Saul was converted on the road to Damascus to follow Jesus Christ by faith. While he was in Damascus, “he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.” (Acts 9:27)
Then Saul returned to Jerusalem after some days. He was suspect, the followers of Christ were afraid of him… for he was the one who targeted believers, arresting them, putting them in prison. This man was changed? Really?
Then a trusted disciple named Barnabas took Saul to the apostles and described what had occurred in Damascus and how Saul had become a bold witness to the living Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 9:27
Then Saul moved about freely in Jerusalem, “speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.” Acts 9:28
Saul became a target of the Jews from Greece (Hellenistic Jews). They attempted to put him to death. Saul had targeted believers and now he became a target. There was a consensus among the Jerusalem believers; get Saul out of town.
NASB Acts 9:30 “But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.”
Saul was taken down to the docks of Caesarea, put on board a ship and sent back to his hometown, Tarsus.
Saul, a disturber of the peace, was out of the picture (for now). Jerusalem, Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace. The church grew spiritually, they were “built up”; they continued to grow in their reverential fear of the Lord. They were comforted by the Holy Spirit of God and the church increased in numbers.
Acts 9:31
The Lord had dramatically met Saul. He changed Saul’s life. Then the Lord took him out of the picture for some years, possibly to mature Saul’s understanding of Jesus Christ fulfilling Old Testament prophecy.
The Lord uses time to mature you and me. When we next meet Saul it is through his letters to new believers as a missionary. His wisdom and understanding of God’s words point to the living God. Note: Saul’s Greek name was Paul.
Paul spoke of those years, briefly in a letter to the Galatians.
(NIV) Galatians 1:11-18 “I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. 12I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
13For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely jealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, 17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
18Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days.”
~ Take it to heart ~
When the Lord Jesus met Saul, Saul’s life was changed… for eternity. When you receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord, your life also is changed… for eternity.
Has your life been changed – for eternity
by receiving Jesus as your Savior?