Hello,
Read Acts 11:19-30
Today’s passage sends the church further north to Antioch where the church grows and expands and followers of Jesus are first called Christians.
As we read about the church at Antioch, take note, because this church will keep popping up on our radar screens as a major launch pad for the missionary movements of Paul. But the church begins because of the persecution that originated from Stephen’s stoning back in Acts 8. People from the island of Cyprus and all the way from Cyrene on the northern coast of Africa come to Antioch and begin proclaiming Jesus to either Greek Jews, or straight up Gentiles and the church takes off.
Jerusalem of course hears about it and sends Barnabas to check in on the church in Antioch. Barnabas is impressed. Barnabas however, goes off to find Saul in Tarsus to bring back to Antioch and Saul teaches and meets with the church for a year. Saul may have been shaped by his time in Tarsus and personal study of the scriptures and Jesus, but the church at Antioch was also incredibly important for his development and understandings of the church.
The church in Antioch is both diverse, and incredibly focused on mission and spreading the good news of Jesus in their community and across the known world. What are some ways the church today can take on characteristics of the church in Antioch? Who are the Barnabas like people in your life, in the church? How might you take on a Barnabas role of encouragement and support within the church and on mission?
Grace and Peace,
Matt
Inductive Questions: (These will be included each day and your work on them will be the foundation we build upon at our Wednesday evening in-person and Zoom Bible Study as we explore the church, mission, and Holy Spirit in Acts.)
Pick at least one of these to be a focus for all of Acts, but answer as many of them as you want.
- What does the church look like in Acts? Who is a part of it? What do they do? How is it formed? How does it relate to mission and the Spirit? In other words (fancy, technical terms) What is the ecclesiology of Acts?
- What does mission look like in Acts? Who does it? What do they do? How does it happen? How does it relate to the church and the Spirit? In other words (fancy, technical terms) What is the missiology of Acts?
- What does the Holy Spirit look like in Acts? What does the Spirit do? How is the Spirit active? How does it relate to church and mission? In other words (fancy, technical terms) What is the pneumatology of Acts?
Answer the question with the language of Acts as much as possible and cite the chapter and verse reference in your notes.