The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. Sermons
I. THE MANY WAYS OF GOD'S WORKING. We may be reminded: 1. How he defeats his enemies. "They which were scattered abroad upon the persecution... traveled... preaching the Word," etc. (ver. 19). If the enemies of the truth had been its best friends, they could not possibly have taken a course more favorable to its circulation and establishment than the one they took. God overrules the designs of his foes, and turns their attacks upon his kingdom into actual support. Again and again has the enmity, the cruelty, the violence, the cunning of sin been compelled to subserve the interests of righteousness. Mischief smites down the standing corn of truth, but, so doing, it sows living seed from which a large harvest will rise. 2. How he teaches his 'fiends. Those who were scattered abroad went "preaching the Word to none but unto the Jews only" (ver. 19). They did not understand that the gospel was intended for mankind: this was an enlargement of view which the Christian Church had then to gain. Its Divine Master had to teach it this most necessary lesson. How should he do this? He might have done so (1) by the direct inspiration of his Holy Spirit; or (2) by manifesting himself to some one of the apostles and conveying through him his mind on the matter. But he chose to do this (3) by the teaching of his providence. "Some of them" - we do not know who, some whose names are lost and will never be discovered - some men from Cyprus and Cyrene, "when they were come to Antioch, spake, unto the Greeks [not 'Grecians'], preaching, the Lord Jesus." And this unpremeditated, irregular work proved to be marvelously successful (see ver. 21). When the Church at Jerusalem heard of these unauthorized proceedings, they dispatched Barnabas to inquire into the matter (see ver. 22). The nobility of his character and excellency of his spirit triumphed over the narrowness of his views, and, instead of disowning and discouraging the work, he acknowledged its Divine origin and furthered it to the height of his power. And thus the seal of apostolic sanction was set to the broader aim and the larger hope. Thus God leads us into his kingdom of truth. He places us in such circumstances that we take right steps without realizing all the consequences therein involved, and then our convictions rise to the height of our actions. 3. How God uses his servants. "Then departed Barnabas... to seek Saul" (ver. 25). Barnabas served God and his race in one way, Saul in another. Barnabas was not the man to do what Paul afterwards did. He had not the evangelizing, organizing, literary faculty in anything like the same degree in which his illustrious colleague possessed it. But he served the Church and the world in his own way. It was a valuable contribution to the cause of Christ and of the kingdom of God to introduce the distrusted convert to the confidence of the Church (Acts 9:27), and to give him such an opening for the exercise and training of his varied powers as that he now enjoyed at Antioch; it was an eminent and precious service thus to place on a firm footing and to bring into the foreground the man who was to be the means of doing such work as Paul accomplished for mankind. What immeasurable service have the fathers and mothers and teachers of our great reformers, evangelists, preachers, etc., rendered their race! Other men have other spheres to fill; that of Paul was the sphere of abounding activity. We may be sure that he had a great deal to do during those twelve months at Antioch, in "teaching many people" (ver. 26). Some in quieter, others in more active scenes; some in virtue of intellectual, others by means of moral and spiritual gifts; some by their influence on a few influential men, others by their action on the multitude; some by impressing their convictions on men by direct personal appeal, others by organizing and arranging; all in the way chosen of God and pleasing to him, play their part and do their work in their hour of opportunity. II. THE ONE WORK OF GOD. At Antioch it became convenient to distinguish the converts to the new faith by some name which marked them off from the Jews; they were called "Christians." It is a mark which speaks of the rising tide of truth. It reminds us that God was working out a grand design, far, far beyond the elevation of a favored nation, viz. the redemption of the whole race of man by faith in Jesus Christ; he was and is engaged in "reconciling the world unto himself in Christ." - C.
The hand of the Lord. 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 hold all the most minute objects; nor can they perform one thousandth part of the skilful acts that man can perform with his hand. What other creature, e.g., can make a watch, or a needle? And there is power in man's hand as well as skill; he can apply force in ways which none of them can approach.I. IN RELATIONS TO GOD HIMSELF, the word "hand" is used — 1. To denote His eternal purpose and almighty power (Acts 4:28, 30). 2. To denote His mighty power to keep, defend, preserve (John 10:28, 29; Isaiah 49:2). 3. To express His rich, providential provision for the wants of all His creatures (Psalm 104:28; 1 Chronicles 29:16). 4. To signify God's right to be, as He is, the sovereign disposer of all circumstances, persons, and events (Psalm 31:15; Job 2:10). 5. When His inflictions and corrections are referred to (Judges 2:15; Psalm 32:4; Hebrews 10:31). 6. To denote His power to help (Psalm 74:11; Ezra 7:6, 9; Ezra 8:18, 22; Nehemiah 2:8, 18; Psalm 80:17; Luke 1:66). As an expression for God's Spirit, putting the spirit of power into us, as well as of love and of a sound mind (Ezekiel 1:3; Ezekiel 3:14, 22; Ezekiel 8:1; Ezekiel 37:1). We can be strong for any high and arduous duty only in His strength; all power indeed, all energy of purpose, all special skill in any art, cometh of Him. And not only is this spoken of as God's "hand" as the mover, but the term is applied to the agent — the doer of the particular thing. The men of the world are spoken of as God's "hand"; and His hand is also to be upon all them for good who seek Him. The "right hand," as specially denoting power, is an expression that often occurs in Scripture, and is almost always applied to God (Psalm 16:11; Psalm 17:7; Psalm 20:6; Psalm 21:8; Psalm 44:3; Psalm 45:4, 9; Psalm 48:10; Psalm 60:5; Psalm 63:8; Psalm 74:11; Isaiah 48:13; Isaiah 62:8; Mark 16:19; Hebrews 1:3, etc., etc.). II. IN RELATION TO MAN the word "hand" is used — 1. To denote power in all its various applications (Proverbs 3:27; Ecclesiastes 9:10). To "give one's hand" is an expression which signifies to pledge peace, promise security, swear friendship, make an alliance. 2. To denote help (Psalm 16:8; Psalm 73:23; Psalm 142:4). 3. To indicate possession, as to rend it out of the hand of anyone denotes deprivation (1 Kings 11:11, 12). 4. For the giving of advice (2 Samuel 14:19, 5). 5. For deliverance from the power and oppression of others (Exodus 18:9, 10). 6. To denote work of any kind (Luke 1:1; Luke 9:62; Acts 20:34; Proverbs 10:4; Proverbs 12:24). (S. Jenner, M. A.) A great number believed, and turned, to the Lord I. THE END WHICH WE DESIRE.1. That men may believe the testimony of Christ to be true. There are some who have not reached as far as that: they reject the inspired Word, and to them the incarnation, etc., are so many old wives' fables. There are also many who profess to believe these things, but their only reason is that they have been taught so, and it is the current religion of the nation. But we want more than this faith of indifference, which is little more than unbelief; we want men to believe for themselves because they have felt the saving power of Christ. We pray that nominal believers may treat the doctrines of revelation, not as dogmas, but as facts. 2. That men may savingly believe by putting their trust in Christ. A man commits his soul to Christ for safe keeping, and that saves him. He makes the Saviour trustee of his spiritual estates. 3. That men may so believe in Jesus that they may be turned unto the Lord. This means —(1) To turn from idols to the living and true God. We desire that faith in Jesus may lead you to give up the objects of your idolatrous love, yourselves, your money, your pleasures, the world, the flesh, the devil.(2) To turn from the love of sin. He who looks sinward has his back to God — he who looks Godward has his back to sin.(3) That henceforth God shall he sought in prayer. The man who lives without prayer lives without God, but the man who has turned to God is familiar with the mercy seat.(4) To yield yourself obediently to His sway. Faith is nothing unless it brings with it a willing mind. II. THE POWER BY WHICH THIS CAN BE ATTAINED. "The hand of the Lord was with them." Be encouraged; the hand of God — 1. Is upon men before we speak. I am studying a certain subject, and praying for a blessing on it, and in a chamber, which I have never seen, one of my hearers is smitten with a sense of sin, or troubled with uneasy thoughts, or rendered hopeful of better things, and thus he is being made ready to accept the Christ whom I shall preach to him. Sickness and pain, shame and poverty, often produce a condition of mind most hopeful for the reception of the gospel. Sow, brother, for God has ploughed. Go up and build, for God has prepared the stones and made ready the foundation. 2. Upon the teachers and preachers themselves. There are strange impulses which come over us at times, which make us think and say what otherwise had never crossed our minds, and these work with power upon men's minds. 3. Upon the hearts of men when the gospel is preached. Not only is the Spirit in the Word, but over and above that He makes men —(1) Recollect their sins. Men who have been giddy and careless and forgetful have on a sudden found themselves reviewing the past.(2) See the beauty of holiness. When the preacher proclaims the way of salvation the Spirit leads men to admire it and to long for a share in it. Yes, it is not the preacher, and it is not altogether what the preacher says, but there is a power abroad as potent as that by which the worlds were made. III. THE DESIRABLENESS OF OUR OBJECT. Because conversions — 1. Promote the extension of truth, godliness, and virtue. 2. Make men happy. If religion be indeed a source of joy to yourself, you are inhuman if you do not wish others to drink of it. 3. Save men from hell. 4. Increase the Church. Self-preservation is a law of nature, and the Church can never preserve herself except by increasing from the world by conversion. 5. Promote the glory of Christ and give Him to see the travail of His soul. 6. Augment personal blessedness. IV. HOW WE MAY PROMOTE ITS ATTAINMENT. 1. We must distinctly aim at it. As a rule, a man does what he tries to do, and not that which is mere by-play. There is the target, and if you continue to shoot into the air long enough an arrow may perhaps strike it; but if you want to win the prize of archery you had better fix your eye upon the white and take your aim distinctly and with skill. 2. We must press upon men the truths which God usually blesses (ver. 20). If we do not preach Christ we shall not see souls saved. Who ever heard of a Unitarian Whitfield, or a Socinian Moody gathering twenty thousand people to listen to a Christless gospel? We must equally avoid the modern intellectual system in all its phases. How many conversions are wrought by displays of genius, fine rhetoric, etc.? Certain views as to man's future are equally to be kept clear of, if you would be the means of conversion. Diminish your ideas of the wrath of God and the terrors of hell, and in that proportion you will diminish the results of your work. Other crotchets and novelties of doctrine are also to be let alone, for they are not likely to promote your object, and will most probably divert men's attention from the vital point. If you want a harvest, look well to your seed. If I had to sow my fields with wheat I would not take any but the very best. 3. We must feel a solemn alarm about souls. Believe their danger, their helplessness, that only Christ can save them, and talk to them as if you meant it. The Holy Spirit will move them by first moving you. 4. There must be much prayer. In your closets, at your family altars, and in your prayer meetings be importunate, and the hand of the Lord must and will be with you. 5. There must be direct personal effort on the part of all of you. Great numbers may be saved by my preaching if the Holy Spirit blesses it, but I shall expect larger numbers if you all turn witnesses for Christ. We must expect converts. "According to your faith so be it unto you." (C. H. Spurgeon.) People Agabus, Barnabas, Christians, Claudius, Cyprians, Cyrenians, Grecians, John, Peter, Saul, Simon, StephenPlaces Caesarea, Cyprus, Cyrene, Jerusalem, Joppa, Judea, Phoenicia, Syrian Antioch, TarsusTopics Believed, Faith, Large, Lord's, Power, Turn, VastOutline 1. Peter, being accused for preaching to the Gentiles,5. makes his defense; 18. which is accepted. 19. The gospel being spread in Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, 22. Barnabas is sent to confirm them. 26. The disciples are first called Christians at Antioch. 27. They send relief to the brothers in Judea in time of famine. Dictionary of Bible Themes Acts 11:21 1265 hand of God 2426 gospel, responses Library April 27 EveningA new name.--REV. 2:17. The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.--Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.--They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.--Ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision … Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path The Exhortation of Barnabas A Nickname Accepted Peter's Apologia The First Preaching at Antioch Repentance unto Life Completion Op the Fifth Continental Journey. From the Ascension to the Church at Antioch. Repentance Some Associated Questions What God Hath Cleansed The Breaking Out of Discord Rome Protects Paul Knowledge and Obedience. Other New Testament Names for "Being Filled with the Spirit. " Luke. For if they be Urged from the Gospel that they Should Put Nothing By... As it Is, However, They, against the Apostle of Christ... Whether Chrism is a Fitting Matter for this Sacrament? How Does it Come? The Ministry of Angels. As That, "Take no Thought for the Morrow... Links Acts 11:21 NIVActs 11:21 NLT Acts 11:21 ESV Acts 11:21 NASB Acts 11:21 KJV Acts 11:21 Bible Apps Acts 11:21 Parallel Acts 11:21 Biblia Paralela Acts 11:21 Chinese Bible Acts 11:21 French Bible Acts 11:21 German Bible Acts 11:21 Commentaries Bible Hub |