The persecution had begun with the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58-8:1); it was then augmented by Saul with his murderous threats (9:1-2). To escape this danger, followers of Jesus moved away as far as Cyprus, Phoenicia, and Antioch (11:19). In those places they told others about Jesus, and many of the Hellenists – that is, Jews from those places who spoke Greek as their first language – responded by setting their faith in the Lord (11:21).

When word of this got back to Jerusalem, they saw that they needed to send a missionary to help take care of the situation. They sent Barnabas: the Son of Encouragement (4:36-37). When Barnabas got there, he saw that God was at work, and he rejoiced greatly, and exhorted everyone to remain faithful to the Lord (11:23). But they apparently did not simply “remain faithful” – instead, they kept on proclaiming the message, and a great many people were brought to the Lord (11:24).

Saul had responded to the call of Jesus, and had begun proclaiming the gospel in Damascus quite effectively (9:17-22), but there was a plot against his life there (9:23-25), and then another plot against him in Jerusalem (9:27-29), and he ended up back in Tarsus, where it appeared he would be safe. And so Saul remained in Tarsus, living there quietly for the rest of his life, and was never heard from again.

Oh wait. The story didn’t happen that way, because some time later, as Barnabas looked over the situation in Antioch, he decided to go to Tarsus and bring Saul to help with the work of the Antioch church. For a full year the two worked together as a teaching team, reaching many people; and the name “Christian” began to be used to describe the followers of Jesus (11:25-26). And Saul, who had withdrawn from ministry because of these threats on his life, was active in preaching the gospel once again. How did that happen? It happened when someone like Barnabas reached out to encourage Saul to continue to find a way to serve Jesus.

* * * * *

By your mercy you save us from our sins, O Lord; and by your call you pull us out from the quiet places where we would hide from every danger, real and imagined. We see that it is your plan to send us forth as missionaries: grant us courage to follow where you lead us, even when we are afraid.