Acts 11:19-

Introduction

Unsung Heroes

We are ready

Acts 11:19-20 “Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.”

v 19 looks to the back to Acts 8:4 in restating the verse. “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.”

Acts 11:19 provides us more information by letting us know how far they went and who preached the Gospel to.

The first word in v.19 gives us the reason Luke waited 3 chapters to give us these pieces of information. “Now” implies that Acts 8:5-11:18 is parenthetical, which lays the foundation and prepares us for Acts 11:20.

Acts 11:20 is one of the greatest events in history. Now, for the first time, the gospel is deliberately preached to the Gentiles. Everything within the parenthetical has been working up to this. Within the parenthetical, there is a bridge that has 2 parts that transports the Gospel from the Jews only to the Gentiles. First, Philip preached to the Samaritans; but the Samaritans after all were half Jewish and formed, as it were, the first part of the bridge, between the Jewish and the Gentile world. Second, Peter accepted Cornelius; but it was Cornelius who took the initiative. It was not the Christian Church who sought Cornelius; it was Cornelius who sought the Christian Church. Further, it is stressed that Cornelius was a God-fearer and, therefore, on the fringes of the Jewish faith.

What Luke does with the word “now” is seeing that I finished Acts 8:5-11:18. Lets get back to how things were, so that we can see how a collective group of Jewish Christians took a giant leap into global evangelism by expanding the Gospel to other people groups.

In Antioch the Church did not go to people who were Jews or half Jews, nor wait to be approached by Gentiles seeking admission; purposefully and without waiting for the invitation, they preached the gospel to the Gentiles. Christianity is finally launched on its world-wide mission.

Therefore, v. 20 looks forward from Acts 11:18 “When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”

V. 19 focuses on the gospel being preached to the Jews and v.20 focused on the Gospel being intentionally and purposefully preached to the Gentiles.

Different Audiences same themes

Even though different audiences are being preached to, there are similarities between Acts 8:4 - Acts 11:19 with Acts 11:20:

Whether preaching to the Jews or Gentiles, these Jewish Christians anchored themselves in the Gospel being good news.

Acts 8:4 “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.”

Acts 11:20 “And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.”

The word “preaching” in both verses is “good news.”

Do we view the Gospel message as good news?

Romans 10:15 “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

Why is the Gospel good news?

Illustration: IRA

The Gospel being good news has to extend beyond being saved from Hell.

There is no greater message to be heard than that which we call the gospel. But as important as that is, it is often given to massive distortions or over simplifications. People think they’re preaching the gospel to you when they tell you, “You can have a purpose to your life,” or that “you can have meaning to your life,” or that “you can have a personal relationship with Jesus.” All of those things are true, and they’re all important, but they don’t get to the heart of the gospel.

The gospel is called the “good news” because it addresses the most serious problem that you and I have as human beings, and that problem is simply this: God is holy and He is just, and I’m not. And at the end of my life, I’m going to stand before a just and holy God, and I’ll be judged. And I’ll be judged either on the basis of my own righteousness–or lack of it–or the righteousness of another. The good news of the gospel is that Jesus lived a life of perfect righteousness, of perfect obedience to God, not for His own well being but for His people. He has done for me what I couldn’t possibly do for myself. But not only has He lived that life of perfect obedience, He offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice to satisfy the justice and the righteousness of God.

Therefore, the Gospel is good news because:

New Life in Jesus - No longer slaves to sin

Raised with Christ - we can do what we were meant to do:

Honor God

Worship God

Joy in God

Love in God

Both sermons had a goal: Peace with God

The Gospel being preached is the means that God employs to produces Justification by faith.

Romans 10:9-15 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

However, Justification by Faith is the means that produces peace with God!

Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

Both sermons had the same message - The Lord Jesus

The good news is not a 4 step plan, but a Person. Without Christ you have no creed, no saving message, no hope for sinners!

The gospel is the news that Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, died for our sins and rose again, eternally triumphant over all his enemies, so that there is now no condemnation for those who believe, but only everlasting joy.

The good news was that Jesus is Lord.

Antioch was the third largest city in the Empire (Rome, and Alexandria).

One might say that Jerusalem was all about religion; Rome was all about power; Alexandria was all about intellect, and Athens was all about philosophy.

Antioch was the New York City of its day, at the crossroads of the Roman Empire, a bustling melting pot where East met West. Like the "Big Apple," it attracted a steady flood of immigrants from all corners of the Empire, trusting that "if they could make it there, they could make it anywhere."

Antioch was the capital city of Syria during the Roman Empire.

In fairness to Antioch, it was born too late. It never knew independence, never was a genuine Greek polls . It was just Greek enough to be sophisticated, satirical in its wit, notoriously critical in spirit, often hostile to its rulers, always turbulent. Having been denied real freedom, its citizens took to license. They exercised their lively wit in ridiculing the traditional virtues of manliness and womanliness, honoring the arts and the vices of luxury. They expressed their civic pride in the magnificence of their games, festivals, and spectacles.

In light of this, they preached that Jesus, not anything else is the good news!

The preached because they wanted to.

Unsung heroes

unsung hero Someone or something that provides a great benefit, has done very good work, has performed some heroic deed or function, etc., but has not received the credit or recognition they deserve.

Even though the Church in Jerusalem confessed a great truth, Luke writes the narrative in such a way that they continued focusing only on Jewish converts - until verse 20

This but has to be one of the greatest "changes of direction" in all the Bible. The change is not who’s preaching the Gospel, or the Gospel message; rather, the audience - From Jews to Gentiles. Why so? It marks the change of focus from evangelizing the Jews to evangelizing the Greeks (the Gentiles). Most of us reading this note are Gentiles, so we should pause and praise God for this sovereignly created watershed in the spread of the Gospel to all the people of the inhabited earth. Thank You Lord. Amen!

Acts 11:20 “And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.”

“Some of them” - “They which were scattered abroad.”

Cyprus and Cyrene - their native land.

Spake unto the Grecians

Acts 6:1 “And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.” - Grecians were Hellenist Jews

However, Acts 11:20 they are Gentiles.

There would have been nothing remarkable in these men preaching to Hellenists who had long before been received into the church, and formed a large part of the church at Jerusalem.

the contrast with the statement in Act 11:19, to the Jews only. There is no contrast between Jews and Hellenists, since Hellenists are included in the general term Jews.

"The word “speaking” represents a simple, common, natural speech such as is used in everyday conversation. This does not represent preaching from behind a pulpit or lectern but gossiping the gospel in the street language of the people. The pulpit of these anonymous Christian saints was the market place, back yards, and porches, as they shared the simple gospel in simple terms so the average man could understand."

God blessed their ministry to the Grecians

Acts 11:21 “And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.”

"and" which is a strategic and significant conjunction in this passage. And is the Greek word "kai" which clearly links the former passage with the following. What do we see in the former passage? They preached the Lord Jesus. What do we see in the following passage? The good hand of the Lord was with them. Do you see the clear association? So what is the practical application? If you desire the good hand of the Lord upon your ministry, you will preach the Lord Jesus. And conversely, if you preach the Lord Jesus, you need the good hand of the Lord upon you as you preach!

The hand of the Lord

Old Testament Phase - Isaiah 59:1 “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:”

In the Old Testament the phrase the hand of the Lord meant two things. First, it spoke of God's power expressed in judgment (cf. Ex. 9:33; Deut. 2:15; Josh. 4:24; 1 Sam. 5:6; 7:13). It also referred to God's power expressed in blessing (Ezra 7:9; 8:18; Neh. 2:8, 18). In this case it was related to God's blessing, so that a large number who believed turned to the Lord. (Ibid)

A ministry can’t turn people to the Lord unless the hand of the Lord is with them. You can turn people to a personality without the hand of the Lord. You can turn people to a social club without the hand of the Lord. You can turn people to a church or an institution without the hand of the Lord. But you can’t turn people to the Lord without the hand of the Lord.

A great number turned

Turned - to reverse course

1 Thessalonians 1:9 “For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;”

Conversion is that principal act of faith in which the soul by the initiative and the enablement of the Holy Spirit on the basis of the finished work of Christ on Calvary and in response to the Word of God voluntarily turns to God from sin and ungodliness and enters into an abiding relationship with the Lord which vitally and permanently affects life in its various aspects and relationships and leads to its eventual and complete restoration.

Our definition establishes the following principles:

Conversion is a principal act of faith;

Conversion is an act of the soul by the initiative and the enablement of the Holy Spirit;

Conversion is based upon the finished work of Christ on Calvary;

Conversion is an act of the soul in response to the Word of God;

Conversion is a voluntary act;

Conversion is an act of turning to God from sin and ungodliness;

Conversion is an act which results in a relationship with the Lord;

Conversion is an act which vitally affects life in its various aspects and relationships;

Conversion is an act which leads to a process in the restoration of life.

Throughout the Book of Acts Luke writes of people’s accomplishments by providing their name - However, here, we do not know the men’s names that launched out into the deep.

Nameless among men but not before God. Faceless but not faithless nor fruitless. These men were on the front line of missions and were clearly on fire spiritually, surely energized by the Spirit, enabling them to spread the message of the Lord Jesus.

The church in Antioch will replace the church at Jerusalem as the Hub of Christianity.