Acts 11:1-30

Barnabas Again

There are a few dozen in every crowd. When the brothers in Jerusalem heard about what had happened at Cornelius’ house some of them criticized Peter for going there. When will we ever learn? His thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are not our ways. The remarkable thing here is that after Peter explained how things happened those who criticized him had no further objections and concluded that God had granted the gospel to the Gentiles. (They apparently hadn’t understood that the “all creatures” part of the Great Commission meant “all creatures.”) I say with no hint of sarcasm that the fact that these guys actually changed their minds was clearly a sign that the Holy Spirit was working among them. Would that we saw such signs more often today.

There are a few dozen in every crowd but fortunately there is usually also one in every crowd. Here we read the name Barnabas again. The gospel had spread to Antioch to the Gentiles. The church decided to send Barnabas. Perfect choice. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith. When he arrived in Antioch he encouraged the people. Remember, he was given the name Barnabas because it means “Son of Encouragement.”

But he didn’t stop there. Many would have set up shop in this growing church and settled into a nice comfortable position, not Barnabas. He remembered a guy who needed a larger scope for ministry and who would likely fit well into this situation. He went looking for him. When he found Saul he brought him to Antioch and spent a whole year teaching with him. It didn’t stop there but this passage does.

Imagine how different thing might have been for the young faith had Barnabas not been willing to share leadership with his fiery friend from Tarsus. He wasn’t just willing. He went and got him. Now that’s a good man filled with the Holy Spirit.