March 30, 2023 | Be On Mission
Saul Joins the Disciples, then Goes to Tarsus
Scripture: Acts 9:26-31 (NIV)
26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,[a] but they tried to kill him. 30 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
Devotional
What a whirlwind tour! Saul did everything he could to destroy Christianity in Jerusalem, then traveled to Damascus to do the same in that Syrian city. There he had a face-to-face heaven-sent encounter with the ascended Jesus, who called him to stop persecuting and start proclaiming the Christian faith.
After a death threat, Saul went back to Jerusalem, now as a follower of Jesus! You can’t blame the Jerusalem Christians for being afraid of him. He had to be a mole, infiltrating their ranks to rat them out to the Jewish religious authorities. There is no way they were going to trust him.
Enter Barnabas. We first encountered this man in Acts 4:36-37 (see Week 5, Day 5). There he simply sold some land he owned and gave the money to the apostles for distribution to the poor. This, along with no doubt many other similar acts, earned this man named Joseph the nickname Barnabas, meaning “son of encouragement.” Simply put, the apostles trusted Barnabas as much as they distrusted Saul.
There is something about a good word from a trusted source that goes a long way. When Barnabas vouched for Saul, the apostles listened. Even though they had personally witnessed him bringing death and destruction to other followers of Jesus, they allowed Saul to move in with them. Now he had the apostles’ seal of approval as well, giving him credibility as he traveled throughout Jerusalem talking about Jesus. When Saul’s life was threatened for the second time, the believers took him to the coast and sailed him to his hometown of Tarsus (in modern day southern Turkey).
Like Barnabas, how can you be an encourager to others? Think of somebody who needs to be encouraged in their faith or ministry. What are some specific ways you can encourage them? Could you call them? Message them? Visit them? Take them to lunch? Send them a note? Stand in the gap for them? Pray for them? Speak up for them? Mentor them? Assist them? Help fund their ministry? Provide for them in some way? Find a creative means to bless them, then do it!
Prayer
Lord, Your grace knows no bounds, that if You were able to transform the Apostle Paul and use him for Your glory, we know Your grace is sufficient for us. Help us to be transformed in Your grace and mercy so that we can better show the love of Christ to others. Despite the many challenges we face, help us to keep our hearts set on You and Your will. As the Apostle Paul shared Christ with others, help us to do the same.
Poem
Barnabas Prayer: Give Me The Ones
Give me the ones who scare the rest
Give me the ones abused
Give me the ones oft’ chosen last
Give me the ones oft’ used
Give me the ones who no one likes
Give me the ones untrusted
Give me the ones all smeared in sin
Give me the broken, busted
Son, Barnabas, the one who cares
Son born to all encourage
Son born to pick the pieces up
Son born to give scared courage
Son born to help the weak along
Son born to lift the downcast
Son born to comfort and confront
Son born to stand with outcasts
