Morning Worship - Sunday, October 12th, 2025

Devotional

Day 1: The Gospel Spreads Through Persecution and Ordinary Faithfulness

Even when the world tries to silence the message of Jesus, God uses opposition and the everyday faithfulness of ordinary believers to spread the good news even further. The early church, scattered by persecution, did not shrink back in fear but instead shared the hope of Christ wherever they went, showing that God’s purposes cannot be thwarted by human resistance. Their courage and willingness to speak about Jesus in new and difficult places led to the birth of vibrant communities of faith in the most unlikely of cities. [22:59]

Acts 8:1-4 (ESV)
And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

Reflection: Where in your daily life do you feel pressure to keep quiet about your faith, and how might God be inviting you to share the hope of Jesus in those very places today?

Day 2: The Gospel Takes Root in Unlikely Places

God delights in planting the seeds of the gospel in the most unexpected and seemingly inhospitable places, bringing new life where no one would expect it. The city of Antioch, known for its depravity and cultural diversity, became fertile ground for the message of Jesus—not because of perfect conditions, but because God’s power is not limited by human expectations or the hardness of the soil. No person or place is beyond the reach of God’s redeeming love. [27:13]

Acts 11:19-21 (ESV)
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. 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. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.

Reflection: Who in your life or community have you considered “unlikely” to respond to the gospel, and how can you pray for and reach out to them this week?

Day 3: The Gospel Unites Across All Divides

The message of Jesus creates a new kind of community, uniting people who have nothing in common except Christ, and overcoming every cultural, ethnic, and social barrier. In Antioch, Jews and Greeks who would never have naturally come together were bound in love and purpose, revealing that the kingdom of God operates by a different set of principles than the world. This unity is a powerful testimony to the reality of the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit. [37:43]

Galatians 3:28 (ESV)
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Reflection: Is there someone in your church or neighborhood who is very different from you? What is one step you can take this week to build a bridge of friendship in Christ’s name?

Day 4: Generous Love Reveals the Gospel

True evidence that the gospel has taken root in our hearts is seen in the way we love others—especially those from whom we have nothing to gain. The believers in Antioch gave sacrificially to help those in need, even people they had never met, demonstrating the generous, self-giving love of God. When we love without keeping score or expecting anything in return, we show the world what God’s love looks like. [45:16]

John 13:34-35 (ESV)
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Reflection: Who is someone outside your immediate circle whom you can serve or encourage this week, expecting nothing in return?

Day 5: Live Boldly and Sow Broadly

Because the gospel cannot be stopped and God’s Spirit is always at work, we are called to live boldly and sow the seeds of faith widely, trusting God to bring fruit even in the hardest places. Rather than shrinking back in fear or discouragement, we are invited to be faithful wherever we go, knowing that God can use even our small acts of witness to accomplish His purposes. The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—will be the evidence of God’s work in and through us. [49:21]

Galatians 6:9 (ESV)
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Reflection: What is one bold step of faith you can take this week to share the love and message of Jesus, even if you feel uncertain about the outcome?

Sermon Summary

The story of Acts 11 reminds us that God’s kingdom advances in ways that defy human logic and expectation. The good news about Jesus began in Jerusalem, a place receptive to the idea of a Messiah, but quickly spread to unlikely places—most notably, the city of Antioch. Antioch was a city known for its depravity, a crossroads of cultures, languages, and values far removed from the religious center of Jerusalem. Yet, it was here, in this stony and seemingly infertile ground, that the gospel took root and flourished.

This spread was not orchestrated by the apostles or professional evangelists, but by ordinary believers who, driven from their homes by persecution, simply shared the hope they had found in Jesus wherever they went. The very force intended to silence the gospel—persecution—became the means by which it spread even further. God’s purposes are not thwarted by human opposition; in fact, He often uses what is meant for harm to accomplish His greatest works.

In Antioch, the gospel crossed cultural and ethnic boundaries, uniting people who otherwise had nothing in common. The believers there, many of whom had no direct connection to Jerusalem, demonstrated the authenticity of their faith by loving generously—sending aid to those in need, even to people they had never met. This is the mark of the kingdom: a love that gives without expectation of return, mirroring the love God has shown us in Christ.

The story challenges us to live boldly and to sow the seeds of the gospel broadly, even in places or among people we might consider unlikely or unresponsive. There is no heart, no place, no situation beyond the reach of God’s grace. Our call is to be faithful, to trust that God can bring life out of the most barren soil, and to love others as He has loved us—freely, generously, and without keeping accounts.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s kingdom advances through unexpected means and in unlikely places. What the world sees as obstacles—persecution, cultural barriers, hard soil—God uses as opportunities for His grace to be displayed. The story of Antioch reminds us that no place or person is beyond the reach of God’s transforming power. [26:38]
2. Ordinary believers play a vital role in the spread of the gospel. It was not the apostles, but everyday men and women, scattered by hardship, who carried the message of Jesus into new territories. Our daily faithfulness, even in difficult circumstances, can have eternal impact far beyond what we can see. [30:19]
3. The gospel creates a new kind of community, marked by unity across human divisions. In Antioch, people of different backgrounds, languages, and cultures were brought together by their shared faith in Christ. This unity is not superficial, but is demonstrated in practical, sacrificial love for one another, even for those we have never met. [37:43]
4. The love of God is not transactional, but freely given. Unlike the world’s economy of give-and-take, God’s love is a gift that expects nothing in return. When we love others generously and without keeping score, we reveal the nature of God’s love to the world around us. [45:16]
5. We are called to live boldly and sow broadly, trusting God with the results. Fear of rejection or failure can silence us, but the story of Acts calls us to faithfulness regardless of the soil. God alone brings growth, and He delights to bring life where we least expect it. [41:03]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[18:35] - Jesus’ Mission and Ministry
[19:45] - The Religious System and Jesus’ Death
[20:23] - Resurrection and the Great Commission
[21:26] - Persecution and the Scattering of Believers
[22:59] - The Paradox of Persecution Spreading the Gospel
[24:42] - The Gospel Arrives in Antioch
[26:06] - Antioch: A City of Depravity
[27:52] - Crossing Cultural Boundaries
[29:04] - The Hand of the Lord and Barnabas’ Encouragement
[30:19] - Ordinary People, Extraordinary Impact
[32:07] - Barnabas and Saul: A Strategic Partnership
[34:52] - Generous Love in Action
[36:25] - God’s Upside-Down Kingdom
[38:56] - Living Boldly in the Face of Opposition
[41:03] - Sowing Broadly and Trusting God
[45:16] - The Nature of God’s Love
[46:52] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Acts 11:19–30 (ESV) —
> 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.

Observation Questions

According to Acts 11, who were the first people to bring the gospel to Antioch, and what circumstances led them there?
What was unique about the city of Antioch compared to Jerusalem, and why might it have seemed like an unlikely place for the gospel to take root?
How did the believers in Antioch respond when they heard about the needs of others in Judea?
What new name were the disciples given in Antioch, and what does that name mean?

Interpretation Questions

The sermon describes how persecution, meant to silence the gospel, actually caused it to spread further. What does this reveal about how God can use difficult or even harmful situations for His purposes?
The believers in Antioch crossed cultural and ethnic boundaries to share the gospel. Why do you think God chose to grow His church in such a diverse and “unlikely” place?
The church in Antioch gave generously to people they had never met. What does this say about the kind of community the gospel creates?
The sermon says that God’s love is not transactional, but freely given. How is this different from the way love usually works in the world?

Application Questions

The believers who spread the gospel to Antioch were ordinary people, not apostles or professional evangelists. In your daily life, what are some simple ways you could share the hope you have in Jesus with others—even if you feel unqualified?
Antioch was considered “stony ground,” a place where no one expected the gospel to grow. Is there a person, place, or situation in your life that feels too hard or unlikely for God to work in? What would it look like to trust God and “sow broadly” there?
The church in Antioch loved generously, giving to people they had never met. Can you think of a time when you gave (or received) help from someone with no expectation of return? How did that experience reflect God’s love?
The gospel united people from different backgrounds, cultures, and languages. Are there divisions or differences in your life, family, or church that the gospel could help bridge? What is one step you could take toward unity this week?
The sermon challenges us to live boldly and not let fear of rejection or failure silence us. What is one area where fear has kept you from speaking or acting for Jesus? What would it look like to take a small step of boldness this week?
God’s love is not about keeping score or expecting something in return. Is there someone you find it hard to love without expecting anything back? What is one practical way you could show them God’s kind of love?
The believers in Antioch were known for their faithfulness and generosity. What is one way you could be more faithful or generous in your relationships, work, or church this month?

Sermon Clips

``But through his death, he took away the sin of the world, the sin of you and me. He died on that cross. He was buried. And on the third day, he rose again from the grave, victorious over sin and victorious over death. And he ascended into heaven, leaving behind his disciples with this commission, this charge, go and tell the world what they had seen, what they had heard, to tell them that Jesus was the Messiah, the Savior of the world. [00:20:29] (34 seconds) #VictoryOverSinAndDeath

But in this unlikeliest of cities, with the unlikeliest of people, the gospel is planted, and it begins to spring to life. many people come to believe. And it's important to note here that this is taking place not because of the apostles, not because of people who, you know, were specially trained and equipped as evangelists, but it's ordinary everyday people who, because of what was going on in the world, moved to a different place. And wherever they went, these ordinary everyday people told their friends, their neighbors, their co-workers about this Jesus that they had encountered. [00:29:54] (53 seconds) #EncouragementFuelsGrowth

And so these people who didn't know each other didn't share a culture didn't share an ethnicity didn't share anything except jesus are now revealing that they love each other as they love themselves they are revealing that they are followers of jesus because of their love for each other and so the kingdom of heaven time and time again and in this story advances in a way and with a power to change the world that defies all human understanding there is no way that you could make this work there's no way from a human perspective if we're trying to talk people into into doing this sort of thing it just doesn't work you could not make this happen but what's impossible with man is easy for god the gospel cannot be stopped the gospel cannot be stopped. [00:37:46] (60 seconds) #ImpossibleForManPossibleForGod

And because God is revealed in our unifying love, we must also love generously. So the pattern of the world is to love those who love you. If somebody does something good for you, you do something good in return. Or you do something good for somebody else and pay it forward. But the way that the world works is it's a give and take. It's an economy of I'll do this and you'll do that and everything will be okay. That's not the way the kingdom economy works. [00:43:40] (39 seconds) #LoveGenerouslyBeyondEconomy

Because the story of Jesus is the story of God who loves us in spite of our not being able to give him anything that he needs. We cannot give God a single thing that he does not already have. It's not a give and take with God, but it's a give and receive. He loves us. He loves us. He takes away our sin and He loves us because. He loves us with a healing love that heals our wounds. He loves us with a providing love that gives us everything that we need. [00:44:19] (57 seconds) #GodLovesWithoutCondition

And so through this church, in a pagan mess of a city, God's love was planted by ordinary, everyday people. In that stony ground, it took root. And you can tell that it took root, because that church loved generously. And they gave freely, because that is love. The nature of the love that God had shown them. He loved them, and gave himself to them, for them. And they showed that they understood that, in the ways that they loved and cared for the fellow believers, who had no connection to them, and would never be able to give them anything in return. That's the nature of God's love for us, revealed in the story of this church. [00:45:50] (61 seconds) #LoveRootedInGodsGrace

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