After Some Time February 24, 2019

Overview

Action and Suffering in Saul's Early Ministry

The narrative of Acts 9:23-30 is full of action: a plot to kill Saul, a daring nighttime escape over the wall of Damascus in a basket, suspicion from the Jerusalem disciples, the courageous advocacy of Barnabas, and another murder plot from the Hellenists that sends Saul off to Tarsus. Saul, who once sought to eradicate Christianity, now embraces and proclaims the very Christ he persecuted—and he begins to taste the suffering the Lord foretold in Acts 9:16: "I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." Tellingly, the same word used for the Jewish leaders' desire to kill Jesus in Matthew 26 is now used of those plotting against Saul.

Two figures deserve special notice. Barnabas, "son of encouragement" (introduced in Acts 4), once again lives up to his name by vouching for Saul before the apostles—affirming that he had seen the risen Lord, a key criterion of apostleship. Barnabas reminds us that encouragement is not a peripheral gift but central to the ministry every believer shares: standing alongside others in the faith, advocating for them, and strengthening them through trial.

The Hidden Years

The most striking action in this passage is the action not described. Acts 9:23 begins, "After some time had passed"—and from Galatians 1:15-21 we learn that this gap was three years. Another eight years pass between Acts 9:31 and Saul's reappearance in Acts 11:25, when Barnabas seeks him out in Tarsus. What was happening in those long, silent stretches? Galatians tells us Saul went into Arabia, and Acts 26:16 hints at the answer: the Lord was personally appearing to him and teaching him. Those quiet years deepened Paul's knowledge of Christ—the same knowledge that would pour out into most of the New Testament. The eight years that followed in Syria and Cilicia saw the founding of churches in regions later mentioned in Acts 15.

Pastoral Application: God Never Sleeps

Psalm 121 reminds us, "He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep." God is always up, always at work—even when nothing visible seems to be happening. His greatest work was your redemption through the cross of Jesus Christ, when your sins were atoned for and you were washed in the waters of baptism. And He continues that work still.

When you find yourself in a season that seems to drag on without change—a difficult circumstance that won't shift, a loved one you have prayed for and witnessed to year after year with no apparent fruit—remember Saul's three years and eight years. God was deepening, preparing, planting, and building during the silence. Trust that He is doing the same now. Even when results are hidden from view, rest assured: He never sleeps, and He is always at work.

Transcript

You're open your Bible's please with me to the ninth chapter of the Book of Acts as we continue our study in this wonderful book. 0s

The Book of Acts is filled with action. Is it not? Why there are themes and sub themes? You've got characters coming in and out. 8s

There is a simplicity, there's a complicated nature to it. It is an incredible action-filled book. 21s

Just to recap where we have been. 30s

You'll recall in our recent study that Saul was ravaging the church. You wanted to eradicate Christianity. 34s

But the risen Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, met him on the road to Damascus, transformed him, changed his heart. 41s

He became one who didn't want to eradicate Christianity, but wanted to spread Christianity. 47s

This is a heart that is transformed by the grace of Almighty God. 55s

He is now proclaiming the very one that he was persecuting. 63s

And remember, because of his persecution, the church left Jerusalem, it went into the concentric circles. 69s

Now, into Judea and Samaria. It is a dramatic change. 76s

And watch what happens next. 84s

Let's start, please. 90s

At verse 23 of the 9th chapter of Acts, after some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him. 92s

Jump up into verse 16, please. 105s

There, the word from our Lord, I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. 110s

This is part of the suffering that we see with regard to Saul. 120s

We know him later, of course, is Paul. 125s

We see that indeed he has to suffer for the faith. 127s

We now have people that want to kill him. 131s

Saul wanted to kill Christianity, and now there's in the bracer of Christianity. 135s

This one who embraces the risen Christ as Savior and Lord, they are trying to kill him. 142s

The same word used to the desire to kill Jesus in Matthew 26. 152s

It's the same word here in verse 23. 160s

Verse 24, but their plot became known to Saul. 164s

They were watching the gates day and night, so they might kill him. 168s

Paul talks about this in 2 Corinthians 11 chapter. 176s

He says in Damascus, the governor under King Aritas guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me. 180s

What they most likely did is they painted Paul. 189s

They painted him as a disruptor of the peace. 192s

And so painted that way, those in authority would be very concerned here with regard to this soul that he would disrupt the peace 197s

that he would overturn things with regard to the tranquility in the city. 208s

And they wanted him dead. 217s

We go on. 222s

Verse 25, but his disciples took him by night, let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. 225s

This is not a hole in the wall that just was there because of the defects in the wall. 238s

Let me give you a picture here. 246s

There were houses that were buttressed right up against the wall. 248s

And they would rise on this wall around Damascus. 252s

So the houses would be right up against the wall. 257s

And some of the houses would be overlooking the top of the wall. 260s

So the hole in the wall is a window. 267s

It's a window out of some of the houses that overlook the top of the wall. 271s

So some of the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ then would have had access to one of the houses there overlooking the wall. 276s

So they lower him out the window and down the side of the wall in a basket. 285s

X is not boring is it? 298s

It just isn't. 302s

It is full of actions. 303s

Here you have those that want to kill Saul. 305s

There's a rescue and he is seeing being lowered in your mind's eye out the window and down the side of the wall. 310s

But that's not all. 325s

It's not all. 327s

We go on. 329s

Verse 25, when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. 331s

And they were all afraid of him for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 337s

Can you imagine how painful this must have been for Saul? 346s

Because there his fellow Christians would have been looking at him as if he was a wolf in sheep's clothing. 354s

That's part of the suffering here, isn't it? 366s

That Jesus said, would come upon him. 370s

Twenty-seven. 373s

But Barnabas took him. 374s

Brought him to the apostles. 378s

Described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord who had spoken to him. 381s

And how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. 388s

Sections incredibly important. 395s

Because what Barnabas is doing here is he's establishing Saul's ability to be an apostle. 398s

What was a criteria to be an apostle that you had to see Christ. 403s

You had to see the risen Lord. 409s

That's a criteria for a apostleship. 412s

So what Barnabas is doing here is he's establishing the criteria. 415s

This is the same Barnabas back in the Acts of 4th chapter. 420s

Remember Barnabas? 423s

He had a piece of land. 424s

He sold the land and he brought all of the proceeds and laid it at the apostles' feet. 426s

This is the same Barnabas. 431s

His name means son of encouragement. 433s

He's one of my heroes in the New Testament. 436s

I love Barnabas. 440s

Because when you see Barnabas in the New Testament Barnabas is dispatched to encourage people. 441s

What a wonderful ministry, huh? 448s

That's all of our ministry, isn't it? 450s

Is all of our ministry to encourage one another in the name of Christ? 453s

To encourage people in the faith. 458s

To encourage them as they go through difficult times. 462s

And here is Barnabas the son of encouragement who indeed is encouraging and advocating for Saul. 466s

Verse 28. 480s

So he went in and out among them in Jerusalem speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 484s

But that's not all. 498s

Verse 28 or 29, rather. 502s

He spoke and argued with the Hellenists. 505s

But they were attempting to kill him. 507s

All right, here's a pop quiz. 514s

Remember the Hellenists? 516s

That goes back to the sixth chapter that we study. 518s

Remember it was the Hellenistic Jews who were complaining to the Hebrew Jews that the widows were being neglected in the food distribution. 522s

The Hellenistic Jews were Jews that were foreign born. 532s

They were also, as you looked in, the sixth chapter, part of what were called the freedmen. 536s

So now you've got the foreign born Jews. 544s

They want to kill him. 550s

This is a group then of followers with regard to the Jews that simply want Saul to be erratic. 553s

Twenty-nine again. 568s

He spoke and argued with the Hellenists, but they were attempting to kill him. 570s

Verse 30, when the believers learned of it, they brought him down to Cessaria and sent him off to Tarsis. 577s

Action. 588s

Wanting to kill Saul, rescue of Saul, being lowered down in a basket, down the side of a wall. 591s

You have the advocacy of Barnabas for Saul. 600s

You have Saul witnessing to the Lord Jesus Christ. 604s

The Hellenistic Jews now. 607s

They want to kill him too. 609s

And he sails away to Tarsis. 611s

Action. 615s

What action is not communicated? 621s

What action is not communicated? 628s

Look with me back at verse 23 again. 637s

After some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him. 643s

After some time, well how much time? 652s

Galatians the first chapter tells us three years. 656s

It's three years. 658s

So what happens in those three years between verses 22 and 23? 662s

What happens? 672s

What was Saul up to? 676s

What was the action? 678s

What was he doing? 680s

Let's jump over into verse 31 of Acts 9. 684s

Meanwhile, the churches throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up. 691s

Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. 698s

But then after verse 31, it's about eight years, eight years. 710s

Until Saul shows up again in the narrative. 719s

He shows up again in chapter 11, verse 25, 723s

when Barnabas goes to Tarsis to seek his help in Antioch. 728s

So between verses 22 and 23, it's three years. 736s

And then after verse 31, you don't hear of Saul again until chapter 11. 743s

So what's happening? 755s

What's going on? 760s

There's nothing here that tells us. 763s

So does that mean then that nothing is happening? 768s

Three years? 774s

Eight years? 776s

Nothing happening? 778s

One of my favorite songs is Psalm 121. 784s

In fact, if you've been in the hospital and I've seen you, I probably shared Psalm 121 with you at some point. 791s

I think it is such a Psalm of comfort, such a Psalm of God's sovereignty and control. 804s

Psalm 121, the opening verses reads this way. 815s

I lift up my eyes to the hills from where will my help come? 819s

My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. 824s

He will not let your foot be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber. 829s

He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 835s

God never sleeps. 843s

He's always up and he's always at work. 847s

He never sleeps. He's always up and he's always at work. 852s

What then was God up to during those three years and those eight years? 865s

Turn them with the E.P. 884s

I'm going to say Psalm 125 in the New Testament. 885s

Galatians chapter 1, page 165. 887s

Pick up with me, please, in verse 15. 897s

Remember the question now is, what was he doing during those three years and those eight years? 901s

Galatians 1, picking up in verse 15. 910s

Here we know him now at this point is Paul. 915s

Here Paul says, but when God who had set me apart before I was born, 917s

called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his son to me, 924s

so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles. 930s

I did not confer with any human being, so he's talking about his conversion there, right, 934s

on the road to Damascus. 939s

Verse 17, 941s

No, did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me? 943s

But I went away at once into Arabia and afterwards I returned to Damascus. 950s

Then, after three years, I did not go up to Jerusalem to visit Seefis, 959s

Or I did go up to Jerusalem, 966s

David's at Seaface, and stayed with him 15 days. 968s

So there's the three years, right? 974s

There's the three years between 22 and 23. 977s

He goes where? 981s

He leaves Damascus, and he goes where? 983s

He goes to Arabia, right? 985s

And then he comes back to Damascus. 988s

And he goes to Jerusalem. 992s

OK? 996s

So what's happening in Arabia? 1000s

It's happening in Arabia. 1002s

Acts 26, chapter, gives us a clue. 1005s

There, it says, get up, send on your feet. 1010s

For I have appeared to you for this purpose to appoint you, 1015s

to serve and testify to the things in which you have seen me 1020s

and to those in which I will appear to you. 1026s

Again, to appoint you to serve and testify 1032s

to the things in which you have seen me 1035s

and to those in which I will appear to you. 1037s

What's happening in three years in Arabia? 1044s

But Paul is being personally taught 1049s

by the Lord Jesus Christ. 1055s

Personally taught. 1059s

You see the incredible writings of Paul, 1063s

God uses Paul to write the majority of the New Testament. 1066s

That just in spring off the top of his mind, 1072s

that is teaching from the Lord Jesus Christ himself, 1076s

what was happening then during those three years, 1081s

but there was a deepening of the knowledge of Paul 1084s

about Christ who he was, what he did. 1089s

So what was happening in the eight years between 31 and 32? 1100s

We know what's happening during the three years 1106s

between 22 and 23. 1108s

What's happening between those eight years? 1109s

When in 31, he doesn't reappear then 1113s

until chapter 11. 1117s

Scripture tells us, let's go on in the verse 21, 1121s

Galatians 1. 1125s

Then I went into the regions of Syria and Sylasia. 1129s

Well, Acts 15 chapter tells us of churches 1135s

that were founded in this precise region. 1140s

So who is involved then in the founding of the churches? 1146s

It's so. 1152s

What's happening here? 1156s

In the three years and in the eight years, 1160s

you've got a deepening of the knowledge 1164s

and you've got the founding of churches. 1170s

God never sleeps, never slumbers. 1180s

He's always up. 1186s

He's always at work. 1189s

His greatest work was your redemption 1193s

through the cross of Jesus Christ. 1196s

When your sins were at tone four and paid four, 1201s

when you were reconciled through the blood of Jesus Christ, 1206s

that great gift given to you and the waters of baptism 1211s

and you are washed in it. 1214s

His greatest work, his redemption of you. 1218s

And God is still at work. 1224s

Are there not those times in life? 1236s

When you are a midst situations and you say, 1240s

I just don't see anything changing. 1247s

I don't think just change is the way 1253s

changing the situation that I'm in. 1253s

Or you look at the loved one in your life 1260s

that you faithfully witnessed too. 1262s

You've proclaimed Christ, you love them in Jesus name 1265s

and year after year after year, 1269s

you just don't see any change. 1273s

It just seems as if nothing is happening. 1280s

Remember the three years, 1293s

remember the eight years. 1299s

He's always up. 1305s

He never sleeps and he's always at work. 1308s

Even when we can't immediately see the results, 1318s

rest assured. 1330s