Written by Kevin Gatschene

Today we are looking at Acts 11

After Stephen’s death many believers fled Jerusalem. They traveled great distances and preached only to the Jews. Some believers, however, traveled to Antioch where they preached to the Gentiles. This was very risky, as many believed that the message of salvation was only for the Jews.

It was this risk that brought on an ‘explosion’ of Christianity, as many Gentiles in Antioch became believers.

One result of this is seen in Acts 11:27-30. Here was the church in Antioch helping out the church in Jerusalem. The daughter church had grown enough to be able to help the established church. They all gave according to their means. (2 Corinthians 9: 7)

If those believers who fled Jerusalem had not taken the risk to go to Antioch there would have been no help for the believers in Jerusalem during the famine. The church in Antioch carried the vision far beyond what the church in Jerusalem could have imagined.

Imagine what might happen if we took a risk like these 2 churches! Imagine how we might be encouraged like the church in Jerusalem! Imagine how far the gospel might spread like the church in Antioch