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.

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