Daily Devotionals

X Factor of Friendship 1: Wednesday

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. Acts 11:23

There are many things I would not be brave enough to try on my own. I would not get on a roller coaster. I would not run more than one mile on my own. I would even be hesitant to try an unfamiliar food on my own. Do not tell my friends or family, but they could easily convince me to do these things. It is incredible the impact encouraging words can have. Barnabas understood the value of his encouraging words and intentionally encouraged believers in the first-century church. 

Acts 11 tells us that after the first martyr, Stephen, was killed for his faith in Jesus, many believers in Jerusalem scattered. They left Jerusalem and went "as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch" (verse 19). They taught people about Jesus wherever they went, but many only reached out to Jews (verse 19). There were also some brave Christians who also taught Gentiles about Jesus. Hearing rumors of God's ministry to Gentiles, the church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to Antioch to see believers there (verse 22). Scripture teaches that "when he arrived and saw this evidence of God's blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged believers to stay true to the Lord" (verse 23). Barnabas's encouraging spirit was infectious. He understood that these Gentiles who had come to know Christ would face opposition from some Jews and have many unique questions about faith in God, and he used his time and energy to tell them to keep going and remain firm in their faith. This support for new Gentile believers must have been critical for these Christ followers, and Barnabas did not hold back when it came to encouraging them.

Barnabas purposefully sought out those in need of encouragement. What about us? Do we go through each day looking to encourage the people around us? Do we have a mindset of spreading encouragement when encouragement is needed? I urge you, my friend, to make it your mission to have this mindset of encouragement as you go throughout your day.

Moving toward action

Who do you know who is discouraged right now, particularly in their faith? Reach out to them today. Tell them how much God loves them. Tell them to keep going and to lean into God, even now. Let your words of encouragement speak life into them.  

Going Deeper

Acts 11:1-24

"Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God. 2 But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him. 3 "You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them!" they said.

4 Then Peter told them exactly what had happened. 5 "I was in the town of Joppa," he said, "and while I was praying, I went into a trance and saw a vision. Something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners from the sky. And it came right down to me. 6 When I looked inside the sheet, I saw all sorts of tame and wild animals, reptiles, and birds. 7 And I heard a voice say, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.'

8 "'No, Lord,' I replied. 'I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure or unclean.'

9 "But the voice from heaven spoke again: 'Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.' 10 This happened three times before the sheet and all it contained was pulled back up to heaven.

11 "Just then three men who had been sent from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were staying. 12 The Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not to worry that they were Gentiles. These six brothers here accompanied me, and we soon entered the home of the man who had sent for us. 13 He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told him, 'Send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. 14 He will tell you how you and everyone in your household can be saved!'

15 "As I began to speak," Peter continued, "the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning. 16 Then I thought of the Lord's words when he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17 And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God's way?"

18 When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, "We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life."

19 Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen's death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. 20 However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus. 21 The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.

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."