◄ What Does Acts 9:20 Mean? ►

Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: "He is the Son of God."

Acts 9:20(HCSB)

Verse of the Day

Paul is a beautiful picture of the Body of Christ, which is made up of Jew and Gentile believers.

Paul was a Jew by birth and a Hebrew of the Hebrews. He was of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and was tutored extensively in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Yet Paul was also a Gentile citizen by birth, trained in Greek philosophy and studied Roman law. And Paul became God's chosen vessel to announce to Jew and Gentile alike the gospel of the grace of God. To him were given the many mysteries of the Church age, which God in His wisdom had kept hidden from view, in ages past.

Paul's Damascus Road experience also portrayed the profound change that takes place in the life of a sinner who is saved by grace through faith in Christ. Despite his religious fervour and legalistic practices, Paul discovered that he was at enmity with God. He hated with a passion the Lord Jesus Christ and all that He represented. But Paul was convicted of the Holy Ghost and finally saw the light of the glorious gospel of Christ. Paul was arrested by incarnate Truth, and discovered the Way to Life eternal.

Paul responded to Christ's claim on his life on that road to Damascus. He obeyed the heavenly call, and he submitted to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit in humility of heart. Paul's extraordinary conversion brought him face to face with the risen Christ, and he began to pray fervently and then started to preach enthusiastically: "Proclaiming Jesus in the streets and in the synagogues."

As soon as Paul came to an understanding of Who Jesus was, he immediately began to preach the good news: "Jesus is the Son of God." Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, Jesus is the Saviour of the whole world, and Jesus is the one and only sacrifice for sin, for there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved.

Like Paul, all who have trusted Christ by grace through faith, have become ministers of the gospel. Like Paul, we have become part of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession so that we may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for the ministry of the apostle Paul and the many truths You saw fit to reveal through his ministry. May I, like Paul, have a receptive heart and a deep desire to pray fervently, preach enthusiastically, and forever lift Jesus up. May I proclaim to all that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, the Saviour of the whole world, the Son of Man, and Son of God Who takes away the sin of the world. In Jesus' name, AMEN.