Acts 9:26

"And when he was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was. disciple"He assayed to join himself to the disciples" "Was trying to associate with the disciples" (NASV). "Made several attempts to associate with the disciples" (Wey).

Notice how Saul quickly attached himself to the Christians in whatever community he found himself (Acts 9:19; Acts 11:26). In Saul we do not find. man who believed that he could serve God faithfully without being. member of. local congregation. Saul believed in "placing membership" and working and worshipping with. local congregation. Notice that Saul did not give up. This man was getting the cold shoulder from Christians (including the apostles), and yet he did not become. disgruntled member whose favorite topic was how. certain congregation had once slighted or wronged him. The example of Saul puts many of us to shame. He was trying to associate with Christians, even though such an association would bring up many painful memories for them and him (remember he had persecuted them or their family members). Instead of running away from the past he was willing to face up to it. Too many of us think that whatever wrong decisions we made in the past prevents us from being the Christian we could be--not Saul. How many are slack in attendance because they feel that people do not care what happens to them? Here is. man trying to attend even though the Church is avoiding him. It takes. big man to face the people that he had formerly persecuted. He had been responsible for the death of their brethren, friends, and family members. How many families had he destroyed? How many children had been deprived of mothers and fathers? Saul is not waiting for the Church to come and beg him to attend. Saul was. Christian who would serve God, and worship and work with. local congregation, regardless if everyone in that congregation would forgive him or not. Saul was not about to allow anything, including the feelings of his brethren, separate him from his Lord."And they were afraid of him" "When Saul returned to Jerusalem, he was in. difficult position. His old associates knew all about his defection, and he could expect no friendly welcome from them. On the other hand, the disciples of Jesus, with whom he now wished to associate, had not forgotten his campaign of persecution" (Bruce p. 205). Boles notes, "Communication with Damascus was slow and difficult; this was especially true on account of the hostility which had risen between Aretas, the ruler of Damascus, and Herod the ruler of Judea" (p. 151). Note that the congregation in Jerusalem is not rebuked for this suspicion, because God doesn't want His people to be gullible (1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 John 4:1).