The Might of Mercy: Acts 9:1-19a - Third Sunday of Easter
Whenever I read about major historical figure or discover a favorite character in a book or movie, I often wonder, “what were they like as a child?” Since today’s sermon text is about the Apostle Paul, I’m curious about his childhood. Thanks to the Scriptures, there are some insights. Before his conversion, he went by the name Saul. He was born in Tarsus, a southern coastal city in modern-day Turkey. Sunlight by Allan Craige on flickr. CC BY-SA 2.0 In his letter to the Philippians, Paul writes that He was circumcised on the eighth day, an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin, raised according to the law of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were a faction within Judaism whose name literally means “the separate ones.” They were known for their strict adherence to the Torah and traditions of the elders. Not everyone could be a Pharisee; only those who were educated and took great care to keep themselves ritually pure were worthy of belonging. Saul was the Pharise...
