Posted: 4/13/07
BaptistWay Bible Series for April 22
Every Christian is called to missions
• Acts 11:19-26
Baptist Standard, Dallas
God always stands above our human theology for correction and reproof. The limited understanding of the infinite mind of God is illustrated well in Acts 11:1-18.
Reason, at its best, falters at the doors of deity where faith, at least the size of a tiny mustard seed, is required to enter. Theology, too easily, accommodates itself to the culture in which it thrives. We make God into our own image like a chameleon adapts to its environment.
Some theology passes muster, resists change and is passed on, but some has to be rewritten because of heightened understanding of God or the need to find new ways to communicate the living God in the changing culture. The theological supposition affirms God is the final authority. Otherwise, human prejudice and spiritual ignorance will prevail, throwing the gospel train off its destined track.
The Apostle Peter returned to Jerusalem, following the conversion of Cornelius, to face the criticism of his friends, the circumcised believers. His testimony of the uncircumcised Gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit was part of his argument for their acceptance into the church.
Peter’s final point clearly defines the issue of authority when he says, “… who was I to think that I could oppose God?” (v. 17). Seeing God at work convinced Peter everything he had been taught about racial and spiritual exclusiveness was wrong.
Down through the years, the church has had to face up to its inadequate, erroneous, impractical and contrived theology because of the powerful movement of God. The Reformation forced a new look at the doctrine of salvation taught by the Catholic church. Our Baptist forebearers were forced by laws of government and improving social values to change its theological position on the race issue.
Behind great movements of change are leaders who beat upon the closed doors of traditional thought until the door comes down and the shackles fall off. God’s impartiality prescribes that neither human prejudice nor common tradition should decide who would receive the Holy Spirit or who would be acceptable to the Father.
I find it an extraordinary compliment that Peter and the new church, so steeped in Jewish teaching, could change so quickly their mindset on who could be saved (v. 18). God’s grace works wonders to transform the heart and mind, creating new attitudes of openness and acceptance.
Pentecost was like an explosion. We tend to read Acts as though these early stories occurred in chronological sequence. Rather, it seems to have been different things happening in different directions at the same time, more like a starburst than a highway.
The church broke free of its bindings of theology and practice and became a force to convert the world, touching anyone who would listen, receive the message, confess sin and believe in the crucified, resurrected Savior. The Samaritan revival, the conversion of the African eunuch, Saul, the Pharisee, Cornelius and the Roman centurion may have occurred at similar times and in different directions like a starburst centered in Jerusalem.
For example, Acts 8:4 is similar to Acts 11:19, both speaking of the scattering of the Christians because of persecution. The next major movement of expansion of the Christian faith shifted to Antioch where the movement was highly successful and a great new Gentile church was established.
Evangelism explosion (11:19-21)
Ideally, the explosion of the gospel would come naturally out of the empowerment of these new converts to Christ who were bold, aggressive, courageous and faithful. Some, no doubt, were.
However, the word “scattered” is significant as we acknowledge history’s accounting of the spiritual benefits of extenuating circumstances. The scattering seemed caused by persecution more than by the Holy Spirit.
Luke is either stating historical fact or acknowledging the influence of strong antagonism by the traditionalists—the scribes, priests, Pharisees, and Sanhedrin—who vented their fury with the same murderous intent of Saul. These new Christians left Jerusalem in a hurry to avoid being killed or imprisoned. The hostility, no doubt, was a primary motivation for the Christian message to move beyond the ancient walls of Jerusalem, at least so quickly.
Let’s raise the question of whether the contemporary church, under similar circumstances, might be pushed beyond its walls to extend its witness or might choose rather to deny its existence and disappear in retreat.
The “scattering” had very positive results. The Spirit of God used these circumstances with explosive evangelistic results. The hostility intended to crush and destroy became the catalyst for its immediate extension and expansion. Persecution, causing the dispersion of believers, actually turned the smoldering blaze into a roaring fire, like pouring gasoline on burning embers.
The gospel burst quickly beyond the borders of Galilee. Phoenicia was a Syrian territory within the Roman Empire located on the shores of the Mediterranean, west and north of Galilee with major cities being Tyre and Sidon. Cyprus, further northwest of Phoenicia, is one of the larger islands of the Mediterranean Sea and lay to the west and south of Syrian Antioch. In both these areas, the gospel was preached to Jews only.
Antioch was an extremely significant city, the third-largest in the area with 800,000 population and a center for trade with a seaport on the Orontes River, one of the principle harbors of the eastern Mediterranean. Founded in 300 B.C., some 20 miles from the seashore, Antioch was a Syrian city with Greek culture and had a large contingency of Jews.
Exposed to Judaism and the mystery cults, the population of Antioch had an intellectual openness and interest in religion. Known as a very wicked city, it held tremendous opportunity for sharing the gospel. Luke does us a great favor by reminding us some witnesses were timid and directed their preaching to Jews only, while others from Cyprus and Cyrene, more bold and daring, defied the traditional theology and broke down the Jewish barriers, bringing the gospel to the Greeks at Syrian Antioch (v. 20). The evangelism was done by individuals who were unnamed men, probably Greek Jews, providential associates in the powerful plan of God. Luke generalizes that “great numbers of people believed and turned to the Lord” (v. 21).
Faithful, but unidentified, these witnesses courageously entered into the swarming crowds of this sinful city. Often in the Christian experience, unidentified persons have staggering influence on the spread of the gospel.
Every Christian should be this kind of missionary. Every person given the gospel has the responsibility of sharing it. The only credential needed is a living faith in the Lord Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit to give boldness.
Their initial work gave opportunity for the missional focus of God to relocate in Antioch from Jerusalem and become the base camp to missionize Europe, and later, America.
One can assume that in heaven we can identify these individuals who so humbly blessed the world. The gospel for the world could not be denied its place in the hearts of all people. The prophecy of Christ at the ascension was being fulfilled (Acts 1:8).
Evangelical examination (11:22-24)
Travelers from Antioch carried the news of the success of Christianity back to Jerusalem (v. 22). Again, for examination, help and encouragement, the Jerusalem congregation sent their beloved Barnabas to study the situation and lend his wise and powerful guidance.
This same Barnabas, meaning son of encouragement, a Levite from Cyprus, sold a piece of land and brought the revenue from the sale and laid it at the apostles’ feet (4:36-37) to support the new community of believers. When the Jerusalem church was afraid of Saul, after his dramatic conversion, and was reluctant to include him, Barnabas testified in his behalf, providing Saul with friendship and affirmation (9:26-30).
Perhaps coincidentally, Barnabas was from Cyprus and may have had some association with these Cyprian preachers to Antioch (v. 20). Barnabas could be trusted not only to help, but also to bring back critical information that could authenticate the evangelical relationship of the Antioch revival.
Luke summarized Barnabas’ discovery in what he saw, what he sensed and what he said. What he saw (v. 23) was clear and authentic evidence that God had produced the believers in Antioch. They were for real. There was no question in his mind that God had come to Antioch, and salvation had come to those who believed in the resurrected Lord.
We are not told specifically what evidence he saw, but it was totally convincing. What he sensed (v. 23) was emotional, a gladness of heart. Unlike Jonah, who was angry and depressed when Nineveh repented, (Assyria had been one of the cruel opponents of Israel) Barnabas was filled with joy to see this Syrian city turn to God. His joy must have been threefold: joy in the nature of God to love everyone, joy in the response of Gentiles to the gospel and joy in the faithful, spontaneous obedience of these new believers to share their witness.
Barnabas’ adventure of faith deepened his understanding of the love of God who showed no partiality. His vision of missions widened far beyond the periphery of a covenant nation into a perspective of a spiritual kingdom of the heart.
Jesus approached Jerusalem for the Passover, facing his own rejection and crucifixion, and wept over the city (Luke 19:41). In contrast, Barnabas exults in gladness over the people of Antioch receiving the good news of the death and resurrection of Christ.
What he said were words of encouragement (v. 23). Imagine this sweet spirited pastoral figure standing before these babes in Christ and giving them a verbal pat on the back with the exhortation to “remain true to the Lord with all their hearts” (v. 23).
Luke, who knows Barnabas well, describes him as “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith” (v. 24). Luke seems to be conveying that Barnabas’ presence and encouragement contributed to the further growth of this extraordinary revival with an additional “great number brought to the Lord (v. 24). He was emotionally sensitive and wise in his guidance.
Extensive education (11:25-26)
Barnabas found a place of ministry in Antioch and did not directly report to Jerusalem of his Antioch reconnaissance. He saw the potential in this city and sought out the brilliant, educated, skilled and passionate Saul in Tarsus. Barnabas knew where Paul went when he was whisked off to Tarsus, his hometown, for safety from the Grecian Jews in Jerusalem (Acts 9:30).
Antioch had a more favorable climate for growth and expansion than did the tumultuous Jerusalem counterpart. The word “look” (v. 25) conveys the idea of a strenuous and thorough search. Saul of Tarsus is now prepared and ready for his calling to minister to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15) and Barnabas would do whatever he had to in order to locate Saul.
The insightful Barnabas, aware of Saul’s testimony of God’s calling, pushes Saul to center stage. Now Saul was to prove himself again as he and Barnabas “met with the church and taught great numbers of people” for a whole year.
This school of theology led by the professor of pastoral care, Barnabas, and the doctor of theology, Saul, created such a strong constituency of followers who were educated in their faith, they were given the name Christian—little Christs, or the Christ people. No more an infant, but a formidable, mature cadre of people with a well- thought-out statement of faith.
The evangelistic fervor that flamed at Pentecost is undergirded with a legitimate, understandable and credible body of knowledge amassed by the most brilliant and learned of teachers. If Jerusalem was the cradle, Antioch was the bassinet of the formation of the Christian movement, where the teachings of Christ, the crucified and resurrected Messiah, emerge into a force of love and truth. Saul, the teacher, can now assume his role as Saul, the missionary, the greatest interpreter of Christ and push the Christian good news of salvation toward its world destiny.
Application
Every Christian is called to missions. Every witness by unidentified people has the potential of creating a new congregation and a new missionary enterprise far beyond the local church campus. Making the gospel inclusive of everyone not only is a theological truth, but, also a missional necessity.
The church should not offer platitudes toward missions without participating in the task, or the shouts of hypocrisy will be much more intense than the sermons spoken. Words may be only a vacuum that sucks the breath out of the mission sails.
Is there partiality and racial apathy in the church? It is rampant and fatal. There is all the difference in the world of being a missionary and taking up a mission offering on Sunday morning for the saints who do the hard work of preaching Christ to everyone.
How quickly do we change when we discover new truths from Scripture? Should change, first, be submitted to the constitution committee of your church for study and a recommendation? Why do you suppose other races and socio-economic groups to not frequent your services? What is your church doing to reach the other racial groups in your community and including them into your fellowship?
Discussion question
• If the name “Christian” were no being used today, what would people in your church be called?
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