Friday, September 18, 2015

The Bible in Poetry: The Acts of the Apostles 2

Extracted from the Bible In Poetry

From Genesis to Revelation

The Acts of the Apostles 2
 
Image result for images of the acts of the apostles

Totally despising Christians Saul carried out his threat,
Consenting to Stephen’s death he had not finished yet,
But soon he met a roadblock on his way to Damascus,
In his greatest encounter he confronted the Lord Jesus.

Saul why do you persecute me said the voice he heard,
Saul’s response to the voice was, “Who are you, Lord?”
“I am Jesus,” said he, “that’s whom you are persecuting.”
“What do you want me to?” asked Saul while trembling.

They travelling with him heard a voice but saw no man,
But since Saul was now blind they led him by the hand;
Three days without sight they brought him to Damascus,
There in in a street called Straight he met with Ananias.
  
Aware of what Saul had done to the saints at Jerusalem,
Ananias learnt that he was a vessel; that he was chosen;
God would show him how he would suffer for His own sake,
Ananias was happy that Saul’s conversion was not faked.

The disciples did not trust him given what they had heard,
Barnabas told them not to worry, Saul had seen the Lord;
He preached the name of Jesus beginning at Damascus,
The place of his conversion where he encountered Jesus.

  He disputed with the Grecians; him they wanted to slay,
They brought him to Caesarea, the brethren made a way;
In Judea, Galilee and Samaria, the churches were edified,
Walking in the fear of the Lord, they were also multiplied.

A certain man named Aeneas was in his bed eight years,
Peter told him to arise; at once his sickness disappeared;
When Peter preached at Joppa Dorcas grew sick and died,
Tabitha arise he said to her; she too had opened her eyes.

But Peter could eat no pork but Cornelius must be saved,
Gentiles too were God’s children; Peter learnt to behave;
He learnt his lesson well; call no man common or unclean,
Saved was Cornelius; numbered among the redeemed.

Peter was taken captive after James, Herod had slain,
Placed between two soldiers bound securely with chain;
A light shone in in the prison striking Peter on the side,
His chains fell of his hands; the angel told him to arise.
 
Out of the wards they walked through an automatic gate,
Which just opened before them they did not have to wait;
Arriving at the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark,
Peter knocked on the door; still it must have been dark.

Rhoda answered the door and right there Peter had to wait,
Excited to tell the rest the damsel would leave him at the gate;
They did not even believe her though they had prayed that wish,
Finally, on opening the door they were very much astonished.
 
Herod sat on his throne one day pretending to be mighty,
For his many accomplishments he gave not God the glory;
The angel of the Lord struck him, heard throughout the coast,
And he being eaten of worms then had given up the ghost.

After their ministry Paul and Barnabas retuned to Jerusalem,
Separate them the Spirit said to work of I have called them;
Thus the apostle Paul began the first of missionary journeys,
When the Gentiles heard the word to God they gave the glory.

At Lystra they healed a man and the people gave them praise,
When they heard they told them it is God that him did raise;
At Antioch they told of God’s grace; how He gave it to Gentiles,
And there they abode with the disciples for quite a lengthy while.

Certain men from Judea taught that circumcision was a need,
In order for them to be saved they had better adopt this creed;
Paul and Barnabas disagreed; now there was much dissension,
Paul had disagreed that circumcision was needed for salvation.

There was much quarrel and noise but Peter called to them all,
They remained in silence and listened to Barnabas and Paul;
They came to an agreement what the Gentiles ought to do,
The apostle James relaxed demands put forward by the Jews.


Stewart Russell © 2013


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