A Chosen Instrument

Reflections on Acts 9:1-31

Everyone was afraid of him.

That’s the situation in Acts 9:26. Saul of Tarsus — the man who had been breathing out threats and murder against the church, the man who had dragged men and women off to prison, the man who had cast his vote against Christians when they were being put to death — this man shows up in Jerusalem claiming to be a disciple. And believers are skeptical of him.

Can you blame them? This wasn’t just someone with a rough past. This was the greatest enemy the early church had ever known. His reputation preceded him by hundreds of miles. When Ananias in Damascus received a vision telling him to go to Saul, his immediate response was essentially, “Lord, are you sure? I’ve heard about this guy” (Acts 9:13-14).

So, when Saul arrives in Jerusalem wanting to associate with the disciples, the fear is understandable. The hesitation makes sense. But if that’s where the story ended — if everyone had simply kept their distance — the history of the church would look very different.

Enter Barnabas.

The Man Who Stepped Forward

Verse 27 tells us that Barnabas “took hold of him and brought him to the apostles.” While everyone else hung back, one man stepped forward. He vouched for Saul. He explained how Saul had seen the Lord on the road, how Jesus had spoken to him, how he had been preaching boldly in Damascus.

Here’s what makes Barnabas’s action so remarkable: unlike Ananias, Barnabas didn’t receive a divine vision commanding him to do this. No angel appeared. No voice from heaven. He simply saw what God had done in Saul’s life and had the courage to act on it.

This is the Barnabas moment — and it’s a moment the church still needs today.

A Persecutor Transformed

To appreciate what Barnabas did, we need to feel the weight of who Saul had been. Luke tells us Saul was “breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). This wasn’t casual opposition. The language suggests someone whose very breath was saturated with violence against Christians. He had secured letters from the high priest authorizing him to travel all the way to Damascus — a six-day journey — to arrest any believers he found there and drag them back to Jerusalem in chains.

This was systematic, authorized persecution. And Saul was its most zealous agent.

Then came the road to Damascus. A light from heaven — brighter than the sun, Paul would later recall (Acts 26:13) — and a voice: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

Notice what Jesus says. Saul had been persecuting Christians. But Jesus says, “Why are you persecuting Me?” In that single question, we see how deeply Christ identifies with His church. To touch the body is to touch the Head. The church and her Lord are inseparably united.

Saul, struck blind and led helpless into the city, spent three days without sight, food, or drink. This was no gradual intellectual persuasion. This was divine intervention — sudden, sovereign, and unmistakable.

God Chooses His Instruments

When the Lord appeared to Ananias and commanded him to go to Saul, He explained why: “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:15-16).

A chosen instrument. The greatest persecutor of the church would become its greatest missionary. The man who once breathed out murder would spend the rest of his life proclaiming the One he had tried to destroy.

Paul himself later reflected on his conversion with astonishment: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:15-16).

This is the first great truth of Acts 9: God’s grace can save anyone. No one is too far gone. No past is too dark. If God could save Saul of Tarsus, He can save anyone who comes to Him.

The Church Embraces His Work

But there’s a second truth woven through this passage, and it’s the one that often gets overlooked: the church has a role to play in receiving those God has transformed.

Ananias had to overcome his fear and go to Saul. The disciples in Damascus had to accept their former enemy into their fellowship. And when Saul came to Jerusalem, someone had to step forward and vouch for him. That someone was Barnabas.

The result? “He was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord” (Acts 9:28). And the chapter closes with a remarkable summary: “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase” (Acts 9:31).

When God chooses His instruments and the church embraces His work, the mission advances.

Living Like Barnabas

So, what does this mean for us? The conversion of Saul was extraordinary — a unique, dramatic intervention that established an apostle. Most of us won’t have a Damascus Road experience, and we shouldn’t expect to. But the principle at work in this passage applies directly to every church and every Christian.

God is still in the business of transforming people. He still saves those with dark pasts, complicated histories, and reputations that make others nervous. The question is: Will we embrace what He’s doing?

If You’re the One with the Past

Maybe you’ve genuinely met Christ, but you feel like the church is keeping you at arm’s length. Maybe you wonder if people will ever see who you are now instead of who you used to be. Take courage from Saul’s story. God has chosen you. Keep pressing in. Find your Barnabas — someone who will walk with you and vouch for you. Don’t give up on the church. Just as in Saul’s life, God’s grace can be magnified in His ability and willingness to save you in Christ, for the glory of His great name.

If You’re the Comfortable One

Maybe there’s someone whose past makes you nervous. Maybe you’ve been keeping your distance, playing it safe. Ask God this week: Who have You transformed that I’ve been afraid to embrace? Ask Him for Barnabas-like courage — not reckless naivety, but bold faith willing to step forward when everyone else steps back.

The question isn’t whether God can transform people. He clearly can. The question is whether we will have the courage to embrace what He’s done.

Will we live like Barnabas? Or will we live more like the Pharisees — grumbling when sinners and tax collectors draw near to Jesus?

God chooses His instruments. May we be a church that embraces His work.

Based on the sermon “A Chosen Instrument” preached November 23, 2025 at Howell Bible Church. Unfortunately, the audio from this message was lost due to technical difficulties.