Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

May 25
Sunday


BUILDING
BRIDGES

READ:
Acts 9:17-27
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Barnabas took him and
brought him to the
apostles. __Acts 9:27
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A new believer recently attended our worship service. He had long, multicolored, spiked hair. He dressed in dark clothes and had multiple piercings and tattoos. Some gaped; others just gave him that "It's good to see you in church, but please don't sit next to me" smile. Yet there were some during the greeting time who went out of their way to welcome and accept him. They were bridge builders.

Barnabas was that bridge builder for Saul (also called paul). When Saul arrived in Jerusalem 3 years after his conversion, many disciples were afraid of him and doubted his transformation (Acts 9:26). He didn't receive a warm welcome from the Jerusalem church greeters for good reason. Saul had a terrible reputation for persecuting Christians! But Barnabas, a Jewish convert, believed God's work of grace in Saul's life and became a bridge between him and the apostles (v.27).

Saul needed someone to come alongside him to encourage and teach him, and to introduce him to other believers. Barnabas was that bridge. As a result, saul was brought into deeper fellowship with the disciples in Jerusalem and was able to preach the gospel there freely and boldly.

New believers need a Barnabas in their lives. We are to be a bridge in the lives of others. __Marvin Williams
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`````````````````````Oh, I would be to others````````````````````
``````````````````````A cheering ray of light,````````````````````
````````````````````Inspiring them with courage``````````````````
``````````````To climb some newfound height! __Bosch`````````````
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Be a bridge of encouragement to someone today.

**************Today's Bible Reading __ acts 9:17-27***************

17 And Ananias went his
way and entered the house;
and laying his hands on him
he said, "Brother saul, the
Lord Jesus, who appeared to
you on the road as you came,
has sent me that you may
receive your sight and be
filled with the Holy spirit."

18 Immediately there fell
from his eyes something like
scales, and he received his
sight at once; and he arose
and was baptized. 19... Then
Saul spent some days with
the disciples at Damascus.

20 Immediately he preached
the Christ in the synagogues,
that He is the son of God.

21 Then all who heard were
amazed, and said, "Is this not
he who destroyed those who
called on this name in
Jerusalem, and has come
here for that purpose, so that
he might bring them bound
to the chief priests?" 22 But
Saul increased all the more in
strength, and confounded the
Jews who dwelt in
Damascus, proving that this
Jesus is the Christ.

23 Now after many days
were past, the Jews plotted to
kill him.... 25 Then the
disciples took him by night
and let him down through the
wall in a large basket.

26 And when Saul had come
to Jerusalem, he tried to join
the disciples; but they were
all afraid of him, and did not
believe that he was a disciple.

27 But Barnabas took him and
brought him to the apostles.
And he declared to them how
he had seen the Lord on the
road, and that He had spoken
to him, and how he had
preached boldly at Damascus
in the name of Jesus.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Ananias was a disciple of Christ in Damascus (Acts 9:10) and a highly
respected, devout Jew (Acts 22:12). He baptized Paul and conveyed
Christ's commission to him (Acts 9:17; 22:12-16). Likely, Ananias
discipled Paul in the Christian faith (Acts 9:19). __Sim Kay Tee