Acts 11. Saul and Ananias. Peter and Cornelius. God is preparing and moving people across the region. It is a time of great change in the early church. Gentiles are becoming Jesus-followers and receiving the Holy Spirit.

I think it’s interesting that the Jewish-Christian church in Jerusalem heard about all the excitement and criticized Peter and those involved (11:2). Peter, for his part, responded to criticism by calmly explaining what he had witnessed (11:3-16) and concluded with the challenge: “If God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” (11:17). This reminds me of the Jewish leaders also being critical and Gamaliel stepping in (Acts 5:38-39). But in this case, the Jewish-Christian church responded much better – with contemplative silence, and then glorifying God for his widespread mercy to all.

A bit later the Jewish-Christian church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas up to Antioch (in modern day Turkey) to check out what was going on. I love Barnabas. He was a good choice for this mission, as he was not one who stirred up conflict or was combative. He was known as the ‘son of encouragement’. “When he came [to Antioch] and saw the grace of God, he was glad and he exhorted them all the remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose… for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith.” (11:23-24). Wouldn’t that last part be a great verse to have on your tombstone?! Barnabas was simply delighted to witness that God was busy changing people’s lives! He didn’t get bogged down in some little complicated theological detail, he was simply full of faith and joy to witness true conversions.

So it is that Antioch became the first Jewish-Gentile, multicultural mixed church; the place where Jesus-followers were first called Christians (11:26). Barnabas knew the church needed teaching, and so he tracked down Saul (who had been studying and reorienting himself, first in Arabia and then in Tarsus) and brought him to Antioch to help disciple the church. For whole year Barnabas and Saul taught and trained this new multicultural church (11:26) and it prospered.

The church is always going through seasons of change, some more dramatic than others. In the face of change, how do you handle the need for a new perspective? With resistance? Excitement? Fear? Uncertainty? In what areas of life are you facing change now? How are you responding to this change?

Lord, help us to trust you with seasons of change in the church. Give us wisdom and discernment. Help us to not fear change or those who are different, but to embrace a multicultural Christian community as representative of the whole kingdom of God. Help us to be willing to disciple and train new Christians, so their faith and the church will flourish. Amen.