Hello, everyone. This is Ainsley Earhart. Thank you for joining me for the 26th episode of the 52-episode podcast series, The Life of Jesus. Chapter 9 of the Acts of the Apostles is where we begin this episode of The Life of Jesus. When we ended our last podcast, Saul, who would become known as Paul, was on a mission to arrest all the Christians he found in a city named Damascus. Along the way, he experienced a life-changing encounter with Jesus. The experience left him blinded and dependent on others to lead him on his destination. Paul became a believer following this encounter. As our reading begins today, we will find Paul escaping from Damascus by night to avoid being caught by the Jews who had sworn to kill him. Let's find out what happens next. More of the life of Jesus next. When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him. But their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night to kill him. But his disciples took him by night and let him down over the water, lowering him in a basket. When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. So Saul went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists, but they were seeking to kill him. When the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it was multiplied. Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints that lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Rise and make your bed. And immediately he rose. All the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Now there was a Joppa, a disciple named Tabitha, which means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she fell sick and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him entreating him. Please come to us without delay. So Peter rose and went with them. And when he had come, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed. Then, turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, rise. And she opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up, and he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. It became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. and he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner. At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms liberally to the people and prayed constantly to God. About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in. Cornelius. Cornelius stared at him in terror. What is it, Lord? Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging with Simon a tanner whose house is by the seaside. When the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those that waited on him. And having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa. The next day, as they were on their journey and coming near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray about the sixth hour. He became hungry and desired something to eat. But while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heaven opened, and something descending like a great sheet let down by four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air, and there came a voice to hear. Rise, Peter. Kill and eat. No, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. What God has cleansed, you must not call common. This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision which he had seen might mean behold the men that were sent by Cornelius having made inquiry for Simon house stood before the gate and called out to ask whether Simon, who was called Peter, was lodging there. While Peter was pondering the vision, the spirit said to him, Behold, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them. Peter went down to the men and said, I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming? Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say. So Peter called them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went off with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. On the following day, they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them, and had called together his kinsmen and close friends. When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. But Peter lifted him up. Stand up. I too am a man. As Peter talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. And he said to them, You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me. Cornelius said, Four days ago about this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house. And behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel saying, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon a tanner by the seaside. So I send to you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore, we are all here present in the sight of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord. Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. You know the word which He sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. The word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses to all that he did, both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. But God raised him on the third day and made him manifest, not to all the people, but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. While Peter was still saying this, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Can anyone forbid water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. Now the apostles and the brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him. Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them? But Peter began and explained to them in order. I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something descending like a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners and it came down to me. Looking at it closely I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air and I heard a voice saying to me, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. But I said, No, Lord, for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth. But the voice answered a second time from heaven, What God has cleansed, you must not call common. This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. At that very moment, three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. And the Spirit told me, Go with them, making no distinction. These six brethren also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, Send to Joppa and bring Simon called Peter. He will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household. As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ who was I that I could withstand God When they heard this they were silenced and they glorified God Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance unto life. Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number that believed turned to the Lord. News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a large company was added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a large company of people. And in Antioch, the disciples were for the first time called Christians. Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. and one of them, named Agabus, stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world. And this took place in the days of Claudius. The disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brethren who lived in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. About that time, Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread. When he had seized him, he put him in prison. and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the sand and he struck Peter on the side and woke him. Get up quickly. And the chains fell off his hands. Dress yourself and put on your sandals. And Peter did so. Wrap your mantle around you and follow me. Peter went out and followed him. He did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened to them of its own accord, and they went out and passed on through one street, and immediately the angel left him. Peter came to himself and said, Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting. When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. When he knocked at the door of the gateway, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. Recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy, she did not open the gate, but ran in and told that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, You are mad. But she insisted that it was so. They said, It is his angel. But Peter continued knocking them, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. Tell this to James and to the brethren. Then he departed and went to another place. Now when day came, there was no small stir among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. When Herod had sought for him and could not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and remained there. Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him in a body, and having persuaded Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king's country for food. On an appointed day, Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and made an oration to them. The people shouted, The voice of a god and not of man. Immediately, an angel of the Lord smote him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God grew and multiplied. Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission bringing with them John whose other name was Mark Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers Barnabas, Simeon, who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manahem, a member of the court of Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Then, after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews, and they had John to assist them. When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elemas, the magician, for that is the meaning of his name, withstood them, seeking to turn away the proconsul from the faith. Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him. You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, Will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind and unable to see the sun for a time. Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John left them and returned to Jerusalem. But they passed on from Perga and came to Antioch of Pisidia. On the Sabbath day, they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it. So Paul stood up and motioning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and you that fear God, listen. The God of this people, Israel, chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt. And with uplifted arm, he led them out of it. For about 40 years he bore with them in the wilderness. When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. For about 450 years. After that, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. When he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, I have found in David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will. Of this man's posterity, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. Before his coming, John had preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was finishing his course, he said, What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but after me, one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie. I'm Lauren Green, Fox News Chief Religion Correspondent. I hope this podcast series blesses and leaves you with tangible reminders of God's presence in your life. Thank you for listening. We'll be back with more after this. There are a few fears that are common to most. Probably the greatest of these is fear of the unknown. To face a totally foreign situation filled with unfamiliar people, places, and things can be terrifying. Imagining what might happen creates scenarios that brings foreboding and dread. It is little wonder that most people avoid the unknown to the greatest degree possible. Unfortunately, avoiding the unknown is only an illusion. Since we have no clue what the very next moment of our life holds, even the very next millisecond of our existence contains the unknown. Paul came to realize that his life would be a veritable progression of unknowns, a series of foreign situations and surprising events. Through it all, he remained confident and faced each challenge with boldness and courage. He did so by recognizing that the Lord directed his path, and Paul knew he could always trust God to see him through. Father, please take away my fear of the unknown. Make me more like Paul, able to step boldly into tomorrow, knowing you will guide me through any challenge. Thank you for listening to episode 26 of the 52-episode podcast series, The Life of Jesus. Make sure to spread the word. Thank you for listening to the 52-episode podcast series, The Life of Jesus. More episodes of this series will be available Sunday, February 15th. Make sure to spread the word. Listen ad-free with a Fox News Podcast Plus subscription on Apple Podcasts. Amazon Prime members can listen ad-free on the Amazon Music app.
