“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. 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. So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.“
Acts 9:26-31
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JANUARY 10, 2025
You have to love Barnabas. He consistently believed the best about people. We first meet Barnabas at the end of Acts 4, when he sold a field and laid the money from the sale at the feet of the apostles. But Barnabas was not only generous with his finances; he was also generous with his fellowship. He was the initial Jerusalem believer to accept Saul as a brother in the Lord.
Saul was now distanced from his former colleagues. His newfound faith made him a loner in Jerusalem where no one understood his dramatic change. Barnabas probably observed some of Saul’s attempts to join the disciples in Jerusalem, but unlike the rest of his brothers in the church, Barnabas sat down and listened to this former terrorist. He took a risk by associating with Saul, but the Spirit was leading Barnabas to give Saul a hearing. The other disciples were clearly not comfortable in the presence of their previous enemy, but Barnabas knew they needed to hear Saul’s story.
As a result of Barnabas’ intervention, Saul entered community with the Jerusalem church. If there was doubt, it was quickly dispelled by Saul’s boldness in proclaiming Jesus as Lord.
Barnabas was others-oriented and not self-focused. Barnabas loved people, because he knew that God had a heart for people, especially outsiders and outcasts. We need men and women like Barnabas in the church today who can discern spiritual hunger in the stories of people they meet and then respond with words of reassurance and affirmation. The Jerusalem church saw Saul as a threat (and he had been, greatly!) but Barnabas saw him as a changed man in need of someone who would believe his story and invite him into the faith.
Questions for reflection and discussion:
- When was the last time you listened to someone’s story of conversion?
- When have you asked a brother or sister to share their story with you?
- How could listening to one another’s stories be an encouragement to us in our witness for Christ?
- Be intentional. Tell your story to a spouse, friend, sibling, or a parent before coming to worship this next Sunday.
Church Reading Plan:
- Today, January 10: Genesis 11; Matthew 10
- Saturday, January 11: Genesis 12; Matthew 11
- Sunday, January 12: Genesis 13; Matthew 12