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THE KING’S BUSINESS
love o f gold (cf. ch. 4:36, 37) and he was free from personal ambition and jealousy in his work (cf. vs. 25, 26). He also was very sharp-sighted to see the sincerity and promise o f a young convert (v. 25; cf. 9:27). The natural outcome o f the yisit o f such a man as Barnabas and such a work as' his was that “much people was added unto the Lord.” There will usually be such .results following such work and by such a man." It is to be .carefully noted that these people were not added to Barna bas, nor to the Barnabasian denomination, but “unto the Lord.” ' vs. 25,. 26. “ Then departed Barnabas (And he went forth) to Tarsus, for (omit, for) to seek (add for) Saul. And when he. had'found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that (add, i even for) a whole year they assembled themselves (were gathered together) with the church, and taught much people, and (add, that) the disciples were called Chris tians first in Antioch." Here we see Bar nabas showing his largeness pf spirit in still another way. He said to himself, “ This is just the place for Saul; I will go and get him,” and evidently he went and found him and brought him to Antioch. For a whole year Barnabas and Saul worked together in Antioch, and their work was greatly' blessed. Their ministry consisted largely in teaching, systematic inculcation o f revealed truth. That is just the work that is more needed than any thing else today. The disciples were given at this time the name by which they have been best known since, “ Christians,” i. e., those who belong to Christ. Thè name apparently was given to them by others, and quite likely was. given to them in contempt (cf. ch. 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). But in whatever way the name was given to them it was a glorious name and they clung to it. p ch. 13 :1. “Now there were in the church that Was at Antioch (Now there were at Antioch in the church that was there), certain (omit, certain) prophets and teacheri: as (omit, as) Barnabas, and
Simeon ( Symeon) that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had ' been brought up with Herod ( the foster brother of Herod) the tetrarch, and Saul." The church at Antioch had five “prophets and teachers” worthy o f men tion by name. This early Gentile church because a fountain o f life and light to many other places. It was the radiating point from which missionaries went out in vari ous directions. It was the point o f depart ure and return for Paul in various mis sionary tours. v. 2. “ (Add And) as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the j work whereunto I have called them.” The Holy Spirit was the only presiding officer in the church, and is still. It is He that selects men for work and sends them forth to the work. It is to Him that we shoùld look for direction as to where to go and what to do. Note just when it was that the Holy Spirit spoke to them, “as they ministered to the Lord and fasted.” The form o f their ministry to the Lord is not defined, it is suggested by the union o f fasting and prayer in the following verse, that it was by prayer in this case also, but very likely it was not limited to this. If we would spend more time and strength in ministering to the Lord and fasting and prayer we would have more frequent and clearer leadings o f the Spirit. The fasting is important as well as the prayer, for a Spirit-filled man rarely accompanies an over-filled 'stomach. It is not isaid just how the Spirit spoke, whether in an audible voice, o f silently, in the inner recesses o f the heart; but He spoke in an unmistakable way. It was no vague, uncertain impulse such as men sometimes call' “ the voice of the Spirit.” He is -just as ready to speak today as He was then if we will only pro- ' vide the proper conditions for His speak ing and listen so we can hear His voice when He does speak. It was the Holy Spirit’s work to call ( it was man’s work to recognize the call, and set the called apart for thè work. Those who ignore
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