So, there is no confusion: Saul is also known as Paul, and going forward we’ll use his Greek name, Paul. There can be misconceptions about the name change, but it would have been common in those days to have both a Hebrew name (Saul) and a Greek name (Paul). It’s easy to think of Saul as the bad guy and Paul as the good guy, but it’s the same guy, and there was nothing divine about his name change like we’ve seen in the Bible before.
Paul was about to be used by God in mighty ways. In this moment where it all began, he could not even fathom what he was about to encounter: miracles, works of the Holy Spirit like this, and even disaster. But those stories will unfold in due time. For now, we need to get to know Paul as one of the greatest Christian leaders of all time.
Even though Paul had been preaching for some time, being called by God for a particular mission made it seem more real. Relying on the Holy Spirit for direction was new to Paul, as it is for us when we first encounter the Spirit’s power. Paul had a way of connecting with his audience, and his message would include Gentiles from the start. In fact, it would be the Jews who would cause Paul the biggest challenge.
I’ve always puzzled over how the Jews could be so blind to a hero story of one of their own, Jesus. I suppose it was just too difficult to take the leap and say that their neighbor or kinsman could somehow be the Son of God, their Messiah. For those with eyes to see, it was the best news of all to know that the Messiah had come and opened the doors of his kingdom so freely.
Paul warms up the Jews by speaking about shared history, stories they have all heard since childhood. Stories always bind people together, and the Jews have such a rich history with so many twists and turns. To know that it was all planned by God, involving so many faithful ones along the way, should be enough to welcome the thought of Jesus being who he said he was.
Before you know it, Paul is speaking the Gospel message, and many paid attention. It was like the Holy Spirit opened some eyes but not all. Many people could not get enough of Paul’s teaching, especially for those hearing it for the first time. The turnout for the second week of teaching must have astounded Paul and Barnabas. For some reason, I expect they knew God would show up mightily once again with more ears to hear.
What a powerful start to their travels! Even if they were run out of town by a riled group of “influential religious women” and leaders in the town. We know when the truth is spoken, the evil one quakes in his boots. We may have witnessed such a twist in our own lives when we see people whom we’ve trusted for years start to speak lies unapologetically. We can feel unsafe or unwelcome around them.
For us as ambassadors for Christ, we, too, can find ourselves run out of town, unfriended on social media, ridiculed, laughed at, or simply ignored. That’s the one that can sting the most. In those moments, we shouldn’t run from our faith but lean in even more. We need to claim our joy.
The example we see of Paul and Barnabas was to simply move on. They “shook the dust from their feet” as rejection but then moved on to the next town. They didn’t wallow. They didn’t seek revenge or want to have the last word. Even more importantly, “the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Hallelujah!
Claim your joy in the midst of whatever battle you find yourself battling these days. Remember the promises of the Good News are for you, too. Jesus lived and took your place when he died. You have a forever home with him someday in his kingdom. There. That’s the joy of the Lord.
Let’s pray. Lord Jesus, thank you for the inheritance you have promised for those who love and follow you. Forgive me for times when I have loved the world or something in the world more than you. You are my rock and my redeemer. You are my strength when I am weak. You are my Savior and friend. I worship and adore you and seek your will for my life today and always. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
