- Covered In His Dust
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- Acts Chapter 9 (part 4)
"When disciples followed a rabbi, they followed him closely so they would never be out of his sight, never be someplace where they couldn’t hear him speak. They followed him so closely that his sandals often kicked up dust."
May you be covered in His dust.
If this is your first time getting Covered in His Dust, WELCOME!
👇🏽 Important 👇🏽
👉🏽 Read Chapter 9 before reading my notes. If you don’t, my notes won’t make sense.
You can access my previous notes on Acts and Luke by clicking this link:
Good morning Saints! ☀️
This will be another short one, but it will be the last in a four-part series on Acts Chapter 9.
Before we get going, let’s have a super quick recap.
Saul’s life takes a wild turn.
At the beginning of the chapter, Saul is on a mission to hunt down Christians, but as he’s heading to Damascus, Jesus literally stops him in his tracks. A blinding light knocks him down, and he hears Jesus say, “Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” That moment changes everything for him—he’s blinded and helpless, and his whole perspective is about to shift.
God asks one of the disciples, Ananias, to go heal Saul. Ananias knows all about Saul’s reputation … so he’s nervous, to say the least. But in faith, he obeys, goes to Saul, and heals him.
Not only does Saul get his sight back, but he’s also filled with the Holy Spirit and is baptized. It’s one of those moments where obedience to God leads to something way bigger than we’d expect.
Right after his conversion, Saul doesn’t waste any time. He starts preaching in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God, which shocks everyone because Saul is the one who was just out to destroy the church!
Saul’s boldness in proclaiming Christ doesn’t go unnoticed. His life is in danger as the Jewish religious leaders plot to kill him. He manages to escape Damascus and eventually makes his way to Jerusalem.
When Saul arrives in Jerusalem, three years after his conversion, his past reputation as a persecutor of Christians still weighs heavily on the disciples. They remember him as a violent opponent of the church.
But Barnabas steps in and vouches for Saul. He takes Saul to the apostles and explains how Saul had seen the Lord on the road to Damascus and had been boldly preaching in the name of Jesus ever since.
We actually first meet Barnabas back in Acts 4, where we learn his real name is Joseph. But the apostles gave him the name "Barnabas," which means "Son of Encouragement," because of his generous spirit and the way he encouraged others.
The disciples clearly trusted Barnabas, so when he stood up for Saul, it made a big difference in how they received him.
Ok, let’s finish up Chapter 9!
The first several chapters of Acts primarily focus on Peter and his leadership in the early church.
In Chapter 9, we see a significant shift as the spotlight turns to Saul’s dramatic conversion.
There’s a brief return to Peter at the end of Chapter 9, but as the story unfolds, the focus of Acts gradually shifts to Paul's ministry.
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
The church is still being persecuted but enters a season of peace. But don’t miss it… during this season of peace, they walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
When I was growing up, a God-fearing man was considered someone who showed a deep reverence for God. He was respected for his humility, his commitment to his family, and his unwavering faith,
no
matter
what
I don’t see that as much today. I hear a lot about God's mercy and love, but not as much about fear and reverence for the Lord.
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
The church had peace “IN THE COMFORT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.”
I read the Bible for years without understanding the Holy Spirit. I thought I 'sort of knew,' but not really… actually, not at all.
The Holy Spirit is God…
Just like God the Father and Jesus the Son. He lives inside every believer, guiding, teaching, and giving us strength to live for God. The Holy Spirit helps us understand the Bible, pray, and grow to be more like Jesus. He’s always with us and empowers us to share the gospel and live out our faith.
But…
If we don’t acknowledge Him or understand Him, we miss out on His power and guidance in our lives. Living the Christian life in our own strength leads to frustration and struggle.
When we came to Guatemala, I craved to know the Holy Spirit. I began by asking Him to open my eyes. I began to highlight “Holy Spirit” everytime I read it in scripture. I was shocked!
I read everything I could about the Holy Spirit.
If I could recommend one book, it would be Forgotten God by Francis Chan.
Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.
If you’ve ever been to Israel, there’s a good chance you drove by or were in Lydda, known as Lod today. It’s located about 10 miles (16 kilometers) southeast of the Tel Aviv airport.
Three miracles
And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose.
I love how Peter healed in the name of Jesus rather than just saying, “You are healed.” By doing that, he makes it clear that the power to heal comes from Jesus. It’s a way of giving all the glory to Christ and demonstrating that Jesus is alive and still working through His followers.
The second miracle
But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.
When I read this, I wondered, “Why did God raise Tabitha?” And “Why didn’t He raise Stephen?”
Tabitha’s resurection was a clear sign of God's compassion and power. She was well-known for her kindness and helping the poor, and her death impacted her community. God raising her from the dead strengthened their faith and showed that He was still at work among His people. It was a moment of mercy and restoration.
Stephen's death as the first Christian martyr was pivotal for the early church. His courage in the face of death inspired many believers, and that inspiration continues today! His martyrdom led to the scattering of Christians, which helped spread the gospel.
There are no clear answers as to why God raised Tabitha and not Stephen, but it certainly demonstrates God’s sovereignty. He has a perfect plan, even when we don’t fully understand it. Whether through a miraculous resurrection or a powerful martyrdom, God is working for His purposes.
The third miracle that almost no one notices
And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.
Ummmmm. WHAT?
It’s important to remember that the early disciples, including Peter, still saw themselves as Jews who believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah. They didn’t view their faith as something separate from Judaism at the time; they believed Jesus was the fulfillment of the Jewish Scriptures and promises.
Tanners worked with animal skins, which meant they were often considered ritually unclean. This made it hard for observant Jews to associate with them.
Rabbinic traditions mention restrictions on where tanners could live. According to the Talmud, a tanner was required to live at least 50 cubits (about 75 feet) outside a village because of the smell and the ritual impurity associated with their work.
Leviticus 11 outlines rules about clean and unclean animals. Anyone who touched the carcass of an unclean animal became ceremonially unclean until evening and had to wash their clothes (Leviticus 11:24-28).
According to Jewish tradition, if a woman married a tanner without fully understanding the nature of his work—like the unpleasant smells and ritual impurity—she had the right to request a divorce. The Talmud specifically expresses that she could seek to end the marriage.
The Talmud is a central text of Rabbinic Judaism, consisting of discussions and interpretations of Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history. It builds upon the Mishnah (the written oral law) and contains the debates of Jewish rabbis regarding a wide range of legal and practical matters, providing guidelines for Jewish life.
Where’s the miracle?
Saul’s conversion in Acts 9 was a dramatic personal transformation. He went from being a fierce persecutor of Christians to one of their strongest advocates after encountering Jesus on the road to Damascus.
In Acts 10, Peter experiences his own kind of “conversion,” and his decision to stay with Simon the tanner foreshadows this shift.
Through a vision, God showed Peter that things he once considered unclean—like certain foods and even Gentiles—should no longer be seen that way. This marked a significant departure from Jewish purity customs.
Peter realized that the gospel wasn’t just for Jews but for Gentiles, too, breaking down the old traditions that separated people.
So, while Saul’s conversion was about coming to Christ, Peter’s conversion was about letting go of strict traditions and understanding that God’s salvation was for everyone—Jews and Gentiles alike. Both of these moments were crucial for spreading the gospel and growing the early church.
We did it!
Thank you for being patient. It’s been a CRAZY month for us in Guatemala. Without exaggeration, it’s been one of the craziest of our lives.
We spent hours upon hours at the embassy, attempting to secure visas for our five adopted little ones. (We got them!)
We took a short trip to Cuba to meet with nine pastors we’re partnered with in support of the work they’re doing for the kingdom.
In just a week, we’ll be traveling to the United States to attend my son’s wedding ceremony.
On a more challenging note, I’ve been battling a tooth infection that turned into a serious bacterial infection called C. diff due to too many antibiotics.
I’m recovering and expect to be back on track in October.
Thank you for reading my notes. I pray they inspire you to draw closer to our Savior ♥️
One Minute Inspiration
Are you chosen?
I love you,
George
Uncovering Scripture
In the New Testament, "saint" refers to any Christian believer. It comes from the Greek word "hagios," meaning "holy" or "set apart." It’s first used in Acts Chapter 9. Paul often addresses believers in his letters as "saints."
George Sisneros is a full-time missionary in Guatemala and the founder of Ordinary Missionaries and the El Rosario Christian Academy for Boys.
He’s been married to his wife, Vonda, for 26 years. He’s a father to nine children, five adopted.
George and his family are expanding to Cuba in 2024.