WordLive - Year OneSample

Prepare: Thank God for accepting your praise and making you worthy to come into his presence. Helping the faithful This story shows God active among his followers, helping those who faithfully witness (vs 21,22) and speaking through prophets by his Spirit (v 28). Saul reappears, sought out by Barnabas, the friend who helped him before (9:27). They spend a whole year with the new believers, establishing them firmly in the faith (v 26). We don’t know what brought about their name ‘Christians’ (v 26) – it could have been Saul’s teaching which from the start had referred to Jesus as the Messiah (in Greek, the Christ). Or the name may have been a form of mockery by Gentile non-believers. Christ in us Whatever its origin, the believers in Antioch certainly lived up to their new name of ‘Christ-in’ them. Their immediate response to the threat of famine was to show Christ’s love by giving to others in potential need. We should be proud to bear the name of Christ, to be called Christians. But with the name comes the responsibility to do as Jesus did, to willingly share his suffering for a short time as well as share his glory for eternity. Respond: Ask God to show you today how you can honour his name through your sacrificial obedience. He will never ask for more than you can give (v 29). http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-12-13