“19 Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some days. 20 Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: “He is the Son of God.”

21 But all who heard him were astounded and said, “Isn’t this the man who, in Jerusalem, was destroying those who called on this name and then came here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?”

22 But Saul grew more capable and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this One is the Messiah.

23 After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. So they were watching the gates day and night intending to kill him, 25 but his disciples took him by night and lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall.

26 When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple. 27 Barnabas, however, took him and brought him to the apostles and explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that He had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 Saul was coming and going with them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He conversed and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they attempted to kill him. 30 When the brothers found out, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

31 So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace, being built up and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, and it increased in numbers.”

Acts 9:19-31

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What a strange day that must have been. Not just for Saul & for Ananias, but for Barnabas and the rest of the disciples. How odd to see your fear turned to joy through a twinge of confusion, a double-take, and then into that funny growing joy that only comes through the understanding that the Holy Spirit affords us. It passes through disbelief and into the realm of the wonderous mystery. 

Faith affords us these opportunities. People live their whole lives railing against God only to find Him in those last few moments when their mortality is presented to them in the end. Pride steps aside in order to make way fror the King of Glory in a way that would never have come naturally for them. And their changed attitude in the face of death becomes obvious. There is a slight sadness for time lost that could have been better used, but the freshness with which they now see begins something even better than ‘what might have been.’ 

The Gospel message just does that, doesn’t it? It turns hardened Roman Centurions into humble worshippers. It takes theiving tax collectors and creates a generous life. It takes murderous threats and changes them into songs of praise and shouts of truth. The world will never get it, but those of us who abide in Christ rejoice when we see these strange, new lives come into being. It’s an oddity as far as the world is concerned, but it is a continuous joy for us who believe. 

I’ve said this so many times, but we can never count someone out from responding to the gospel, so long as they still draw breath. It is a beautiful thing to see a life redeemed. And if you have never had the joy outside of your own experience, then I cannot impress it upon you strongly enough…you need to go and make disciples. You will see this over and over again, lives changed into things that people would have never thought possible. I have too many examples to list right now, but this life of love that Jesus has commissioned us to erupts with these moments & I am so thankful for our Great Father who affords us the pleasure of seeing it come to pass.

So, GoLove someone & do it quickly. The Gospel message is urgent, and partly because we don’t know how many days we have left to experience this joy and how many lives are just waiting to hear it from us. Don’t put joy off because of fear or trepidation. 

2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.”

Go spread the joy and enjoy the strangeness of the lives changed by it…you won’t regret it, I promise.