The Church Continues to Expand

Expansion According to God’s Plan

Acts 11:19–24 (NIV)

Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among 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 church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, 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.

Once again, Luke redirects our focus to what was happening as the church scattered from Jerusalem after the stoning of Stephen. In conjunction with what had occurred at Cornelius’ house, Greeks began to believe in other towns as well. In the city of Antioch, the truth was being received by both the Jews and the Greeks and the church was growing with both Jewish and Gentile believers.

Under Alexander the Great, the spread of Hellenistic ideology spread through the known world. After his death, the empire was split between 4 generals before solidifying into two halves, The Seleucid Dynasty and the Ptolemaic Dynasty.

In 300 BCE, Seleucus Nicartor built the city of Antioch, named after his father. Antioch grew quickly to be a great city and by the time of Christ, Antioch was the third largest city in the Roman Empire behind Rome and Alexandria. Antioch was a center for trade and thought. It became a religious center with temples to pagan gods, but it also became a center for the Christian church. Antioch was a civitas liberia, free city, while a part of the Roman empire.

As a result of the news of the growth, the church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas, a man filled with the Holy Spirit, to go and gather a report about the growing church. As Barnabas arrives, he is filled with awe as the grace of the Lord that had fallen upon the people and the work that the Lord was accomplishing through His people. Remember, this was the same Barnabas who was so moved by the grace of the Lord in Acts 4:36-37

Acts 4:36–37 (NIV)

Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

that he sold his field and was given the name Barnabas, son of encouragement by the apostles.

The presence of the Lord throughout the book of Acts is marked by growth within the church. Take note that growth does not necessitate the presence of the Lord, but the presence of the Lord necessitates growth.

Expansion in God’s Timing

Acts 11:25–26 (NIV)

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.

Barnabas goes and finds Saul in Tarsus. Saul had been staying in Tarsus since the relationship between the Hellenistic Jews and Saul had soured in Acts 9:28-30

Acts 9:28–30 (NIV)

So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

If we remember back to Saul’s conversion in Acts 9, Ananias is told by the Lord that Saul would be his messenger to the Gentiles. Acts 9:15

Acts 9:15 (NIV)

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.

The son of encouragement saw the needs of the new church in Antioch and he was moved to recruit help to encourage and disciple the new believers. His heart is moved to go and seek out the one who the Lord said would be his messenger to the gentiles and to the Jews. He sought out Saul.

Expansion of the Heart

Acts 11:27–30 (NIV)

During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

God is not merely concerned with numerical growth. God has always been focused on the growth of the heart. Numerical growth is fleeting if not as a result of the outpouring of spiritual growth in the heart of each individual and the church. When our heart has grown hard or fails to be able to look beyond itself to the Lord and His priorities, our growth will be minimal and fleeting.

As a prophet of the Lord comes and shares about a famine that will hit the known world, the church is moved quickly to think beyond themselves and begin to take up an offering to meet the needs of others where the famine is already making an impact. They gather a collection to send to Jerusalem to meet the needs of the ever growing church.

In the same manner, we are called to respond as the Lord leads to meet the needs of those around us.