Acts 11:19-30
Barnabas and Saul at Antioch
19 Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. 20 But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.
22 Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. 23 When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. 24 For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. 26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Relief to Judea
27 And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. 30 This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
Following the murder of Stephen and the gift of repentance to eternal life given to both Jew and Gentile, the good news of this life exploded across the country by the propellant of persecution for the name of Christ Jesus. The scattered disciples of the Lord apart from Peter still preached only to Jews wherever they went but there were some Jewish believers from Cyprus and Cyrene who told the foreign-born Greek speaking Jews the gospel as well. These were not seen as full Jews by those in Israel but because their lineage was Jewish they were allowed to hear the gospel without much dispute. The naysayers had not yet heard and understood the testimony of Peter and his vision of the cleansing of God (Acts 11:9) over all nations to hear the gospel and adopt them into the same family of God in Christ by the gospel of redeeming grace offered to all who had and exercised the faith of Abraham who is the father of all (Acts 11:18, Romans 4:16-17) Christian believers. When the gospel was preached to those in between the Jews and Gentiles here, the result was astounding as many heard the word preached with the power and wisdom of the Spirit and believed. God’s hand was mightily shown through these faithful men who bore witness to the word and work of Jesus Christ that was the only work needed for salvation (John 6:29). When the church at Jerusalem, the head of the Christ followers, heard this news they all were encouraged and sent out the early disciple Barnabas (Acts 4:36, 9:27) to Antioch who had taken Saul named Paul under his wing to preach the gospel earlier. This faithful man found the converts and encouraged them as true to the meaning of his name. Barnabas urged them to continue in their sanctification with purpose in their hearts to learn from the scriptures to continue to know and grow in the Lord Jesus Christ. The result of this discipleship was more hearing and believing the gospel who also received Jesus as Lord and Savior by faith through repentance to life everlasting. Barnabas then fetched Saul from his home town of Taraus to teach them further as he was gifted and the believers there so identified as Christ’s that they were called Christians for the first time instead of just believers and followers of the way (Acts 9:2, 24:14). They looked and acted like Christ and were therefore identified as His; are we also identified as Christians known by our love (John 13:35, 1 John 2:5-6) and unwavering testimony of the truth of God’s word of grace in the work of Christ alone for salvation? Another way these demonstrated their sincere faith and love was recorded here where they met the urgent needs (Titus 3:14) in Judea according to their own individual ability to give whatever they could to help. We also are known as true believers in Christ as we meet the needs of the saints in Himmas well as to others as our alms of gospel grace. This is what it means to be full of God’s Spirit and of faith lived out in response. May we always run the race of our calling in this direction as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:24 and Philippians 3:14 to encourage us as Barnabas encouraged him and others in the Lord. Let us be full of the Spirit of God and faith founded on the Rock as we bear witness to the good news of God’s grace in Jesus Christ.
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