Introduction
How many of you own an Apple iPhone?
The first Apple iPhone was sold in 2007. That was a mere seventeen years ago.
As of September 2024, there are an estimated 1.382 billion active iPhone users worldwide.
In the third quarter of 2024, Apple’s iPhone had a worldwide market share of just over 16% of new smartphone sales.
In the US, iPhone has a 60.77% market share.
As remarkable as these numbers are, I suggest they pale compared to the spread of God's grace.
The Book of Acts tells the story of how Christianity spread like wildfire.
It began in Jerusalem, where Jesus died and then rose again from the dead.
Then, God's grace spread to Judea, Samaria, Syria, Greece, Rome, and the ends of the earth.
Indeed, God’s people were turning the world upside down by telling others about the grace of God, which is found only in the good news about Jesus Christ.
In Acts 8, we learned how Christianity spread to Samaria. God’s grace bridged the chasm of hatred between the Jews and the Samaritans.
In Acts 10, we learned how Christianity spread to the Gentiles of Caesarea. God’s grace pulled down the walls of prejudice between Jews and all other people groups.
We learned that the Gospel was intended for all people, indeed, for all people groups in the world.
Today, in Acts 11:19-30, we will learn about the spread of Christianity all the way north along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to the chief city of Syria, Antioch.
We will see how the grace of God transforms lives and communities.
Scripture
Let’s read Acts 11:19-30:
19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). 29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
Lesson
Acts 11:19-30 teaches us that God’s grace transforms lives and communities.
Let’s use the following outline:
1. God’s Grace Spreads Boundlessly (11:19-21)
2. God’s Grace Encourages Faithfulness (11:22-24)
3. God’s Grace Defines Identity (11:25-26)
4. God’s Grace Acts Generously (11:27-30)
I. God’s Grace Spreads Boundlessly (11:19-21)
First, God’s grace spreads soundlessly.
After the resurrection of Jesus in Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit filled the believers with Jesus’ resurrection power.
The believers boldly testified to the good news that Jesus was alive. Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, and the only Savior of sinners.
Thousands of people in Jerusalem were converted by the grace of God.
But for months, the focus of believers was on Jerusalem.
So, God sent persecution to scatter the Christians and to encourage them to obey Jesus’ command in Acts 1:8 to be his witnesses “in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
And scatter they did. Luke tells us in verse 19a, “Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch.”
Interestingly, even at this time, some of the believers were only sharing the grace of God with fellow Jews, as we read in verse 19b, “… speaking the word to no one except Jews.”
I don’t know why they spoke the word only to Jews.
Perhaps they had not yet heard about what had happened to Peter and his encounter with Cornelius and that the gospel was intended for all people groups.
Whatever the reason, some of the believers shared the grace of God only with fellow Jews.
But, we learn in verse 20, “But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus.”
The Hellenists were non-Jews.
The men of Cyprus and Cyrene, however, understood that the grace of God was intended for all people, indeed, for all people groups.
What happened when they shared the grace of God with the Hellenists?
Verse 21 tells us the answer: “And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.”
The grace of God was spreading soundlessly.
There are no boundaries to the grace of God.
This is what the angel told the shepherds in Bethlehem after the birth of Jesus:
“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10).
The good news of the gospel is for all people.
Nicky Cruz was born in Puerto Rico to parents who practiced spiritualist and occult traditions. His upbringing was marred by extreme violence and neglect.
His mother would often tell him he was “the son of Satan,” and he endured severe physical and emotional abuse.
These experiences hardened Cruz, filling him with anger and hatred.
By his teenage years, he was sent to live with his brother in New York City, where he quickly became involved in crime.
Cruz joined the notorious street gang known as the Mau Maus and, by 18, became its leader.
The gang was known for violence, extortion, and deadly fights with rival groups.
Cruz was feared in the streets, and he believed that love and compassion were weaknesses.
He was convinced that if there were a God, he would never want anything to do with someone as broken and evil as Cruz.
However, things began to change when a preacher named David Wilkerson felt called to minister to gang members in New York City.
One day, Wilkerson encountered Cruz and told him that Jesus loved him and would never stop loving him.
Cruz responded violently, threatening the preacher and even spitting in his face.
But Wilkerson’s message stayed with him, haunting Cruz’s mind.
Not long after, Wilkerson held a meeting in the neighborhood and invited Cruz and his gang to attend.
Surprisingly, Cruz went.
During the meeting, he felt overwhelmed by emotions he couldn’t explain.
He later described the moment as though an unseen power was breaking through the walls around his heart.
That was the grace of God changing his life.
For the first time, Cruz felt loved and understood.
Cruz accepted Jesus as his Savior, breaking down in tears and experiencing what he described as a miraculous sense of peace and liberation.
Cruz’s transformation was so dramatic that it shocked everyone who knew him.
He left the gang life, reconciled with people he had once hated, and started a new path.
Eventually, he became an evangelist, sharing his story around the world and reaching out to those who felt as lost and hopeless as he once did.
The boundless grace of God changed Nicky Cruz.
The boundless grace of God can change anyone.
Perhaps you are here today because you think God would not want to have anything to do with someone like you.
Let me assure you that God’s grace spreads boundlessly and can even reach someone like you.
II. God’s Grace Encourages Faithfulness (11:22-24)
Second, God’s grace encourages faithfulness.
In Antioch, Jews and Gentiles were coming to know God's grace personally and experientially.
God's grace was changing the lives of all kinds of people, just as God intended the gospel to do.
Word of what was happening was sent to the church leaders in Jerusalem, for they were still there.
Luke tells us in verse 22, “The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.”
Barnabas arrived in Antioch. He was known as the “Son of Encouragement.”
He talked with the older Christians.
He talked with the newer Christians.
In verse 23, we read, “When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose.”
Corrie Ten Boom and her family were devout Christians who believed in living out their faith by loving and serving others.
During the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in World War II, they joined the Dutch resistance, hiding Jewish families in a secret room in their home to protect them from deportation to concentration camps.
The Ten Boom family risked their lives daily to save others because they were committed to Jesus’ teachings about loving one’s neighbor.
In 1944, the Gestapo discovered their secret and arrested the Ten Boom family.
Corrie and her sister Betsie were eventually sent to the Ravensbrück concentration camp, where conditions were brutal, and they faced severe persecution.
Despite the unimaginable suffering, Corrie and Betsie continued to share their faith with others, encouraging them to remain faithful to the Lord.
They held secret Bible studies, offering hope and encouragement to the women imprisoned with them.
Betsie’s faith remained unshakeable, and she famously said:
“There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.”
While Betsie passed away in the camp, Corrie survived and was released due to a clerical error just before the end of the war.
After the war, Corrie dedicated her life to sharing the message of forgiveness, faith, and Jesus' love.
She traveled the world, speaking to large audiences about her experiences and urging them to remain faithful to the Lord, no matter the circumstances.
One of her most remarkable stories happened when she encountered a former Nazi guard at one of her talks.
The guard, who had been at Ravensbrück, approached her and asked for forgiveness.
Though initially struggling to forgive him, she remembered Jesus’ command to forgive others.
Drawing on her faith, she extended her hand and said, “I forgive you, brother, with all my heart.”
Friends, God’s grace encourages faithfulness, even in the most challenging circumstances.
You may face difficult circumstances in your job, neighborhood, or even home. Ask God for more grace to help you remain faithful to him.
III. God’s Grace Defines Identity (11:25-26)
Third, God’s grace defines identity.
Barnabas realized that God was at work in the church at Antioch.
He also realized that he needed help to disciple God’s people in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
What to do?
The Lord gave him an excellent plan. We read about it in verses 25-26:
“So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.”
The church in Antioch must have been incredible.
They had the finest teacher in Christendom, Saul, later known as Paul, who taught them the wonderful truths of the gospel.
They also had the finest encourager, Barnabas, known as the “Son of Encouragement,” shepherding them in the wonderful ways of the gospel.
The people of God eagerly met week by week with these two men.
They sat at their feet and learned to love God, his word, his people, and the world.
They learned what it meant to be followers of Christ.
They became so clear in their identity as Christ’s followers that it was “in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians” (v. 26).
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German pastor and theologian who embodied the belief that a Christian’s identity in Christ calls for bold action and sharing God’s grace.
Born in 1906, Bonhoeffer’s deep faith led him to challenge the Nazi regime as it gained power and corrupted the church.
He co-founded the Confessing Church, which opposed Nazi influence and upheld allegiance to Christ above political loyalty.
Bonhoeffer believed that true Christianity required “costly grace,” meaning a commitment to live out faith through sacrifice and courageous action.
He famously wrote about this in The Cost of Discipleship.
His identity in Christ drove him to join the German resistance and speak out for the oppressed, knowing the risks involved.
Arrested for his resistance activities, Bonhoeffer continued to share the grace of God in prison, inspiring fellow inmates and guards with his unwavering faith.
Even as his execution approached in April 1945, he remained resolute, seeing death as the beginning of eternal life.
His final reported words were:
“This is the end—for me, the beginning of life.”
Bonhoeffer’s life teaches that embracing one’s Christian identity should empower believers to act courageously and share God’s grace, even at significant personal cost.
His legacy is a powerful reminder that true discipleship means being a light in the darkness and standing firm in the faith, regardless of the circumstances.
That is because God’s grace defines our identity as Christians.
IV. God’s Grace Acts Generously (11:27-30)
Finally, God’s grace acts generously.
Luke tells us what happened next in verses 27-30:
“Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.”
Claudius reigned over the Roman Empire from 41-54 A.D.
The famine that Agabus referred to most likely occurred between 45-47 A.D.
In those days, there was no Red Cross, Samaritan’s Purse, Disaster Relief Fund, or FEMA.
When disasters struck, people had to fend for themselves.
The church in Antioch is a beautiful example of God’s people's response to the struggles of fellow believers in other parts of the world.
There is an instinctive desire to help brothers and sisters in Christ who experience suffering, loss, and deprivation.
I see this often when there is a natural disaster.
Our church members want to help.
You pray.
You want to give money.
You want to serve.
That is because God’s grace acts generously.
You have been the recipients of God’s unmerited grace in your life.
Now, you want to share that grace of God with others.
That is a beautiful thing to do.
Conclusion
John Geddie was a Canadian Presbyterian missionary who played a pivotal role in bringing Christianity to the New Hebrides islands (now known as Vanuatu).
Born in 1815 in Scotland and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, Geddie was known for his deep faith and passion for evangelism.
He was ordained a minister in 1838 and felt called to foreign missions despite the significant challenges and dangers associated with remote regions like the South Pacific.
In 1846, Geddie and his family embarked on the long and arduous journey to the New Hebrides, choosing the island of Aneityum as their mission field.
At the time, the inhabitants were known for practicing cannibalism, tribal warfare, and other deeply rooted cultural and religious practices.
The task was daunting, as no prior missionary had successfully established a lasting presence on the islands.
The early years were highly challenging for Geddie and his family.
The locals were initially suspicious and sometimes hostile.
Disease, isolation, and language barriers further tested their resolve.
However, Geddie persevered, spending countless hours learning the language, building relationships, and sharing his faith through words and compassionate actions.
He set up a school, taught basic education, and provided medical care, which helped establish trust within the community.
Geddie’s dedication paid off over time.
He translated the Bible into the Aneityumese language.
Like Saul and Barnabas in Antioch, Geddie taught the islanders about the grace of God in the gospel.
Slowly but steadily, the islanders were transformed by the grace of God.
The transformations were evident as they turned away from violent customs and adopted peaceful practices.
The grace of God in the gospel changed not only their spiritual lives but also their daily interactions and community dynamics.
One of the most powerful testaments to Geddie’s impact is the inscription on a memorial plaque placed in the church after his death. It reads:
“When he landed in 1848, there were no Christians; and when he left in 1872, there were no heathen.”
This inscription highlights the profound change brought about by God’s grace.
Friends, this is what the grace of God does.
The grace of God changes lives.
The grace of God changes communities. Amen.
