There is quite a gap between last week’s reading which followed close on the heels of the first Pentecost - to today’s when we meet Saul for the first time in this series from Acts. It may be worth finding time to read the missed-out sections so that today’s can be put into context.

The fearful reaction of the apostles in Jerusalem is quite understandable - the last time they had seen Saul he had been an enthusiastic persecutor of the Church - now he claims to be an equally enthusiastic supporter of it. Such a change, they reason, would take a miracle! Fortunately, Barnabas is able to take the new disciple under his wing and tell the apostles that a miracle is exactly what it took - and that Saul had proven his worth in Damascus.

And so Saul becomes one of the apostles working in Jerusalem. However, his abrasive ways have not altogether left him because within a very short time, he has so enraged the Hellenists that they would like to kill him. For his own safety, the other apostles decide to move him away from the heat and out to Tarsus where he can go back to his tent-making for a while - and, perhaps, mature in his faith and discipleship.

It is unfortunate that Luke makes it sound as if, once Saul is out of the way the Church can be left in peace! This may have been the case - but whatever the reason, the Church now began to put down roots in its native soil.

The believers at this stage were still firmly Jewish - the term Christian had yet to be invented. They lived and worked as they always had - but drawing now from a new source of life - the Holy Spirit.

This was a time of growth - when the Church consolidated herself for the missions that lay ahead.