The Light of Christ Journey

Encouraging people on their journey with Christ

Worldly Wealth and Spiritual Poverty

Tom Graves

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June 7, 2026

Zacchaeus’s story was one of worldly wealth and spiritual poverty until he was drawn to Jesus. Our Savior was journeying to Jerusalem to lay down His life for sinners.Luke 19:1Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich.[1]

In many ways, Zacchaeus was a lost sheep seeking the wrong things in his life. He was caught up in the world while neglecting the most important part of life. As we drift away from the Lord, we begin to fill our lives with what the world says is important because that is the voice we are listening to. Jesus had asked His disciples a question earlier. Mark 8:36And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?”[2]

Although Zacchaeus would have been seen as successful by world standards, the Lord was at work in his heart, revealing his need for something more. For any of us, only Jesus can make us whole, and that is through a personal relationship with Him.

Jesus Sees Our Spiritual Poverty

As we toil on this earth, Jesus sees our spiritual poverty. He sees how we struggle to fill our lives with things that never satisfy. Because Jesus loves us, He not only sees us, but is the God of intervention who reaches out to us. No matter how far you have drifted away from the Lord, His love can draw us back as we humble ourselves. When we humble ourselves, we realize life does not go on forever, and then what?

Joel 2:12 That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. [3] Worldly wealth can often hold us in what some describe as the velvet handcuffs. It is the Lord who opens our eyes and reveals the depth of our spiritual poverty and that true riches found in Him. Jesus calls Himself the Light of the world. When we turn to Him as our Savior, we walk out of the world’s darkness into His marvelous light and are made whole.

Put on the New Nature in Christ

Paul writes about the importance of leaving behind our old life. Ephesians 4:22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. [4] There is something about putting on the new nature in Christ that changes our life in this world and the next.

As we begin to look at life through a different lens, everything changes. That is because the Holy Spirit leads us on a different path in life. Wholeness does not come from adding more to our lives. Wholeness comes from surrendering what we have and who we are to Him. When we admit our emptiness, Jesus fills us with His presence. In Him, the spiritually poor find true riches—peace with God, restored identity, and lasting joy. Only Jesus can take a life that looks complete on the outside and make it truly whole within. To learn more about worldly wealth and spiritual poverty, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/called-to-wholeness-through-faith

[1-4 Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

See Through God’s Eyes

Paula K. Graves

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June 6, 2026

God had told Ananias that He had a mission for Saul. This enabled Ananias to see through God’s eyes. Ananias knew of Saul’s reputation for persecuting Christians and was understandably afraid of him. But Ananias’ faith was stronger than his fear, and he obeyed God’s instructions.

Acts 9: 17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”[1]

Ananias knew that Saul’s original intention was to come and imprison the believers, including himself. Ananias offers significant insight by greeting Saul as a brother. Saul had done nothing to prove that he had changed, but Ananias chose to see Saul not by his past but by God’s promise.

God’s Restoration

Saul couldn’t see Anaias as he arrived, but he would have sensed God’s love through the laying on of hands. Here, the power of God was working through a human. A complete transformation often involves both divine intervention and human action. Acts 9: 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. [2]

God, through Ananias’s hands, restored Saul’s physical sight, but more importantly, the Holy Spirit filled him. God doesn’t just fix us, He fills us. True restoration is not merely external; the Holy Spirit empowers it. It is the Spirit who equips us for purpose, witness, and endurance. This transformation is not for individual gain, but to empower us for service in the Kingdom.

How Do We Accept the Restored?

We all need God’s restoration as we are all sinners. But it is easy to let someone’s past color our opinion of them. We do need discernment as we deal with others, and that is why we need to see through God’s eyes. We can ask God to show us what He sees. God sees what can be.

When God transforms someone, we must allow our perspective to change, too. The church must learn to welcome redeemed people without suspicion defining the relationship. Is there someone you struggle to see as God sees them? How can we extend grace before we see the full fruit of restoration?

God often restores people we never would expect for major tasks. N.T. Wright makes this comment about God choosing Saul to be His chosen instrument to take the Gospel to the Gentiles: “When you want to reach the pagan world, the person to do it will be a hard-line, fanatical, ultra-nationalist, super-orthodox Pharisaic Jew. And then they say that God doesn’t have a sense of humour.”[3]

To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/transition-follows-transformation

[1-2 Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

[3] Wright, T. (2008). Acts for Everyone, Part 1: Chapters 1-12 (p. 145). Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

Being an Instrument of God

Tom Graves

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June 5, 2026

Being an instrument of God to build His Kingdom is a gift only He can bestow upon us. As the story of Saul—whom we later come to know as the Apostle Paul—unfolds, he believes he is building God’s Kingdom by persecuting believers.

Yet on his way to Damascus to continue this mission, the Lord suddenly interrupted his journey. Jesus revealed His true identity as the one whom Saul was persecuting. On that day, the Lord brought Paul to a Y in the road along his spiritual journey, redirecting him in a completely life-changing way. In that divine interruption, God did more than change Saul’s path—He redefined his identity. This moment reminds us that transition is not just about a new direction, but about a renewed identity and purpose.

Saul’s New Purpose

As Saul picked himself off the ground, he discovered he was now blind. His friends led him to Damascus, where he remained blind for three days, neither eating nor drinking. In this state, the Lord spoke to a believer named Ananias.  He was to go to the house on Straight Street to lay hands on and pray for him so that he could see. Acys 9:15 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.”[1]

At the same time, Saul was praying because God had turned his world upside down. Through this experience, Saul not only met the living Lord but also had his entire understanding of the Messiah changed. Saul was a scholar of the Old Testament and now realized that Jesus, whom his fellow Jews had killed by nailing Him to the cross, was the Messiah.

In many ways, Paul’s encounter with Jesus reflects the words of the hymn Amazing Grace. “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch, like me! I once was lost but now am found; I was blind, but now I see.”[2] Just as God gave John Newton, the composer of Amazing Grace, a new purpose and identity, He did the same for Paul.

Redeemed for a Purpose

As Ananias prayed for Saul, the scales fell from his eyes, and then he got up and was baptized. With new spiritual eyes, Paul rises as a believer in Jesus, transformed not only in what he sees but in who he is becoming. He is someone the Lord will use to bring many to faith. His story reminds us that redemption is never meant to stop at personal belief; it always carries a greater purpose.

When the Lord opens our eyes, He calls us beyond simply receiving grace to being an instrument of God. He will use us to bring that grace into the lives of others. Like Paul, our redemption is not the finish line. It is the beginning of a new assignment and transition shaped by God’s purpose. The same Lord who transforms our hearts also sends us out to reflect His light and lead others toward faith. To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/transition-follows-transformation

[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ac 9:15). Tyndale House Publishers.

[2] https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/313

Obeying God Can Stretch Us

Tom Graves

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June 4, 2026

Obeying God can stretch us because it often requires leaving our comfort zones. This fosters spiritual growth by deepening our faith and by trusting His wisdom more than our own. Although challenging, this “holy stretch” encourages us to go beyond self-reliance. It can foster a deep dependence on the Holy Spirit and lead to increased blessings and personal growth. Ananias faced this kind of holy stretching when he heard the Lord call him to minister to Saul, who later became Paul in the New Testament.

In Damascus, a believer named Ananias heard the Lord in a vision. The Lord told him to go to Straight Street, to Judas’s house, and find Saul from Tarsus, who was praying. God also revealed to Saul a vision of Ananias coming to heal him so he could see again.[1]

Acts 9:13“But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” [2] Like many people, as we respond to the Lord’s voice, it may not make sense in the natural because we don’t know what God knows and must simply walk by faith.

Who Knows Better Than God?

One of humanity’s greatest sins is thinking we know more than God. This often results in rebellion against God’s instructions. When we accept His commands by faith, we step into the boat of trust as Ananias did. This doesn’t mean it is easy. Initially, Ananias questioned God. He probably doubted that Saul could ever become a follower of Jesus.

Despite these justified feelings, Ananias obeyed God and ministered to Saul. Ananias shows that true wisdom is not trusting our own judgment but humbly obeying God. Obedience is required even when His commands challenge our thinking. In our Christian walk, we must surrender to God, trust His greater perspective, and act in faithful obedience. In doing so, our willingness to obey may become part of His redemptive work in someone else’s life.

Why Obeying God Matters

 Obeying God isn’t merely about following rules or adhering to instructions. It’s about building a life grounded in faith, trust, and a sincere relationship with Him. Obedience to God shapes every area of our lives. It demonstrates our faith in His plan and offers a way to live with purpose, peace, and hope in the promises of eternity.

Choosing to obey God brings us closer to Him, just as strengthening a relationship with a trusted friend or parent involves listening to and following their advice. In the same way, Ananias had to move from fear of Saul to faith in God’s word—reminding us that sometimes our own transition of trust is connected to someone else’s transformation.

To learn more of how obeying God can stretch us, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/transition-follows-transformation

[1] Summary of Acts 9:10-12 from the Holy Bible

[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ac 9:13–14). Tyndale House Publishers.

God Works in the Dark

Paula K. Graves

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June 3, 2026

The vision of Jesus had left Saul blind, but God works in the dark. Acts 9: 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. [1]

Saul was the up-and-coming star of the Pharisees and, even as a young man, was considered one of their top leaders. But instead of being in control of the situation, he had to be led into town by his hand like a child. That had to be terribly humbling for this proud man. Scripture tells us that Saul fasted for three days. Fasting indicates a period of mourning or repentance. For three days, Saul saw nothing, but God was doing everything.

Rethinking Jesus’ Identity

Saul had assumed that Jesus was a dead heretic. Yet, Saul had seen the risen Lord on the road to Damascus. That meant that the Christians must be right. Jesus had risen from the dead; the resurrection was true. God had kept all the promises of a Messiah, but had done it in a scandalous way. God had accomplished everything in the person of Jesus.

As part of his training, Saul had memorized most of what we call the Old Testament and did not need to read Scripture. He could mentally review what the Law and the Prophets said. He could take what he knew about Jesus and begin correlating it with what the Law and the Prophets had predicted. As he did, the truth would have forced him to conclude that Jesus met all the requirements of the Messiah and fulfilled all the prophecies.

Saul had valued his own righteousness as a Pharisee. But now that he recognized Jesus as the Messiah, Saul realized he had been acting in direct opposition to God’s will. Instead of honoring God, he had been persecuting Him. He had sinned and needed a Savior.

Discerning in the Darkness

God used the three days of fasting to turn Saul’s world upside down. As Saul considered the Scripture through the lens of Jesus the Messiah, it would have confirmed everything he had been taught. At the same time, it also overturned everything he knew. This new truth tore apart the way he had interpreted the Law and the Prophets and put them back together in a totally new way. During these three days, Saul had to die to self so God could resurrect him as a believer.

A spiritual awakening often leads to a season of disorientation. God works in this phase to strip away old perspectives and prepares us for a new life in Him. He works in the dark times to give us renewed vision and purpose in Jesus. It often takes a period of darkness to give us time for self-examination that we would not otherwise have. What feels like darkness may actually be divine construction. God used Saul’s three days of blindness to rebuild his identity, theology, and mission.

What God did for Saul, He can do for us. We can trust Him to work in our darkest times, guiding us into a new season. Where does your life feel dark right now? Can you trust that God is working even when you cannot see? To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/transition-follows-transformation

[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ac 9:8–9). Tyndale House Publishers.

From Blinded Eyes to Spiritual Sight

Tom Graves

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June 2, 2026

Saul experienced going from blinded eyes to spiritual sight.  Saul, who we know as the Apostle Paul, experienced this when Jesus revealed Himself to him. As a devout Pharisee, Saul was a very religious man, yet he was spiritually blind to who Jesus was, which led to his persecuting believers. Then one day, Jesus met Saul on the road to Damascus and revealed to Him who He was. We can deceive ourselves into thinking we have faith because we have biblical knowledge. Although biblical knowledge is valuable, what is important is having a relationship with Jesus.

In God’s mercy, as Saul neared Damascus, a heavenly light shone around him. He fell, hearing a voice say, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” Saul asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The voice replied, “I am Jesus, whom you persecute! Get up, go into the city, and you will be told what to do.” The men with Saul heard the voice but saw no one, remaining speechless.[1]

     Acts 9: 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. [2] Saul’s physical blindness now mirrored his spiritual state. In seasons of spiritual transition, God often intervenes to reveal our need for Him.                                              

Surrender Your darkness to Receive His Light

This moment in Saul’s life parallels the broader biblical narrative in which God uses unlikely individuals to fulfill His mission. The Apostle Paul is a great hero of the Bible, but at the time of his calling, he was not well-known. In John 8:12, Jesus declared Himself the Light of the World. Later, on the road to Damascus, He confronted Saul and revealed that His light can penetrate even the darkest heart—bringing salvation and transformation.

This encounter disrupted Saul’s self-image, both physically and spiritually. So far in Acts, Saul has been portrayed as competent and independent, but in this humbling moment, he has to rely on others. This period of humility will prompt Saul to surrender to the Lord and start a new chapter in his life. This is when Saul became Paul.

Transitioning to Spiritual Sight

Following Saul’s encounter with Jesus, he was blind for three days. This gave him time to reflect on his life. He realized that despite his zeal for God, his recent activity of arresting Christians had been in direct opposition to God. The voice from heaven revealed to him that in persecuting Christians, he was actually persecuting Jesus. During his blindness, Paul probably reflected on the prophecies about the coming Messiah and was led to see that Jesus fulfilled them.

Periods of disruption—such as loss, failure, illness, and disappointment—can be used by God to slow us down so we can truly understand. When life interrupts our plans, instead of resisting, we can ask, “Lord, what are You showing me?” Often, our most profound spiritual insights occur through uncomfortable pauses. To learn more about transitioning from blinded eyes to spiritual sight, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/transition-follows-transformation

[1] Summary of Acts 9:3-7 from the Holy Bible

[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ac 9:8–9). Tyndale House Publishers.

Surrendering to God

Tom Graves

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June 1, 2026

Surrendering to God is what we do as we realize we are on the wrong path in life and open our hearts to His guidance. Saul, who we know as the Apostle Paul, experienced this when Jesus broke into his life while he was traveling to Damascus to persecute believers. Acts 9:3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” [1]

As a devout Pharisee, Saul had extensive knowledge of the Old Testament, but he viewed Jesus as a false prophet and His followers as deceived. It was amidst this zeal to arrest the followers of Jesus that the Lord spoke to him. God revealed that he was the one deceived. Saul, bewildered and humbled, had a question. Acts 9:5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” [2]

Unexpected Transitions

There are times in life when we experience unexpected transitions that can be life-changing. This happens as the Lord leads us to take a different path. These transitions are often accompanied by transformation as we yield to God’s will and acknowledge His lordship over our lives. In Paul’s life, this transformation made him a different person, with a heart aligned with God.

When we choose to submit to God and His will, our lives, too, are dramatically changed as the Lord transforms us. Paul’s question, “Lord, what will you have me do?” signals a heart shift. Transition requires surrender, moving from self-direction to divine instruction. Our lives are never the same once we begin to let the Holy Spirit guide us. This is the transition that marks us as children of God.

Surrendering to God is an ongoing process, not a one-time choice. Each day, we face the choice to align our will with His. It requires humility and faith to surrender our own plans and trust that God’s ways are higher and better than our own.

Surrendering is Not Giving Up

Surrendering differs from giving up when faith in God is part of the process. Like Paul, we can surrender by letting go of our misperceptions and other paths in life that we realize are wrong. This form of surrender is about dying to self, and through it, we begin walking anew in life with Jesus.

Paul gives us insight into his transformation. Galatians 1:15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. [3]

Jesus was the focal point of this remarkable experience. Paul didn’t merely have a vision; he encountered the risen Christ directly. Genuine conversion stems from a personal meeting with Jesus and results in a transformed life dedicated to Him. This is the same kind of relationship we can also have as we surrender our lives to Jesus. To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/transition-follows-transformation

[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.

When God Interrupts Our Direction

Paula K. Graves

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May 31, 2026

A transition can occur when God interrupts our direction. Saul thought he was serving God by persecuting the church. Acts 9: 1Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. [1]

Saul was a Jewish scholar and knew that anyone who is hung on a tree, or crucified, is considered cursed (Deut. 21:23). Surely, God would not take a cursed false prophet and declare him to be Messiah. It made no sense; Jesus was dead. So Saul must have considered that the miracles of the Jesus followers were done in satanic power. Thus, Saul sought to destroy what he considered a dangerous sect.

Saul Had not Transitioned His View of God

While Saul was well-versed in Jewish scripture, his mindset about what the Messiah would be had prevented him from understanding Jesus’ identity. Like many other Jewish leaders, Saul stumbled over the cross. He thought he could earn his own righteousness by obeying the law. He saw no need for a Savior, let alone one who died.

Most Jews were looking for a political Messiah who would rule a new Israel like King David had. Even though Jesus had done things that only a Messiah could do, Saul didn’t see Him as the Messiah. Jesus had given the Jews His identity in His “I Am” statements. Jesus was the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, the Gate, and the Good Shepherd. Jesus had pointed out that He was the only way to eternal life. To obtain eternal life, we must stay attached to Jesus, our Vine.

 Jesus had often referred to God as His Father, thus implying that He was the Son of God. Yet, Saul did not understand Jesus’ true identity and falsely accused Him of being a heretic. One must understand who Jesus is before they can truly follow Him. Saul had not transitioned from a traditional Jewish mindset to a Christian mindset.

God Intervened

Saul was moving passionately in the wrong direction. It took God’s intervention before Saul would change his mind about who Jesus is. God had to first stop Saul in his tracks before He could redirect him. God is willing to meet us where we are, even when we are at odds with Him. This is exactly what happened.

Acts 9: 3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” [2]

Jesus demonstrated His true identity to Saul through a vision. This demonstrated how God is willing to engage with each of us personally. Jesus had to reveal the truth of His identity to remove Saul’s misconception. When God interrupts our direction, we can transition from the wrong path to the right road. Where is God pursuing you so that you can follow His will?

To find out more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/transition-follows-transformation

[1-2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

Urgency of the Last Days

Tom Graves

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May 30, 2026

Peter proclaimed the urgency of the last days on the day of Pentecost, quoting the prophet Joel. ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. I will also pour out my Spirit on my servants—men and women—and they will prophesy. I will cause wonders in the heavens and signs on the earth—blood, fire, and smoke. The sun will darken, and the moon will turn blood red before the day of the Lord. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’[1]

     Knowing that we are in the last days is both exciting and sobering, reminding us that souls are at stake and echoing Jesus’ words. Matthew 9:37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” [2]

Time of Transition of the Church

As Peter stood amid the noise and wonder of Pentecost, he declared that what the crowd was witnessing was the fulfillment of Joel’s promise Acts 2:17In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. [3] This is not merely a prediction; it is an announcement of transition. The age of waiting has given way to the age of outpouring.

The Spirit is no longer for a few, as in the Old Testament, where it comes upon people for a time to carry out God’s purposes. The Holy Spirit is now pouring out on sons and daughters, who are both young and old. The last days are marked by an amazing increase in God’s divine activity.

God is moving history toward its appointed end, and He has chosen to involve His people in the process. The urgency of the last days is not about panic, but about participation. There is deep spiritual growth when we partner with God in bringing in the harvest. And when God pours out His Spirit, as promised, it is a clear signal that the moment to respond has arrived. It is the time to speak, to act, and to live boldly for Him.

Living in the Overlap of Ages

This passage reminds us that we are living in a sacred transition between Christ’s ascension and His return. The cosmic signs Peter quotes testify to the certainty that history is not random but is advancing toward “the great and glorious day of the Lord.” Yet amid this urgency comes mercy:Acts 2:21But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” [4] 

The last days intensify in both judgment and grace. They call us to discern the times, to refuse complacency, and to embrace our Spirit-empowered calling. We stand in the overlap of ages—rooted in what Christ has done and reaching toward what He will complete. Therefore, let us live for building His Kingdom, attentive and surrendered, recognizing that every moment carries eternal weight in this unfolding transition of God’s redemptive plan.

To learn more about the urgency of the last days, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/pentecost-the-church-in-transition

[1] Summary of Acts 2:17-21 from the Holy Bible.

[2-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

Prophecy Fulfilled

Paula K. Graves

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May 29, 2026

Peter explained the curious scene of uneducated men speaking in languages they never learned by saying this was prophecy fulfilled. If a crowd asked me to explain why my friends and I were acting drunkenly, I don’t think I would use Scripture. But Peter was beginning to understand that this was the Spirit that Jesus had promised them. Jesus had explained to His disciples how He had fulfilled prophecy with His death and resurrection. Now Peter began teaching the crowd.

Prophecies of the Messiah and the Spirit

These Jews knew of prophecies of the Messiah to come and the giving of the Spirit:

  • Zechariah 12: 10 “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.[1]
  • Ezekiel 39: 28 Then my people will know that I am the Lord their God, because I sent them away to exile and brought them home again. I will leave none of my people behind. 29 And I will never again turn my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit upon the people of Israel. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!” [2]

These prophecies told of a people who would repent and God would restore. There was a general Jewish expectation, often appealing to Joel 2, that an indiscriminate outpouring of the Spirit, manifesting itself in “all Israel prophesying,” would characterize the age to come.[3]

This is That

The Galileans astonished the crowd as they heard them speaking in their native tongues. This surprised them because they believed God gave His Spirit only to a select few. But here were 120 of their fellow Jews demonstrating the same Spirit that had empowered the patriarchs and prophets.

Acts 2: 14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. 16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel. [4]

Joel’s prophecy emphasizes that God will give the Spirit to all, regardless of gender, age, or social status. All believers can receive the Spirit. Jews weren’t the only ones to be God’s people. Now the church would transition to bring the Gospel to the entire world. This was a revolutionary thought to first-century Jews. The giving of the Spirit at Pentecost indicated that the Messianic age had come. Jesus was prophecy fulfilled. To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/pentecost-the-church-in-transition

[1,2,4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.

[3] Trites, A. A., William J. Larkin. (2006). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 12: The Gospel of Luke and Acts (p. 391). Tyndale House Publishers.

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