The Evidence

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

THE EVIDENCE

Acts 11:19-24

19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. 22 News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

NIV

It did not matter that these believers were scattered because of the persecution that was connected to the stoning of Stephen; they were still telling the others about Jesus. Some only told other Jews, perhaps thinking that Jesus only came for the Jews, after all, he was Jewish, born in Bethlehem, the city of David. He did many miracles among the Jewish people, and he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. He ended up being crucified, died, and was put in a tomb. However, on the third day, He rose from the grave and is alive. But some came from Cyprus and Cyrene and started telling the message about Jesus to the Greeks, Gentiles, and they turned to Jesus. However, our story is about what Barnabas found upon arriving in Antioch. He saw the evidence of God's grace and was glad. What exactly did Barnabas see? When someone receives the grace of God or lives under it, we believe this indicates we are living in God's favor. We would be living with spiritual blessings and shining with the light of Christ. We would be living with life, and life abundantly, with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Barnabas saw all that in the lives of those new believers in Antioch, and people should see all that within us, because we have turned to Jesus. The Holy Spirit dwelling within us brings with him his gifts and fruit. The Spirit also inspires our faith, hope, and love. Certainly, those evidences were there in the believers at Antioch, and surely that evidence would be there within the local churches today who worship Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. How could it be possible for a believer in Jesus Christ to not have the indwelling of the Spirit, who would be producing his evidence in those believers? Is it possible to not see any evidence of the Spirit in a believer? Could we confess our belief in Jesus, but then not accept the baptism in the Spirit, or quench any of his work, any of his gifts, or not allow him to manifest his fruit in our lives? Is it possible that a believer can think that being holy is all up to themselves? Could a believer think they can live righteously in their own strength? That just could not be, for we know we have no righteousness in ourselves, but only through Jesus can we be made righteous in the eyes of God. Alone, we are powerless, but Jesus is our strength, and when we give the Holy Spirit full access, there will be evidence that others can see. Lawyers present their evidence of a person's guilt or innocence in a court of law, but the Spirit presents His evidence through our lives.