When Enemies Become Friends (Acts Pt. 19)
The Movement of God’s Kingdom
The book of Acts shows us a church that was alive, active, and multiplying—but also under pressure. As we continue to walk through Acts, one theme becomes strikingly clear: God’s Kingdom is always on the move, and His people must be willing to move with it.
In Acts 8, persecution drives the early church out of Jerusalem and into the very places Jesus had already commanded them to go—Judea and Samaria (Acts 1:8). Jesus’ Great Commission was clear: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...” (Matthew 28:19–20, ESV). Yet the believers had remained in Jerusalem until persecution forced their hand.
Sometimes, it takes discomfort to move us into obedience. It’s not that God delights in our hardship, but He can use trials to push us out of comfort and into calling. The early church found itself scattered—but not silent. “Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word” (Acts 8:4, ESV). As they went, they carried the message of Jesus with them. Philip preached in Samaria—a place historically despised by Jews—and many believed, were healed, and were set free (Acts 8:5–8). And what was the result? “There was much joy in that city” (Acts 8:8, ESV).
The Church That Moves with God
It’s easy to settle for comfortable Christianity. To stay in “Jerusalem,” where the Spirit has moved and where it’s familiar. But Jesus’ command was never about staying—it was always about going. And if we won’t move on our own, God may allow circumstances that get us moving.
In our own cities and neighborhoods, God has brought the nations to us. We no longer have to travel across the world to find those who need the gospel—they’re next door, across the street, sitting in our classrooms, or sharing our office spaces. And the call remains the same: Go.
We’ve seen it here, too—people set free from addiction, healed from sickness, delivered from darkness, and welcomed into God’s family. The gospel is still powerful, still effective, and still moving.
A God Who Turns Enemies into Friends
As the church moves outward, the narrative shifts to the most unlikely convert: Saul. Known for persecuting and imprisoning believers, Saul was, by all appearances, the enemy of God’s people. But God had other plans. On the road to Damascus, Saul is blinded by a heavenly light and confronted by Jesus Himself (Acts 9:3–5). And just like that, the fiercest opponent of the church becomes God’s chosen instrument.
When God looks at people, He doesn’t just see their past—He sees their potential.
Ananias, the disciple called to pray for Saul, hesitates. He knows Saul’s reputation and fears what might happen. But God says to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15, ESV). Saul would become Paul, the apostle who would write much of the New Testament and spread the gospel across the Roman Empire.
We all have people we see as too far gone. Too resistant. Too messy. But the story of Saul reminds us: no one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy.
From Fear, to Sight, to Love
To see enemies become friends, three things must happen:
We must stop fearing people.
Fear of rejection, harm, or discomfort can keep us from engaging those God has called us to love. But “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18, ESV). As Paul later tells Timothy, “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7, ESV). When fear no longer has a grip on us, we’re free to move toward others with the gospel.We must start seeing people.
Ananias saw Saul as a threat, but God saw him as an instrument. Do we see people as God sees them? Not just who they are, but who they could become? The gospel invites us to look at every person as someone made in the image of God, with a future shaped by His grace.We must keep loving them.
Ananias goes to Saul, lays hands on him, and calls him “Brother Saul” (Acts 9:17, ESV)—even before Saul was baptized or filled with the Spirit. He loved him as family, not because Saul had earned it, but because Jesus had commanded it. This is how the church grows: when we treat people not based on their past but on the hope of who they can become in Christ.
A Table for Our Enemies
Psalm 23 reminds us that God “prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (Psalm 23:5, ESV). Could it be that the table isn’t just for us—but for them too? Could it be that God has a seat ready for the very people we’ve written off?
Jesus modeled this over and over—sitting with tax collectors, sharing meals with outcasts, embracing those the world rejected. He didn’t wait for them to have everything figured out. He saw them, loved them, and invited them close.
The gospel is good news for sinners. All of us were once enemies of God, but Christ died for us anyway (Romans 5:10). And now, we are called to love others with that same kind of love.
Reflection Questions
Where in your life might God be asking you to step out of comfort and into obedience?
Who do you need to stop fearing and start seeing the way God sees them?
How can you intentionally love someone this week—even if they don’t believe what you believe or live like you live?