Sermons on Acts 11:19-26

Acts 11:19-26 Interpretation:

Boldly Living and Sharing the Inclusive Gospel (The Flame Church) interprets Acts 11:19-26 by emphasizing the breaking of cultural and religious barriers as the gospel is shared with non-Jews for the first time. The sermon highlights the significance of the term "Hellenists" in this context, explaining that it refers to Greeks who were not previously interested in Judaism. This interpretation underscores the radical inclusivity of the gospel message and the boldness required to share it beyond traditional boundaries.

Transformative Grace: Reaching the Lost Together (Living Word Lutheran Church | Marshall, MN) interprets Acts 11:19-26 by emphasizing the role of persecution in spreading the gospel. The sermon highlights that the scattering of believers due to persecution was a catalyst for the growth of the church, as it pushed Christians to share the gospel beyond their comfort zones. The sermon also notes the significance of Antioch as a multicultural city where the gospel reached non-Jews, marking a pivotal moment in the church's mission to include all people.

Growing Churches: A Divine Mandate for Believers (St Helen's Bishopsgate) interprets Acts 11:19-26 by focusing on the establishment of the first Gentile church in Antioch as a global premiere of the Christian movement. The sermon emphasizes that the growth of the church is God's work, highlighting the passive language used in the passage to show that God added to their number. The sermon also notes the deliberate placement of this account in Acts to show the expansion of the gospel beyond Jewish boundaries.

Faith in Action: Celebrating Our Journey Together (Impact Church FXBG) interprets Acts 11:19-26 by emphasizing the role of ordinary, nameless individuals in spreading the gospel, drawing a parallel to the church's own mission of using ordinary people to advance God's kingdom. The sermon highlights the phrase "some of them" as a powerful reminder that God often uses unnamed individuals to accomplish significant work, suggesting that the church's growth and impact are not dependent on celebrity figures but on the collective efforts of its members.

Embracing the Unexpected in Mission Work (Sunset Church) interprets Acts 11:19-26 by emphasizing the theme of unexpected outcomes in mission work. The sermon highlights how the persecution following Stephen's martyrdom led to the spread of the Gospel beyond Jewish communities, particularly to the Greeks in Antioch. This unexpected spread of the Gospel is seen as a divine orchestration rather than a human plan. The sermon uses the analogy of mission work as a journey filled with unforeseen challenges and opportunities, suggesting that God's hand is often at work in ways that defy human expectations and plans.

Acts 11:19-26 Theological Themes:

Boldly Living and Sharing the Inclusive Gospel (The Flame Church) presents the theme of inclusivity in the gospel message, emphasizing that the gospel is meant for all people, not just those within the Jewish community. This sermon highlights the importance of reaching out to those who are considered outsiders or non-believers, aligning with the Great Commission's call to make disciples of all nations.

Transformative Grace: Reaching the Lost Together (Living Word Lutheran Church | Marshall, MN) presents the theme that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace. The sermon emphasizes that God's desire is for all people to be saved, and it challenges the congregation to see themselves as instruments of God's grace, reaching out to those who might seem beyond hope.

Growing Churches: A Divine Mandate for Believers (St Helen's Bishopsgate) introduces the theme that growing churches is a divine mandate and a Bible business. The sermon stresses that the growth of the church is not just a human endeavor but is rooted in God's work through the preaching of the word and the teaching of the Bible.

Faith in Action: Celebrating Our Journey Together (Impact Church FXBG) presents the theme that true Christian identity is not about labels but about experiencing life change through the gospel. The sermon challenges the notion of being born into a Christian home, emphasizing instead the necessity of being "born again" and transformed by the gospel, which aligns with the idea that the term "Christian" was first used in Antioch to describe those whose lives had been changed by Christ.

Embracing the Unexpected in Mission Work (Sunset Church) presents the theme of divine orchestration in the spread of the Gospel. The sermon suggests that God's plans often unfold through unexpected events, such as persecution, which can lead to the expansion of the Gospel in ways that human planning cannot anticipate. This theme emphasizes the importance of being open to God's leading and the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding mission work beyond human expectations.

Acts 11:19-26 Historical and Contextual Insights:

Defining Discipleship: Courage, Compassion, and Community (Hope on the Beach Church) provides insight into the historical context of the term "diaspora," explaining that it refers to the scattering of oppressed people. The sermon notes that God used this scattering to spread Christianity, as believers shared the gospel wherever they went. This context helps to understand how the early church grew despite persecution.

Boldly Living and Sharing the Inclusive Gospel (The Flame Church) offers historical context by explaining the cultural dynamics of the time, particularly the division between Jews and Greeks. The sermon highlights the significance of the gospel being preached to Greeks, who were previously considered outsiders to the Jewish faith, marking a pivotal moment in the expansion of the early church.

Transformative Grace: Reaching the Lost Together (Living Word Lutheran Church | Marshall, MN) provides historical context about Antioch, describing it as a large, cosmopolitan city known as Antioch the Beautiful. The sermon notes its significance as a multicultural hub where people from all over the ancient world lived and traded, making it a strategic location for the spread of the gospel.

Growing Churches: A Divine Mandate for Believers (St Helen's Bishopsgate) offers insights into the historical context of Antioch as the third largest city in the Roman Empire, known for its multicultural diversity and sophistication. The sermon highlights the unlikely nature of Antioch as a place for the first Gentile church, emphasizing the power of God's work in such a diverse setting.

Faith in Action: Celebrating Our Journey Together (Impact Church FXBG) provides historical context by explaining the significance of the persecution that followed Stephen's martyrdom, which led to the scattering of believers and the spread of the gospel beyond Jewish communities. The sermon notes that this scattering was not accidental but part of God's plan to fulfill His mission among all nations, highlighting the strategic role of Antioch as a center for early Christian mission.

Embracing the Unexpected in Mission Work (Sunset Church) provides historical context by explaining the significance of Antioch as a major city where the term "Christian" was first used. The sermon notes that Antioch was a diverse city, which made it a strategic location for the spread of the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. This context highlights the cultural and social dynamics that contributed to the early church's growth and the breaking down of ethnic and religious barriers.

Acts 11:19-26 Cross-References in the Bible:

Defining Discipleship: Courage, Compassion, and Community (Hope on the Beach Church) references Matthew 28:19-20, emphasizing the mission of the church to make disciples of all nations. This passage is used to support the idea that a disciple is someone who believes in Jesus and is willing to suffer for their faith, aligning with the call to spread the gospel globally.

Boldly Living and Sharing the Inclusive Gospel (The Flame Church) references Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28:19-20 to highlight the command to spread the gospel to all nations, not just within the Jewish community. These passages are used to emphasize the inclusivity of the gospel and the call to reach all people, regardless of cultural or religious background.

Transformative Grace: Reaching the Lost Together (Living Word Lutheran Church | Marshall, MN) references 1 Corinthians 15:9-10, where Paul speaks of being the least of the apostles and unworthy due to his persecution of the church, yet saved by God's grace. This passage is used to illustrate the transformative power of grace and to emphasize that God can save anyone, just as He saved Paul.

Growing Churches: A Divine Mandate for Believers (St Helen's Bishopsgate) references Acts 8:4 and Acts 10-12 to show the continuity and expansion of the gospel message. The sermon highlights how the scattering of believers in Acts 8:4 parallels the spread of the gospel to Antioch in Acts 11, and how the conversion of Cornelius in Acts 10 sets the stage for the establishment of the Gentile church in Antioch.

Faith in Action: Celebrating Our Journey Together (Impact Church FXBG) references the Great Commission, where Jesus commands His followers to make disciples of all nations, as a backdrop for understanding the mission of the early church in Acts 11. The sermon connects this to the scattering of believers and the spread of the gospel to non-Jews, illustrating how the events in Acts 11 align with Jesus' broader mission for His church.

Embracing the Unexpected in Mission Work (Sunset Church) references Acts 1:8, which speaks of the Holy Spirit empowering the disciples to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. This passage is used to illustrate how the events in Acts 11:19-26 fulfill Jesus' command by spreading the Gospel beyond Jerusalem to Antioch and beyond, showing the unfolding of God's plan through the early church's mission.

Acts 11:19-26 Christian References outside the Bible:

Defining Discipleship: Courage, Compassion, and Community (Hope on the Beach Church) references Martin Luther's explanation of the first commandment, which emphasizes fearing, loving, and trusting God above all things. This reference is used to illustrate the qualities of a disciple, including trust and love for God.

Transformative Grace: Reaching the Lost Together (Living Word Lutheran Church | Marshall, MN) references the writings of Paul, particularly his letters to Timothy, to emphasize the inclusivity of God's grace and the call to reach all people. The sermon quotes 1 Timothy 2, where Paul speaks of God's desire for all people to be saved, reinforcing the message that no one is beyond God's reach.

Faith in Action: Celebrating Our Journey Together (Impact Church FXBG) does not explicitly reference any non-biblical Christian authors or theologians in its discussion of Acts 11:19-26.

Embracing the Unexpected in Mission Work (Sunset Church) does not explicitly reference any non-biblical Christian authors or sources when discussing Acts 11:19-26.

Acts 11:19-26 Illustrations from Secular Sources:

Defining Discipleship: Courage, Compassion, and Community (Hope on the Beach Church) uses the illustration of a mother hen protecting her chicks during a barn fire to depict Jesus' compassion and sacrificial love. This analogy is used to convey the depth of Jesus' love for humanity and the protective nature of his sacrifice.

Boldly Living and Sharing the Inclusive Gospel (The Flame Church) uses sports analogies, such as football and rugby, to illustrate the importance of discipline and teamwork in the Christian life. The sermon compares the Christian journey to a team sport, emphasizing the need for each member to play their part and remain focused on the mission.

Growing Churches: A Divine Mandate for Believers (St Helen's Bishopsgate) uses the analogy of the Lord of the Rings film to illustrate the narrative technique in Acts. The sermon compares the way the camera in the film zooms in and out on different characters and storylines to how Luke presents the spread of the gospel, highlighting the interconnectedness of individual conversions and the broader movement of the church.

Faith in Action: Celebrating Our Journey Together (Impact Church FXBG) uses the analogy of a church plant starting in a house during the COVID-19 pandemic to illustrate the humble beginnings of the church in Antioch. The sermon draws a parallel between the small, ordinary group that began Impact Church and the "some of them" who started the church in Antioch, emphasizing that significant movements often begin with small, faithful groups.

Embracing the Unexpected in Mission Work (Sunset Church) does not provide any illustrations from secular sources specifically related to Acts 11:19-26.