The Holy Spirit in Acts
Day 19 — Antioch Church Born, Barnabas Encourages, Agabus Foretells
Acts 11:19-30
The persecution surrounding Stephen’s martyrdom scattered believers into Phoenicia and Cyprus speaking the word, mainly to Jews. But some of the believers from Cyprus and Cyrene went and preached the good news of Jesus to the Greeks in Antioch. The Lord was blessing this as it says:
1. The hand of the Lord was with them
2. A large number who believed turned to the Lord
3. Their faith became known into Jerusalem.
4. Barnabas was sent to check them out.
a. He witnessed the grace of God in them
b. He rejoiced in their salvation
c. He encouraged them fervently to remain true to the Lord
d. He was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and faith.
e. Considerable numbers brought to the Lord. (Additional?)
5. Barnabas found Saul in Tarsus, brought him to Antioch
a. Barnabas and Saul spent a year teaching the new believers
b. The disciples were first called Christians there
6. Some prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch
a. Agabus indicated by the Spirit there would be a worldwide famine
b. It happened under Claudius
c. The believers felt compelled to give proportionately for the relief of the brethren in Judea. Money sent with Saul and Barnabas.
Observations on the working of the Holy Spirit here:
1. Persecution spread the Word with the believers
2. Faith came by hearing the Word and the Spirit
3. Barnabas, full of the Spirit and faith good man
led people to Christ (gift of evangelism)
taught new believers for a year (teaching)
4. Famine predicted by the Spirit (prophetic re: future)
5. Believers prompted to give to needs of others. (giving)
Questions:
1. Have you felt persecuted and tempted to flee your circumstance?
2. Was the salvation of many a result of persecution of Christians something that God foreknew and permitted or caused to happen, or is it a matter of bad people acted and God caused it to work together for the good?
3. Barnabas sounds like the right guy for the situation.
Who are the Barnabas’s in your life?
Would you like to take on what he did?
How would you be more likely to be prepared to be that person?
4. If Agabus showed up at your church, declaring a disaster to come, how would you expect your
church to respond?
The Holy Spirit in Acts
Day 20 First Mission Trip—Called by the Holy Spirit Acts 13
Reflection, Notes and Prayer