Barnabas and Saul

Acts 11:19-26 (TNIV)

19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews.20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.

21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22 News of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.23 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.

24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,

26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

My thoughts -

Never assume someone or something is beyond hope. Never assume that God can't redeem a situation. Look at how this passage begins. The believers were scattered. Why?" Because of the persecution after the death of Stephen. Who help kill Stephen? Who was helping to lead this persecution? Saul.

So now believers are spread out, playing it safe, only witnessing to Jews. And then these people in Antioch get the crazy idea that maybe the good news about Jesus is for the Greeks, too. The church in Jerusalem gets wind of this and sends Barnabas. Barnabas has a successful ministry there leading a "great number" of people to Christ, and then sends for, of all people, Saul.

Saul joins with Barnabas to help lead the church at Antioch and this becomes, essentially, the birthplace of Christianity. Look at verse 26. Antioch is remembered here as the first place that the disciples were called Christians.

Who would ever have thought that Saul, who helped kick off the persecution and KILLINGS of early believers would have helped to lead the church that is remembered as the first place that believers were called Christians?

And I have the audacity to wonder if there are things in MY life God can't redeem.