LAY PREACHERS. Acts, xi, 22, 23. "Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem; and they sent forth Barnabas that he should go as far as Antioch, who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord." We read at the nineteenth verse that they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen, chap. viii, 1-5, travelled as far as Phenice, to the north, and Cyprus, to the west, and Antioch in Syria, to the east, preaching the Word to none but unto the Jews only. It appears that some of them were not aware of the recent introduction of the gospel to the Gentiles, as related in the last chapter. There were others of them, however-men of Cyrene-who had probably heard of Peter's vision, and determined to follow his example; and in pursuance of that resolution, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And although they were neither apostles, nor deacons, nor ordained ministers, but laymen-probably artisans-the hand of the Lord was with them; and a great multitude believed, and turned unto the Lord. And when tidings of these things came unto the ears of the mother church, which was at Jerusalem-not at Rome-they sent forth Barnabas that he should go as far as Antioch, and see how far these tidings were founded in truth, and how the work was prospering. Their conduct was praise-worthy, and the selection of their man judicious. Consider, I. The character of the man whom they sent. III. What he did. I. The character of the man whom they sent. 1. The man whom the church at Jerusalem sent to Antioch to inspect the great revival there, was just the man for the mission. We have an honourable, though brief account of him given in the twenty-fourth verse of this chapter:-"He was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith." As it regards the natural state of Barnabas-that state in which he was born-he was no better than others. He was born in sin, and shapen in iniquity; a fallen and depraved creature; a child of wrath, even as others; but he had been renewed, converted, created anew in Christ Jesus ; born again of the Spirit, become a new creature, passed from death unto life; and hence it was that Barnabas was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith. He was an Israelite, indeed, in whom there was no guile;-a descendant from the tribe of Levi, and, like some of the instruments of the revival, was a native of the island of Cyprus, and would therefore probably be known by some of them. His proper name was Joses, to which, after his conversion to Christianity, the apostles added that of Barnabas, signifying the son of consolation, or the son of prophecy; and he was one of those who sold his estate, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostle's feet, that it might be cast into the common treasury; chap. iv, 36. He first introduced St. Paul, after his conversion, to the church at Jerusalem; and was the intimate friend and companion of that apostle, and sought him out, and brought him from Tarsus, as the most competent person to assist him in the oversight of the young converts at Antioch. After some time, these two good men were sent from Antioch to Jerusalem with pecuniary relief which the church contributed to the brethren which dwelt in Judea, to assist them during a famine which was then prevalent; and upon their return, they were soon afterwards sent away from Antioch upon their first missionary tour. After this, Paul and Barnabas separated, in consequence of a difference of opinion which arose between them respecting the propriety of taking with them, on a supervision of the churches, John Mark, their former associate, and the nephew of Barnabas, who had left them on a former occasion; chap. xiii, 13. The contention became sharp; but it cannot be proved that there was anything like sinful anger or violence in either of them; but in the issue, Paul chose Silas, and went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches; and Barnabas took Mark, and sailed to Cyprus; and thus they parted, but not in vindictive malice; chap. xv, 36-41. They were again reconciled to each other. Paul afterwards makes honourable mention of Barnabas as a fellow-labourer; and John Mark also was again admitted by Paul as a fellow-servant and minister of Jesus Christ. Col. iv, 10. The testimony of the sacred biographer concerning Barnabas is that he was a good man, and good attended him. 2. He was full of the Holy Ghost. He had not only received the Holy Ghost, and was led by the Spirit, but he was full of the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of holiness was in him, not as a transient visitor, but as a constant abiding resident. His understanding, judgment, will and affections were all under the sacred and perpetual influence of the Holy Spirit; and being full of the Holy Ghost, he was, by consequence, full of the love of God, and therefore a fit and proper person to visit the converts at Antioch, joying and rejoicing under the influence of their first love. He would be a welcome visitor amongst them, and would rejoice over them with joy. 3. He was full of faith. He was not only a believer, one who lived and walked by faith; he was not only sound in the faith, and strong in faith, but he was full of faith, and therefore emptied of unbelief. He believed the Word and promise of God with all his heart. He looked for light, life, help, and comfort for himself and others, and he did not look in vain. He prayed in simple faith, and his prayers were answered. He expected success in his ministry, and he was not disappointed. When the Cyprians and the Cyreneans preached at Antioch, the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord; and when Barnabas came amongst them, by the exercise of his ministry, much people was added unto the Lord; and why? because the Word was mixed with faith, both in them who heard, and in him who preached. And when in the time of Satan's sifting, the confidence of the lambs was ready to grow faint and give way; what a blessing to have with them a man full of the Holy Ghost and of faith! II. What did Barnabas see and feel? 1. He saw the grace of God. In the assembly of his saints, he saw manifest marks and traces of the grace of God. Antioch was at that time the capital of Syria, and a place of great resort. It had been the seat of Antiochus Epiphanes, from whom it took its name. This prince was the most cruel and inveterate enemy of the church and people of God, and the most direct and eminent type of anti-Christ; and his capital was the most dissolute and abandoned of all the cities of the east; and yet, by the preaching of a few plain men, God had erected here, upon the ground of this grand enemy, the first great standard of the gospel among the Gentiles. Into the religious assemblies it is very probable that Barnabas would witness the ingress of both Jews and Gentiles, led there by curiosity to mock and blaspheme. He would also behold the effects produced upon them by the mighty power of God-smiting them down, and at once subduing and humbling their hearts, causing them to be devout and earnest suppliants at the throne of grace, and constraining them to cry out-Men and brethren, what shall we do? 2. Amongst the believers he would find many who but very recently had been the votaries of idolatry, heathenism and superstition, but had now become the sincere worshippers of the true God, and the disciples and servants of Jesus Christ-those who before were stupid and ferocious, now docile and meek; and those who before were driven and tossed by evil propensities and passions, now led by the Spirit, and sitting at the feet of Jesus. God had given to them the Holy Ghost, and purified their hearts by faith, and they were saved; chap. xv, 9-12. He was glad. He was not envious because he and the apostles had not been at the head of this good work, but glad that God had so graciously owned the labours of these lay brethren at Antioch; that He had also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life; and that so many believed, and were added unto the church of Christ. Narrow-minded bigots may doubt, and sneer, and snarl, if in all things they have not the pre-eminence; but no such feeling existed in the rich and holy soul of the son of consolation-he was glad; and every true lover and servant of Jesus Christ will always have the same feeling when he sees genuine marks of the grace of God. III. What did Barnabas do when he saw this? 1. He exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. He would show them the superior excellency of that grace wherein they stood, and rejoiced in hope of the glory of God; and that in order to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ had made them free, they must, with full purpose of heart, cleave unto the Lord. He world not conceal from them the fact, that it is through much tribulation that the saints enter the kingdom; that they who will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution; that their adversary, the devil, goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour; and that many are the afflictions of the righteous. But he would also tell them that they would be more than conquerors through Him that had loved them, provided they did but cleave unto Him with purpose of heart. He would show them that they would stand in need of a constant supply of grace to enable them to endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ; that it would be their advantage to grow in grace, because by thus growing they would increase their moral courage and spiritual strength, their faith, and love, and peace, and joy; but in order thus to grow and increase, it would be needful to cleave unto the Lord with purpose of heart, like the ivy to the oak, the branch to the vine. 2. Giving exhortations of this kind was the apostolic method of teaching and preaching; (see chap. xiii, 43; and xiv, 22;) and all those who have the care and cure of souls should imitate them and often urge young converts to cleave unto the Lord with purpose of heart. 3. He went for Saul. He had before introduced Saul to the church at Jerusalem, chap. ix, 27; but when his life was in danger there, the brethren sent him to his native place. Ver. 30. Barnabas, therefore, did not return to Jerusalem, but went to Cesarea, and took ship, and coasted the Mediterranean till he came to the mouth of the Cydnus, and then sailed up that river till he came |