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
This is Luke’s third “summary statement” accounting for the progress of the church (5:11, 8:1). The indication here is the gospel had taken hold and that the strategic plan (Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, remotest parts of the earth) was being worked with success, “going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.”
Certainly the growth process was enhanced by the addition of a budding superstar in Saul. The saying “he didn’t let any grass grow under his feet” is appropriate here. He had all the tools to fulfill his calling (Greek speaker, Roman citizen, a student of the law under Gamaliel) but still needed a “hand up” from Barnabas to gain the full acceptance of the disciples and apostles in Jerusalem.
Taking a quick inventory of his early exploits, immediately in Damascus, we find him “proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues,” and later “confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.” In fact, he created such an uproar in that city “his disciples” had to send him down and out of the city via a window in its wall. From chasing disciples, to becoming one, then to having his own.
Once in Jerusalem, he was “speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord,” and “talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews,” rousing them to attempt to “put him to death.” Perhaps the believers in Jerusalem did not want to “go there” again, that is to watch these conniving snakes have there way with Saul too, as they did with Stephen. So they sent him packing to Caesarea, no doubt in full accordance with God’s will. From there he went to his home town in Tarsus in Cilicia.
It was later said of this “Jesus Movement” spearheaded by the likes of Saul, that it “turned the world upside down.” (Acts 17:6) What is clear is that the gospel cannot be squelched, confined, or eradicated. It will continue to multiply and spread, especially when boldly heralded by courageous disciples. Would that we be like Saul, “confounding” all around us with message that “Jesus is the Christ.”
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