Acts 11:19-30

Preaching the Word

Read all of Acts 11:19-30 “Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. Now in these days prophets…”

We are all called to preach the gospel. Did you know that? Mathew 28:18-20

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Who are you most likely to preach the word to?

This section records the development of the first full church including and primarily consisting of Gentile believers.

It serves as a great example of how a church is developed over time. It begins with a-lot of being saved, but develops over a years time as they are discipled.

Let’s take a look verse by verse to watch these developments unfold.

Show a map from Jerusalem to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch.

After the persecution following Stephen’s death breaks out, we have a scattering of believers from Jerusalem to Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch.

But some (Cyprus: a large island in the Mediterranean and Cyrene: Roman province in North Africa) preached to Hellenists Greek speaking non-Jews. NIV says simply “Greeks” They weren’t Jewish and they didn’t even speak the same language!

These men from Cyprus and Cyrene had heard of Peter’s vision and took it to heart and are now witnessing to people unlike them! Have you ever heard a Bible concept or spiritual truth and said, “Nah, I aint doing that!”

That’s apparently what most of the other Jewish Christians were doing after Peter’s vision and the conversion of Cornelius’ household. “Nah, I ain’t preaching to the Greeks” They can go to hell… That’s not a joke, I’m not being cute with language, thats a spiritual reality. By refusing to bring the gospel to those around them, they are letting them stay in their sinful ways without trying to get them into the grace of God. It’s as bad as it sounds. They were being disobedient.

Let’s relate: What are some reasons some of the Jewish believers might not be preaching to people unlike them? Scared, Apathetic, not good reasons in light of the fact that Jesus accepts all people and died for them and commanded us to preach to them.

The church in Jerusalem however, is overjoyed that the church in Antioch is established of Gentiles and sent Barnabas, whose name was actually Joseph and the Apostles called him Barnabas which means “son of encouragement”

Acts 4:36-37 “Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” “

He was so encouraging that the Apostles renamed him based on his most pervasive and useful quality. Such did his new name stick that Luke doesn’t even bother here to put his real name.

I grew up here and my whole family was down home country, I used to envy my cousins’ big ears and East Texas accent. But I didn’t have the accent, and I liked to slick back my hair so my cousins would sometimes call me Elvis. My acne was so bad in middle school that a girl called me pepperoni face. A couple of upper class men noticed I was always bringing other kids to church and talking about God and they started calling me Pastor when I was in 9th - 10th grade…that one I liked

If you were renamed based on your most pervasive and useful quality, what would you be called?

In verses 23-24, Barnabas leads tons of people to the Lord and encourages them to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith and he brings a great number of people to the Lord.

And then, he went to Tarsus (go to the map to look for Saul....weird detail, Luke calls him Saul here and for a whole year Barnabas and Saul teach great numbers of people.

Barnabas seemed to being doing fine on his own, why did he go to get Saul?

Barnabas is in a way, a spiritual father to many new Christians. What do fathers want for their children? The best! I think Barnabas knew that for the people to be properly discipled, he couldn’t do it on his own and he wanted an scriptural expert.

For some reason, Luke doesn’t just call Saul, Paul, but rather goes back and forth between the two names for a few chapters and then eventually only calls him Paul. I think that represents that Paul’s conversion although is a dramatic event on the road to Damascus also takes time. People aren’t always changed completely in an instant when they are saved, their sanctification takes time and in fact is never really finished. That’s why it is such a mistake when people commit to Jesus, but never really get discipled or seek God through daily scripture and prayer.

The Greek believers at Antioch are the first group ever called Christians.

Christian means…little Christ. Or, Christ-like. Are you a little Christ?

I had a friend in college, actually from this youth group, we went to Rockwall High and then to UT at Austin together and he lost his hair at twenty. He was Iranian and worked out alot and he was kind of goofy looking until he shaved his head and turns out he looked alot like Dewayne Johnson. He looked like a little Rock…so we called him Pebble.

A Christian acts like Christ as much as he or she can. To the point that it becomes their identity.

Is Christ so much of you’re identity that your friends looking for a nickname might as well just call you Christian?

Now verse 27-30 is cool. For some reason this is my favorite part. A bunch of prophets come from Jerusalem to the church in Antioch and they’ve got special information from God and the whole church listens to them and does something about it. The prophets say a huge famine is coming and the church members at Antioch decide to give money as they are able to provide for other believers that they know around the world and send it through Paul and Barnabas BEFORE the emergency occurs!

That would be like a year ago somebody shows up at the church with a pallet of toilet paper saying, “A great prophet of the Lord told us...your going to need this.”

But my favorite part of this whole section is the prophets name: Agabus.

Not Peter, not Paul, Not James…Agabus

I don’t know one person named after this prophet of the early church. You want to know what I love about this detail? He seems like a regular guy. He’s not an apostle. God was using regular people in these churches who get footnotes in the book of Acts to do miracles.

That’s a big deal.

Are you a Peter? Are you a Paul?

Maybe not...

Can you be an Agabus?