In verse 32 of Acts 9, some translations have them as the Lord’s people, but actually, the word is saints, which is a lovely word for Christians. It doesn’t negate the idea of there being some special St. Paul or St. Augustine—people who are especially famous in the history of the church. But the primary meaning of saints is for every Christian; that’s who they are. And they’re in this place of all places!
Revel in this wonderful name for Christians—saints. It’s a word that refers to being sanctified, to being made holy. You can’t be a Christian without being a saint—someone who has been set apart for the Lord. Sinclair Ferguson, last week, described it as like going into a craft shop, picking out the dining table that you want, and saying, “Oh, can we reserve that?” and they put a reserved sticker on it (see Things Unseen, August 18th, 2025).
Well, every Christian has a reserved sticker on him or her. Every Christian is a saint. You’re set apart for God. Even in these dark places, like Lydda, or Joppa, or Aberystwyth, the Father is displaying Jesus’ gracious power by filling his people with the Holy Spirit.
