Bible Study - Acts 11: 19-30

Read Acts chapter 11 verses 19-30

Take a small group of believers and add the Holy Spirit. The message of the gospel was truly spreading like wildfire! Barnabas, whose name literally meant 'son of encouragement', was sent by the church to find out just what was happening and to get alongside the new believers. You need to bear in mind that this new church was increasing in numbers, as even Gentiles were fast becoming believers. Just imagine what Peter and Barnabas had to face - for most of their lives, they had been taught about the Old Testament covenant between God and his chosen people. Now they were facing the reality of seeing God being available to anyone and everyone.

Filled with the Spirit of God, the New Testament prophets brought urgent messages to the early believers. But what was their purpose? Well, they were the ones who listened to God, then gave those early Christians the kick they needed to put their faith into action.

In this case, the church raided their piggy banks, clubbed together and made sure that their Christian family in Judea were not going to starve, whatever the outcome of the predicted famine.

And this is a picture of what church should be like. So often our churches don't bear the faintest resemblance to what God originally designed. From the smallest to the largest group of Christians, church is all about being a community, a support network. It's about family. Yet, we so often see our churches fail to make even the slightest impact on the places they're supposed to be serving. And we each need to take responsibility for it. Our Christianity ought to be expressed by the way we live - Jesus needs to be in everything we do.

Questions

How often are we challenged to move from our place of comfort, to confront something that goes completely against our whole way of life?

In what ways does the Church today fulfil the original plan?

And are there ways in which we as a Church could do a better job?

Norbury Parish Church, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire. Telephone: 0161-483 8640