Acts 9:26 “And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.”
The story of Saul’s conversion has always fascinated me, as he really found himself caught between two worlds. As a Jewish leader leading the persecution of the church, Saul has an incredible encounter with the Lord that brings about his amazing, yes, astonishing conversion. He is now a Christian. He is a new believer.
Yet as people hear his story, they are baffled. On one hand, you have fellow Jewish leaders who are thinking that if this is true, then HE NEEDS TO BE KILLED. Notice Acts 9:22-23, as it says, “But Saul increased all the more in strength and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. 23 When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him.” On the other hand, you have the disciples here in Acts 9:26 who are also struggling to believe that Saul is a believer and wanted to keep their distance.
What a dilemma for Saul! What is he to do? What can he do? What can someone in the church do?
As Saul starts his journey with Christ, he will need a sponsor. Thankfully, there is a verse 27 in Acts 9 that tells of BARNABAS. It says, “But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.”
Thank God, Saul had Barnabas. Barnabas stood with Saul before he became THE Apostle Paul. Barnabas believed that Saul’s conversion was real and that he truly was a changed and a changing person! Barnabas stepped into the gap to be a sponsor of Saul.
Maybe God would have you be a Barnabas, a sponsor, to someone today. Being a BARNABAS means stepping up and stepping in to stand with a new believer as they transition from the “lost” world to the “saved” world. As a sponsor, you can help bridge the gap and make the transition easier.
Personally, Acts 9:26-27 resonates with me. I am thankful for the Crawford family of Madison Heights, VA, who were my Barnabas, as lost friends did not want me around anymore, and Christians did not know if I was serious. The Crawfords stepped up and took me in and helped me get started on my new Christian journey.
Acts 9:27 “But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.”
Continue Strong by being a BARNABAS, a sponsor, to a SAUL who will become THE apostle Paul
And remember to DATE THE WORD