001 When Barnabas Came to Town

Recognizing God’s Grace in One Another

Acts 11:19–26

The Church in Antioch

19Therefore those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen went as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews only.
20But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and were speaking also to the Greeks, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus.
21And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
22And the report about them came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch,
23who, coming and seeing the grace of God, rejoiced and was encouraging them all to remain with the Lord with steadfast purpose of heart,
24for he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And a considerable crowd was added to the Lord.
25And he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
26and finding him, he brought him to Antioch. And it happened that for a whole year they were gathered together in the church and taught a considerable crowd; and in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

Peter Reports to the Church

1Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
2And when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision were contending with him,
3saying, “You went in to men having uncircumcision and ate with them.”
4But Peter began and explained to them in order, saying,
5“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by four corners, and it came as far as me;
6looking intently at it, I was considering and saw the four-footed animals of the earth and wild beasts and reptiles and birds of the sky.
7And I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’
8But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’
9But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, you must not call common.’
10And this happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven.
11And behold, immediately three men stood at the house in which we were, having been sent to me from Caesarea.
12And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. And these six brothers also went with me, and we entered into the man’s house.
13And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter,
14who will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’
15And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as also upon us at the beginning.
16And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
17Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as also to us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?”
18And hearing these things, they became silent, and they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance unto life.”

The Church in Antioch

19Therefore those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen went as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews only.
20But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and were speaking also to the Greeks, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus.
21And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
22And the report about them came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch,
23who, coming and seeing the grace of God, rejoiced and was encouraging them all to remain with the Lord with steadfast purpose of heart,
24for he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And a considerable crowd was added to the Lord.
25And he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
26and finding him, he brought him to Antioch. And it happened that for a whole year they were gathered together in the church and taught a considerable crowd; and in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

Famine Relief Sent to Judea

27Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28And one of them named Agabus stood up and signified through the Spirit that a great famine was about to come over the whole inhabited world—which happened in the days of Claudius.
29So the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers dwelling in Judea;
30which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

Notes

v19–21Persecution continues to drive mission expansion.
v20Gospel proclamation crosses ethnic boundaries.
v22–24Barnabas functions as encourager and stabilizer.
v25–26Antioch becomes a center of teaching and identity formation.
v26“Christians” marks external identification of the community.

Notes

v01–03Inclusion of Gentiles creates tension within existing identity structures.
v04–10Vision redefines categories of clean and unclean.
v12“No distinction” becomes a governing principle.
v15–17Spirit reception validates Gentile inclusion.
v18Repentance is extended beyond Israel.
v19–21Persecution continues to drive mission expansion.
v20Gospel proclamation crosses ethnic boundaries.
v22–24Barnabas functions as encourager and stabilizer.
v25–26Antioch becomes a center of teaching and identity formation.
v26“Christians” marks external identification of the community.
v27–28Prophetic activity directs communal awareness.
v29–30Material support expresses unity across regions.

Vocabulary

v21ἐπιστρέφω (epistrephō)
v23πρόθεσις καρδίας
v24πλήρης (plērēs)
v26Χριστιανός (Christianos)

Vocabulary

v02περιτομή (peritomē)
v05ἔκστασις (ekstasis)
v08κοινός (koinos)
v09καθαρίζω (katharizō)
v12διακρίνω (diakrinō)
v15ἐπιπίπτω (epipiptō)
v16βαπτίζω (baptizō)
v17δωρεά (dōrea)
v18μετάνοια (metanoia)
v21ἐπιστρέφω (epistrephō)
v23πρόθεσις καρδίας
v24πλήρης (plērēs)
v26Χριστιανός (Christianos)
v28λιμός (limos)
v29διακονία (diakonia)
v30πρεσβύτερος (presbyteros)

Most churches can tell stories about people who helped them become what they are today.

Perhaps it was a pastor who faithfully served for many years. Perhaps it was families who sacrificed to build a sanctuary. Perhaps it was a neighboring congregation that offered support during a difficult season. Perhaps it was a faithful teacher, elder, or friend who encouraged others to keep going.

No congregation arrives where it is today by itself.

The same was true for the church in Antioch. The congregation did not begin with a strategic plan or a major program. It began when ordinary believers shared the good news of Jesus Christ. As people responded, news of God’s work spread. Barnabas was sent to Antioch to see what was happening.

When Barnabas arrived, he did something remarkable. He looked for signs of God’s grace. Scripture tells us that when he saw what God was doing, he rejoiced and encouraged the believers to remain faithful to the Lord.

Barnabas did not arrive as an expert with all the answers. He came as an encourager. He recognized God’s work in others. He strengthened relationships. He invited Saul into the ministry, and together they helped the church grow in faith.

Many of our congregations serve small towns and rural communities. We care deeply about our churches because they have shaped our faith, supported our families, and served our communities for generations. Yet ministry can sometimes feel lonely. Congregations can become focused on their own responsibilities, concerns, and challenges.

Acts 11 reminds us that God often strengthens the church through relationships, encouragement, and shared faithfulness. Before Barnabas did anything else, he noticed God’s grace and encouraged others.

What might happen if we did the same?

What signs of God’s grace can we see in neighboring congregations?

What gifts has God entrusted to churches other than our own?

What encouragement might we offer one another?

The church in Antioch grew because believers recognized God’s work, encouraged one another, and remained faithful together. Perhaps God is inviting us to do the same.

Discussion Questions

  1. Tell the story of your congregation. Who were the people, churches, or leaders who helped make your church what it is today?
  1. In Acts 11, Barnabas looked for signs of God’s grace. Where do you see signs of God’s activity in your community today?
  1. What gifts or strengths has God entrusted to your congregation?
  1. What hopes do you have for your congregation and community over the next five years?
  1. What have you learned from another congregation that strengthened your own ministry or faith?
  1. What keeps congregations from building deeper relationships with one another?
  1. What would help our congregations know one another better?
  1. What legacy do we hope to leave for the next generation of Christians in our communities?
  1. What is one simple practice that could help our congregations encourage one another over the next period of time?

Practices to Consider

As you reflect on Acts 11 and the work of Barnabas, consider whether God may be inviting your congregation to take one simple step toward encouragement and shared ministry:

  • Pray for one another during worship.
  • Exchange prayer requests between congregations.
  • Share a meal with members from neighboring churches.
  • Hold a community picnic or game night together.
  • Gather for a joint Bible study or hymn sing.
  • Exchange preachers for a season.
  • Meet regularly for prayer and encouragement.
  • Share stories of where you see God at work in your communities.
  • Invite youth, children, and families from neighboring churches to participate in shared events.
  • Discern one way your congregations might serve your communities together.

Scripture on this page is from The Shared Word Translation (SWT), an ongoing translation project within ChurchCommons.org.