Encouraged

Scripture: Acts 11:19-30 (Click Link) 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. (Acts 11:22-24 NLT) During the persecution that followed Stephen’s death, many believers had scattered from Jerusalem, taking their faith and their Good News message with them. Some of them settled in Antioch of Syria and as they shared their faith and as even the Gentiles believed in Jesus, a group formed. It was a baby church! And they needed some teaching and assistance, so the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to check it out. Good choice, guys, to send Barnabas! Barnabas arrived in Antioch and what he saw was the evidence of God’s grace and blessing on Jews and Gentiles together in one church! Someone else might have seen that they weren’t keeping the Jewish laws, and that they had bacon with their eggs for breakfast. Barnabas saw beyond the Jewish-Gentile differences and saw God’s Grace at work in a multi-cultural gathering of believers. That made Barnabas really happy and Barnabas did what he does best, he encouraged them. He didn’t criticize them, he didn’t compare them to the Jerusalem church, he didn’t tell them they’d be better off to do things the Jerusalem way. He simply encouraged them!

Barnabas said, “Guys, you’re doing great! Don’t worry about trying to become like us Jerusalemites. Your faith started with Jesus, not Moses, so keep it that way! Be Jesus People. In fact you can be Jesus Freaks if you want to!” I’m going to write more on Encouragement later in the year, but I’m writing about Barnabas today, because this COVID-19 Pandemic season (which will pass, by the way!) is a time when we all need to be Encouraged! (En-couraged means to be filled with courage.) This is a time to be like Barnabas and focus on what really matters. This is a time to see God’s grace at work in people and not get caught up in trying to make people think just like we do or become just like we are. Look for the Grace in people and in situations and when you see it, Encourage it! Prayer:

Father, Please may we be like Barnabas and see the Grace of God in people. And may we, like Barnabas, encourage Grace wherever we find it. For Jesus’ sake! Amen.