Discipleship

Acts 11:22-26

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

²² News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. ²³ When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.  ²⁴ He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

²⁵ Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, ²⁶ 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.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2011:%2022%20-%2026&version=NIV1984)

Often times we find that people accept the Lord as their Savior and then we think our job is done which in actuality our job has just begun.  The disciples at Antioch knew this and they called in reinforcements to help grow this church into mature Christians rather than babes in Christ.  We read that the news traveled to the church Jerusalem where there were mature Christians and they responded to the call for backup sending Barnabas where he not only helps the new believers but to spread the Gospel even further.

Often times pastors will tell us that we need to be the ones going out and spreading the Gospel and that is so true.  That is what the persecuted Christians did, yet, God does gift some with extraordinary gifts that draw people to the Lord and in the case of our reading today we see Barnabas in that role.  But, even Barnabas was overwhelmed and needed some added reinforcement so he went looking for Saul.  These two men took a year and ministered to these people.  They weren’t the short term evangelist who came in to the church for a week or two until everyone repented, they became a part of the lives of this church.  I can only imagine the training these people received during that time.  I found it very interesting that it was at this church that the Disciples of Christ became known as Christians.  Words that I found in this scripture that I believe we as Christians need to remember are:

·         “He was glad” – Are we always glad to serve or do we sometimes grumble?  Barnabas gave up a lot to leave Jerusalem and come to these people.

·         “Encouraged them to always remain true to the Lord with all their hearts” – As Christians are we encouraging our brothers and sisters in Christ or do we sometimes find ourselves being too critical of them? 

As we live our lives as Christians are we living lives that model this early church?  Are we witnessing to others?  Are we growing so rapidly that we need reinforcements to come in and mentor us and the new believers? Is our pastor so overwhelmed with large numbers that he has to go out and call in more reinforcements?  Are we mature Christians or are we babes in Christ?  Are we remaining true to the Lord with ALL our heart or just a portion of it?

As you seek Him today remember that He has called us to serve Him.  Ask Him what He would have you do and then go and do it!

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila