Acts 8-9
The tree continues to grow. Unfortunately, many times it takes adversity and pain to bring about real growth. God used the stoning of Stephen and the subsequent persecution of God’s people to drive the disciples out of the comfort zone in Jerusalem and to venture into new territory.
In chapters 8-9, we see the fulfillment of the second part of Jesus’ commission in Acts 1:8. The message of the Kingdom of God branches out into the regions of Judea and Samaria.
As you can see in the illustration, there are two major paths to the story in these chapters. The first is the process that God used to break down the centuries-old barriers of hostility that existed between the Jews and the Samaritans. In one beautiful moment we will witness the coming together of Hebraic Jews, Grecian Jews, and Samaritans as they bask in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, bringing the broken pieces of God’s family into reconciliation and power.
The second road is that of Saul. The insertion of his story at this point of the narrative serves two purposes. First, with Saul converted, it brought an end to the immediate threat of persecution and allowed the newly expanded church to experience a period of peace. Secondly, it served as a foreshadowing of the upcoming main character of the second half of the story. For now, we meet Saul, and then send him off into obscurity for a season.
Acts 2023 Project
During the summer of 2023 I am illustrating the book of Acts as a graphic novel. Return often to view the updated pages below. I will post the thumbnails and then replace them with the finished pages as they emerge. Enjoy!