Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for Saul.Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:And he went forth to Tarsus to seek for Saul;
3 sermons cite this verse
… next we encourage people not just by blessing the work of god but by creating space for the destiny of others same passage acts 11 look at what it says then barnabas went to tarsus to look for saul and when he found him he brought him to antioch so for a whole year barnabas and saul met with the church taught great numbers of people the disciples were called christians first at Antioch. Now Barnabas is in the middle of a move of God, multitudes turning to the Lord and in the middle of it he stops. You know what he says? Saul has a call on his life to the Gentiles and I know that Saul's promise because he listened to his conversion story was that he was going to be used to stand before rulers and kings of the Gentiles and so in the middle of a move of God he leaves Antioch, travels hundreds of miles away to find Saul who's laboring in obscurity. The word that's used in the Greek means a diligent search. He really looked for him. …
… and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Verse 25 says Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. So Luke's pretty intentional here, but it doesn't stop there. Turn over to Acts chapter 14. Look at Acts chapter 14, verse 1. Paul and Barnabas come to a place called Iconium. They preach the gospel there. Listen to what happens. Acts chapter 14, verse 1 says, at Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue, and there they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. Same chapter, look at verse 21. they come back to Antioch in Syria chapter 14 verse 21 says they preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples it continues on look at chapter 17 we looked at 16 5 we saw him mention numbers there look at Acts chapter 17 verse 4 they're in Thessalonica now Paul is preaching the gospel there and listen to what Paul says or listen to what Luke tells us Acts chapter 17 verse 4 says some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women. In other words, a lot of prominent women. Now look in the same chapter over in verse 12 in Berea. The same thing happens there. …
And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year, they met with the church there and taught a great many people. And in Antioch, the disciples were first called Christians. So get the picture. Now the gospel spread, not just to Jewish people, but to Gentiles or Greeks, specifically in Antioch, where a church is planted, and it's the first place that the disciples, followers of Jesus, are called Christians. Now, one other place, keep going to Acts chapter 13. Turn over there where we pick up this church in Antioch. It says, in this church, there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, who we've already heard about, Simeon, who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manan, a lifelong friend of Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul, who we've also heard about. Now watch this. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I've called them. …