Transformative Grace: Reaching the Lost Together
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, church. Today, we delved into Acts chapter 11, focusing on the transformation of Saul to Paul and the early church's expansion. We began by discussing the persecution that arose after Stephen's martyrdom, which scattered believers far and wide, including to Antioch. This scattering, though tragic, served as a catalyst for spreading the gospel beyond Jewish communities. In Antioch, a cosmopolitan city, believers initially shared the gospel only with Jews. However, some men from Cyprus and Cyrene began sharing the message with Hellenists, non-Jews, leading to a significant number of conversions.
Barnabas was sent by the Jerusalem church to Antioch to verify these events. Witnessing God's grace among the Hellenists, Barnabas sought Saul's help. Saul, who had a profound understanding of God's grace and a background that allowed him to relate to non-Jews, was the perfect choice. Saul's transformation from a persecutor of Christians to a fervent missionary exemplifies that no one is beyond God's reach.
We explored two key reasons Barnabas chose Saul: his belief in God's boundless grace and his cultural understanding of the Hellenists. Saul's background in Tarsus, a Roman city, equipped him to connect with non-Jews effectively. This story underscores that God uses our unique experiences and backgrounds to reach others.
The term "Christian" was first coined in Antioch, initially as a derogatory term, but it became a badge of honor for the believers. This narrative reminds us that no one is beyond God's saving grace. God desires everyone to be saved, and He uses us, His followers, to reach out to the lost. We are His hands and feet, called to share the gospel and pray for those who don't yet know Him.
In conclusion, we are reminded that God’s hand is always at work, reaching out to save the lost through us. We are encouraged to step out in faith, share our testimonies, and pray fervently for those who are yet to know Christ. God’s power and grace are sufficient to transform lives, just as He transformed Saul into Paul.
### Key Takeaways
1. God Uses Tragedy for Growth: The persecution following Stephen's martyrdom scattered believers, pushing them to spread the gospel beyond Jewish communities. This scattering, though painful, served as a divine catalyst for the church's growth and the spread of Jesus' message to new regions and people. [34:32]
2. No One is Beyond God's Reach: Saul's transformation from a persecutor to a missionary illustrates that no one is beyond God's saving grace. God's desire is for all people to be saved, and He uses us, His followers, to reach out to those who seem far from Him. This truth challenges us to see every person as a potential recipient of God's grace. [46:03]
3. God Uses Our Unique Backgrounds: Barnabas chose Saul because of his cultural understanding and personal experience. Saul's background in Tarsus allowed him to relate to non-Jews effectively. Similarly, God uses our unique experiences and backgrounds to reach specific people in ways others cannot. [43:47]
4. The Power of Personal Testimony: The believers in Antioch shared their faith with Hellenists, leading to many conversions. This highlights the power of personal testimony and the importance of sharing our faith with those around us. Our stories of transformation can inspire others to turn to Jesus. [37:55]
5. Persistent Prayer for the Lost: We are called to pray fervently for those who do not yet know Christ. God longs for everyone to be saved, and our prayers play a crucial role in this divine mission. A dedicated time of prayer for the lost can align our hearts with God's desire and open doors for evangelism. [55:16]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[31:56] - Introduction to Acts 11
[32:38] - Persecution and Scattering
[33:17] - Prayer for Understanding
[33:54] - Saul's Early Life
[34:32] - Growth Through Persecution
[35:35] - The Spread to Antioch
[36:04] - Life in Antioch
[37:02] - Sharing with Hellenists
[37:55] - Non-Jews Turn to Jesus
[38:50] - Barnabas Sent to Antioch
[40:00] - Barnabas Seeks Saul
[41:05] - Tension Between Jews and Non-Jews
[43:47] - Saul's Cultural Understanding
[45:06] - First Called Christians
[46:03] - No One Beyond God's Reach
[55:16] - Persistent Prayer for the Lost
[01:00:43] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Acts 11:19-26
2. 1 Corinthians 15:9-10
3. 1 Timothy 2:3-4
#### Observation Questions
1. What event caused the believers to scatter and spread the gospel beyond Jewish communities? ([34:32])
2. Who were the first to share the gospel with the Hellenists in Antioch, and what was the result? ([37:55])
3. Why did Barnabas seek out Saul to help with the new believers in Antioch? ([40:00])
4. What was the significance of the term "Christian" being first used in Antioch? ([45:06])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How did the persecution following Stephen's martyrdom serve as a catalyst for the spread of the gospel? ([34:32])
2. Why was Saul's background in Tarsus significant for his mission to the Hellenists? ([43:47])
3. What does Saul's transformation from a persecutor to a missionary teach us about God's grace? ([46:03])
4. How does the story of the early church in Antioch illustrate the power of personal testimony? ([37:55])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when a difficult situation in your life led to unexpected growth or opportunities. How can you see God's hand in that situation? ([34:32])
2. Think of someone in your life who seems far from God. How can Saul's story encourage you to reach out to them? ([46:03])
3. What unique experiences or backgrounds do you have that God might use to connect with others? How can you leverage these in your ministry? ([43:47])
4. Share a personal testimony of how God has worked in your life. How can you use this story to inspire others to turn to Jesus? ([37:55])
5. Identify one person you know who does not yet know Christ. Commit to praying for them daily and look for opportunities to share your faith with them. ([55:16])
6. How can you step out in faith this week to share the gospel with someone who is different from you culturally or socially? ([40:00])
7. What steps can you take to ensure that you are actively praying for the lost and seeking opportunities to share the gospel? ([55:16])
Devotional
Day 1: God Uses Tragedy for Growth
Description: The persecution that followed Stephen's martyrdom was a significant event in the early church. While it was a time of great suffering and loss, it also served as a divine catalyst for the spread of the gospel. Believers were scattered far and wide, reaching places they might never have gone otherwise. In Antioch, a diverse and cosmopolitan city, the gospel began to spread beyond Jewish communities to the Hellenists, or non-Jews. This expansion was a direct result of the believers being forced to flee their homes and share their faith in new regions. This teaches us that God can use even the most painful circumstances to bring about His purposes and grow His kingdom. [34:32]
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: Think of a difficult situation you have faced recently. How might God be using this challenge to grow your faith or spread His message through you?
Day 2: No One is Beyond God's Reach
Description: Saul's transformation from a persecutor of Christians to a fervent missionary is a powerful testament to God's boundless grace. Saul, who later became Paul, was initially known for his zealous persecution of believers. However, his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus changed everything. This story reminds us that no one is beyond God's saving grace. God's desire is for all people to be saved, and He can transform even the hardest of hearts. This truth challenges us to see every person as a potential recipient of God's grace and to never give up on praying for and reaching out to those who seem far from Him. [46:03]
1 Timothy 1:15-16 (ESV): "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life."
Reflection: Is there someone in your life who seems far from God? How can you begin to pray for them and show them God's love this week?
Day 3: God Uses Our Unique Backgrounds
Description: Barnabas chose Saul to help with the work in Antioch because of Saul's unique background and cultural understanding. Saul, being from Tarsus, a Roman city, had a profound understanding of both Jewish and Hellenistic cultures. This made him an ideal candidate to bridge the gap between Jewish believers and non-Jews. Similarly, God uses our unique experiences and backgrounds to reach specific people in ways that others cannot. Our personal histories, skills, and cultural understandings are not wasted; they are tools that God can use to further His kingdom. [43:47]
1 Corinthians 9:20-22 (ESV): "To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some."
Reflection: What unique experiences or background do you have that God might use to reach others? How can you be intentional about using these aspects of your life for His glory?
Day 4: The Power of Personal Testimony
Description: The believers in Antioch shared their faith with the Hellenists, leading to many conversions. This highlights the power of personal testimony. When we share our stories of how Jesus has transformed our lives, it can inspire others to seek Him. Personal testimonies are powerful because they are real, relatable, and demonstrate the tangible impact of God's grace. As believers, we are called to share our faith and our stories with those around us, trusting that God will use our testimonies to draw others to Himself. [37:55]
Psalm 66:16 (ESV): "Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul."
Reflection: Think of a specific instance where God has worked powerfully in your life. How can you share this story with someone who needs encouragement or who does not yet know Jesus?
Day 5: Persistent Prayer for the Lost
Description: We are called to pray fervently for those who do not yet know Christ. God's heart is for everyone to be saved, and our prayers play a crucial role in this divine mission. Persistent prayer aligns our hearts with God's desires and opens doors for evangelism. It is through prayer that we can intercede for the lost, asking God to soften their hearts and draw them to Himself. A dedicated time of prayer for the lost can also strengthen our own faith and commitment to sharing the gospel. [55:16]
Colossians 4:2-4 (ESV): "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak."
Reflection: Set aside a specific time each day this week to pray for someone who does not know Christ. How can you be persistent and intentional in your prayers for their salvation?
Quotes
1. "As tragic as that martyrdom was, and as difficult a time that followed that death, it served as a catalyst for growth of faith and the church multiplied. If you see in chapter 11 there, verse 19, those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch. So that tragic event and all the struggles that followed it really served to push Christians to discern the truth. And so, in the end, the church dispersed them out from Jerusalem. And in doing so, Jesus was proclaimed to people who had no idea that God was in the business of forgiveness and grace and love and salvation." [34:32] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "For Jesus had told them that he would send them out into all the world. You'll receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, he said, and you'll be my witness in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. You see, what Jesus planned wasn't just this isolated, small religious movement. No, God was on the move. And it would encompass the whole world." [35:03] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "They turned from their old ways, turned from their traditional gods maybe, they turned from their ignorance and their sin, they turned to Jesus and believed. They were saved, in other words. They believed that Jesus was the Savior, not just the Savior for the Jews, but Savior for all and any who call on his name. For any and all who turn and believe. What began as this Jewish movement was spreading, and it was spreading fast." [38:21] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "No one is beyond the hand of the Lord. Look at verse 21, chapter 11 of Acts. And the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. No one is beyond the reach of God's arms. Amen? No one is a lost cause or is beyond saving. In fact, in 1 Timothy, Paul, wrote 1 Timothy, Saul, he wrote this to his friend and companion, his spiritual son, Timothy, and he wants Timothy to understand this exact thing. In 1 Timothy, chapter 2, Saul or Paul says to Timothy, God, our Savior, desires all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. God wants everyone." [46:03] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We are God's hand and feet. Barnabas and Saul were God's hands reaching out to the lost. Proclaiming truth and hope and life in Jesus Christ. And this is exactly how God reaches the lost. He reaches them through the saved, through the faithful. And today God reminds us, Jesus reminds us, no one, not Saul, not the Hellenists, not the person in the back of your mind or the group that you have come in contact with that you think, holy moly, they are, forget them. No one is beyond my reach, God says." [48:31] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "God wants everyone, every single person to come to faith, to know him and be known by him. God doesn't want to lose one single person. And I love 1 Timothy, chapter 2 there where it describes this as God's desire. Do you know that God longs for you? That he desires. Maybe the people that you think are beyond his reach, God longs for. And his hand is reaching out for so that they can be saved and come to the knowledge of truth. What truth? Well, the truth that we are creatures, that he's the creator, that we're broken, we're sinful, that God knows us and God sent his son Jesus to die for our sins and that through Jesus he offers salvation and hope and peace, forgiveness and life, abundant and eternal." [47:00] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "I believe you are uniquely placed, uniquely experienced, uniquely gifted with a past and a testimony. That can reach someone who right now is struggling, doubting, hurting, questioning their worth, doubting their value and you already know them. God desires and longs for them. God is calling you and me to go to them. Those folks who need to be reached with the good news of Jesus Christ. We can be a part of changing someone's eternity. I mean, sometimes it's nice to change somebody's day by paying for their Starbucks. We go, ah, it makes me feel kind of good. Changing someone's eternity. Eternity." [57:10] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "The power of revival and spiritual transformation, both communal and personal, happen not by my or yours or anybody's energy or persuasive speech but by God's action and power through us. Amen? This is God's work to save people. The hand of the Lord is with us. You see, all revivals, all personal transformation and resurrection happen by the power of God and the power of God was moving as people, people like you and me, unnamed people from Cyprus, and Cyrene started just talking with people who are outside the Jewish faith. And the gospel transformed lives. The spirit was moving. The hand of God reached out. Church, no one is beyond God's saving love. Amen?" [58:52] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "God uses us as his hands to reach the broken, those who think they're too far gone. God wants them all. Which brings up this second lesson that I believe God wants us to take from Saul's life for today and it's this truth and it's related to that first one and it's this, that God used Saul in the life of Hellenists because Saul could relate to them. Like I stated, he'd grown up among them, his family was from there, he understood them, but here's the lesson. I believe there are people that you know that you can relate to that God is using your specific past and life and relationship to reach them because you can relate to them and they trust you. They're your friends. They're your neighbors and God longs for you to invite, to pray, to share the testimony of God's grace." [55:48] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "And God promises us today that as we step out and speak up, as we pray and invite, His hand will go out and reach out. The mighty hand of God. The hand of the Lord is with us. And through you and me, a great number of people will turn and believe. I believe that. isn't Antioch, but it is for you. And it is for me. And God is stirring hearts and changing lives. And we are part of His eternal work, church. The hand of the Lord is with us. And I believe that through us, by His power, a great number of people will believe and turn to the Lord. I believe that." [01:00:05] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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