Acts - Week 38

Week 38 Acts 11, 12 

Day 1 

READ 

Acts 11:22-24 

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. 

The Jewish believers in Jerusalem were always concerned about spiritual activities taking place elsewhere. Were these really of God or not? Some of the Jewish believers in Antioch had begun preaching to the Gentiles, so those in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to check things out. He was “filled with joy” when he saw the way God had worked in the lives of those in Antioch. Barnabas encouraged them to “stay true to the Lord.” He was a man whose life was dominated by the Holy Spirit.  

REFLECT 

What do you do when you hear of others who have trusted in Jesus for salvation? Hopefully you rejoice with them and encourage them to stay true to the Lord.  

RESPOND 

With your disciple, read Colossians 3:5-11. Talk about why this is a good passage to share with others whether or not they are young believers.  

Day 2 

READ 

Acts 11:25-26 

25 Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.) 

Barnabas recognized he needed help so he went to Tarsus to find that former religious radical whom he had befriended. He had brought Saul to the apostles to tell them about his conversion on the way to Damascus. Now Saul would be a trusted companion of Barnabas as they labored in Antioch for a full year. Believers were first called “Christians” in Antioch. This term referred to the followers of Christ and distinguished them from First Century Judaism. 

REFLECT 

Are you pleased to be called a “Christian”? Sometimes it is used in the New Testament as a derogatory term, but it was cherished by true believers. 

RESPOND 

The early church went through persecution after Stephen, the first martyr, was killed. The apostle Peter wrote 1 Peter 4:12-13 to encourage those being persecuted. You and your disciple need to pray for those suffering persecution for Christ even now. 

Day 3 

READ 

Acts 11:27-28 

27 During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) 

Agabus prophesied of a famine during the reign of Claudius Caesar, which would have been A.D. 41-54. The need to help others was more apparent than ever. This is the background for offerings being sent to help the poor in Judea. It is refreshing to see that early church believers were concerned in helping others. No one had commanded it; they were doing it willingly. 

REFLECT 

As you go to the Lord in prayer each day, do you think about the material needs of your brothers and sisters in Christ?  

RESPOND 

Read Acts 4:32-37 to be reminded how the believers sacrificed to help other believers. In that passage you also see Barnabas, a key person now in Antioch with Saul. 

Day 4 

READ 

Acts 11:29-30 

29 So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. 30 This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem. 

Notice that the believers gave as much as they could. No one was forcing this on them by demanding a specific amount. Note also that the money was given to the elders to distribute. At the conclusion of Acts 4 it was given to the apostles. These of highest regard and authority were handling the money to distribute to the needy.  

REFLECT 

It is important that those with the highest regard for spiritual matters are controlling the finances. It may be delegated to others, but it must always be handled by spirit-filled believers who can wisely handle finances.  

RESPOND 

With your disciple, read 1 Timothy 3:1-10, a passage giving the qualifications of church leaders. Notice that money is mentioned. They are not to be ones who love money or are dishonest with it. 

Day 5 

READ 

Acts 12:1-3 

1 About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. 2 He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword. 3 When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration.) 

The Herods were a line of Roman rulers, from Herod the Great (the one who tried to kill baby Jesus when He was born) to this Herod Agrippa, his grandson. This Herod did various things that pleased the Jewish people, one of which was to persecute Christians. He had James killed and when he saw how that pleased the Jews, he had Peter arrested. The Christians were being persecuted. How would God respond to this? 

REFLECT 

It is a stressful time when followers of Christ are persecuted. The sovereign God of the universe could intervene if He chose to do so but does not always choose to do so. 

READ 

See Acts 9:3-6 to be reminded what Saul—the great persecutor of the Church—was told by Jesus. Note especially whom Jesus considers is really being persecuted.