Acts 11:19-30 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Acts 11:19-30. Let’s go!
Acts 11:19-24 (NIV)
19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to 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 at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
23 When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, 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.
On verses 19-24: When Stephen was martyred and persecution broke out on the church in Jerusalem (Acts 7-8:3), the church scattered (Acts 8:4) and some Christians traveled to places like Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch (v19). Despite not having heard or seen the incredible ways that the Holy Spirit had touched the lives of Gentiles like Cornelius and household in Judea (Acts 10) or what the Holy Spirit did among Samaritans in Samaria (Acts 8), some of these scattered believers also began speaking to Gentiles too about Jesus Christ, in particular Greeks at Antioch, who responded in great numbers (v21). So the church in Jerusalem sends Barnabas to Antioch, a Gentile city in Syria, to see the work that God was doing there and to encourage the growing church there. God uses the encouraging presence and uplifting words of Barnabas to add to the work already happening in Antioch, bringing more people to the Lord there.
What can we learn from this? Like Barnabas, one of the best ways you can encourage others is with your presence and with your words. Who is someone who could benefit from your presence and encouraging words this week?
Acts 11:25-30 (NIV)
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.
27 During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)
29 The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea.
30 This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
On verses 25-30: Antioch must have been an exciting place to be if you were following Jesus. It is there in Antioch, among Gentile believers no less, that people start calling Jesus followers “Christians” (v26). It is there in Antioch that Barnabas and Saul minister together as a team for a year (v25-26). It is there in Antioch that prophets like Agabus come from Jerusalem to encourage the people. It is around that time that the church in Antioch decides to take an offering and give these Gentile Christians in Antioch an opportunity to give a gift back to the church in Jerusalem and to provide for Christians elsewhere in need, “each according to his ability” (v29). You could possibly make the argument that the first Christian conference, bringing in reputable speakers and campaigning to do great things in needy parts of the world, happened in Antioch.
What can we learn from this? When God’s Spirit is moving in the church, the result is that people are being built up and those people are making a difference beyond just their own community or city. It’s the overflow effect of the Holy Spirit: when the Holy Spirit is working in your life, the result is that you love and help people outside of your own comfort zone.
Holy Spirit, I pray that like Barnabas I would encourage others with my presence and my words. Please fill me and work in me, that Your love would overflow from me to those around me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
