Acts 9:26-31 CSB
When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple. [27] Barnabas, however, took him and brought him to the apostles and explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. [28] Saul was coming and going with them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. [29] He conversed and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. [30] When the brothers found out, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. [31] So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
A Bridge Between Worlds
Our reflection today is less about Saul and more about Barnabas. His name means “Son of Encouragement,” and for many of us, this type of person is exactly what we need. When you live in a small town where everyone knows you and your family, it is hard to hide from past mistakes. It is hard to change directions. If you were once the town drunk, it is difficult for people to believe that God has worked a miracle in your life and you are now sober. If you lived a promiscuous life, people will often see the “old you” and assume the worst. If you have cheated others in business, your reputation will precede you.
There are always the whispers behind your back, as friends and family accuse you of not really having your own “Road to Damascus” experience. They struggle to believe a miracle happened that changed your life—that the Holy Spirit blew through your soul as you listened to Jesus and were baptized into the new family of God. You can replace these examples with any sin or low point from your own life. At such a critical time, you need an advocate. You need someone who will take you by the hand and help you navigate your new life. Barnabas found Saul and became his intercessor to those who held doubts. May God show us how we can help others into the welcoming fold of believers.
Imagine the scene in Jerusalem. Saul, the man whose name was once synonymous with terror, walks into the city where he had previously supervised the stoning of Stephen. He tries to join the disciples, but the doors are barred. They don’t just dislike him; they are terrified of him. To them, Saul’s “conversion” looks like the ultimate Trojan Horse—a clever ploy to infiltrate their inner circle and arrest them all at once. In this moment of total isolation, God provided a bridge: Barnabas.
There was a natural connection between these two men. They were both from the “Hellenized” Jewish world—Jews who lived within the Greek culture that had expanded under Roman rule. While we don’t know the exact history of their relationship, there are several possibilities. One is that Saul and Barnabas were both students under Gamaliel years earlier as they threw themselves into the study of Judaism. Another is that Barnabas may have been in Damascus and witnessed this dynamo called Saul telling others about Jesus firsthand.
Regardless of the specifics, news travelled fast in the early Christian communities. Barnabas, as a leader in the Jerusalem church, likely had access to reports coming back from believers in Damascus. I can easily see Barnabas finding Saul and sitting down for a personal interview. This fits his nature perfectly—taking the time to listen, to be there for someone, and to give them a chance. However it happened, Barnabas became Saul’s bridge into the Jerusalem church.
We all need a Barnabas. We all need someone who sees us for who we are now, especially when others only see our past. Without Barnabas, Saul might have remained an outcast, separated from the very community he was called to be part of. Instead, through the courage of one man who was willing to risk his own reputation, Saul was welcomed into the fold.
Because he was accepted by the Apostles, Saul was able to carry on his calling from Jesus to preach the Gospel. He spoke boldly in the name of the Lord, but when he debated with the Hellenistic Jews in Jerusalem, the danger of Damascus returned. They wanted to kill him. To protect him, Saul’s newfound Christian brothers took him down to Caesarea and sent him home to Tarsus. Saul would eventually be known to the whole world as Paul of Tarsus. Because of this intervention and the bridge Barnabas built, the church had peace for a time throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and the family of God continued to increase in number.
Reflection Questions
- Why do you think the apostles were so slow to believe Saul’s conversion? Have you ever struggled to believe that a “bad” person had truly changed?
- Barnabas was willing to risk his credibility to stand up for Saul. When has God called you to be an advocate for someone who didn’t have a voice?
- Verse 31 says the church had “peace” and was “strengthened.” How does the act of encouraging one another lead to the overall growth of the church?
Prayer
Father,
Thank You for the people in our lives—those who took us by the hand when we were alone and spoke for us when we had no voice. Help us to be people of encouragement, looking past the mistakes of others to see the work You are doing in their hearts. Give us the wisdom to build bridges and the courage to protect those who are being persecuted for Your name. May Your church today experience the same peace and growth that the early believers knew, as we walk in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ Name.
Amen.
