1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,080 Speaker 1: Let us pray, and it came to pass that a 2 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: whole year they assembled themselves with the church and taught 3 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: much people, and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. 4 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 1: Thank you for giving me the heart of Barnabas Lord, 5 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: Thank you for allowing me to encourage and to speak 6 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 1: life into all those willing to listen as I grow 7 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: and evolve in my faith. I pray that my life 8 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 1: would be a beacon of hope and a model for 9 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: others to follow. As you begin to expand your number 10 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: of believers around me, I pray that we would operate 11 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 1: in such a way that people can see the resemblance 12 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: of Christ in our every day actions and deeds. Through this, 13 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: I pray that revival will break loose in my city, 14 00:00:55,640 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 1: in my state, and in my country. I pray that 15 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:04,679 Speaker 1: we would make such a noise that the whole world 16 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: will look in our direction and wonder where we get 17 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 1: our joy, our peace, and our power from. When asked, 18 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:17,960 Speaker 1: we will rejoice because you are now giving us the 19 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: opportunity to share the greatest love story ever told, the 20 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 1: Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Jesus's name, Amen, listening to 21 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:38,199 Speaker 1: these daily prayers strengthens your relationship with God. Continue hearing 22 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: from the Lord by listening to today's Bible in a Year, 23 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: brought to you by Bible in a Year dot. 24 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 2: Com Little Christs. In our last story, Peter discovered that 25 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 2: the Kingdom of God expanding to more than just the Jews. 26 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 2: Through his interactions with Cornelius, Peter began to learn that 27 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 2: God was going to extend his reach to all the nations. 28 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 2: Now we see the Church expand and grow despite persecution. 29 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 2: Everywhere the Family of God goes, positive change follows, and 30 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:24,519 Speaker 2: the believers begin to create a reputation that would echo 31 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 2: thousands of years into the future. 32 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 3: Welcome to the Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Jack Graham. 33 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:35,800 Speaker 3: In our last episode, we heard how God showed Peter 34 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:38,799 Speaker 3: that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is meant for everyone, 35 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:43,359 Speaker 3: all nations, not just the Jewish people, but people everywhere. 36 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 3: Peter then shared the Gospel with the household of a 37 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 3: Roman centurion named Cornelius, and his whole family came to 38 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 3: faith in Christ. The good News of Jesus was beginning 39 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 3: to spread beyond the Jewish world and Jerusalem, and now 40 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 3: the Word of God is moving throughout the earth. Today 41 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 3: we'll hear how more non Jews around the world began 42 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 3: to embrace the Gospel, and as the church grew, Barnabas 43 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 3: was sent to Antioch to strengthen and encourage the new believers. 44 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 3: So let's listen now to today's reading from the exciting 45 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 3: Book of Acts. 46 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 2: The heavy clanging of chains echoed through the streets of Jerusalem. 47 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 2: Believers in Jesus were rounded up like cattle and thrown 48 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,639 Speaker 2: into prison for their faith. Soon the jail cells were 49 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 2: overflowing with people singing psalms and praises to God. So 50 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 2: the violence increased. Men were fed to lions, and women 51 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 2: were ripped away from their children. Whoever did not receive 52 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 2: a beating received humiliation. So the people of God scattered 53 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 2: to the outer regions of the Roman Empire. Believers in 54 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 2: Jesus fled to Cyprus and Antioch for safe haven. Before 55 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 2: the word was only preached to the Jews, but now 56 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 2: there were rumblings of the revival erupting forth from the Hellenists, 57 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 2: who were Jewish Greeks. So many started coming to know 58 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 2: Jesus that the Apostles sent Barnabas to go and lead them. 59 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 2: They needed someone rational, yet caring. They needed a man 60 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 2: strong enough to lead, but gentle enough to comfort others. 61 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 2: Barnabas was all of these things and more. God had 62 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 2: appointed him with a sharp mind and saintly heart. It 63 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 2: was this mind and heart that resonated with Saul. Barnabas 64 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 2: had taken Saul under his wing and discipled him. The 65 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 2: two spoke of God, Jesus, the Word and miracles. Slowly, 66 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,279 Speaker 2: Saul was growing in the power and wisdom of Christ. 67 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 2: The Hellenistic believers created an infamous reputation in Cyprus and Antioch. 68 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 2: When there was a great famine in the land, the. 69 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 4: Disciples of Jesus sent a great deal of resources to 70 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,599 Speaker 4: meet the city's needs. Believers worked day and night to 71 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:57,679 Speaker 4: ensure everyone was fed and clothed. People observed their self 72 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 4: sacrifice and kindness. They saw there thousands of people being 73 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 4: fed and hundreds of people being healed. The gentiles noticed 74 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:08,720 Speaker 4: that there was something strange about them. They looked and 75 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 4: acted like Jesus himself. They were like little Christs. 76 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 2: Thus people began to refer to them as Christians. 77 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 3: As we begin today's reading, we see that the Gospel 78 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 3: is on the move, The Church is on the move, 79 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 3: The persecution that came as a result of faith in 80 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 3: Jesus Christ has now scattered the Church in Jerusalem, as 81 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 3: believers now moved from their safe haven from Jerusalem to 82 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 3: the uttermost parts of the earth. They're going to places 83 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:45,840 Speaker 3: like Cyprus and Antioch. Though many of the believers were 84 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 3: still stuck in the mindset that the Gospel was for 85 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:52,279 Speaker 3: a select group only and therefore only preached the word 86 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 3: to people who were religious, there were others who, like Peter, 87 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 3: understood that there was a much greater mission, a broader mission. 88 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:03,479 Speaker 3: So in Acts eleven, verses twenty and twenty one, here's 89 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 3: what we find. But there were some of them, men 90 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 3: of Cyprus and Sirene, who, on coming to Antioch, spoke 91 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 3: to the Helenists, also preaching the Lord Jesus. And the 92 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,480 Speaker 3: hand of the Lord was with them. And a great 93 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 3: number who believed turned to the Lord Helenus were Greek 94 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 3: men and women. They were gentiles, and we see that 95 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:25,960 Speaker 3: as they heard the good news, they also received it 96 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 3: by putting their faith in Christ and following him. The 97 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 3: Church is multiplying and now is experiencing an explosion of 98 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:37,599 Speaker 3: growth in these distant cities. This, of course was great 99 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 3: and all a part of God's plan. And when the 100 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 3: Church in Jerusalem received the news that people were being 101 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:46,039 Speaker 3: saved at distant places, they sent a trusted brother in 102 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:50,880 Speaker 3: Christ to help strengthen and instruct these new believers. Barnabas 103 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 3: was one of these men. He was known to be 104 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 3: full of faith and filled with the Holy Spirit. He 105 00:06:57,160 --> 00:07:00,160 Speaker 3: had been the first in Jerusalem to welcome Saul, who 106 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:04,279 Speaker 3: became Paul in his miraculous conversion, and so when Barnabas 107 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:06,919 Speaker 3: saw the need in Antioch, he went to Tarsus to 108 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 3: find Saul and bring him to Antioch. And together these 109 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 3: men taught the believers for an entire year, and their 110 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 3: teaching paid off. These followers of Christ stood out from 111 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 3: the crowd in Antioch. Their generosity and kindness did not 112 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 3: go unnoticed, and soon they earned a moniker little Christ 113 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 3: or Christians. This is the name now with which we 114 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 3: are so familiar, and it began back at Antioch when 115 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 3: the believers there were first called Christians because of their 116 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 3: christ Like attitude and actions. Today's reading reminds us of 117 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 3: the importance of discipling new believers in the faith, and 118 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 3: that this is something that takes time and intentional investment 119 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 3: by more mature believers. Barnabas knew that the believers in 120 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 3: these places needed to be instructed in the faith so 121 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 3: that they would remain true to the Gospel and to 122 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:01,559 Speaker 3: the Word of God. He also understood that Saul, though 123 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 3: he was highly educated in Jewish law and tradition, needing 124 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 3: a mentor in his new faith, someone to walk with him, 125 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 3: to encourage him and prepare him for the ministry to 126 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 3: which God had called him. We all need a Barnabas 127 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 3: or two in our lives, and we should also seek 128 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:20,840 Speaker 3: to be a Barnabas to others, encouraging, mentoring, and bringing 129 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 3: people up in their faith. This reading is also a 130 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 3: reminder of what it means to be called a Christian. 131 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 3: This is not simply a group or a club that 132 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 3: we joined. We are called to reflect Christ into the world, 133 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:37,559 Speaker 3: to remind people of Jesus. That people will see Christ 134 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:42,240 Speaker 3: working in us, and therefore call us Christians. Let's pray together, 135 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 3: Dear God, how we praise you for your goodness and 136 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 3: your grace in taking the Gospel to the whole world 137 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 3: and including all of us who believe in trust in You. 138 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 3: Help us, like those believers in Antioch, to remind people 139 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 3: of Jesus to be models of Christ in the world, 140 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 3: so that when people see our good works, they will 141 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:05,600 Speaker 3: glorify God and believe and follow Jesus himself. For it 142 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 3: is in his name that we pray Amen.