Acts 9:19b-31
19 and taking food, he was strengthened.For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” 22 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, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 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. 28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. 30 And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
Reflection
Following his conversion, Saul begins proclaiming that Jesus is the “Son of God” (Acts 9:20) and enters into the first of many dangers that will mark his ministry (cf. v. 16). After narrowly escaping the murderous plans of the Jews in Damascus (vv. 23–25), Paul goes to Jerusalem (v. 26), where Stephen had been recently killed for his faith in Christ. Paul preaches boldly in Jerusalem (v. 27), quickly making enemies there as well (v. 29), and then he is sent by the church to Tarsus for a season (v. 30).
The Christian faith is not a calling to comfort and ease. It requires a willingness to lay aside many of the temporary comforts that this world offers in favor of the superior joys of the life to come (cf. Luke 17:33; Heb. 11:24–26; 1 Pet. 1:3–9). Paul himself would later teach the churches that “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). We will find strength for the journey as we look to Jesus, “the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2).
2 John 4-6
4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.
Reflection
Just because we agree with the truth doesn’t mean that we are “walking in the truth” (2 John 4). The gospel must not only fall upon our ears but spill into our lives. When our hearts are truly changed by the good news we will grow in genuine love for other believers (v. 5; cf. 1 John 2:7–10) and walk in obedience to God’s commands (2 John 6). The gospel is the key that unlocks a life of love and obedience. Having been loved so marvelously despite our sin, we are freed to love others —even when they do not deserve it.
Psalm 27:5-6
5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.
6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
God never promises to keep us out of danger in the world, but he does promise to help us through our times of need. Pray for those who are suffering and in need of God’s help to sustain them in their walk through this troubled world.