The Day of New Beginnings
Taking Giant Steps
In the book of Acts we see how God opened the door to the Gentiles through Peter at the house of Cornelius (Acts 10). In Acts 11 Peter recounts to the church at Jerusalem how the Gentiles received the Word of God. In verse 18 we read, “And when they heard this they quieted down, and glorified God, saying, ‘Well, then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”’ Although this revelation was received by the other apostles and elders in Jerusalem, no one really acted upon it. There was no burden upon the church at Jerusalem to begin to evangelize the Gentiles. This is confirmed in the next verse:
19 So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone.
The next verses, though low key, are very important.
20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.
21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.
22 The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.
23 Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;
24 for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.
25 And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul;
26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Verse 20 relates how men from Cyprus and Cyrene began speaking the Word to the Greeks. When these men began speaking the Word to the Gentiles, it was the first time anyone had made any attempt to act upon what God had revealed to Peter. It was a giant step and departure from what the church had known up until that time. These unnamed men from Cyprus and Cyrene were breaking new ground, manifesting something entirely new. They took a revelation from God and brought it into a present reality. This is tremendous. These men didn’t have a special commission from the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, they didn’t have a great visitation from the Lord telling them to do what they did. They simply took what God had revealed and began to act upon it. Through the initiative of their faith they loosed a whole new aspect of the Kingdom of God.
Things were set in motion through these men’s actions that led to the establishment of the church at Antioch. Barnabus was sent to Antioch by the church at Jerusalem to check out what was happening. When he arrived he witnessed the moving of God and rejoiced. Barnabus then tracked Paul down and brought him to Antioch as well. For an entire year they met with the believers there and taught them. The establishment of the church there led to the commissioning of Paul as the apostle to the Gentiles.
Acts 13:
1 ¶ Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
4 ¶ So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit…
The commissioning of Paul and Barnabus led to the Gospel being proclaimed throughout all Asia. It was from the initiative of the two unnamed men from Cyprus and Cyrene that led to the ministry that “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6).
How does all this apply to us in the present? Over the last few decades we have seen experiences and ministries restored that have not been experienced since the early church. Much revelation has come forth concerning the kingdom of God. Men and women of vision have opened the door by revelation just as Peter did in the house of Cornelius to explore and walk in higher realms in God than have been experienced until now. There is a ministry of evangelism emphasizing the Lordship of Jesus Christ to be walked in that exceeds anything that has been done in the church age.
Where are we in all of this? Are we content just to know its been revealed as the church in Jerusalem was, or is there something being birthed in us that is a drive to see the fulfillment of what God has spoken? It’s not by accident those brothers from Cyprus and Cyrene were nameless. It illustrates the Kingdom of God in its fullness will be brought forth by believers that are nothing special. They will not be big shots with big names and a huge following. “Fear not little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32).”
There is an initiative of faith created by God for this hour as it was for the early church. God is looking for those anonymous men and women who will take His Word to heart and act upon it. There are aspects of the Kingdom of God that have not been manifested yet. Where are the ones who will break new ground and bring it to birth?