Barnabas and Saul are called to missions.
Click here for an online Bible. Acts 13:1-3
Luke begins his account of the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth. Gentiles had already accepted the gospel, but here is the first instance of a church intentionally sending people out to spread the gospel to the Gentiles of the world.
Barnabas and Saul had spent a considerable amount of time already in Antioch teaching the people about Christ. But there were other leaders as well. Luke mentions five leaders here. He calls them teachers and prophets. He probably does not mean two groups of people, but that these leaders were teachers who were also prophets. Maybe a better way to describe them would be prophetic teachers. They were inspired by God in their teaching.
There is some debate about the use of “they” in verses 2 and 3. Is Luke referring to only the leaders or to the whole church in Antioch? I think the best argument is that verse 2 is referring to the leaders while verse 3 is the whole church. The prophetic teachers were fasting and ministering to the Lord. The Holy Spirit revealed His mission for Barnabas and Saul to the leaders. The leaders told the whole church of their revelation and the whole church then fasted, prayed, and sent the two on their mission.
Some things to note: The Holy Spirit revealed His will when they were fasting. This implies that they were expectant about hearing from God. We should expect to hear from God. He does not hide.
The church was willing to lose important leaders for the larger mission. We have to release people for ministry even if it seems to hurt our areas of ministry.
The leaders led and the people followed their lead.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
Friday Acts 12:20-25
Herod Agrippa dies.
Click here for an online Bible. Acts 12:20-25
Herod Agrippa killed James and intended to kill Peter, but an angel freed Peter from prison. Agrippa returned to Caesarea. The historian Josephus tells us that Agrippa organized games to be played in honor of the emperor Claudius. While watching the games, he spoke to the crowd who declared Agrippa to be a god. While on the platform, he was stricken with abdominal pains and died five days later.
Luke tells us in Acts that God stuck Agrippa as judgment.
Again, the gospel spread and the church grew.
Click here for an online Bible. Acts 12:20-25
Herod Agrippa killed James and intended to kill Peter, but an angel freed Peter from prison. Agrippa returned to Caesarea. The historian Josephus tells us that Agrippa organized games to be played in honor of the emperor Claudius. While watching the games, he spoke to the crowd who declared Agrippa to be a god. While on the platform, he was stricken with abdominal pains and died five days later.
Luke tells us in Acts that God stuck Agrippa as judgment.
Again, the gospel spread and the church grew.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Thursday Acts 12:6-19
Peter is released from prison by an angel.
Click here for an online Bible. Acts 12:6-19
Peter was scheduled for execution the following day. He was asleep between two guards with more guards at the door. An angel appeared and woke Peter. Luke says that the angel struck him on the side to wake him. My mental image is the angel kicking Peter lightly in the ribs and saying, “Get up.” Notice that the angel has to give Peter step-by-step directions: get up, get dressed, put your shoes on, put your coat on, follow me. Peter thought that it was a vision rather than reality.
It was not until they were outside and away from the prison that Peter realized that it was all real. He went to the home of Mary which seems to have been a gathering place for some of the Christians in Jerusalem. Many people believe that this home was the place of the last supper and the place where the events of Pentecost began. We do know that Mary was the mother of John Mark.
John Mark was the cousin of Barnabas. He went with Saul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. Peter calls him his spiritual son in 1 Peter 5:13. John Mark wrote the gospel of Mark. Most scholars believe that he was the young man who ran from the arrest of Jesus in Gethsemane (Mark 14:51-52).
There is some real irony in Peter’s arrival at Mary’s house. He knocked on the door and Rhoda got so excited that she forgot to let him in. She told everyone in the house that Peter was at the door. They didn’t believe her. Wait a minute! They had gathered together and fervently prayed for Peter. They had prayed for a few days. Now, God has answered their prayer and Peter is at the front door. But they don’t believe it.
We do the same thing. We pray, but often we don’t really believe that God will answer our prayer. When He does, we don’t recognize it. This is related to our lack of faith. We say we believe, but we live as if we really don’t.
Click here for an online Bible. Acts 12:6-19
Peter was scheduled for execution the following day. He was asleep between two guards with more guards at the door. An angel appeared and woke Peter. Luke says that the angel struck him on the side to wake him. My mental image is the angel kicking Peter lightly in the ribs and saying, “Get up.” Notice that the angel has to give Peter step-by-step directions: get up, get dressed, put your shoes on, put your coat on, follow me. Peter thought that it was a vision rather than reality.
It was not until they were outside and away from the prison that Peter realized that it was all real. He went to the home of Mary which seems to have been a gathering place for some of the Christians in Jerusalem. Many people believe that this home was the place of the last supper and the place where the events of Pentecost began. We do know that Mary was the mother of John Mark.
John Mark was the cousin of Barnabas. He went with Saul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. Peter calls him his spiritual son in 1 Peter 5:13. John Mark wrote the gospel of Mark. Most scholars believe that he was the young man who ran from the arrest of Jesus in Gethsemane (Mark 14:51-52).
There is some real irony in Peter’s arrival at Mary’s house. He knocked on the door and Rhoda got so excited that she forgot to let him in. She told everyone in the house that Peter was at the door. They didn’t believe her. Wait a minute! They had gathered together and fervently prayed for Peter. They had prayed for a few days. Now, God has answered their prayer and Peter is at the front door. But they don’t believe it.
We do the same thing. We pray, but often we don’t really believe that God will answer our prayer. When He does, we don’t recognize it. This is related to our lack of faith. We say we believe, but we live as if we really don’t.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Wednesday Acts 12:1-5
Persecution returns.
Click here for an online Bible. Acts 12:1-5
While Barnabas and Saul were in Antioch, another persecution arose in Jerusalem. King Herod attacked some of the believers. He probably was doing the bidding of the Sanhedrin in order to increase his popularity with the Jews.
The Herod in this passage was Herod Agrippa I. He was the grandson of Herod the Great who was king during the birth of Jesus. Herod the Great had his son Aristobulus executed in 7 BC. Agrippa was about four years old then. After the murder of his father, he was sent off to Rome to grow up as a member of the imperial court. He was close friends with Caligula who would later become the Roman Emperor. Caligula’s successor, Claudius, appointed Agrippa to be the king of Judea and Samaria. Agrippa liked to be popular so he often did what people liked. The Sanhedrin had always opposed the Christians so they must have convinced Agrippa to step up the pressure. He killed James, which the Jews applauded, so he also arrested Peter.
Peter was arrested during the Passover feast which included the weeklong feast of unleavened bread. Agrippa intended to keep Peter in jail for the week then bring him before the people for trial. Verse 6 tells us that Agrippa to execute Peter as he did with James.
The response of the Christians was to gather for prayer. This should always be our response. We gather to seek God’s direction and provision.
Click here for an online Bible. Acts 12:1-5
While Barnabas and Saul were in Antioch, another persecution arose in Jerusalem. King Herod attacked some of the believers. He probably was doing the bidding of the Sanhedrin in order to increase his popularity with the Jews.
The Herod in this passage was Herod Agrippa I. He was the grandson of Herod the Great who was king during the birth of Jesus. Herod the Great had his son Aristobulus executed in 7 BC. Agrippa was about four years old then. After the murder of his father, he was sent off to Rome to grow up as a member of the imperial court. He was close friends with Caligula who would later become the Roman Emperor. Caligula’s successor, Claudius, appointed Agrippa to be the king of Judea and Samaria. Agrippa liked to be popular so he often did what people liked. The Sanhedrin had always opposed the Christians so they must have convinced Agrippa to step up the pressure. He killed James, which the Jews applauded, so he also arrested Peter.
Peter was arrested during the Passover feast which included the weeklong feast of unleavened bread. Agrippa intended to keep Peter in jail for the week then bring him before the people for trial. Verse 6 tells us that Agrippa to execute Peter as he did with James.
The response of the Christians was to gather for prayer. This should always be our response. We gather to seek God’s direction and provision.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Tuesday Acts 11:27-30
The Antioch church sends relief to Jerusalem.
Click here for an online Bible. Acts 11:27-30
Saul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch for a year teaching the gospel. Toward the end of the year, some prophets came to Antioch and predicted a severe famine. Historians tell us that there were several famines in the Roman empire between 45 and 49 AD.
The church at Antioch collected money and sent it to the church in Jerusalem with Barnabas and Saul. Apparently, the church at Antioch was better of financially that the Christians in Jerusalem. For some time, the Jerusalem church had been supporting a large number of widows. People brought money from the sale of property to support the church. However, many Christians left in the persecution and the proceeds from property sales must have been dwindling. So the church of Antioch decided to help.
There was no command to send money back to Jerusalem, but they recognized their duty to support their brothers and sisters in Christ who needed help.
Notice in verse 30 that Luke refers to the leaders of the Jerusalem church as elders. Here we start to see a shift in the church leadership. Up to this point, the apostles were the leaders of the church. Now we see them adopting a similar model to the Jewish synagogues with elder leadership.
Click here for an online Bible. Acts 11:27-30
Saul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch for a year teaching the gospel. Toward the end of the year, some prophets came to Antioch and predicted a severe famine. Historians tell us that there were several famines in the Roman empire between 45 and 49 AD.
The church at Antioch collected money and sent it to the church in Jerusalem with Barnabas and Saul. Apparently, the church at Antioch was better of financially that the Christians in Jerusalem. For some time, the Jerusalem church had been supporting a large number of widows. People brought money from the sale of property to support the church. However, many Christians left in the persecution and the proceeds from property sales must have been dwindling. So the church of Antioch decided to help.
There was no command to send money back to Jerusalem, but they recognized their duty to support their brothers and sisters in Christ who needed help.
Notice in verse 30 that Luke refers to the leaders of the Jerusalem church as elders. Here we start to see a shift in the church leadership. Up to this point, the apostles were the leaders of the church. Now we see them adopting a similar model to the Jewish synagogues with elder leadership.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Monday Acts 11:19-26
The gospel spreads in Antioch.
Click here for an online Bible. Acts 11:19-26
Luke continues his account of the spread of the gospel. Some of the believers who had fled from Jerusalem because of the persecution went to Antioch. They shared the gospel with Gentiles rather than Jews only. Many Gentiles came to Christ in Antioch.
The apostles wanted to make sure that everything was proper so they sent Barnabas to Antioch to check things out. Why Barnabas? Why didn’t one of the apostles go? It may be that Antioch was too foreign for even the apostles. It was not in Judea or even Samaria. It was 300 miles north of Jerusalem. It was a Greek (Hellenist) culture. It was Gentile. Barnabas was the perfect choice. He was a respected Jew. He was trusted by the apostles and the whole church at Jerusalem. He was also a Hellenistic Jew. He was from Cyprus. Note that some of the men who were preaching the gospel in Antioch were also from Cyprus.
Barnabas went to Antioch and saw that the Lord was at work. The task was too big for him so he went to Tarsus to get Saul. Tarsus was about 100 miles west of Antioch and Barnabas knew that Saul had been called by God to reach the Gentiles. We don’t know what Saul had been doing in Tarsus for the last few years. He may have been preaching the gospel to Jews or he may have already been preaching to the Gentiles. But, Barnabas recruited Saul and brought him back to Antioch. They both stayed there for a year and taught the people about Christ.
Barnabas looked for opportunities to get other people engaged in the work of God. He saw a tremendous opportunity in Antioch and knew the right person to work with him. We always need to be on the lookout for opportunities for other to engage in the Lord’s work.
Many people want to serve but they don’t know what to do or how to go about it. As you get to know people, help them find areas of ministry.
Click here for an online Bible. Acts 11:19-26
Luke continues his account of the spread of the gospel. Some of the believers who had fled from Jerusalem because of the persecution went to Antioch. They shared the gospel with Gentiles rather than Jews only. Many Gentiles came to Christ in Antioch.
The apostles wanted to make sure that everything was proper so they sent Barnabas to Antioch to check things out. Why Barnabas? Why didn’t one of the apostles go? It may be that Antioch was too foreign for even the apostles. It was not in Judea or even Samaria. It was 300 miles north of Jerusalem. It was a Greek (Hellenist) culture. It was Gentile. Barnabas was the perfect choice. He was a respected Jew. He was trusted by the apostles and the whole church at Jerusalem. He was also a Hellenistic Jew. He was from Cyprus. Note that some of the men who were preaching the gospel in Antioch were also from Cyprus.
Barnabas went to Antioch and saw that the Lord was at work. The task was too big for him so he went to Tarsus to get Saul. Tarsus was about 100 miles west of Antioch and Barnabas knew that Saul had been called by God to reach the Gentiles. We don’t know what Saul had been doing in Tarsus for the last few years. He may have been preaching the gospel to Jews or he may have already been preaching to the Gentiles. But, Barnabas recruited Saul and brought him back to Antioch. They both stayed there for a year and taught the people about Christ.
Barnabas looked for opportunities to get other people engaged in the work of God. He saw a tremendous opportunity in Antioch and knew the right person to work with him. We always need to be on the lookout for opportunities for other to engage in the Lord’s work.
Many people want to serve but they don’t know what to do or how to go about it. As you get to know people, help them find areas of ministry.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Sunday Acts 11:1-18
Peter returns to Jerusalem.
Click here for an online Bible. Acts 11:1-18
Cornelius asked Peter to stay at Caesarea for a few days. Then Peter made his way back to Jerusalem. By the time he gets there, the word had already spread that Gentiles had come to faith in Christ.
Notice what the initial concern is with Peter. Some were wound up that Peter had gone to the house of a Gentile and ate with them. They confronted Peter with his unacceptable behavior.
Peter explained all that God had orchestrated and revealed. God had specifically shown Peter a vision explaining that Peter should not consider things to be unclean that God had declared clean. Then the Holy Spirit guided Peter to go with the men. When he got to Caesarea and heard what Cornelius had seen, he realized that the message from God was way more than just saying that it was OK to visit a Gentile. God wanted Gentiles to come into His family.
Peter’s big finish is that the Holy Spirit came upon the Gentiles just like He had come upon the apostles at Pentecost. The opposition was silenced. You can argue with somebody’s idea or even their dream, but you can’t argue with the event of Pentecost.
Then they glorified God saying, “So God has granted repentance resulting in life to even the Gentiles.” What do you do when God reveals His plan? You praise God for His plan.
Click here for an online Bible. Acts 11:1-18
Cornelius asked Peter to stay at Caesarea for a few days. Then Peter made his way back to Jerusalem. By the time he gets there, the word had already spread that Gentiles had come to faith in Christ.
Notice what the initial concern is with Peter. Some were wound up that Peter had gone to the house of a Gentile and ate with them. They confronted Peter with his unacceptable behavior.
Peter explained all that God had orchestrated and revealed. God had specifically shown Peter a vision explaining that Peter should not consider things to be unclean that God had declared clean. Then the Holy Spirit guided Peter to go with the men. When he got to Caesarea and heard what Cornelius had seen, he realized that the message from God was way more than just saying that it was OK to visit a Gentile. God wanted Gentiles to come into His family.
Peter’s big finish is that the Holy Spirit came upon the Gentiles just like He had come upon the apostles at Pentecost. The opposition was silenced. You can argue with somebody’s idea or even their dream, but you can’t argue with the event of Pentecost.
Then they glorified God saying, “So God has granted repentance resulting in life to even the Gentiles.” What do you do when God reveals His plan? You praise God for His plan.
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