Willie Tebo | November 10, 2016
“And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.”
Act 9:20
Here is the beginning of the ministry of Saul (soon after known as Paul the Apostle). The name Saul was a dreadful name to the early Christians in Judea. Saul was well known for “Breathing out threatenings and slaughter” against the early church.
He later would say that he was more zealous in this work than any of his peers. (The Greek word for “breathing out” in Acts 9:1 means- what we would in modern English call- his “driving force” that is, what he lived to do; what gave him a reason to get out of bed in the morning. We must take note that it was a raging, fiery bloodlust that burned in Saul’s heart.) Saul loved his work. And he felt a job-well-done satisfaction each time a disciple of Christ was executed or jailed. Saul hated the Christians and the church.
But then, Saul came to know Christ! Christ met Saul on the road to Damascus and there he became a new creature! This man who zealously hated Christians had now become saved. What a difference Christ can make in a person. Saul was changed from within by Christ Jesus. (Read Acts chapter 9 to see the details of Paul’s conversion.)
After meeting with the disciples and resting a few days; Saul began to preach. He didn’t know much about being a Christian at the time (he would be taught by the Lord a short time thereafter) but he DID KNOW that Christ had made a difference in his life. And he did know that he had been saved from hell.
Straightway he preached Christ! Christian: you do not have to be well studied, or a theologian, or any sort of expert on the Bible to preach (witness for) Christ! All you need to know is that Jesus has made the difference and that it is He who has saved you. All you need to know is that you were lost and on your way to hell; but then you were told about Christ and accepted Him as savior. You don’t need to be an “expert” (though you very well need to study and rightly divide God’s Word). All you need to do is present the Gospel to others. That is our primary duty as Christians: To witness for Christ. Do not be afraid to tell others about Jesus. You already know all you need to in order to witness.
