16th Sep 26 | 05:09
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Relationship sealed
📖 Acts 09:23-31
07 – Tue14May2024 – *Relationship sealed* - _Acts 09:23-31_ – SAUL’S EARLY MINISTRY – _Acts 04:31_
*_Acts 9:26-27 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. (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._
‘But Barnabas…’ this is sufficient.
How wonderful to know that there was Barnabas in this mix. *Are we like Barnabas, who makes the difference?* Barnabas had to play this vital role not only for Saul but for the apostles and for the church as a whole. It would have been tragic, for all concerned, if Barnabas had not fulfilled his part in this predicament.
_Genesis 40:6-7 And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad. (7) So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in the custody of his lord's house, saying, "Why do you look so sad today?"_
Joseph could have remained aloof and not tried to connect with the two Pharoah’s officers. Joseph had enough of his own sorrows. He could have remained concerned only for himself but Joseph reached out. What was the consequence?
Take a step back and look at the whole Joseph story. _Genesis 41:56-57 *The famine was over all the face of the earth*, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt. (57) *So all countries came to Joseph* in Egypt to buy grain, because *the famine was severe in all lands*._
All that the Lord intended to take place through Joseph and to the rest of the human race, started in the dungeons. Imagine if Joseph had walked by and had said to himself that he need not care for the officers of Pharoah. *It was that small conversation in the dungeons that morning that paved the way for God’s deliverance through Joseph.*
How often have we walked by situations where people have been hurting around us? We have given ourselves very legitimate reasons why we should not get involved. *What would have happened if God had not intervened for us and had not stepped into our crisis?* Just as Christ, so are we in this world. _I John 4:17b … because as He is, so are we in this world._
The story of the ‘Good Samaritan’ is to teach this very same lesson. It is needed for us to step in when God brings us across situations where there is an opportunity for us to be bridges.
Let us keep in mind that the Good Samaritan story was the Lord’s response to the test question from the lawyer on how to inherit eternal life. _Luke 10:25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, *"Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"*_ If we are not being bridges to people who are hurting around us, we do not have eternal life.
_Luke 10:36-37 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?" (37) And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."_
What did Barnabas do to be a bridge for Saul to get connected with the apostles and to the church in Jerusalem?
Barnabas had heard about Saul’s conversion and how he had preached Jesus as the Son of God in the synagogues at Damascus. _Galatians 1:22-24 And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. (23) But they were hearing only, "He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy." (24) And they glorified God in me._
Saul’s conversion and subsequent ministry in Damascus was common information, so even the apostles in Jerusalem would have known what Barnabas knew. Yet, Barnabas had to be the bridge for Saul to connect with the rest of the apostles.
What was the clinching part of this bridge-building exercise between Saul and the rest of the apostles? The decisive factor was that Saul preached the gospel ‘boldly’ in Damascus.
This resonated with the apostles. They were bold in the face of persecution. _Acts 5:29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men._ They were beaten for their boldness but they rejoiced. _Act 5:41-42 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. (42) And daily in the temple, and in every house, they *did not cease* teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ._
The early church prayed for boldness. _Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness._
Saul was an answer to their prayer for more boldness in the face of persecution and so the bond between Saul the rest of the apostles and the church in Jerusalem was sealed.
Boldness was Saul’s prayer request too. _Ephesians 6:19-20 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, *that I may open my mouth boldly* to make known the mystery of the gospel, (20) for which I am an ambassador in chains; *that in it I may speak boldly*, as I ought to speak._
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