Kindness (Acts 11:25-12:5)

Acts 11:25-12:5

²⁵ Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, ²⁶ and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

²⁷ During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) ²⁹ The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. ³⁰ This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

^12:1It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. ² He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. ³ When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. ⁴ After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. ^[1]

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What strikes me in today’s passage is the response of the Antioch church to the prophecy by Agabus.  Or rather I should say that it was the response of the Antioch church to the perceived need of their brothers and sisters in Judea.   This is the first activity attributed to the church in Antioch after they became known as “Christian.”

This is a reminder of the importance of acting in kindness to help those in need.  This is not a peripheral activity for those who bear Christ’s name.  This is part of the mission.   This activity begun in Antioch continues at St. John’s today through our Mission Farm, the Table, Comfort Dog, and in other ways.

But it also continues as I respond individually to the needs of those around me:  Visiting a friend in the hospital.  Bringing a meal to someone going through a hard time.  Calling on a friend who has been in mourning.  Welcoming a new neighbor who may have few friends in their new home.    In these ways we bring the love of Christ into people’s lives in a concrete way.

So my prayer today is that the Spirit would give me eyes to see the needs around me and a heart willing and eager to do what I can to be of help.  I pray that I might be the hands and feet of Christ and so live His love.

 

What is the Word leading you to pray about today?

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^[1] The New International Version. 2011 (Ac 11:25–12:5). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.