Paul describes himself, when he was Saul, as a Hebrew of Hebrews - he had all the right qualities of being a great Jewish leader including being a Roman citizen. He saw persecuting Christians as upholding the law of God. Saul's view of God's Kingdom was very narrow, limited to the nation of Israel. He was ignorant in his unbelief, but Jesus elected to save him. Because of the persecutions of the Christians, many were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. Philip is an example of one of those who took the opportunity to spread the gospel and good news of Jesus to the people of Samaria - a natural enemy of Israel. Where is God leading you to reach out to those in our society that don't quite fit in? Who are the people in our life that need to know about the gospel and love of Jesus?

You've probably heard the ancient Chinese proverb that says "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step". In choosing to follow Jesus, the disciples took a first step, leaving their jobs and families behind to become His disciples. In Acts 2, we see how far they've come. They started out as unlearned fishermen and tax collectors, and now at Pentecost, with the coming of the Holy Spirit, they stand declaring the gospel in foreign languages that the people gathered understood. Peter is quick to proclaim that this is God's power at work in them. He then points the people to Jesus, showing how what they are witnessing is a fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies brought about through Jesus. Finally he brings people to Jesus by calling them to repentance and baptism. It's one thing for a person to have understanding about Jesus, but it's not until they meet Him, repent, accept and follow Him that their lives are transformed. It's clear from this passage that we cannot carry out God's mission in our own strength. We are called however to make a first step towards helping someone encounter Jesus. And then another. And then another. As Samwise Gamgee put it, "If I take one more step, it will be the farthest away from home I've ever been." That's where Jesus is leading us. All we have to do is follow.

This passage is often referred as the Great Commission. Jesus indicates that He has all authority in heaven and earth. This was shown throughout His ministry on earth through His teaching, His power to heal people, His power over nature, His authority to forgive sins, His power over death and His power over satan. As Christians we know that Jesus has this authority. We need to trust in Him and step out and act under His authority in whatever circumstances that we face in our life as we witness to others about the love of Jesus. We don't need to do this in our own strength because Jesus gives us the ability and is always with us. What is it that you need to be doing to carry out this Great Commission?

As a Christian, following Jesus can be hard. We make bold claims about our commitment to Christ, but how often have we failed Him when put to the test in our everyday life. Where does our dependence lie - with ourselves or in Jesus Christ? We need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and run the race He has planned for us as we go out and let others know about Him. We need to have a love for Jesus that surpasses all other things and we need to be committed to Him in all aspects of our lives, taking up our cross and following Him.

Death – the final frontier. The unexplored territory where many have gone but none returned. The great unknown at the end of this life. Or is it? What are the logical and practical implications of the Easter story for you and I? Paul argues in 1 Corinthians 15 that it is solely on one event in human history – the death and resurrection of Jesus – that the Christian faith rests. If it falls, then everything else goes with it, including Jesus’ teachings and promises about the life to come which form the basis of Christian hope.