Sermon: The Gospel is For All (Church Expansion In Antioch)
Scripture: Acts 11:19-30 “Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. 20 However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus. 21 The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. 22 When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. 24 Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. 25 Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.) 27 During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) 29 So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. 30 This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.”
Introduction: The early Christian Church grew rapidly as the Holy Spirit guided it through conflict, deception, prejudice and crisis. It seems that none of the Jews including Peter really understood that God would bring salvation to the whole world. During this time, the conversion of Paul added fuel to the revival fires. One of most exciting events happened in Acts 10, as Cornelius, a God-fearing centurion, a Roman commander and his family was saved and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. God used this event to help Peter overcome his inner prejudice and realize that God is no respecter of persons, but desires to save the whole world. God reached out to Cornelius because Cornelius actively sought after God and revered God. He also had a heart for the people, and he prayed continually. Cornelius was evangelistic minded even before he was converted. When he sent for Peter, he also sent for his family members and friends. When Peter arrived, they all were waiting and were willing to receive the word of the Lord.
Up to this point, the Apostles were the leading participants in the Church growth movement. Now gentiles were eagerly to respond to the good news of Jesus Christ. Yet they wondered, “Is it really for us.” “Is this message for all.” The church at Antioch was the first include Gentile believers and that church became a powerful branch of the Christian church. What does it mean to be a powerful church? What does a powerful church look like? I believe a church can only be as powerful as its leadership and people. This text shows what can happen when believers follow the Holy Spirit, recognizes the value in all people, and use their gifts, strength and influence to carry out God’s plan. The text says, “when they were come to Antioch, spoke unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord.” While the apostles remained at Jerusalem, the church was on the move and continued to grow. How could laymen, simply believers cause the church to grow? Believers cause church growth by being open to the Holy Spirit’s leadership, getting involved personally, and welcoming all who came. If the church is going to expand and grow again, it must do the same.
1. The Antioch Believers Were Open to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was leading the church to take the Gospel to the world. This church was made up of people from the island of Cyprus and northern Africa. Being raised up around different nationalities and cultures, doing business in these seaport areas, added to their openness. They believed God was for all people and wanted all to be saved. They saw value in all people and appreciated all people. This church was full of immigrants, how could they reject anyone. If the church is going to expand and grow again, it must be open to all.
2. The Antioch Believers Showed Love and Hospitality to All. There were no apostles present to motivate or encourage these believers. The church in Antioch did not have a single apostle involved in its founding. The truth is, there was no official leadership present in any of this work. In fact, the church in Jerusalem did not even know this work was even taking place until they received word. The church in Antioch was born completely from the work of lay people. We don’t even know their names, only where they were from. The work was done because believers were actively involved showing hospitality to all, accepting all, using their gifts, and demonstrating God’s unconditional love. They had personal conversation with people about their lives and what they believed, then from that common ground they told what they believed about Jesus, about who He is, what He did and why they believe He is the Savior of the world. They explained the reason for their faith in Jesus. These believers shared the truth about Jesus and the good news that the forgiveness of sins is possible, and God’s promise of salvation is available to all who believe. If the church is going to expand and grow again, believers must actively be involved showing hospitality to all, accepting all, and loving all. Love and kindness will open hearts to God’s message. Love is the first ministry of all believers. The believers at Antioch accepted and loved people, they saw value in everyone. These believers shared their faith without partiality. They wanted everyone to be saved.
3. The Antioch Believers Share the Gospel with All. These were multiracial, multi-cultural believers from the island of Cyprus and Cyrene, a place in northern Africa. They spoke with different accents. They were more open and willing to share the truth with everyone. The mainline Jewish Church only shared the gospel with other Jews. But the men who founded the Antioch church made no such distinction. They shared the good news of Jesus with anyone and everyone that they met. The power of God was with them and upon their work. Jesus died for all people and God’s deep desire is that everyone comes to know Him through a relationship with His son, Jesus the Christ. God’s great commission in the Gospels extends His divine invitation to the whole world to become the children of God. In Revelation 22:17, He calls out to the whole world again by saying, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
The church at Antioch embraced God’s call to the whole world. They were open and inclusive, willing to accept men and women from every race, creed, and culture. And it is likely that these Cyprians and Cyrenians had heard of Peter's mission to Caesarea, and they followed his example by offering the Christian faith to All. These men were willing to enter new harvest fields to expand God’s kingdom influence. They reaped a great harvest of souls. They had not been taught that Gentiles could be saved, but the witnessed what the Holy Spirit was doing among them, so they kept preaching the gospel to everyone.
God is still leading believers into new fields of labor. Will we dare follow His lead? If we all get involved, and share His message with everyone, we can be sure His hand will be with us. His message is still Jesus came to forgive, save, heal, and deliver all mankind. Jesus Christ came into this world as a human being, lived a sinless life, died in our place to pay our sin debt. The third day, he rose from the dead that we might justified. He made salvation available for whosoever will come to Him in faith, believing. Whosoever includes the whole human race. If the church is going to expand and grow again, believers must be open to the Holy Spirit, Show love and kindness to all, share the Good News with all we encounter that will receive it.
4. The Antioch Believers Had God’s Hand of Blessings Upon Them. The Hand of the Lord upon them and went with them confirming the word they spoke. Believers need the hand of Christ upon them and upon all they attempt for God. The same hand that created the world and brought order out of chaos; the same hand that formed the body of Adam and blew the breath of life in him, we need that same hand of God bringing order into our lives and ministry. The same hand that healed the lame, the blind, the deaf and demon possessed was with the believers at Antioch and was on their ministry. Those same hands that was nailed to the cross was with them through the power of the Holy Spirit. His presence is powerful, transforming, and real. His hand breaks the power of Satan and gives strength to the weak. The Holy Spirit gives courage to the fearful and gives hope to the hopeless. Holy Spirit can bring life to the dead spirits and awaken them to life. When Spirited filled believers get involved following the Holy Spirit, showing love and kindness, sharing their faith stories and proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ, God’s hand will be with them, and transformation will take place. The results will be amazing and great numbers of people will believe and turn to the Lord.
Believers today are called to this same work. Every time we gather to worship, we must scatter to serve. We are called to go into the “Antiochs” of our lives and get involved loving God, loving people, using our gifts and sharing His message. It is not the work of clergy only, it’s the work of the Body of Christ collectively. I believe the same results can happen again as believers do their part in the harvest field. All believers must get involved, and share the Good News in their personal world, then wait expectantly as the Lord of the harvest does His work. Just as God showed them favor, keeping His hand upon, He will show us favor. God accompanied their preaching with divine power and the kingdom increased. When the Lord accompanies the preaching of the gospel with his divine power, multitudes will believe, turn from their sins, and turn to our God. His presence and power are needed and should be sought by everyone, preachers, and laymen, who desire the success in life and ministry. We should pray that His hand be upon us, empowering us as we accept the challenge to go into all the world and make disciples of all men. I believe the Lord’s hand will be upon all that will go.
Matthew 28:19, 20 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Mark 16:20 “And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”
