Day 116: NT Acts C9-10; Saul, You, Saul, Me; Peter & Christ Teach: Unity is the Answer!

The Lord performed a miracle in Saul transforming him from a persecutor of early Christians into a bold Christian himself proclaiming the Good News of Salvation. Ironically he became persecuted as a Christian, same as Christ and the Disciples now turning Apostles.

The Peter, in his Christ-like Glory, performed back-to-back miracles: first an eight-year paralytic named Aeneas and then he brought Tabitha back to life as much as Christ did Lazarus. But the real lasting miracle was performed through Cornelius, a Gentile and Peter, a Jew and it proved the unity of Christ in that the Holy Spirit sees a believer and nothing else, especially race!

As the outward miracles happened Jesus and Peter started looking deeply within to root truly life changing possibilities for each one of us!

Miracles, why not look inward for your own miracles? A change in perspective, a change in heart, some love, compassion and mercy to oneself can do wonders. Perhaps your miracle is a nonphysical one? To get outside of yourself and think differently; identify, accept and feel emotions but not let them rule you or your life; and finally find your own spirituality, your own Splendid Spiritual Self and live in peace, joy, unity, and freedom. There are still miracles today, through doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professional; some we understand scientifically and so we have no clue as to how they happened. Why not team up with God and make yourself one?

God, as illustrated in vivid detail in these passages, Combines dreams and visions with the interaction of others to enlighten our spiritual minds. Peter’s dream when he was hungry was not about food. Nor was it about eating common or uncommon food.

Actually there were two messages. The first was that I am the Lord your God and never question my intention, just follow my commands.

Here is the narrative from the Acts of the Apostles:

But Saul, still breathing threats of slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, that if he found any men of women belonging to this Way, he might bring them in bonds to Jerusalem. And as he went on his journey, it came to pass that he drew near to Damascus, when suddenly a light from heaven shone round about him; and falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him:

“Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me?”

Saul: “Who art thou, Lord?”

Jesus: “I am Jesus, whom thou are persecuting.

And Saul trembling and amazed, said: “Lord, what wilt thou have me do?”

Lord: “arise and go into the city, and it will be told thee what thou must do.”

Now the men who journeyed with Saul stood speechless, hearing indeed this voice, but seeing no one. And Saul arose from the ground, but when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing. And leading him by the hand, thy brought him into Damascus. And for three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank.

Lord to Ananias in a vision: “Ananias.”

Ananias: “Here I am Lord.”

Lord” “Arise and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul. For behold, he is praying.”

Ananias: “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints in Jerusalem. And here too he has authority from the high priests to arrest all who invoke thy name.”

Lord: “Go, for this man is a chosen vessel to me, to carry my name among nations and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

So Ananias departed and entered the house, and laying hands upon him, said:

“Brother Saul, the Lord has sent me—Jesus, who appeared to thee on thy journey—that thou mayest recover thy sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

And straightaway there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he recovered his sight, and arose, and was baptized. And after taking some food he regained his strength.

Now for some days he joined the disciples in Damascus, and straightaway in the synagogues he began to preach that Jesus is the Son of God. And all who heard him were amazed and said:

“Is not this he who used to make havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon his name, and who has come here for the purpose of taking them in bonds to the chief priests?”

But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded the Jews who were living in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

But as time grew on the Jews made a plot to kill Saul. But the plot became known to Saul. They were even guarding the gates both day and night in order to kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down over the wall, lowering him in a basket.

Now on his arrival at Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and he told them how on his journey he had seen the Lord, that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had acted boldly in the name of Jesus. And he moved freely among them in Jerusalem, acting boldly in the name of the Lord; he also spoke and disputed with the Hellenists; but they sought to kill him. When the brethren got to know this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

Now throughout Judea and Galilee and Samaria the Church was in peace and was being built up, walking in fear of the Lord, and it was filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit.

And it came to pass that Peter, while visiting all the saints, came to those living at Lydda, And he found there a certain man named Aeneas who had kept his bed eight years, being a paralytic. And Peter said to him:

“Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals thee; get up and make thy bed.”

And straightaway he got up. And all who lived in Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

Now at Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha; this woman had devoted herself to good works and acts of charity. But it happened that at this time she fell ill and died; and they washed her out and laid her in an upper room… But Peter, putting them (all the widows) all out, knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said”

“Tabitha arise.”

And she opened her eyes and, seeing Peter, she sat up. Then Peter gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and the widows, he gave her back to them alive. And it became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

The second message of unity was revealed later on when Peter was greeted by Cornelius:

Now there was in Caesarea a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the cohort called Italian; he was devout and God-fearing… he saw distinctly in a vision an angel of God come in to him and say to him:

“Cornelius.”

Cornelius: “What is it Lord?”

Lord via an Angel: “Thy prayers and thy alms have gone up and been remembered in the sight of God. And now send men to Joppa and fetch one Simon, surnamed Peter; he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, who has a house by the seaside.”

When the angel who was speaking to him had departed… now the next day… Peter went up to the roof to pray, about the sixth hour; but he got very hungry, and wanted something to eat. But while they were getting it ready, he fell into an ecstasy, and saw heaven standing open and a certain vessel coming down like a great sheet, let down by the four corners from heaven to the earth; and in it were all the four-footed beasts and creeping things of the earth, and birds of the air. And there came a great voice to him:

“Arise, Peter, kill and eat.”

Peter: “Far be it from me, Lord, for never did I eat anything common or unclean.”

Voice: “What God has cleansed, do not thou call common.”

But while Peter was pondering over the vision, the Spirit said to him:

“Behold, three men are looking for thee. Arise, therefore, go down and depart with them without any hesitation, for I have sent them.”

So Peter went down to the men and said:

“Behold I am the man you are asking for; what is the reason for your coming?”

The Men: “Cornelius, a centurion, a just and God-fearing man, to whom the whole nation of the Jews bears witness, has been directed by a holy angel to fetch thee to his house and to hear words from thee.”

And the next day he arose and started off with them… the following day he reached Caesarea… and as Peter entered, Cornelius me him and, falling at his feet, made obedience to him. But Peter raised him up, saying:

“Get up, I myself also am a man.”

Peter: “You know it is not permissible for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; but God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean; therefore I came without hesitation when I was sent for. I ask, therefore, why you have sent for me.”

Cornelius: “Three days ago, at this very hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments… now, therefore, we are all present in thy sight to hear whatever has been commanded thee by the Lord.”

But Peter began, and said:

“Now I really understand that God is not a respecter of persons, but in every nation he who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. He sent his word to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (who is Lord of all). You know what took place throughout Judea; for he begun in Galilee after the baptism preached by John: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and he went about doing good and healing all who were in the power of the devil; for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem; and yet they killed him, hanging him from a tree. But God raised him on the third day and caused him to be plainly seen, not by all the people, but by witnesses designated beforehand by God, that is, by us, who ate and drank with him after he had risen from the dead. And he charged us to preach to the people and to testify that he it is who has been appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that through his name all who believe in him may receive forgiveness of sins.”

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came upon all who were listening to his message. And the faithful of the circumcision, who had come with Peter, were amazed, because on the Gentiles also the grace of the Holy Spirit had been poured forth; for they heard them speaking in tongues and magnifying God.

Then Peter answered: “Can anyone refuse the water to baptize these, seeing that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?”

And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Unity within leads to unity outside which leads to all faiths coexisting in peace, joy, unity, and freedom!

Saul, You, Saul, Me; Peter teaches us as Christ did: Unity is the answer!

Day 116: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Saul, You, Saul, Me; Peter teaches us as Christ did: Unity is the answer!

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Acts of The Apostles Chapters 9-10.

Bible Notes:

Saint Luke, the author of the third Gospel, wrote also this history of the primitive Church. Opening with the story of the Ascension and Pentecost, this book records the important events of the early Church: the mass conversions after Pentecost; the persecution by Herod; the conversion of Saint Paul; his three missionary journeys; his arrest and final trip to Rome

Acts Chapter 9: The vision of Saul; Ananias sent by God to Saul; Ananias meets Saul, Saul is baptized; Saul preaches Christ; Saul escapes a plot to kill him; Saul meets the Apostles; Peter heals Aeneas; Peter raises Dorcas from the dead.