Transforming Hearts
Acts 11:19–30
“Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.”
The martyrdom of St. Stephen had been the spark of the explosion of the Gospel and expansion of the Early Church (v. 19). This scattering of the seeds of salvation is also not possible without a cogent message of “first importance”, “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles… (I Cor 15:3–7).” This is the work of a sovereign God of all time and the universe, no less! The Apostles, such as St. Barnabas, were filled with the Holy Spirit as they went through towns to share this Greatest News Ever (v. 24). Not only did the Holy Spirit sustained individuals but also the community itself. He had raised up prophets and St. Agabus predicted of a famine (v. 28), just like the patriarch, Joseph, who himself attests the power is from God and not himself: “Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no-one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it." "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he is seeks (Gen 41:15-16).” Not a few contemporary historians attest to this event around 45-50AD, for instance, the Jewish historian Josephus (in his ‘Antiquities’, chapter 20), and also Roman historians: Seutonius mentions this famine in ‘Life of Claudius’ chapter 18: “There was a scarcity of food, which was the result of bad harvests that occurred during a span of several years.” Tacitus mentions it in his Annals, chapter 11 of a similar vision. But the Holy Spirit’s work is not limited to the power of foresight, as awesome as that is, but most importantly of transforming hearts like that of Saul of Tarsus; the Church, a new people, gave unto each other during this difficult time (vv. 29-30). Let God Holy Spirit transform our hearts as well and give us Christ-like lovingkindness and generosity, the grace from God that we may “share with God's people who are in need and practise hospitality (Rom 12:13),” and remain true to the Lord with all our hearts (v. 23). God said to the prophet Ezekiel, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh (Eze 36:26).” And indeed, “therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone (II Cor 5:17).”
“Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.”
The martyrdom of St. Stephen had been the spark of the explosion of the Gospel and expansion of the Early Church (v. 19). This scattering of the seeds of salvation is also not possible without a cogent message of “first importance”, “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles… (I Cor 15:3–7).” This is the work of a sovereign God of all time and the universe, no less! The Apostles, such as St. Barnabas, were filled with the Holy Spirit as they went through towns to share this Greatest News Ever (v. 24). Not only did the Holy Spirit sustained individuals but also the community itself. He had raised up prophets and St. Agabus predicted of a famine (v. 28), just like the patriarch, Joseph, who himself attests the power is from God and not himself: “Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no-one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it." "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he is seeks (Gen 41:15-16).” Not a few contemporary historians attest to this event around 45-50AD, for instance, the Jewish historian Josephus (in his ‘Antiquities’, chapter 20), and also Roman historians: Seutonius mentions this famine in ‘Life of Claudius’ chapter 18: “There was a scarcity of food, which was the result of bad harvests that occurred during a span of several years.” Tacitus mentions it in his Annals, chapter 11 of a similar vision. But the Holy Spirit’s work is not limited to the power of foresight, as awesome as that is, but most importantly of transforming hearts like that of Saul of Tarsus; the Church, a new people, gave unto each other during this difficult time (vv. 29-30). Let God Holy Spirit transform our hearts as well and give us Christ-like lovingkindness and generosity, the grace from God that we may “share with God's people who are in need and practise hospitality (Rom 12:13),” and remain true to the Lord with all our hearts (v. 23). God said to the prophet Ezekiel, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh (Eze 36:26).” And indeed, “therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone (II Cor 5:17).”
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