By giving the Holy Spirit to the household of a Roman centurion, God forced Jewish believers to acknowledge that the gospel was also for Gentiles. His desire for unity received a jump-start through persecution that scattered the Jerusalem believers. Antioch became a proving ground for an ethnically diverse church of "completed Jews" and former pagans.

1. To enlarge his kingdom, God put pressure on Jerusalem believers (11:19-21). How might God be pushing you to leave your comfortable nest?

2. The Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to investigate the Antioch conversions. What did he observe (11:23)? How did he respond?

3. Was there uniform joy in Jerusalem over Gentile conversions (see 15:1-2)?

4. Paul had returned to Tarsus, his boyhood city for his own protection (see 9:26-30). Why was he a natural ministry partner (11:25) for Barnabas?

5. How did the nickname "Christian" (belonging to Christ, 11:26) bear out this church's new-wine-in-new-wineskins nature?

6. What does 13:1 reveal a-bout the social and ethnic diversity of this church?

7. Why do you think that Saul/Paul's three missionary journeys were launched from Antioch rather than Jerusalem?

Ask God to give you the heart of a Barnabas, eager to penetrate social barriers with the gospel, and open to joining forces with all who love Christ.

¹⁹ Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen's death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. ²⁰ However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus. ²¹ The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.

²² When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. ²³ When he arrived and saw this evidence of God's blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. ²⁴ Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord.

²⁵ Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. ²⁶ When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.)

¹ Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called "the black man"), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas), and Saul. ² One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them." 3 So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.

Prayer for the Week

Make me willing, Lord, to move out of my comfort zone in order to grow your kingdom.

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