One of the greatest miracles in the Bible is not just what Jesus did, but that His story survived the first century at all. From the beginning, Jesus told His disciples that the church He would build, on the confession that He is the Messiah, could never be overcome. History has proven His words true. Though Christianity exists today in many forms and under many names across the world, the gates of hell have not prevailed against it. At the core of every Christian congregation is the same foundational belief: Jesus is the Son of God and God in the flesh and our redeemer.

The story took a decisive turn at Pentecost, when Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and boldly proclaimed Jesus as Messiah and Lord. He accused the people of killing the Author of Life, yet called them to repentance and faith. In the early days, the disciples preached primarily in Jerusalem and remained close to home until persecution forced the message outward. Opposition arose from Jewish leaders who rejected Jesus, led most fiercely by Saul of Tarsus.

While traveling to persecute believers, Saul encountered the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus, an experience that transformed his life completely. Saul became Paul, the very man who would preach the gospel he once tried to destroy. Paul carried the message of Jesus to the Gentile world throughout the Mediterranean, planting churches, nurturing believers, and writing letters that now form much of the New Testament.

As Gentiles came to faith, questions arose about their place in the church. Peter and Paul testified to the Jerusalem leaders that God had fully accepted Gentile believers. James, the brother of Jesus and leader of the Jerusalem church, affirmed that Gentiles did not need to follow Jewish law to belong to the people of God. The church moved forward united by faith in Christ rather than bound by religious law.

Paul ultimately gave his life for the church, dying under the persecution of Emperor Nero. History remembers the contrast clearly: today, names like Nero and Caesar are given to pets, while Paul and Peter are honored as names for children. The lesson is clear—earthly power fades, but God’s work endures. Though persecution may come, it is temporary. God remains faithful, and the true reward for His children is not found in this world, but in eternity.