Friday Devo
Scripture:
Acts 11
27 During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) 29 So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. 30 This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.
27 During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) 29 So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. 30 This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.
Commentary:
11:27–30 The Offering for Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas represented the Antioch church by conveying its offering to the Jerusalem church in a time of need. This offering may have inspired Paul for his own organizing of an offering for Jerusalem sometime later (see notes on 20:3; Rom. 15:25–28). Paul says in Gal. 2:1 that this second visit to Jerusalem (Acts 11:30) took place “after fourteen years” (presumably 14 years after his conversion), which would place this visit in either a.d. 45, 46, or 47. Most commentators believe that these calculations of years were not made according to modern standards of counting (which would require 14 full years) but by ancient “inclusive” methods, in which part of a year was still counted as a year. Paul’s “fourteen years” could have been as little as a month or two from the first year, plus 12 whole years, plus a month or two from the final year, giving about twelve and a half years by modern reckoning. Likewise, the “after three years” of Gal. 1:18 could be as little as one and a half years.
11:27 Christian prophets are mentioned elsewhere in Acts (13:1; 15:32; 21:9). Their role involved edification and encouragement as they spoke things that had been revealed to them by the Holy Spirit. Sometimes such prophecies foretold the future, as Agabus did here (see also 21:4, 10–11). On the gift of prophecy, see note on 1 Cor. 12:10 and other notes on 1 Corinthians 12–14.
11:28 a great famine. There were several famines in various parts of the Roman Empire during the reign of Claudius (a.d. 41–54) including several in Judea in the early years of his reign. Historians believe that this famine took place in the years a.d. 45–46 or else 47. Over all the world is a general prediction of the many regional famines that took place during Claudius’s reign.
11:30 The reference to elders marks a transition in day-to-day leadership of the Jerusalem church (cf. 4:35–37; 6:1–6).
11:27 Christian prophets are mentioned elsewhere in Acts (13:1; 15:32; 21:9). Their role involved edification and encouragement as they spoke things that had been revealed to them by the Holy Spirit. Sometimes such prophecies foretold the future, as Agabus did here (see also 21:4, 10–11). On the gift of prophecy, see note on 1 Cor. 12:10 and other notes on 1 Corinthians 12–14.
11:28 a great famine. There were several famines in various parts of the Roman Empire during the reign of Claudius (a.d. 41–54) including several in Judea in the early years of his reign. Historians believe that this famine took place in the years a.d. 45–46 or else 47. Over all the world is a general prediction of the many regional famines that took place during Claudius’s reign.
11:30 The reference to elders marks a transition in day-to-day leadership of the Jerusalem church (cf. 4:35–37; 6:1–6).
Questions:
- In verse 28 someone gives a prophetic word about a coming famine. Believers in Antioch responded by collecting money to send to the believers in Judea. EVERYONE gave as much as they could. This is yet another piece of evidence of a Christian. They were eager to GIVE. This has been one of the hallmarks of the early church. They were extremely generous at every opportunity. What does YOUR giving look like? Do you give when you hear of the need? When you give, is it reluctant? Or are you eager to be generous?
- Brandon finished on Sunday by asking everyone one question: Are you a REAL Christian? If you were put on trial for being a Jesus follower, would they have enough evidence to convict? If they looked at the way you spend your time, money, at your text messages, behaviors, habits, social media, the way you talk and treat other people... what conclusion would they come to? Is there anything God is asking you to tweak in your life?
Prayer Topics:
- That you would be an eager giver.
- That you would live your life submitted to Jesus.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
2. Are there sources outside the Bible that confirm the Biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? Many Roman and Jewish historians have confirmed that the apostles died as martyrs for preaching that they saw Jesus risen from the grave. No one dies for something they know to be a lie.
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
No Comments