The book of Acts is written by the same author that wrote the Gospel of Luke and forms a second volume that picks up at the ascension of Jesus. Throughout Acts, the ministries of Peter, Paul, and other disciples are recorded. It is at the beginning of Acts that the first Jerusalem church, led by Peter, is described. Later, this church splits amicably into Hebraist and Hellenists. A certain Hellenist, named Stephen, is stoned to death for his faith at the feet of a man named Saul. However, Saul eventually converts and becomes Paul – a disciple of God. The Jerusalem church was established shortly after the twelve apostles were first filled with the Holy Spirit and Peter gave a speech concerning what had filled them. Following Peter’s speech, “about three thousand souls” were saved and baptized (Acts 2). This …show more content…
When witnessing this, a Pharisee named Saul “approved” and became an activist for finding and arresting members of the church (Acts 8:1-3). Later, on the road to Damascus, Saul is transformed by God and called to evangelize the “Gentiles and kings of the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). This specific command of God is significant because Saul himself was a Gentile that had been persecuting the church with such a vigorous hatred that his acts had been heard of from cities around. The transition from persecutor to believer is difficult since the disciples are at first unsure if Saul truly changed. Nevertheless, with the aid of Barnabas, Saul (soon changed to Paul) is accepted as a disciple of the Lord (Acts 9:1-30). With his background as a native Roman and knowledge of Gentiles’ ways of thinking, Paul is able to successfully convert many to be disciples in the lands of Gentiles. Through Paul’s three missions mentioned in Acts, which span across “Macedonia (Asia Minor) and Greece (Northeast Mediterranean)”, he shows to truly be a “chosen instrument” of God (Neal, 71 and Acts