Grounded in God’s Word

He rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord.
–Acts 11:23

In Acts 11, the number of Gentile believers in Antioch was growing. When the believers in Jerusalem heard about it, “they sent Barnabas off to Antioch” (v. 22). Remember Barnabas, the Son of Encouragement? We met him in Acts 4 when he gave a gift to the church and inspired other members to give. Then we saw him again in Acts 9 when he stood up for the newly converted apostle Paul. So when the church wanted to send somebody to encourage the new Christians in Antioch, of course they sent Barnabas.

Verse 23 says, “When he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord.” Barnabas understood something that is still true today: New Christians are in danger of falling away from the faith because they haven’t yet developed the spiritual roots they need to stay strong. It’s important to encourage and nurture new believers so they don’t become discouraged when problems arise.

After Barnabas’s arrival, “considerable numbers were brought to the Lord” (v. 24). Barnabas realized he could not handle this exponential growth on his own, so he colored outside the lines of tradition by hiring the first church staff member in history. Barnabas brought Paul to Antioch, “and for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers” (v. 26).

Notice the primary activity of Barnabas and Paul: They “taught considerable numbers.” The church at Antioch got together to hear the Word of God taught. Barnabas and Paul understood that the only way these new Christians were going to survive in a spiritual cesspool like Antioch was to be taught God’s Word.

That’s true today as well. Being grounded in God’s Word is the only way we will survive in our culture. If we don’t know the Bible, then we will be susceptible to discouragement and temptation and swayed more easily by unbiblical ideas. God’s plan is for us to grow strong through the teaching of His Word in the church.

Today’s devotion is adapted from “Coloring Outside the Lines,” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2022.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.