Stimulating

In nature there are a lot of things that go together, and some that cannot get along alone. Think of the number of flowers that rely on insects and birds to pollinate them while at the same time providing nectar the insects and birds need to live. Maybe it is the plant that is in need of a bird to eat its berries and later excrete their waste that will in turn deposit the seeds for new plant growth. My favorite to see in a picture are the alligators who have a bird perched in their open mouths with the birds cleaning their teeth. What about fruit trees that have a male and a female and both are needed for fruit production and reproduction. Then of course there are the large number of creatures that are also male and female for reproductive purposes. Then there are others that are a bit different in relationship. Corn and soybeans work great as rotation crops as one takes nitrogen from the soil and the other deposits nitrogen. Or how about a fire? There are three things that are necessary for a fire 1) fuel to be burned 2) an ignition source and 3) oxygen. In fact, all three are needed in certain states, think of oxygen that is bound up with hydrogen as water, water that is used to put out fire. Look at my propane torch here all three are present, but there is no fire, I can click the igniter button with the valve closed and no fire. I could also open up the valve and let the propane out, but no fire. But, if I were to open the valve and click the igniter, I would have a flame, given I apply all three in a proper ratio.

This is what we see with the early church, a relationship between circumstances and people, another between individuals, and a relationship between people and the truth that when brought together bring forth a growth of the Church. This is what I want to examine this morning from the 11th chapter of the Book of Acts. Let’s read together from Acts 11:19 – 27.

Acts 11:19–27 NASB95

So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

I. Antioch

A. Fuel

1. Third City of the Empire

2. Large Jewish population

3. Openness to the message

4. Who are those we can share the Gospel with?

B. Embers

1. Persecuted peoples

2. Men from Cyrene and Cyprus

3. Where might we be sent to spread the Gospel?

II. Barnabas

A. Equip

1. Learned more than those who were “spread” earlier by the persecution

2. With the lesson the Jerusalem Church learned from Peter and Cornelius

3. Must have been a good communicator since the Apostles chose to send him instead of one of the 12 as they had in the past.

4. There are people whom we have the ability to further in their spiritual walk

B. Encourage

1. The Antiochian Church to keep going

2. Saul

a. Mediated for him with the Apostles (Acts 9:27)

b. Went and sought him out

c. Throughout their ministry in Antioch

3. We have to ask who we can encourage and how

Conclusion: We cannot live the Christian life alone, nor can we keep the message silent. I remember the first Promise Keepers I attended in Minneapolis in 1995, but I also remember why I decided I would attend that conference. I heard a recording from the 1993 Promise Keepers given by Dr. Howard Hendricks. In that message Dr. Hendricks said “Every man needs to have three individuals in your life: you need a Paul; you need a Barnabas; and you need a Timothy. You need a Paul, that is an older man who is willing to build into your life. Please note, not someone who is smarter than you are, and certainly not someone who has it all together because that person does not exist. We are all in process. But you need someone who is willing to share with you not only his strengths but also his weaknesses, not simple his successes but also his failures and what he learned in the laboratory of life. But you need a Barnabas, somebody who loves you but is not impressed by you. If you’ve got anybody in your life whose willing to keep you honest, that’s willing to say to you hey man you’re neglecting your wife; I know it, everybody else knows it, it’s about time you know it. That’s the kind of Barnabas you need. And third, you need a Timothy; a younger man into whose life you are building yours. And if you want a model look at First and Second Timothy. Here’s Paul the quintessential mentor building into his protégé. Notice, what are the issues: somebody who can affirm you can encourage you, someone who will teach you and pray for you, somebody who will correct you and direct you. That’s the kind of person who young people are looking for.”

We need to be looking for the places in our lives where we need others, like a bee and a flower, and places where we can help others like oxygen to a flame.