The Church in Antioch

HOOK

DO NOT FORGET TO UNMUTE

It’s the 16th day of November — Monday! Election updates:

MAGA Million March last Saturday— Was not well covered by the media— Antifa & BLM attacked

Former federal prosecutor Sidney Powell, a Trump campaign lawyer, suggested in a Sunday interview that there is still more evidence coming out in President Donald Trump’s claims of voter fraud and irregularities.

“We’re getting ready to overturn election results in multiple states,” Powell said, saying that she has enough evidence of election fraud to launch a widespread criminal investigation. “I don’t make comments without having the evidence to back it up,” she added, saying that elections software switched “millions of votes” from Trump to Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

“We have so much evidence, I feel like it’s coming in through a fire hose,” Powell said, while noting that she won’t reveal the evidence that she has.

Not a single State has certified the results of their elections

Take note of December 14 when the “electors” are put together to cast their vote for the winning presidential candidate

Last Thursday, when we looked at what happened when Peter explained why he did what he did— visited and associated himself with Gentiles— we learned two things:

I SHOULD LISTEN FIRST BEFORE MAKING ANY CRITICISMS

NO ONE CAN STAND IN THE WAYS OF GOD

Today we will continue with chapter 11— and the next story you will see is about the church in Antioch— open your Bible to ACTS 11:19-30— once you get there, type “The Church in Antioch”

When studying passages in the Bible, carefully ask yourself the right questions [what, where, when, who, why and how]— because by doing so, you will see timeless biblical principles applicable to our lives today— keep in mind the Bible said, “be transformed by the renewing of your mind”— it’s God’s words that will transform us— understanding it is a critical part of this transformation

READ ACTS 11:19-30

BOOK

Acts 11:19–30 NIV

19 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. 20 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. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. 22 News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 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. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. 25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 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. 27 During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 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.) 29 The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30 This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

WHAT: The church was established in Antioch

WHEN: During the early church [after Stephen was killed]— SHOW TIMELINE

WHERE: Phoenecia [modern-day Lebanon— north of Israel along the Mediterranean coast]— Cyprus a large Mediterranean island— and Antioch [The Roman capital and administrative capital of it’s region in southern Asia Minor— modern-day Turkey]— SHOW MAP

WHO: Disciples from Jerusalem— Barnabas and Saul— Agabus

WHY: Spreading the good news

LOOK

TRAVELED AS FAR AS PHOENICIA, CYPRUS AND ANTIOCH

Spreading the word only among the Jews— ACTS 8:4

HOWEVER, MEN FROM CYPRUS AND CYRENE, WENT TO ANTIOCH AND BEGAN TO SPEAK TO GREEK ALSO

Following the example of Peter— they preached the gospel to non-Jewish people

The Lord’s hand was with them and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord— this became a big news that it reached the church in Jerusalem— so they sent Barnabas to Antioch [notice that the disciples that was scattered was the first to spread the good news]— when the work has began— the apostle was sent to encourage them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts

THEN BARNABAS WENT TO TARSUS TO LOOK FOR SAUL

Remember that when the Hellenistic Jews in Jerusalem tried to kill Saul— they sent him off to Tarsus [the birthplace of Saul]— ACTS 9:28-30

Why did Barnabas went looking for Saul?— Because two is always better than one— ECCLESIASTES 4:9-10, LUKE 10:1

For a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught many people— it was in Antioch where believers was first called as “Christians”— Greek work used here was “christianos”— which my be literally rendered “of Christ” or “belonging to Christ”— The community began to known as a distinct movement from Judaism that was loyal to Jesus as the Messiah

During that time some prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch— one of them was Agabus— a prophet in the early church who prophesied the severe famine [hunger crisis] that was fulfilled during the time Claudius— he also predicted the Paul will be turned over to the Gentiles by the Jews in Jerusalem [Pastor Pete talked about this yesterday ACTS 21]

Because of the crisis, the disciples…

DECIDED TO PROVIDE HELP FOR THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS LIVING IN JUDEA

They sent their gifts to the elders in Jerusalem through Barnabas and Saul

From this passage, there are three things that came clear to me>

Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went— OFW’s are like “Diaspora”— Jewish people living outside Israel— dispersion of any people from their original homeland

Two is better than one— they have good return for their labor— if either of them falls them, one of them can help the other up

Their willingness to give back and help specially in times of crisis

This is a very timely message from our Lord— we are mobilizing help to our Home Churches in the Philippines to help them recover from the devastation of the recent disaster [typhoon Vamco/Ulysses]— we welcome whatever donation you would like to contribute

Now, let me reduce this timeless biblical principles in sentences that are easily remembered and applied to our lives today..

TOOK

I WILL PREACH ABOUT JESUS WHEREVER GOD TAKES ME

IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO HAVE A SPIRITUAL PARTNER

I WILL BE ALWAYS READY AND WILLING TO HELP

SING

Agape Worship Team— Raise a Hallelujah