Saul living in Tarsus

The Antioch church grew to a point where it was beyond what Barnabas could handle alone. So he decided to invite Saul as the best helper. Barnabas had once introduced Saul to the apostles. He was convinced that Saul was the right person to serve in the Antioch church. Thus, Barnabas traveled about 100 miles (160 km) to find Saul. Saul was the ideal person for Gentile evangelism. “And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch.” (1) At that time, Saul was living in Tarsus. (2) About five years had passed since the events recorded in Acts 9:30. “Now when the brothers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus” (Acts 9:30). (3) During those five years, Saul was not idle. He was likely actively evangelizing in the towns around Tarsus. According to Galatians 1:21, he was also preaching in the regions of “Syria and Cilicia.” (4) Saul, who became a disciple of the Lord Jesus, was preaching the gospel while suffering many loss in the process. This is expressed in Philippians 3:8-9. Though a bit long, let’s read and reflect on the text. “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.” Barnabas brought Saul to Antioch. Finally, Saul was stepping into the ministry that God had prepared him. We too are set apart for salvation and sanctified for a specific mission. Blessed is the one who discovers that mission. Let us meditate on our devotion to God as we read Philippians 3:8-9.