When Barnabas came down from Jerusalem to Antioch, he first thought of Saul, his zealous brother in Tarsus. This chief city of Cilicia, in the southeastern portion of Asia Minor, was about 200 kilometers from Antioch. The fatherly Barnabas took advantage of the first opportunity to look for his zealous friend. He knew the rapidly growing church in Antioch needed someone versed in theology, for new life and spiritual knowledge needed to be built solidly on the prophecies of the Law and the Book of Psalms. Barnabas knew Saul from the time Saul persecuted the church at Jerusalem. Barnabas believed in Saul´s conversion, for the Lord of Glory had appeared to him near Damascus.
Barnabas, the Cypriot, searched for Saul until he found him. He was glad to see him and find out that he had not fallen away, but was still continuing in Christ. He asked the theologian to accompany him, and together they went back to Antioch. There they cooperated for a whole year in preaching, teaching, building up, and comforting the hearers - prayerfully, faithfully, and triumphantly.
The Holy Spirit used Barnabas a second time as the connecting link between Saul and the Christian Church. We testify gratefully to this service of Barnabas in bringing Saul into the church. There he confirmed the apostle of the Gentiles. This act had a great impact in the history of the church. God used the power and strength of the Antioch church to bring a sea of grace to the whole world.
The scholars of the law and the prophets of the Old Testament often lived isolated and apart from their people. Mediating between God and man they towered high above the multitudes. Yet in Antioch Saul learned from Barnabas the opposite of isolation: common service in the church, mutual submission in love, and patient and humble cooperation. Barnabas became the fatherly teacher of Saul in all things relating to spiritual fellowship, where longsuffering, confidence, and hope are the foundation on which love can grow (1 Corinthian 13: 1- 8). Through their mutual service in loving cooperation, the church greatly increased in number and in spiritual quality.
It is no wonder that those who believed in Jesus in Antioch were the first to be called Christians, for Christ had filled their thoughts and words and His love had become their emblem. The Lord’s promise to anoint with the Holy Spirit found its fulfillment in the followers of Him who had been raised from the dead. Do you know that the word “Christ” means both the anointer and the anointed one? In the Old Testament kings, high priests, and prophets received the anointment of the Holy Spirit through the symbol of the holy oil. We believe that Christ is the King of kings, the High Priest, and the embodied Word of God. He calls you together with all those who follow Him to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We become a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that we may proclaim the praises of him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9). All the riches of God our Father are hidden in the word “Christian”, for all those He has anointed with His Spirit are His children. At the same time they are members in the spiritual body of Christ, pressed tightly together, made unto a temple of the Holy Spirit. He who penetrates deeply into the meaning of the word “Christian” is filled with a spirit of joy and praises God in the Holy Trinity. He calls us to be witnesses to our living Savior, who made us partners and partakers of His cross. Do you thank your Lord that He made you a Christian only because of His abundant grace?
Christians, however, do not live in heaven, but on earth. Their Lord said to them: “In me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) The Holy Spirit warned the Christians through Agabus, a prophet of the New Testament, that a great famine would come on all the people, even the wrath of God proclaimed on all the dissoluteness of men. This famine took place during the reign of Claudius Caesar (A.D. 41- 54). Christians suffer the same tribulations as the world. They are, however, not left in the turbulent waves of disaster, for the love of God has been poured out in their hearts through the Holy Spirit.
A miracle happened in Antioch after this prophecy. God did not, to save Christians from the hunger to come, rain down bread from heaven on them. The Holy Spirit had instead, in answer to their prayers, made known that they should cease from primarily providing for themselves. They were to think how they could practically help the poor church in Jerusalem. The church of Antioch did not establish a common fund in order to ease the burden of tribulation coming upon its members. Rather, they agreed to make a contribution for their poor brothers at Jerusalem. Was this not an unreasonable act of stupidity? The Holy Spirit foretells of a world famine and the believers send their money to help the needy! The love of the Holy Spirit is stronger than any of our selfishness. If you want to know whether you are a true Christian or not, ask yourself how often you make a practical sacrifice with your money to help the needy?
The church placed the collected money into the hands of the two preachers, for they knew that these men of God would not use a penny for themselves. They knew their willingness to sacrifice what they possessed for God. Paul, especially, was known to live from the work of his hands and not take gifts for himself. Barnabas´ answer to the church at Jerusalem, who had commissioned him to inquire about the state of the church at Antioch, was in the bringing of a considerable amount of money to help the poor believers. What he presented to the Jerusalem Church was a proof of the love of the Holy Spirit working in the new church at Antioch.
We read that Barnabas and Saul did not deliver this donation to the apostles, but to the elders in charge of the churches in the Jewish region. Luke gives no hint as to when these elders were chosen from among these churches, or how their service was organized outside of Jerusalem. The churches were growing, the gospel was spreading, and the power of the Holy Spirit was appearing.