Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends on this Friday,
Have you ever either received a call for help from far away, or sent word to someone far away that you needed their help? Yesterday I left you in the city of Syrian Antioch. The city was in spiritual chaos, similar to what had happened in Jerusalem, after the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost. Many people in Antioch, especially Gentiles, were turning to Jesus as their Savior and things were getting a little out of control! Word reached the apostles in Jerusalem, and of course they did, as they had done before when they heard about revival in Samaria, remember? (Acts 8:14) But this time, rather than sending Peter or John, the apostles sent their trusted friend Barnabas, to go 300 miles north to Syrian Antioch, to investigate what was happening there.
I love how Dr. Luke reports both what Barnabas found and what the Holy Spirit led Barnabas to do about it! “When Barnabas arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord Jesus Christ with all their hearts.” (Acts 11:23)
That’s one of the most fascinating verses in the Bible to me!! What do you think Barnabas saw that Dr. Luke calls ‘the evidence of the grace of God’? And how do you suppose Barnabas encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord Jesus and the Gospel they had received?
Of course, sin forgiveness is a huge GRACE of God, isn’t it? And people who treasure the reality of their sin forgiveness live quite differently from those people still in sin bondage, right? Adoption into the family of God is another wonderful GRACE of God, right? And what about the Holy Spirit transforming a person from a hell bound sinner to a joyful ambassador of Jesus Christ? (2 Cor. 5:17-20)
Oh, the evidence list of the GRACE of God, seen in an authentically ‘born again’ follower of Jesus, SHOULD be quite lengthy, shouldn’t it? Is the evidence seen in you and me, my friends?
As Barnabas arrived in Syrian Antioch, I wonder how he introduced himself? As far as we know he’d never been there before, and he was Neither one of the ‘selected seven’ Nor an apostle. I don’t know how he introduced himself, but this next verse tells me he developed a remarkable reputation very quickly in Antioch: “Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 11:24) What does that tell you about this man? What does it tell us about the impact he had on the city of Syrian Antioch?
You’ll remember we first met Barnabas in Jerusalem. Acts 4:36, introduced to us a man named Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus who had sold a field and brought the proceeds to the apostles to help care for those in need. Perhaps you remember the next time we met Barnabas was sometime later, when Saul the angry Pharisee had encountered the resurrected Jesus on his way to Damascus, and Saul experienced his life transformation.
Saul, then became a passionate follower of Jesus and came to Jerusalem, sometime later, wanting to connect with Peter and the other apostles, but no one trusted that Saul’s supposed conversion was authentic. They were afraid it was a sting operation looking to attract and arrest Jesus followers. But courageous, discerning Barnabas stepped forward, first seeking to get to know Saul, and then courageously Barnabas took Saul to the apostles. (Acts 9:26.27) You’ll remember last we saw Saul he was on a ship heading to his home of Tarsus. (Acts 9:30)
Barnabas had evidently stayed in Jerusalem all this time helping the apostles and also Barnabas was learning a great deal about Jesus from these apostles who knew Jesus better than anyone else. It seems Barnabas had earned their trust as a mature Jesus follower, a man who could adequately evaluate the reports they were hearing about Gentile converts in Syrian Antioch.
I’m sure the apostles also felt Barnabas was by then, mature enough that he could correct any false teaching and he could guide and manage the Jesus movement in Antioch. What the apostles did not understand was the sheer magnitude of what was happening in Antioch, and how Barnabas could become a catalyst whom God used to stimulate even more growth of the Antioch Jesus movement.
Barnabas soon concluded he needed help. I really respect that about Mr. Barnabas. Do you and I know our own limits my friends and can we discern when we actually might be a deterrent to what God is doing?
It appears Barnabas spent a great deal of time analyzing and praying over what was happening in Antioch. What type of person would be most helpful to him and team well with him? How long it took before the Holy Spirit made it clear to Barnabas, I do not know, but where Barnabas went to find help is both fascinating and historically strategic!!
Acts 11:25 reports: “Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul…”. Oh my, now that’s intriguing and exciting, isn’t it? Most Bible scholars conclude by the time Barnabas arrived in Tarsus to look for Saul, it had been perhaps 10, maybe 12 years since the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Saul tells us in Galatians 1:13-20 that he spent 3 of those years in Arabia and now several years in Tarsus, with the Holy Spirit, as Saul received doctrinal clarity from God about the Gospel of Jesus and how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament, Saul knew so well.
Saul was an incredibly intelligent man and highly trained in his theological study of the Jewish holy books and the rabbinical writings. But in these years Jesus was re-training Saul to be unusually qualified to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus to both Jews and Gentiles. Barnabas made a great choice with Saul.
Let’s pause right here with Barnabas and Saul in Tarsus. The Bible doesn’t tell us, but can you imagine what the time was like that they spent together in Saul’s hometown. I have no doubt Barnabas heard Saul’s entire life story, met Saul’s family and understood how Tarsus had shaped Saul’s younger years.
But Saul had so much to tell Barnabas about what the Holy Spirit was teaching Saul about Jesus and the Gospel. And then Barnabas had so much to tell Saul about what had been happening in Antioch and Jerusalem and elsewhere during the time Saul had been in Tarsus.
Pause. Has the Holy Spirit been teaching you and changing you significantly over the past year or more? Do you understand what God is doing in your life and how God is preparing you for what God knows is ahead for you?
Tomorrow we’ll see what happened as Barnabas and Saul arrived in Syrian Antioch and why it was so important that Saul had those several years of Holy Spirit re-training.
For today, the “lessons learned” notes will help you dig deeply into this exciting story, and a wonderful worship song will draw your heart to Jesus in worship, and let’s meet here in Tarsus tomorrow.
Today’s Scripture: Acts 11:21-25.
Choose below to read or listen.
 |  |
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
Archived back issues of “Walking with Jesus” and other resources are available by clicking here to open our ‘home page’ (or go to HOME at upper right of this page).
Share with friends. Subscribe below for daily “Walking with Jesus”.