RTW 2023

But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

Acts 9:15

But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

Acts 8:3

• It is commonly thought that Saul had his name changed by Jesus on the Damascus Road.
• Jesus commissioned him to take the Gospel to the Gentiles on the Road at the time of his conversion.
• Saul is known by “Saul” throughout Acts 9.
• Saul will be known as Paul beginning in Acts 13:9.
• Saul’s name was also Paul.
• Dual names were common at the time and can be seen throughout the New Testament.
• Paul was a Jew, but also a Roman citizen.
• He used his Roman name as he spent more and more time in the Gentile world that Jesus had called him into.
• Paul used his Roman name as he became all things to all people for the sake of the Gospel.
• His name prepared his audience to be welcome to receive him.
• God prepared Paul for his calling…even with his name.

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God has called you to a specific work for His Kingdom. We don’t need a name change to signal it is time to get to work. We just need to be faithful.