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Acts 11 - Devotion · The Five Minute Bible Podcast

• 0:00
  Welcome to Five Minute Bible in our journey through the New
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  Testament. In each episode, we take just a
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  few minutes to focus on one chapter of the New Testament,
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  exploring the truths God is teaching us through His Word and
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  expanding our view of who He is. Before you listen, make sure
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  you've gone straight to the source, either by reading
• 0:19
  today's chapter of the Bible yourself or listening to today's
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  read along episode in this podcast feed.
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  If you haven't done that yet, feel free to pause and do that
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  now. And when you're ready, let's
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  dive into God's Word together. In Acts Chapter 11, we again see
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  the gospel spreading among the Gentiles.
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  In particular, in this chapter, we get to witness the birth of
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  the church at Antioch. This church is the first Gentile
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  church, meaning that now we're seeing faith in Jesus by the
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  power of the Spirit through the proclamation of the gospel,
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  reach more than just individuals or small clusters of Gentiles,
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  but entire groups at a time. When news from Antioch reaches
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  the church at Jerusalem, they send one of their own that they
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  trust to take a closer look at what's happening among the
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  Greeks in Antioch. And who do they send about?
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  Our old friend Barnabas. Remember, Barnabas real name is
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  Joseph, but he's received the nickname Barnabas, which means
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  Son of encouragement. Listen to what the text says
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  happens after Barnabas arrives. Then when he arrived and
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  witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage
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  them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord, for he
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  was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.
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  And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.
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  And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul.
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  And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch.
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  And for an entire year they met with the church and taught
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  considerable numbers, and the disciples were first called
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  Christians in Antioch. So Barnabas arrives, and there
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  is no doubt that what is happening in Antioch is a move
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  of God. And what does he do?
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  Two things. First, rejoice, He's praising
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  God. God is moving.
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  He's expanding his Kingdom. And Barnabas is exulting.
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  Second, he encourages. He encourages the people of
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  Antioch. And his encouragement is not
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  just to pat on the back. No, he encourages them to keep
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  moving toward what's true, encouraging them with resolute
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  heart to remain true to the Lord.
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  He steps into what is likely viewed by the church at
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  Jerusalem as a controversial situation, Gentiles coming to
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  the Lord in droves. Could this be right?
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  But Barnabas doesn't miss the main thing.
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  God is at work, and he participates in exactly the way
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  God has equipped him to participate.
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  And he doesn't stop there. And this is so cool.
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  Barnabas knows that what these converted pagans, what these new
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  Christians need is discipleship. They need to be taught to be LED
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  to be equipped. So Barnabas calls someone who in
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  his own right is a pretty controversial figure in
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  Jerusalem, but he's been specifically equipped by God for
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  this situation. Saul of Tarsus, who we know as
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  the apostle Paul. Here's what's so beautiful.
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  Barnabas is so happy to be a part of what the Lord is doing.
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  He's not looking for credit. He's not looking for status or
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  position. He knows how the Spirit has
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  gifted him, and not just that, he knows how the Spirit has
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  gifted other members of the church.
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  So much so that when the position opens up for lead
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  pastor at Antioch, Barnabas isn't angling for it.
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  He's calling his persecutor turn Brother Saul to come and lead.
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  This is what it looks like for the church to be the church.
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  To rejoice with those who are rejoicing.
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  To participate in the work of God.
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  To live out your own gifts with no envy of the gifts of others.
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  To pass the ball, To be a team player.
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  This is the body of Christ firing on all cylinders.
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  Are there areas of your life where you could be a Barnabas?
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  Where you could purposefully step away from the spotlight so
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  that God would be glorified? Where you could bring in a
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  brother or sister to a work the Lord is doing so that God would
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  be glorified? Where you could see the Lord at
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  work in a situation that is out of the ordinary and praise Him
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  for it. You'll be better for it, and God
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  will get the glory through it.