The Grace Of God Series

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.