Acts 11:19-26
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. 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. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 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.
Questions:
- As you read this what are the first things that come to your mind?
- What in this text strikes you as remarkable?
- Is there a main point to this story?
- What does the text say about persecution?
- What about Jew/Gentile relations?
- What does the story say about Barnabas?
- Why does he go find Saul?
- How is the church presented in this text?
- What is the significance of the disciples being called Christians?
- How does passage fit with this statement? We are baptized believers participating in the life of God for the sake of others.
What else is on your mind this week?
24 comments:
I saw a funny T shirt the other night. It said, “If Jimmy cracked corn and nobody cared, then why did they write a song about it?”
Allen you are truely a deep thinker and that comment just proves it all the more. Thanks for the food for thought. T-roy
These verses make my heart long for Turkey. How can the first people to be called Christians turn their back on God and now are devoit Muslims? I know the Lord has a plan and I know he is working in Turkey and I can't wait too see the Glory God recieves when his work is done. (I just got word from my friends working there that 400 Turks in modern day Antioch just accepted Christ! Pray that their hearts will continue to grow in Christ and they will be strong under the percicution they are sure to feel.)
P.S. I'm really really bumbed that I couldn't be at church today. I think some really remarkable and wonderful things happened today with the ordination of our new leaders. We are blessed as a church to have these men as leaders!
last night I was talking to a friend of mine who I use to work with at Liner Products and he told me that he had moved out of his grandmothers house three weeks ago because he got tired of her and his mother getting on him about him fornicating with his girlfriend and not being married. He tried explaining to both his mother and grandmother that he intends on marrying her but right now, financially, they can't afford to get married and he since he sees where a lot of fail marriage comes from, he doesnt want to make the same mistakes that a lot of couples make. He doesnt believe in divorce and told them, when the time comes he will eventually marry her. After listening to Tom, I told him, you, your mother and your grandmother are right. When your grandmother and mother told you that you should be married first before having sex, that is scriptured and if you see that you are not ready to get married than you shouldnt get married but you shouldnt be fornicating either. The problem isnt the marriage speak at all. the problem is the people who are telling you these things. Both his mother and grandmother has been married, divorced and married again but yet they want to tell him how he needs to live his life. I told Tom about a program that came on a few months ago where this marriage counselor was going around giving speeches and class on marriage but yet she just got a divorce a few months ago. As soon as she told the people she was divorce, I was no longer interested in anything she had to say and turned the station. A new story that I added to my book is title. Don't preach what you practice. When I told Tom about the title, he told me I needed to title the book that instead of my story. I might take him up on that offer. I told Tom what he is going through happens with a lot of families. Even with the things they try teaching you, it may be perfectly right but if they claim to be followers of Christ but are not taking their own advice, they are the wrong people to be telling you anything. My motto has always been, if your house is messy, stop trying to clean up someone elses mess when your house is probably worse off than theirs.
Erin, I am starting to get excited about Turkey. I have not made my specific plans yet, but I hope to soon. I am actually hoping that this trip will be the first of others to come in the future. There is so much history there that I don’t know how I can begin to take it in in 2-3 weeks.
Today was wonderful! I would like to hear what others have to say about it.
Last Friday was Ben’s birthday. I didn’t blog about it because I was trying to take the day “off.” We are having his family birthday party this evening after church. I love Ben. He could be called “Gentle Ben.” [Anybody remember that TV show?] I am so glad he was born; he is a joy and delight, even at age 12.
Here is a troubling note that I received in email synopsis of church news. It is based on George Barna’s work.
Spiritual Issues not Important in Raising Children, Poll Finds
Although surveys have indicated parents are frustrated with the corrupt culture in which they are trying to raise moral children, researcher George Barna said he is surprised that the percentage of parents who are concerned about their children's spiritual development is not larger, Baptist Press reports. A recent poll by The Barna Group found four out of 10 Christian parents of children between the ages of 3 and 18 said they do not face any spiritual challenges in their life. "Our studies show that the faith principles and practices that a child absorbs by age 13 boldly shapes their spirituality for the duration of their life," Barna said in a news release Aug. 6. "Parents have a greater impact on that process than anyone else." Barna expected the study of exclusively Christian parents with young children to yield a broader emphasis on the challenges related to raising spiritually healthy offspring.
I have concerns about parents who don’t bother to get their kids to church or don’t make it possible for them to come to classes.
Erin- That is so exciting about the new christians. I am sure they will face much persecution as are many all over the world. Wouldn't it be neat if God placed one person in every members life to lead to Christ this next year. I wonder how many chances we miss.I pray that i won't let any go by. Allen I wanted to cry during the whole service this morning. {imagine that!} It was so nice. I just really love the people of this church. When we first came to this church one of the things that Troy and I loved about it was the genuiness of the leadership to follow God and to live their best. None of us are perfect just running the race the very best we can. I am so glad we are running together! I liked what tw { I think } said about their friends helping raise each others kids. It really does take a village to raise a child. I want to thank many at this church for their part in helping us finish raising ours. We are about done but I can think of so many who have impacted my kids just by caring for them. One of the reasons we came to this church was the kindness that was shown by some outside of church. I could go on and on. I am feeling pretty sentimental today. I will end it by just saying we love you all and thanks for your love back. Jamie Young
class brought back some memories tonight
Never Forgetting
After graduating from the Los Angeles Mission I never stopped attending any of the evening services. For some reason I felt that God wanted me there. He was not through with me yet so I continue going to classes. One night I decided to go sit in in a class where most of the new guys attended. One of my favorite chaplains was teaching that night so I went in and sat down and waited for him to start his class. Before the class started, I had raised my hand and asked him could I do the class for the night. I was just joking around never thinking he would say yes, but he did. When I told him that I was just joking, he insisted that I did the class. I had no clue of what I was going to say. At first I just stood there lost and feeling quiet stupid. He walked up to me and whispered in my ears, “tell them how you made it through the program”. I was nervous and kept walking back and forth tapping my hand against the desk. I took a deep breathe and said to myself, “Gino you can do this”. Throughout the year and a half that I went through the program, very little people got the chance to hear my testimony. This was the time, this was the place and this was an opportunity of a life time for me. By the time I was done, the nervousness was gone. No longer did I have the need to pace the floor. I really enjoyed myself that night and asked the chaplains could I do this again sometime in the future. Two days later, I got a call from the chaplain asking me was I available to do another class because something came up at the last minute and he remember me asking him could I do another class in the near future. This was nearer then near and since I had nothing else to do that night, why not. I didn’t want to give another testimony since most of the guys that was probably attending the class are the same guys that was there before. I spoke that night on the downfalls of people who left the mission and went back to the streets. A lot of the new guys came up to me after the class and ask me would I teach again tomorrow. I told them they would have to talk to the chaplain who was in charge about that. The next day I got a call from the chaplains telling me how the guys in the class really enjoyed my teaching and wanted to know if I could teach another class. By the second week, I was doing two classes a day. By the end of the month, I was teaching class five days a week. For a year after work, I would go down to the mission and talk with the new guys that was coming into the program. A lot of the times during the classes I would allow a new guy to stand up and tell the class what brought him into the mission and the stories you heard were the most heart felt stories ever told. Listening to these people talk about the struggles they went through. The ups and downs. The drugs and the alcohol. The things they had to do for drugs. The people they had to rip off just so they could get money to support their habit. One guy talked about how he had to sell his body just to get money for drugs. Talk about heavy addiction. I will never forget the guy I called “shy boy”. He never really talked but you can tell he was an very observant young man. I was living in Hollywood at the time and I saw him just a few blocks from my apartment. I was surprise to see that he was out in Hollywood since he hadn’t completed his thirty day restriction period yet. I had asked him what was he doing out here in Hollywood and not back at the mission. He had asked me could I answer a question for him. I told him sure. His question was, “why did the devil make me go into the liquor store and by a bottle of wine”? That was probably one of the hardest question I had to answer. The reason why it was hard because I know deep down in heart the answer I was going to give him was not the answer he wanted to hear. I had asked him was he hungry and he told me that he was starving. I figure if I had to answer his question with the truth, I just as well try it with both of us on a full stomach. I told “shy boy”, we all have a choice in life and you yourself made that decision to go into the liquor store and buy that wine. The devil may have put the thought into your head but you made the choice to buy the liquor, not him. We sat and talked for a little while. I told him that he needed to come back to the mission and get his life right with God because if you don’t, things will get worse. Shy boy was found dead a couple of weeks later in a alley from a overdose of heroine. When I heard about Shy Boy death I started walking the streets of LA. Before and after class, asking questions, witnessing and trying to get people off the streets and into the program. A month after shy boy death a good friend of mine, Carlos Freeman who graduated from the program a few months before I did went and hung himself in a hotel room. The mission took care of Carlos funeral. I didn’t attend. All I kept thinking was, “I tried suicide seven times and was allowed to live”. Carlos tried it and actually succeeded at it and if anyone deserve another chance, Carlos should have been the one to get another chance. I was giving chances after chances and I believe this is why I am so hyped up when it comes to doing the Lord’s work. After the first suicide attempt, God did not have to spare my life for me. Even after the last one, he could have let me die. I think about Shy Boy and Carlos Freeman all the time. I think about the people I graduated with. I think about the people who struggled to find a place to rest their heads at night. I think about the homeless people who come into the chapel just to hear that God loves them. These are the things I think about constantly. Never forgetting where I come from.
Thanks Jamie for a wonderful, encouraging post. Your family is a wonderful blessing to all of us, and your story last night in class was so powerful and moving. I appreciate it your sharing it.
I really believe that our church family is striving to live for the sake of others. It is scary and exciting at the same time.
Thanks, Gino for the interesting story.
Here’s the piece from Max Lacado that I read yesterday:
I can remember as a youngster having a high jump bar in the backyard. I spent many hours throwing myself over the bar, which was a cane fishing pole, and landing in the pit, which was an old mattress. I was proud of my achievements until the day my big brother and his friends came by.
They raised the bar. When they jumped, their minimum was my maximum. They began where I finished. They jumped higher than I’d ever dreamed. When they left, the bar was at a new level. And I had a new concept of what it meant to jump high. They had set a new standard.
Elders are called to raise the bar in the church. They set the example and lift the standard of what it means to be a Christian. Ideally, an elder should do for your life what my brother’s friends did for my high-jumping. Being with them should cause us to think higher thoughts and set higher dreams. The life of an elder should inspire us to raise the bar in our home life, prayer life, character, and dedication.
Hello, I hope everyone has started out the week good. Yesterday was GREAT! What a terrific church family we have! I am excited for all of our Elders and Deacons, they are all great examples for our young men to see and be around. We have a lot of wonderful teens in our Youth Group and it is such a good feeling knowing that they have such wonderful examples to look up to. Gary does an awesome job with the youth group...and our Elders & Deacons have always been great in allowing him to do what he does!!!I feel so blessed with the family I have come to know and love at church! Love you all!!!
LBarlow
Hey, what do think of the text for the week? I just read it again. Interesting. Really!
What about Barnabas? Does the text suggest that one person’s attitude and outlook can have a big impact on God’s work? Makes me wonder about my attitude/outlook... What about you?
Sometimes we wonder why God doesn't take away our hardships. In this case the Christians were being so severely persecuted that they had to leave Jerusalem. God worked through this scattering of disciples to take the gospel to other parts of the world. When we studied the beginning of the church in Jerusalem, it seemed like the disciples had a sort of heaven on earth,loving and sharing with one another. They would probably never have left this utopian existence if not for the persecution. It reminds me that God works in ways we don't understand or even appreciate. When we pray to be spared pain and grief we need to remember that God's plan is not always ours.
Regarding the text for this week and the results of the persecution in Jerusalem of Christians: They chose a beloved courageous, faithful brother, Barnabus,full of the spirit to go and do this important job of helping Paul. This shows us how persecution can embolden rather than weaken believers. Saul, having been from Tarsus was most likely well known and no doubt they knew of his zeal and his persecution of Christians. To hear his account of the encounter with Christ must have had a remarkable effect on the Jews who chose to believe him. Apparently Paul was known as a very honorable Jew who would not be capable of trickery or deceipt.
His encounter with Jesus as he related it to both the Jews and Gentiles must have been very compelling. His urgent message of Christ brought great numbers of believers. How often are we hesitant to proclaim who we represent in certain settings. It gives us courage to see their bold example and what can be accomplished with confidence in Whom we believe. When Barnabus arrived in Antioch he saw evidence of God's grace, it made him glad and he encouraged them. Paul and Barnabus stayed as long as it took to establish the church in Antioch and teach them of Jesus. They didn't whisk into town, declare the word and leave. They stayed and encouraged and taught more. I see so many things in these passages, I see steadfastness, courage, patience, faithfulness, encouragement, concern, passion for the word being taught, God's grace being poured out and many sins forgiven. It reminds me of the parable of the mustard seed. Or the leaven. When Christians were scattered the faith grew and the church was established wherever they went. Paul and Barnabus worked together to get a job done. We work together to accomplish the same thing. As a result we see all the above traits of courage, encouragement etc. Just a little note here. I was first called a Christian at Antioch Church of Christ near Dugger Indiana. The church was torn down to build coal mines in the area but many happy memories are there of dinner on the grounds, all day singing in an un air conditioned building. Looking out the tall windows across the green fields and the comfort of being with Christians. For the first Christians to be called Christians at Antioch I feel that they were emboldened by the message and proclaimed unashamedly who they were in spite of the persecution that would happen. How encouraging to us and how courageous we should be to connect ourselves with our Savior. Sherron Fields (didn't mean to be so long winded)
Last week I asked the question, how many days was Jesus tempted by the devil and someone said 40 days. Matthew 4:1-3 1. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
3. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
now we know that it couldnt have been forty days since the devil tempted Jesus while Jesus was hungry and the devil telling him to turn the stones into bread. Jesus I'm sure was tempted all through out his life, cause if you think about it, here you have the son of God doing the work of his father, and the devil just going to tempt Christ for forty days, I think not. We are nothing compare to Christ and he tempts us all the time. No one knows how many days Satan tempted Christ but we do know that Christ was tempted while he was on the cross just before he died by the two thieves that was hanging on the cross next to him and the people that was mocking him. Matthew 27: 38. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
39. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
40. And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
41. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him , with the scribes and elders, said,
42. He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
43. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
44. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
I was so disappointed in the church news in the newspaper because it said nothing about the new elders/deacons? Does anyone know why that is? I know that the paper used to be really strict about what church's say, but is this still the case? Not complaining here, just was wondering!
The paper has reduced the number of words we can submit for the church news twice in the last year or so...I would like very much to have room to expand on the great things we are doing and will be doing in the future. Give us more room and we will gladly use it. Mike
Slow week on the blog
A lot of the time the commentary on the Starbuck's coffee cups is pretty lame. Today's I thought was pretty good;
"In reality, hell is not such an intention of God as it is an invention of man. God is love and people are precious. Authentic truth is not so much taught or learned as is it remembered. Somewhere in your pre-incarnate consciousness you were loved absolutely because you were. Loved absolutely, and in reality, you still are! Remember who you are!" Bishop Carlton Pearson.
RR
Hmmm...hell is an invention of man. Interesting, strangely comforting, and yet...totally unscriptural. Ryan, old bean, you know better than that. Hell was created by God for the devil and his angels. True, it wasn't designed to be the final destination of man, but it can be, or Jesus wouldn't have warned us about it. I can't believe you'll pay $5 for a cup of coffee, AND take theological advice from the cup! :0)
Oh, that was me, by the way! (As if you couldn't guess!)
Donna Thomas
Donna:
of course i knew it was you! Ha
i didnt pay $5 on $2.07. ( coffee is my single vice) ha ha
i didnt say i necessarily believe it, i just thought it was pretty good. the part i really liked was that
"loved absolutely and still are!" maybe i should have clarified that.
RR
How can we take what we learn on Sunday and what we talk about on the blog to our community? They already talk about us without us around, so how can we get involved in their lives and be there for them? I know we have the food pantry but how can we really serve these people with christ? I feel like most days I'm just full of words and no action. Thats one of my many many struggles. I'd like to create a "bandwagon", but I'm not sure I'd even jump on it. What am I afraid of? What is it about me that stops me from telling my co-worker that i'm doing the "nice" things i do because Christ wants me to do them and I do them in his name? What is it about me that makes that so hard?
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