THURSDAY 20 May 2021 “Antioch”

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Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,

Think back for a moment, to all the various places where you have lived in your lifetime. Now think about WHY you lived there, and what caused the relocation moves in your life from one place to another? Finally, of all the places where you have lived, which do you consider ‘home’ and why?

Today, let’s look together at Acts 11:19-24, only five verses, and it begins by talking about people who have relocated. “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.” I wonder if you’ve ever packed up and moved because you were driven out of your community by religious persecution? Would you consider the phrase ‘been scattered by the persecution’ is more than a harsh reality of people fleeing because of persecution. God was strategically scattering these people and He was using persecution as their motivation to pack up and move to new places. WHY? Jesus had said “You will be My witnesses in Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) but it wasn’t happening. They were staying in Jerusalem, because it was familiar and comfortable. But God wanted the Gospel story of His Son Jesus to be told to ALL people in ALL places… so God started ‘scattering’ the people strategically to other cities and towns as they fled the persecution! Do you see God’s strategy my friends, and are you living it?

You’ll recall Acts 8 tells us a great persecution against ANYONE claiming to be a follower of Jesus broke out in Jerusalem as thousands of people were believing what the apostles were telling them about Jesus. This was shaking up the city of Jerusalem and both political and religious leaders got very anxious and were determined to shut down this spiritual movement. The religious leaders went so far as murdering Stephen and arresting the apostles, and persecuting many followers of Jesus. As a result a great many of these new Christians fled Jerusalem, looking for a peaceful place to live, work and raise their families.

Now watch this. Most people who are forced to pack up and move don’t do so with joyful hearts! They are angry, resentful, bitter. But amazingly these people evidently saw God’s strategic plan and joyfully started sharing about Jesus wherever they moved to, and in all these new places, people started responding to Jesus and the spiritual movement was spreading all across Palestine! So, what about you and me, my friends? Do we see Jesus has strategically placed us to live where we live, and are we joyful about that and helping people know Jesus there?

Did you notice that little phrase “telling the message only to Jews.”? You might call that selective or restrictive evangelism. These Jewish Christians, run out of Jerusalem by angry Jews persecuting them as traitors, fled to places primarily populated by their fellow Jews, and spoke of Jesus ONLY to other Jews. You see, they were convinced Jesus was sent by God to the Jews, and Jesus’ Gospel was intended only for Jews. Perhaps they didn’t know about what Philip had experienced in Samaria and the great response of the Samaritans to the Gospel that we see in Acts 8. Nor did they know about Peter’s experience with Cornelius and the Gentiles in Caesarea. These Jewish Christians are to be commended for sharing the news of Jesus to their fellow Jews who lived in the places where they moved as they fled persecution. But it’s regrettable they were so close minded that they felt all non-Jews were beyond God’s help, simply unredeemable.

However, Dr. Luke tells us “Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch and began speaking to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 11:20) Oh praise God for the “some“, those unwilling to be restricted by past prejudices or false pride or even long held traditions. You’ll notice these ‘some‘ did not come from Jerusalem. Cyprus is the island in the Mediterranean Sea, and Cyrene is a region of North Africa! These ‘some‘ came unrestrained by Jerusalem traditions and living in fear of the Pharisees. These radical followers of Jesus came to Antioch and believed EVERYONE there, regardless of ethnicity or family heritage or education or skin color, was a person whom God created and loved, and God wanted them to know about Jesus! So, these courageous “some“ lived as Jesus had lived…unrestrained and fully obedient to what God was telling them to do. And the result? Well, look at vs. 21

“The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord Jesus.” The power of the Holy Spirit was greatly at work in Antioch, and miraculously lots of people were believing what they were hearing and trusting Jesus… as they had done in Jerusalem, Samaria, and Caesarea. But please note, none of the apostles were involved in this, and not even people from the big spiritual movement in Jerusalem. These telling the story of Jesus were perhaps not even Jews! How they had heard of Jesus, we don’t know. But God was at work, no one could deny it!

May I ask, how do you see the Holy Spirit at work in your city? Have you ever seen a ‘great number of people turn to the Lord Jesus’ anyplace you have ever lived? What caused it? What lasting impact did that spiritual awakening have on that community? My friends, here’s something important to consider: if the churches in your city are having virtually NO spiritual or moral impact on your city, what is their purpose, and what is their value to your city? If they were struck by lightning and burned to the ground, would your city urge them to rebuild because their absence leaves such a void in your city?

Word spread to Jerusalem and the apostles and other Jewish Christians were amazed by what they heard about Antioch, so they decided to send someone to investigate, just like they had done when they heard about Philip and the spiritual movement in Samaria (Acts 8). I wonder what their selection process was like? What criteria helped them choose Barnabas? Perhaps because he was from Cyprus, as some of these who were sharing Christ in Antioch were from Cyprus. But I think it was more about his character and personality, than about his family roots. Look at Luke’s report in vs. 24: “Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith…”

Now think about that a moment my friends. Do you remember the qualifications for “deacon” in Acts 6? “Full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom”. (Acts 6:3)Can those who know you well say that about you? What qualifies you to be described in that way? What’s the convincing evidence that you are “full of the Holy Spirit and faith” like Barnabas? I think that criteria was essential, for Barnabas was going to walk into something no one had yet seen in the few years since Jesus had returned to heaven. This was a grassroots spiritual movement. None of the apostles were involved. This was not an authorized church plant from Jerusalem. This was a multi-ethnic, diverse, organic movement of people excited about Jesus! I’m so glad they sent Barnabas to investigate!

Luke reports this: “When Barnabas arrived in Antioch, he saw the evidence of the grace of God, and he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts… and a great number of people were brought to the Lord!” (Acts 11:23) Do you feel like you want to jump up and cheer!? Unlike the initial reaction when news of the spiritual movement in Samaria and Caesarea reached Jerusalem, there is no judgment here, no condemnation, not even any suspicion, only rejoicing and encouragement! Amen!

Praise God for Barnabas!! I think we’ll stop right here today, and consider the impact Barnabas had on this spiritual movement in Antioch! Because he was Holy Spirit filled, and a man of great faith, and an encourager, look what happened? It was like the wind picked up and the spiritual brushfire swept through Antioch, with more and more people excitedly drawn to Jesus!! Oh this must have been a wonderful experience. The Jesus movement was contagious in the widely diverse, busy city of Antioch! Now… what about your city? Where you live there is probably a wide diversity of people, and many churches. But is there a dynamic, contagious spiritual JESUS movement sweeping your city and are you part of that? As you ponder that, what is the Holy Spirit of God saying to you? May I urge you to spend some time reading these few verses, Acts 11:19-24. over and over and asking Jesus if He wants this to happen in your city and what role He wants YOU to have in it? No song today, just quiet meditation and reflection. Are you the Barnabas your city needs?

Today’s Scripture is Acts 11:19-24.

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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 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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