Nurturing the Saved

Barnabas and Saul at Antioch - The Planting of the Church at Antioch

Acts 11:19 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.

The narrative now goes back to the time of the persecution following the martyrdom of Stephen. In
other words, the events described in the next verses took place before the conversion of Cornelius.

Those who were scattered after the persecution carried the gospel to: Phoenicia, the narrow
coastland along the northeast Mediterranean, and including the ports of Tyre and Sidon (modern
Lebanon). Cyprus, a large island in the northeast Mediterranean. Cyrene, a port city on the north
coast of Africa (modern Libya). However, they preached the gospel to no one but the Jews.

Acts 11:20 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.

But there were certain of the believers from Cyprus and Cyrene who went to Antioch and there
proclaimed the good news to the Hellenists. Blessing accompanied their preaching and a great
number believed and turned to the Lord.

F. W. Grant says: “It is remarkable how officialism is discredited in all this. We do not know the name
of a single person used in the work.”

The introduction of Christianity to Antioch was an important step in the forward march of the
church. Antioch was located on the river Orontes in Syria, north of Palestine. It was considered the
third city of the Roman Empire, and has been dubbed “the Paris of the ancient world.” From here,
Paul and his companions later went forth on their missionary journeys, taking the good news to the
Gentiles.

Acts 11:22 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.

How can we see the grace of God?

Acts 11:25 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.

Then Barnabas remembered Saul of Tarsus! It was he who had introduced Saul to the apostles at
Jerusalem. Then Saul had been whisked out of the city to rescue him from the plots of the Jews.

Since then he had been in his home town, Tarsus. Anxious to encourage Saul in the ministry and to
give the church in Antioch the benefit of his teaching, Barnabas departed for Tarsus and brought Saul
to Antioch. For a whole year this splendid team worked with the church there, teaching a great many
people.

It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians. Doubtless it was a term of reproach at
that time, but since then it has been welcomed by all who love the Savior.

What does the title “Christian” mean today?

J. A. Stewart comments: Saintly F. B. Meyer has said: “Antioch will ever be famous in Christian
annals, because a number of unordained and unnamed disciples, fleeing from Jerusalem in the face
of Saul’s persecution, dared to preach the Gospel to Greeks and to gather the converts into a church
in entire disregard of the initial rite of Judaism.”

If these believers had gone from a modern congregation in which the ministry was designated to the
sole responsibility of one man, this triumphant period of the Church’s history could never have been
written. How tragic that in the average church the ministry gifts of the Holy Spirit lie dormant and
latent, because the average believer has no opportunity to minister.

Relief to Judea
Acts 11:27 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.

Although Antioch became the center from which the gospel went out to the Gentiles, it always
maintained full and hearty fellowship with the church in Jerusalem, which was the center for Jewish
evangelism.

Certain prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch at about this time. These prophets were believers
who had been gifted by the Holy Spirit to speak as mouthpieces of God. They received revelations
from the Lord and delivered them to the people.

One of them, named Agabus, predicted that a great famine would sweep over the inhabited earth.
The famine did come in the days of Claudius Caesar. The disciples at Antioch promptly decided to
send relief to their Christian brethren dwelling in Judea. This was certainly a touching testimony that the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile was tumbling down, and that ancient antagonisms were obliterated by the cross of Christ.

The grace of God was manifest in these disciples who gave unanimously, spontaneously, and proportionately. They gave, each according to his ability. F. W. Grant sadly noted, “Today it seems to be ‘every one a little of his superfluity, and the richest in proportion least of all.’ ”

The money was sent to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. This is the first mention of elders in connection with the church. The idea of elders was familiar to Jews, however, since there were elders in the synagogue. No information is given as to how these men in Jerusalem became elders. In the Gentile churches, elders were appointed by apostles or their representatives (14:23; Titus 1:5). The qualifications of elders are given in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:6–9.

Impacting The World……….Discuss how God is using our church to impact the world!

Why Should I Be Involved In Church?

Ice Breaker: What is one skill you secretly possess?

1 Corinthians 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:

He does not want the saints at Corinth to be ignorant in the matter of spiritual manifestations or gifts. The literal reading here is “Now concerning ‘spirituals,’ brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant.” Most versions supply the word gifts to complete the sense. However, the next verse suggests that Paul might have been thinking not only of manifestations of the Holy Spirit but of evil spirits as well.

1 Corinthians 12:2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.

Before conversion the Corinthians had been idolaters, enslaved by evil spirits. They lived in fear of the spirits and were led about by these diabolical influences. They witnessed supernatural manifestations of the spirit world and heard spirit-inspired utterances. Under the influence of evil spirits, they sometimes surrendered self-control, and said and did things beyond their own conscious powers.

1 Corinthians 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

Macdonald, Farstad Grady Scott, Hindson, E.E.