“Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord there.”
Acts 15:35 (NLT)
Antioch wasn’t just a stop on the map. It was a wide open space of God’s favor and grace, a place where the Word of the Lord could be taught and preached, and where faith could be strengthened. Antioch wasn’t just busy; it was blessed, and you can see it in what grew there.
After the letter was delivered and received with great joy, Judas and Silas spoke at length by the Holy Spirit through the gift of prophecy to these new believers. Acts 15 shows they carried real weight in the church, and they weren’t there to perform; they were there to strengthen. The letter settled doctrine, but their prophecy and preaching brought a different kind of encouragement and strengthening, showing believers what they get to step into because Jesus has brought them near.
Judas and Silas didn’t rush in and rush out. They stayed for a while, loving on this body of believers, teaching crowds, and helping Gentile believers see the opportunities and promises available to them because they’re now in relationship with God through Jesus. And when the assignment from Jerusalem was complete, the church blessed them in peace. Judas went back, but Silas was convicted to stay, and Antioch kept becoming a place where the gospel of peace was preached and faith was built up.
Antioch of Syria is a Rehoboth. In Genesis 26:22, God made it possible for Isaac to prosper through a new well that Isaac called Rehoboth (which means open space). The church in Antioch is a picture of that same kind of place. Paul kept coming back to Antioch for a reason, and Barnabas rejoiced when he saw the evidence of God’s grace on that people. God wants to create more wide open spaces like this, but without humility and unity, the word is not shared through those gifted to do it. So let’s be continually obedient like Paul and Barnabas. Let’s go to our Antioch, give in our Antioch, be sent from our Antioch, come back to our Antioch, and keep relying on the grace of God that still creates places like Antioch today.