In today's sermon, "The True Identity Of A Christian", according to the section "Summary From Last Week(39)": What is man's whole nature like in God's eyes? Why are we unworthy to be chosen and saved? How are we able to enjoy true freedom and power?
In the section "Now those who had been scattered ... telling the message only to the Jews": How does the Gospel movement progress? Why did God have to scatter them, and how did it begin? Why is it a painful scattering?
Why are all attempts to make a union with man sin? What is God's purpose in dispersion and scattering, according to Ezekiel 12:15? Why does God allow such painful "scattering" in our lives? How do Psalm 18:2 and Psalm 63:3 help you to seek the Lord?
In the section "Some of them, however ... telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus"(v.20): Who were the "some of them" mentioned in verse 20, and how do they fulfill God's covenant in Acts 1:8? How should our faith be like theirs, and what are some of the unnecessary clothes or "filthy rags" mentioned in Isaiah 64:6-7? How does Galatians 3:26-27 say we become "sons of God", and "clothed with Christ"? What is the "Fine linen" mentioned in Revelation 19:7-8? When will God put His clothes on us?
In the section "When he arrived and saw the evidence of the Grace of God ... he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts"(v.23):What is the result of "the Lord's hand" being with "some" disciples of God, and how is this possible? Where and how was this pure gospel delivered? What are some of the high barriers and walls between us, and who divides us in this way? How do we try to resolve these barriers, and what is the only solution? How does Ephesians 2:14-18 address the breaking down of the wall between Jews and Gentiles? What is our Christian living about?
What was the response of the church in Jerusalem when they heard of the many Gentile conversions? Why does Barnabas appear here again, and what could have happened had they sent someone else? How is this similar to the spies of Numbers, chapter 13? In Numbers 14:37, what happened to those who made a bad report? In the progressive revelation of God's Grace, how do we "fight a good fight"?
In the section "Then Barnabus went to Tarsus to look for Saul ... The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch"(vv.25-26): Why was Saul the right person for this mission. Why can't God's Grace be truly realized without the Law? What happens without realizing one's own darkness through the Law?
How did their disciples begin to be called "Christians" first at Antioch? How are true Christians born as seen in our text today? As a result, how did their followers find the same Grace?
In the "Conclusion": What is the true identity of Christians, and how are God's masterpieces created? How is the true distinction of our identity as Christians in the world recognized? How do we continue to receive this identity today?
In "Expanding Horizons", by Ray Stedman: How does Stedman describe the Holy Spirit, and how do we try to control it? How is Acts 11:19-20 sometimes misused by some in showing when the Gospel was first preached to the Gentiles? What were some of Barnabas' qualifications for being chosen to go to Antioch? What were the three reasons for choosing him, as stated in Acts 11:21-24, and how does Stedman further explain each of them? What evidence of the Grace of God did he find there?
How does sharing the gifts of the Spirit truly make a church, and how did Stedman relate it to his meeting with the Christian World Liberation Front? How is Barnabas' encouragement to them likened to 2 Peter 1:3a? In Acts 11:25, what does the word "So" refer to? What is different in the character of Saul now from the Saul he knew ten years ago, as confirmed in Philippians 3:8?
Relate the comparison of the title "Christians" to that of the "Jesus Freaks" on the Berkeley campus. In Acts 11:27-30, what is the meaning of "prophecy", how did the believers show their faith in it, and how do we know it actually came to pass? How is this a testimony to the church body, and what essential characteristics of a church are found here? How does knowing God's plan and seeing it in action in both the scriptures and our daily lives encourage the church body?
In today's daily devotion, entitled "Quiet Rest": How does devotion time, prayer, and listening to Christian hymns help give you peace and rest in your daily life? What is the best time, personally, for you to be alone with the Lord? Take some time to pause and meditate on Psalm 4. What does "Selah" mean? To whom is this Psalm directed, and what was its intended purpose and use?