神将外邦人纳入祂的家，这一拓展并没有停在彼得遇见哥尼流的事件。由于迫害而分散的信徒们使得越来越多的犹太人听到耶稣，在安提阿，一些信徒开始将福音分享给希腊人和其他外邦人。
耶路撒冷的教会想要装备这些安提阿的新信徒。他们为此挑选的人是巴拿巴，他名字的意思是“安慰之子”（徒 4:36）。于是巴拿巴开始在安提阿服事，许多人都顺服了主。
神也激励巴拿巴去寻找扫罗，把他带到安提阿的事工中。早早些时候，巴拿巴还曾将保罗引荐给使徒们（徒 9:27），现在，他又一次成了一座桥梁。第二年，扫罗和巴拿巴“教训了许多人”。那里的信徒与耶稣如此契合，以至于一个术语“基督徒”——意思就是“小基督”成了他们荣誉的徽章。
最后一段经文显示出，桥梁是双向工作的。当有大饥荒来临，犹太地区打击惨重时，安提阿的教会又差派巴拿巴和扫罗把捐项带给犹太的弟兄。搭桥就是神想要我们一起同工的方式。
万国万民的神，愿我们被挑战去成为桥梁，愿意服事所有我们遇见的人。愿你开启我们的双眼，愿我们的心与你一同跳动。阿们。
使徒行传 11:19-30
19那些因司提反的事遭患难四散的门徒，直走到腓尼基和塞浦路斯并安提阿，他们不向别人讲道，只向犹太人讲。
20但内中有塞浦路斯和古利奈人，他们到了安提阿，也向希腊人传讲主耶稣。
21主与他们同在，信而归主的人就很多了。
22这风声传到耶路撒冷教会人的耳中，他们就打发巴拿巴出去，走到安提阿为止。
23他到了那里，看见神所赐的恩就欢喜，劝勉众人立定心志，恒久靠主。
24这巴拿巴原是个好人，被圣灵充满，大有信心。于是，有许多人归服了主。
25他又往大数去找扫罗，
26找着了，就带他到安提阿去。他们足有一年的工夫和教会一同聚集，教训了许多人。门徒称为“基督徒”是从安提阿起首。
27当那些日子，有几位先知从耶路撒冷下到安提阿。
28内中有一位名叫亚迦布，站起来，藉着圣灵指明天下将有大饥荒；这事到克劳迪年间果然有了。
29于是门徒定意照各人的力量捐钱，送去供给住在犹太的弟兄。
30他们就这样行，把捐项托巴拿巴和扫罗送到众长老那里。
“Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch.” — Acts 11:25-26
The expansion of God’s family to include the Gentiles did not stop with Peter’s encounter with Cornelius. The scattering of believers because of persecution led to more and more Jews hearing about Jesus, and in Antioch some believers began sharing the good news with Greeks and other Gentiles.
The church at Jerusalem wanted to equip these new believers in Antioch. And the person whom they chose to do this was Barnabas, whose name means “son of Encouragement” (Acts 4:36). Barnabas began ministering in Antioch, and many people came to believe in the Lord.
God also motivated Barnabas to look for Saul and to bring him into the work in Antioch. Barnabas had introduced Saul earlier to the apostles (Acts 9:27), and now he became a bridge builder again. For the next year, Saul and Barnabas “taught great numbers of people.” And the believers there became so identified with Jesus that a term of ridicule, Christians — meaning “little christs” — became a badge of honor.
The final verses of our passage show us that the bridge works both ways. When a severe famine came into the region and Judea was hit hard, the church in Antioch sent Barnabas and Saul with gifts for the people in Judea. Bridge building is the way God wants us to work together.
God of all people and places, may we be challenged to live as bridge builders who desire to serve whomever we meet. May our eyes be opened and our hearts be in rhythm with yours. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
