1 QUOTE

“The basics are never boring.”

-  Darrell Johnson

1 NOTE

Last week in the 1-1-1, we explored the conversion of Barnabas. He was in Jerusalem during the Pentecost festival with his sister (Mary) and nephew (John Mark). The Levitical priest, from the Cyprus islands, was among the 120 who were filled with the Holy Spirit. Luke tells us that everyone was cut to the heart under Peter’s preaching. They must respond with action-oriented faith. This theme is repeated seven times in Luke-Acts: after the word goes out, the people ask, “what must we do?” This is sharply contrasted by the religious leaders who ask a similar question after the lame man is healed: ““What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it” (Acts 4:16). But what does it mean to repent and be baptized?

Barnabas, along with 3,000 new converts, shows us what repentance looks like. The Holy Spirit creates a supernatural devotion in his heart and mind. The word devoted means ‘a steadfast, consistent course of action.’ Young people today would say, “Barnabas was locked in.” He repented by devoting himself to the teaching of the apostles, prayer, fellowship and the meals. The first disciples repented from Jewish doctrine into the apostle’s teaching. The first disciples repented from the high priest model into personal prayer. The first disciples repented from temple events into intimate fellowship. And the first disciples repented from a history of grumbling in the wilderness to eating meals with glad and generous hearts.

Word, prayer, fellowship and meals is Luke’s four-fold definition of the New Testament church. These are the basics. Barnabas was brilliant in the basics!

1 QUESTION

How goes your devotion to the basics of the Christian faith?

Until Next Tuesday,

John