A Good Man

Acts 11:19-30

Introduction

1.       Some of the them (20)

a.       The word “Grecians” in 11:20 is not the same as the word in 6:1, where it means “Hellenized Jews.” Here, the word actually means “Greeks”—in other words, Gentiles.

b.      The hand of the Lord: great number believed, and turned unto the Lord

c.       “Some of them”: unnamed. God just doesn’t use the seeming superstar Christians.

d.      Several notable deeds in the Bible are by unnamed people.

2.       The church in Jerusalem heard what was going on.

3.       They sent Barnabas (22) as they had sent Peter and John to investigate the Samaritans coming to Christ in Acts 8:14-17

4.       He was a good man (24)

a.       Full of the Holy Ghost

b.      Full of faith

5.       God is looking for a few good men

A Good Man

1.       What he saw (24)

a.       The spiritually minded or “good man” will see spiritual things

b.      He saw the grace of God (24).

                                                               i.      How do you see the grace of God?

1.       Transformed lives

2.       Rejoicing Christians

c.       A good man sees the good, not just the negative.

d.      Paul always praised the good and commended the praiseworthy in his letters

2.       How he reacted (24)

a.       He was glad.

b.      It is OK to be happy.

c.       Acts 2:25-27 "(25)For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: (26)Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: (27)Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."

d.      Luke 8:1 "And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,"

e.      Luke 8:40 "And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him."

f.        Luke 15:32 "It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found."

g.       John 20:20 "(20)And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord."

h.      Acts 2:41 "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."

i.         Acts 2:46 "(46)And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,"

j.        Some people only smile when some tragedy has just occurred.

k.       Good godly men rejoice over the grace of God manifest in the lives of precious souls.

3.       What he did (23)

a.       Exhorted

b.      “purpose of heart”: determination

c.       “cleave unto the Lord”: holding on

4.       Who he enlisted (25-2)6

a.       Saul was not readily received by many

b.      Barnabas saw potential

                                                               i.      Do you see what people could be?

c.       Barnabas sought out Saul in Tarsus

                                                               i.      It takes efforts to enlist laborers

d.      He found him

                                                               i.      Persistence: You didn’t have to worry about Barnabas stopping before the job was done

                                                             ii.      Proverbs 25:19 "Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint."

                                                            iii.      Trains in Argentina: British controlled versus Argentine controlled.

e.      He brought him again with him to Antioch

                                                               i.      Fire and forget.

5.       The results (26)

a.       Assembled: 1 whole year (with the church)

                                                               i.      You can’t assemble with the invisible universal church

                                                             ii.      With God’s people

b.      Taught much people

                                                               i.      Edifying the believers

c.       Called Christians first in Antioch

                                                               i.      Christ-like

                                                             ii.      No accident that it happened here.

d.      These maturing believers cared for the needs of others (27-30)

                                                               i.      They heard the challenge

                                                             ii.      They reached into their pocket books

                                                            iii.      They did something great.