_And the apostles and brethren … heard … And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him._ THE DISPUTE IN THE EARLY CHURCH Learn-- 1. That even among God’s saints no one has been without blemish and folly. 2. That we must not put down the faults of... [ Continue Reading ]
_But I said, Not so, Lord._ NOT SO, LORD How mental and moral characteristics cling to a man even after he has received grace! It is a false theory of conversion which represents human nature as changed. Grace is a principle working a slow and gradual change--“First the blade, then the ear, then t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved._ WORDS WHEREBY WE MAY BE SAVED I am about to tell you such words; yet I am far from supposing that this announcement of my purpose is calculated to ensure to my message that attention which it demands; for man is interested... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life._ REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE Consider-- I. Certain false repentances. 1. Trembling beneath the sound of the gospel is not repentance. “Felix trembled,” but had no sorrow for sin. 2. You may be “almost persuaded” to turn to Christ, you m... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now they which were scattered abroad … travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch._ CHRISTIANITY AT ANTIOCH I. Its entrance into antioch. Here (Acts 11:19) we discover-- 1. Evil overruled for good. The very efforts to crush the gospel gave it new vigour and a wider sweep. Thus it has e... [ Continue Reading ]
_The hand of the Lord._ THE HAND The word “hand” occurs in Scripture no fewer than 1,295 times. Man is the only being on earth that is furnished with two hands. Some other creatures have claws, but not hands. They cannot do as you can, make the thumb meet all the four fingers, so as to seize and h... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then tidings of these things came to the ears of the Church,…and they sent forth Barnabas._ A ST. BARNABAS THE NEED OF THE HOUR You know the strain and the stress of the situation recorded in my text. We are speaking of Antioch, to which Barnabas is sent. Here, then, we have a strong, central, org... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad._ THE GRACE OF GOD I. Its source. 1. God is the God of all grace (1 Peter 5:10). 2. God is the giver of (Psalms 84:11). 3. God’s throne is the throne of (Hebrews 4:16). 4. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of (Zechariah 12:10; Hebrews 10:2... [ Continue Reading ]
_For he was a good man._ THE FEAST OF ST. BARNABAS THE APOSTLE: TOLERANCE OF RELIGIOUS ERROR The text says that “he was a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and of faith.” This praise of goodness is explained by his very name, Barnabas, “the Son of Consolation,” which was given him, as it appears, to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus for to seek Saul._ SAUL BROUGHT TO ANTIOCH; BURIED TALENT CALLED FORTH TO ITS APPROPRIATE FIELD OF LABOUR How Saul had been employed all this time (Acts 9:30) we have no means of ascertaining. We cannot well doubt that he would bring the claims of Christianity bef... [ Continue Reading ]
_And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch._ FRUIT FROM THE GENTILES 1. The relation between the old Church at Jerusalem and the new at Antioch was that which St. Paul, writing under parallel circumstances, described in Romans 15:27 (_cf. _2 Corinthians 9:12) . It was a becoming... [ Continue Reading ]