Paul now presents his case before King Agrippa. But what he states has more to do with the gospel and its importance rather than his own case. He speaks of his conversion to Christianity, especially regarding the appearance of Jesus. After Paul is finished, Agrippa states he sees no crime regarding Paul, but because Paul appealed to Caesar, he could not free him, and therefore sent him to Rome.

Just before Paul began the first of his three missionary journeys, he and others at the Church of Antioch were worshiping and fasting, when Holy Spirit set Paul and Barnabas apart on a special mission to the gentile cities. They journeyed throughout much of the Mediterranean coastline of modern day Turkey with John-Mark – a helper who would later be the cause of Paul and Barnabas’s separation in Acts 15. This first missionary journey is unique because Paul and Barnabas taught the Jews first and then the Gentiles (later on Paul would focus primarily to teaching the Gentiles) and tells of Paul and Barnabas’s response to a sorcerer who tried to lead a Roman Governor away from Christianity. What isn’t unique however, is how the Jewish leadership stirred up persecution against Paul expelling him and Barnabas from the region.

The Holy Spirit comes down, and those in the upper room are baptized in the Holy Spirit, as God had promised. What is this Baptism of the Holy Spirit and what is the effect on those who receive it? There were various gifts given to them, which we will discuss and make clear as to what they were. We discuss these gifts, how they were manifested, and how the Jewish leadership responded. And we discuss the major benefits to the Church then and today of this baptism.