A Change of Heart

Best game of the day, Texas Tech Red Raiders 41, Oklahoma Sooners 38!  Oh yes, I loved it!  The Raiders may not be on my list of favorite teams but somewhere near the top of the list is anyone who beats OU!!  I will definitely be sporting my Kansas State attire next week.  Go Cats!!!  Let me see if I can offer some words of encouragement to my OU friends:  1) It wasn’t the Longhorns 2) it’s only one game – never mind it crushes the delusion that your beloved Sooners are the best in the nation!  I’m not finding the right words here, am I?  So do you think if I ditched by burnt orange for crimson, changed my ringtone from the “Eyes of Texas” and flew a Boomer Sooner flag, anyone would believe I had had a change of heart?    

There is no doubt that the conversion of Saul was a game changer for the mission of the early church, but it was a change of heart that faced raised some eyebrows. Even the disciples were not so sure he was for real.  Enter our 12^th man in a critical role.

“When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.” Acts 9:26-28 NLT

So how was Barnabas able to accept and lead others to accept the conversion of a man who was “uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers”?  (Acts 9:1) 

The story recorded in the verses above doesn’t provide a simple answer to the question.  We have no record of how Barnabas came to know of Saul’s story.  Had he heard him preach in Damascus? Had he heard from Ananias, the man sent to Saul after his conversion?  Who knows, but if we read ahead to the next mention of Barnabas in scripture, we may find a hint or two.  The setting is Antioch where Barnabas had been sent to check out a report of conversions among the Gentiles.

^“When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.” Acts 11:23

However it happened that Barnabas came to know of Saul’s conversion, he saw what the grace of God had done!  While others were understandable focused on their fear of Saul, Barnabas saw what God had done and he was glad. True to his nickname, he encouraged others to see the same.  Barnabas’s actions facilitated a game changing play in the spreading of the gospel. In this short account of a seemingly small event, we see the beginning of relationships that prove essential to the mission.

What about you?  Are you willing to see and testify to what the grace of God has done?  Are you willing to accept the work of His grace in others?  Your actions could change the game for a team mate or even an opposer. (Yes, even a Boomer Sooner fan!)

Thanks for listening,

See you next Sunday,

Ronda

The 12^th Man

1.       Gives generously recognizing that all that he has is gift from God.

2.       Encourages others by accepting the work of the grace