Acts 11:19-30

When people believe and turn to God, there is evidence of God’s blessing; fruit, if you will. You will know it if you see it. As sure as you’ve seen the sun rise and set, you’ll know a person’s life’s been transformed into a new creation in Christ. We certainly can attest to this in what’s happened in our lives. As men and women full of the Holy Spirit, we feel a pang of remorse for sin. We are more patient and understanding. We care for children and the elderly and see the needs of those around us. And we are self-controlled, more and more so as we grow in God. We think of what God wants us to do rather than what we want to do. And we immediately see the benefit of acting God’s way. The fruit of the Holy Spirit, a God-led life, fills us with something the world can’t give. It’s satisfaction; more than that, joy.

It’s an incredible privilege to partake in the growth of God’s Kingdom. It is a privilege to gain knowledge, understanding, and instruction (education). And it is God’s privilege to reveal to us whatever He so chooses (Proverbs 25:2). I’m typing up this blog during the 2022 US Thanksgiving. I’m thankful for the Cross of Jesus Christ. And I’m grateful for the stirring in the Church. I believe the modern Church has been lukewarm for a long time, but now it is stirring, reviving with sincerity and authenticity so that people may truly rejoice in God.

I’ve read this short section of Scripture a few times this week and am amazed at how much application is in it for us. I want to pay attention as I know God is instructing me in this. I see here that the power of God was with the believers that preached the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles in Antioch. I pray that we stop playing Church and seek, like Barnabas, to encourage each other to stay true to the Lord God. Christian men ought to emulate Barnabas. He’s an example for all of us as he was to the Acts Church. The Bible says that Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit, and strong in faith (Acts 12:24). What a reputation! He was so trustworthy.

False teachers today will say that it’s impossible to believe in Jesus Christ and then attach allegiance to the world. In the Bible, however, you see that it is not only possible, but we are repeatedly warned not to shipwreck our faith, not to drift away, and to safeguard our hearts and souls. God provides warnings for a reason. Barnabus warned others to stay faithful to God because of the importance of doing so and the reality of drifting away. Don’t listen to the false teachers who preach a “buy an eternal life ticket and do as you please" feel-good sermon Sunday after Sunday. They want to be loved above all else. They seek praise, power, and control. They are not servant leaders. God will judge these men for their false teaching.

We need to be like Barnabas, putting our faith into action. You see, the key was that He was ready for God’s assignments. He was full of the Holy Spirit, pure, and strong. Proverbs 25:5 reminds us of the importance of removing wicked men from our organizations and ensuring we are pure. The silversmith can only use the sterling once the impurities are removed from the silver. So, the message is, let’s get our act together and be full of faith. Don't be bashful about this. Be bold, like a leader who charges at the front with his men. Like Hood, Chamberlain, or Jackson. Let’s run the race to win and push at the end when we are tired and have sore muscles.

God shows us in this section a reality of this life that is just as accurate today as it was for Barnabas 2,000 years ago. One God-given assignment follows the next. Don't unpack your bags. Expect to follow one critical mission with one more. The end of the race is when we die, no sooner. That’s the Good Life as a follower of the Highest One. Let's be prepared to race again shortly after your last race. Yes, rest. But not for long. Once recovered, be ready to fight again. That’s the Christian way. That's what we see Barnabas doing here. Right after the mission to Antioch, he heads off across land and water to Tarsus, finds Saul, and brings him back to Antioch. Be a brother in Christ. Find someone to mentor. Do it if you drive an hour or fly for 12 hours to make it happen. You are not too important that you have no time to teach, listen, or advise. For men, find men to mentor. For women, find young women to mentor. Barnabas taught and learned from Paul. Any good man of God knows that you learn as much from the man you teach as he does from what you teach him. That’s how mentoring works. It's reciprocal. You learn together even though the more spiritually immature man is leaning heavily on the experience and lessons of the mentor. Spend time together. Talk, yes, but listen more. Ask lots of questions. Try to figure out the blockages, insecurities, and needs of what your brother in Christ needs encouragement to address.

Every Christian leader must indeed be able to teach - to explain our faith. It’s not that hard. I hear my four-year-old grandson understand things many men don’t seem to grasp today. Don’t overcomplicate things, and make it about you. It’s always about God Almighty and His purposes. He loves us and wants the absolute best for us. Why do we often seem more interested in hobbies, politics, sports, and other things of this world than in teaching the ways of Jesus? We can do many of these hobbies and teach the Truth, but be careful to run only the race worth running. Only Jesus determines awards at the end of the day that matter. Let’s run the good race. What good is it to win the whole world and lose your soul? That’s a disaster.

And yes, to those questioning the power of the Holy Spirit, let me share the Truth with you:  the Holy Spirit gives many gifts. Including the gift He gave Agabus: the ability to predict events. Listen to men like Agabus. Test what they say. And then take action like the believers in Antioch did.  

Lord Jesus, help us to get on track and stay on track to run your race. To stay true to You. We know it’s a grind. Please pick us up when we fall, sin, and lack self-control. Please give us a mentor to talk through things and teach us. And give us the determination to run hard when we are tired. Please rejuvenate us between races and purify us so you can use us for good missions like you did, Barnabas. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for this precious life and the opportunity to train and help young men and women of faith in Jesus Christ. Open our hearts to hear from You, our Saviour, so we know where to go and what to do. Help us to take action without paralysis by analysis. And with unity and conviction.  

Help us to be generous, overflowing with sincerity. Thank you for wise and honest brothers in Christ like Barnabas. Thank you to all the faithful brothers and sisters who have gone before us. Please raise up men and women in the Church today that will unwaveringly remove the wicked from the Church, stand on the Truth of God, and serve with integrity. May we not be proud or arrogant, boastful or pompous. May we not fall away but rather stay true to Jesus Christ. And may we be like you, Jesus, sincere, loving, powerful, and wise. Amen.