SeamlessSample

After the Holy Spirit came, the ministry of Christ began to travel through the world in the order He predicted it would. As we see the first man martyred for his faith, we also meet a man who will shape the rest of the New Testament. In the way that He always does, God picks the least likely candidate to change the world.

Saul was a devout Jew who had been trained by one of the most highly respected rabbis around. He saw Christianity as a threat to his faith and the role of the Law of Moses. 

But, Saul has an encounter that will radically alter his life. He will become the man to write nearly half of the books of the New Testament.

Paul is the Roman version of the name Saul, and as someone chosen to preach the good news to the Gentiles, he began going by the name they would be most familiar with.

The rest of the Book of Acts follows the expansion of the gospel to many different lands by a few key people. 

The Book of Revelation, written around the year A.D. 95, is the only book of prophesy in the New Testament. It was given to John by Christ Himself, who revealed what we as the church refer to as the “end times.” 

In a series of visions, Jesus shows John several things. He gives glimpses of what will happen in the future. And he clearly portrays the judgment that is to come on the Devil. Jesus Christ will defeat Satan forever. The Lord will take His place on the throne as the King for all time. There won’t be any sadness, any sin, or any death; and believers will spend eternity with our Savior. 

As spectacular as the garden of Eden was, it will pale in comparison to what God has planned for us. The fallen, crooked world will be made right, and none of the brokenness will remain.

There’s a weariness that accompanies our steps here—an inexplicable homesickness that reminds us that, quite simply, we aren’t home yet.

All the words of the Bible are a love song to us, the beloved bride of Christ. We don’t know when, and we can’t fathom how, but we rest our hope on the unshakable kingdom that is yet to be.