Hi, this is John at the Bible Project. Today on the podcast, we're continuing a conversation

we started a while ago, looking at the story of Acts. The Book of Acts is a continuation

of the Book of Luke. And actually, Tim and I have been discussing Luke and Acts for

a while now because we made a series of videos, and nine part series that walk through the

Ministry of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke, and then the continued Ministry of Jesus through

his apostles in the Book of Acts. In the last section of the Book of Acts, we really

focus in on one character. And we first meet the Apostle Paul. He's a faithful Israelite,

a zealous follower of Yahweh, and he's not happy about this new movement of people who

think Jesus is King of Israel. But then Paul has a radical encounter with the reason Jesus.

He turns his life over to him, and he finds that it's his calling to take the message

of Jesus outside of Israel to the entire world. This guy's gone from persecuting Christians

to starting Christian churches. Everywhere he goes, he tries to break down racial and economic

barriers. Every city he leaves, he leaves behind him, these new communities of radically

generous people. But in every city, he also creates a lot of enemies.

His reputation is growing as a controversial figure. He doesn't fit anybody's categories.

So Paul, he's gone on three distinct journeys, missionary journeys in the Book of Acts,

to spread the news about King Jesus. While he's out on his third missionary journey, he

begins to feel like Jesus through the Spirit is guiding him to go back to Jerusalem.

You see, there's been a famine in Jerusalem, and the whole city has been hit hard. And that

means the disciples of Jesus, the first church, is suffering. And so Paul takes it on himself

to collect money from Jesus followers from all over the world, and then to bring that

money to the Christians and Jerusalem. This gift was a sign of unity for the global

...