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Pointers on the Lesson, H omer A. K en t , T h .D. Helps for the Children, A llison A rrowood
Lesson material is based upon outlines of the International Sunday School Lessons copyrighted by the International Council of Religious Education; used by permission.
Feb. 5, 1950 THE FIRST GENTILE CHURCH Acts 11:19-26; 13:1-3
Pointers on the Lesson The church at Antioch was one of the results of persecution. When persecution arose following the stoning of Stephen, many believers were scattered through out the eastern world, many of them settling in populous centers like Antioch of Syria. They were faithful in bearing witness to their faith. Compare 8:1 where this fact is emphasized even as in our lesson. The church at Antioch arose not because of apostolic witness but through the faithfulness of ordinary Christians. This suggests what can be done today when the laymen in the church are on fire for God. The Establishment of the Church 11:19-21 The church at Antioch was born out of the Word of God (19). Compare First Peter 1 :23. No true congregation of be lievers ever came into being apart from God’s Word. Let every preacher and teacher realize this. Some of those who witnessed in Antioch limited their testi mony to the Jews. Their prejudices had not yet been conquered. However, there were others, not from Jerusalem, who witnessed to the Gentiles. They are called Greeks in the lesson but were those who were living in the idolatry of paganism. As the Lord Jesus was preached, many believed and turned to the Lord (21). A church was born. The Edification of the Church 11:22-26 It is not enough that new converts be born into the church. They need to be nurtured, encouraged, and built up in the faith. And so in the case of Antioch, the Jerusalem believers hearing reports of what was happening there, sent Bar nabas to see what needed to be done. Barnabas must have been greatly pleased as he saw the manifestations of the grace of God there (23). How is it pos sible to see the grace of God in be lievers? By their transformed lives and chaste conversation. The grace of God in this sense ought to be seen in the life of every believer.
Barnabas exhorted these new Chris tians to cleave unto the Lord. That is, he taught them to remain faithful to the things of God, to read the Word of God, to pray much, to fellowship with the saints, and to follow on to know the Lord better each day. Barnabas could do this effectively because he was “ a good man.” He was “ full of the Holy Ghost and of faith” (24). His witness bore rich fruit age. It is- imperative that the servant of God shall have a life consistent with his profession if his teaching is to be blessed of God. Then Saul of Tarsus, who had left Jerusalem some time before this on ac count of difficulties, was asked by Bar nabas to come and aid in the work at Antioch. How favored was this church! For a whole year Barnabas and Saul labored there instructing the church in the things of God. Believers were distin guished from others by being first called Christians at Antioch (26). Indeed a fit ting name—“ Christ’s ones,” “ anointed ones,” “Jesus’ men.” Among the Chinese the word for Christian is a word mean ing “Jesus man.” That is what a Chris tian really is. The Church Reaching Out 13:1-3 Happy any church where the Holy Spirit and the church work together in perfect harmony in sending forth mis sionaries to evangelize the world! Helps for the Children Living Up to the Name Christian Acts 11:19-30 Memory Verse: “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Stephen was dead. Those who had killed him were happy; perhaps they could kill or punish all of these people who recently had become followers of the Son of God. The Christians fled to other cities and to other countries to save their T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
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