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Unstoppable! 'Peter and Paul, Jews and Gentiles: Everyone Should Receive Grace!' — Acts 19:11-12 Monday, September 16, 2024 God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled. — Acts 19:11-12 NLT Key Thought... Peter was Jesus' lead apostle to reach Jewish people while Paul was the Lord's lead apostle to reach non-Jewish people.* Both apostles had incredible ministries that led many people to know and follow Jesus. Luke emphasized Peter's ministry in the first part of Acts and Paul's ministry in the last part. Their ministries overlap in the middle chapters, following the outline for the book of Acts with a transition time in the middle.** So, we shouldn't be surprised that we find a statement of Paul's miraculous powers that parallels a very similar passage about the apostle Peter (Acts 5:14-16). Many God-empowered events, special people, Spirit-led insights, and gifted leaders worked together to make the message of Jesus unstoppable! * See the Related Scripture Readings for associated references. ** The following is the outline for Acts which appears to be from Luke himself based on geography tied to mission (Acts 1:8), key themes, and key characters (notably Peter and Paul): Spirit-Empowered Witnesses to the World Jesus' Ongoing Work through the Holy Spirit to Accomplish Mission 1.8 (Acts 1:8) — Growing into Mission 1.8: chaps 1-9 — (Focus on Jerusalem) {Time of Peter} — Deciding for Mission 1.8: chaps 10-15 — (Focus on Antioch) {Time of Transition} — Carrying out Mission 1.8: chaps 16-28 — (Focus on Ephesus & Rome) {Time of Paul} Today's Prayer Father, today I praise you in the words of the apostle Paul for making the message of Jesus unstoppable: Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.^ ^ Ephesians 3:20-21 Related Scripture Readings Romans 1:16-17; Acts 9:10-22 Galatians 2:1-10