rare perspective on discipline, sacrifice, endurance, and purpose. Listen to some of the greatest Bible stories ever told and make prayer a priority in your life by downloading the Pray.com app. Sign up for Heroes in the Bible devotionals at https://www.heroesinthebible.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world."  Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches.  Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18 In 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church.  These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church.  Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth. Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter.  We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world."  Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches.  Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18  In 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church.  These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church.  Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth.   Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter.  We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

Having been bothered in his spirit, Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, approached Jesus at night. Though steeped in tradition, God was able to reach his heart, demonstrating that God can reach anyone. The man from Arimathea, a prominent member of the council, did not consent to the plan of the Pharisees to crucify Jesus. Gathering courage, he made himself known. Paul of Tarsus, a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee, was able to speak with great credibility to his former colleagues. God can reach anyone and give them the courage to allow their story to be used for His glory. Have you given your story to the Lord for His use? 

Having been bothered in his spirit, Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, approached Jesus at night. Though steeped in tradition, God was able to reach his heart, demonstrating that God can reach anyone. The man from Arimathea, a prominent member of the council, did not consent to the plan of the Pharisees to crucify Jesus. Gathering courage, he made himself known. Paul of Tarsus, a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee, was able to speak with great credibility to his former colleagues. God can reach anyone and give them the courage to allow their story to be used for His glory. Have you given your story to the Lord for His use? 

On his way to Damascus, Saul of Tarsus was confronted by the risen Lord Jesus Christ, and his life was changed forever. Today, Derek Thomas examines the dramatic significance of Saul's conversion. Donate any amount to request R.C. Sproul's commentary on Galatians and Derek Thomas' video teaching series No Other Gospel on DVD. You'll also receive lifetime digital access to all 14 messages and the study guide: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/4510/offer   Live outside the U.S. and Canada? Get the Galatians commentary ebook, digital teaching series, and digital study guide with your donation: https://www.renewingyourmind.org/global    Meet Today's Teacher:   Derek Thomas is a Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow and Chancellor's Professor of Systematic and Pastoral Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary.   Meet the Host:   Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of media for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, and host of the Ask Ligonier podcast. Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

He lived in Rome during the reign of Diocletian. He was slave to Aglais, the daughter of a Senator, and served as steward of her household and her large fortune. He also lived in fornication with her, and was addicted to drink. Despite these sins, he was kind, hospitable to strangers, and generous toward the needy.   In time, Aglais became troubled in her conscience over her way of life, and began to think of the account that she would have to give to God for her sins. Some Christians told her of the holy Martyrs and, moved by their accounts, she ordered Boniface to travel to Tarsus and bring back relics of these holy ones. Boniface, still deaf and blind to the things of God, said jokingly, "And will you honor me as a Saint if I bring back my own body to you as a relic?"   Boniface traveled to Tarsus with a large escort, well supplied with gold. He went straightaway to the Amphitheater, where he beheld a number of Martyrs being subjected to awful torments for the pleasure of the crowd, but bearing them all with patience and serenity. At the sight, the dissolute steward was touched by grace and felt his heart melt within him. He ran to the Martyrs, fell at their feet and kissed their chains, and loudly declared that he too was a disciple of Christ. So he too was put in chains, subjected to frightful tortures, and finally beheaded, rejoicing and praising God.   Boniface's escort, mystified by his long absence, made inquiries and were astonished to discover that their godless and sinful companion had met a Martyr's death the day before. They paid fifty pounds in gold for his body and brought it back to Rome, thus fulfilling Boniface's own unwitting prophecy.   An angel of the Lord appeared to Aglais and said, "Arise and go to meet him who was once your servant and companion in sin, but has now become our brother. Receive him as your master for, thanks to him, all your sins are to be forgiven." Rejoicing, Aglais received her former lover's holy relics and built a church in his honor, where many miracles were wrought. Aglais gave away her fortune, devoted herself to ascesis and prayer, and was herself granted the grace to work miracles. She reposed in peace thirteen years later, assured that the sins of her past had been effaced through the intercessions of the holy Boniface.

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world."  Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches.  Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18 In 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church.  These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church.  Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth. Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter.  We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

Rome. Egypt. Love. War. Over 2,000 years ago, the fates of two ancient worlds collided in one of history's most legendary love stories: Antony and Cleopatra.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Daisy Dunn to uncover the truth behind the myth - from their first meeting at Tarsus to the political intrigue that scandalised Rome. It was an affair that ignited a civil war, forged an empire that lasted for an age and gave rise to one of world history's most dramatic and tragic deaths, so join us to discover how passion, ambition, and betrayal reshaped the ancient Mediterranean world.Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: @TheAncientsPodcastMOREThe CleopatrasThe Rise of Mark AntonyPresented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.