Jesus had told His disciples that the Holy Spirit would guide them, empower them, and show them the unseen realities and mysteries of His Kingdom. And He had challenged them to follow Him through His Spirit and spread His good news to all the world.
They began in Jerusalem, and as they shared the good news of God’s Great Rescue, many people decided to follow Jesus. The Holy Spirit moved into even new people, restoring their connection to God. God’s Kingdom was growing on earth.
But God wanted people from the entire world to enter into a relationship with Him. So He allowed a band of followers to face intense opposition in Jerusalem, which forced them to spread out from the into distant places and tell His good news. Peter, John, and others carried out Jesus’ mandate, starting churches, leading churches, and writing letters of encouragement to fellow believers.
God had special plans for one of the fiercest persecutors—a man named Paul. Paul was a very fortunate well-educated Jew. And while he was on his way to arrest Jesus-followers—as he thought it was his duty as a devout Jew to do— Jesus stepped into his life and blindingly introduced Himself.
Jesus unveiled Paul’s eyes to help him see that He was the fulfillment of the truth that Paul loved and allowed so zealously. From that point on in his life, Paul redirected all of his energy and zeal into telling people about Jesus, His great love, and His great sacrifice. He helped people understand the new connection to God through the Holy Spirit—that as they followed the Holy Spirit, He would guide them to the ways of life.
Through three missionary journeys, Paul helped plant churches from Galatia to Rome, teaching people how to walk with God. People across the globe were being set free. Paul was arrested twice, which might’ve looked like a victory for the kingdom of darkness.
But during his imprisonment, Paul wrote letters of encouragement and instruction to several churches and people, letters that make up much of our New Testament. When Paul went to be with the God he loved so much, the next generation of believers continued to tell the good news of God’s deep love.