“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.
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.“
Acts 11:19-26
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JANUARY 29, 2025
When I was growing up in Argentina, my dad was the pastor of a unique church, a church with no dominant cultural majority. Our church looked more like an airport than a church. We had Romanians, Argentines, British, Americans, South Africans, Nigerians, Canadians, Norwegians, Koreans; it was a small church, just a couple hundred people, but our diversity was notable. CEOs of major corporations worshipped next to people who lived on the streets. People from Jewish, Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, and Presbyterian backgrounds came together through faith in Christ. It was our identity in Christ that brought us all together.
Something awesome is happening in Antioch, the explosive birth of a new church. The city of Antioch was originally founded by one of Alexander the Great’s generals and it became one of the three most crucial and populous cities in the region, a place of geographic, military, economic, and cultural significance for the Greeks and then the Romans. It was also a center of Hellenistic Judaism. So expansive was the growth of this church that the apostles in Judea heard about it and sent Barnabas to visit. When Barnabas saw the church in Antioch, our text tells us that he saw the grace of God.
Let’s reflect on that. When Barnabas saw the church in Antioch, he saw God’s grace. He didn’t see perfect believers—he saw the Lord at work within them, enabling them to do things considered impossible by human standards. They were focused on God, not their own agendas, dreams, desires, or plans. Their God-focus enabled them to live this new kind of life.
According to Luke, Barnabas didn’t have to tell them to be faithful or steadfast to the Lord; they were already doing these things to such a degree that Barnabas was filled with gladness! He was humbled, inspired and awed by this church of crazy culture clashes and different languages all coming together as brothers and sisters.
And this is what was first described as Christian.
Questions for reflection and discussion:
- Is your life focused on God?
- Are you able to pray “Your will be done.” even when God’s will makes you uncomfortable?
- Where do you see God’s grace in your own community?
Church Reading Plan: Genesis 30; Mark 1