Slices
Prepare
Sometimes a story has numerous threads. There comes a point when they need to be tied together. Sometimes our lives feel like that! Praise God that he is more than able to keep track of every thread of our story.
Bible passage
The church in Antioch
19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed travelled 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 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.
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, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30 This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
Explore
At this point, the Jewish church in Jerusalem became convinced that Gentiles could receive the good news of Jesus by faith and be accepted by God. The Cornelius story had convinced them. But God’s plan was for more than a few individuals to come to faith. Eventually, there would be churches full of Gentiles across the world.
It turned out that the gospel was already spreading among the Gentiles and a church had formed in Antioch. So Barnabas, the wise encourager, was sent to mentor them. He was encouraged by what he found and went to Tarsus to find Saul and bring him back to work together. They ministered in Antioch for a very encouraging year.
As Barnabas and Saul then travelled back to Jerusalem, they did so, instigated by the Spirit, with a financial gift to help with famine relief. So, we see the Gentile church reaching out in love to the Jewish church – a sneak preview of Saul’s (Paul’s) later efforts to unite the two groups with such gifts (see the third missionary journey in Acts 18:22 – 21:16).
Respond
When Barnabas found the spiritual life in the Antioch church encouraging, he ‘encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts’ (v 23). That’s a great prayer we could pray for ourselves and our churches today.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Amos 9; Revelation 9
Pray for Scripture Union
Give thanks for our supporters. Many have given for a considerable time and have a rich history with SU and a passion for reaching a new generation of children and young people. Pray that as they bless us, so God will bless and encourage them.
