As the Jewish leaders requested, Paul explained the Christian faith to them. But it was not his views about a sect that he expounded. Rather, he declared, about the kingdom of God. And the good news was that God’s reign was in their midst in the victorious life, death and resurrection-exaltation of Messiah Jesus and his salvation blessings.

Paul confidently continued, “For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ ”

This reveals the sovereignty of God in human affairs. The Sanhedrin’s request to bring Paul to Jerusalem to stand trial seemed innocent enough. But God providentially intervened to protect His servant.

The Christians believed that the resurrection already had begun in Christ. This time it became clear that it was not resurrection in general but specifically the resurrection of Christ that separated him from the Jews and constituted the focal point of his witness

Though being struck, Paul, declares that it is God who will strike Ananias. Luke’s readers who knew their history would know that, in fact, Jewish zealots struck down Ananias at the outbreak of the revolt against Rome (AD 66).

When Paul claimed that God sent him out of Jerusalem to proclaim a divine message to Gentiles, he stepped beyond the boundaries of their tolerance. So the departure from Jerusalem did not just save Paul’s life, nor did he leave only because people rejected his testimony there. God had a greater duty far away.

Upon seeing Paul in the temple, these enemies of the gospel wasted no time in seizing their opportunity. They immediately began to stir up all the vast multitude of devout pilgrims who were in the city for the festival.

You can’t stand for something, unless you’ve got something to stand for. You can’t be courageous unless you’ve got a conviction you’re fighting for. So, it all begins with something that you believe in.

He believed that he would not be coming back, that he would never again see the churches of Asia, Macedonia, and Achaia that had become so dear to him (cf. 20:25

Nowhere in the epistles is there any promise to Christians that they can deliver the unsaved from demons. Nor is there any command for believers to exorcise demons out of each other.