Grace Comes Full Circle

Acts 11.1-30

The Bible commends good investment and stewardship, and doing a good turn. Jesus said that unless a seed falls to the ground and dies, it will bear no fruit - but if it does, it will grow and be fruitful. Even the smallest of seeds can grow into a large tree which gives shelter to many birds. In the parable of the talents, Jesus illustrated that what we have been given should be multiplied. We have the gospel of grace - what are we doing with it? How are we living our lives? How are we showing that grace? Jesus also told a very unusual parable in Luke 16 about the unrighteous steward whom the master was going to fire because of mismanagement of funds. To save his own skin, he reduced the debt of his master’s debtors in exchange for shelter if he was ever kicked out. The point of Jesus’s parable was to show this - if those who are unrighteous know how to save their own skin and benefit by being “generous”, then the righteous should invest generously their resources for the kingdom of God - there are great benefit and blessings that result. You see, grace comes full circle. Offering a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name will be rewarded - in heaven and sometimes on earth. Grace comes full circle. God is no debtor.

In today’s passage we see the effects of grace - how it softens and changes people. There are 3 truths to embrace in this passage. Firstly, we can easily forget God's grace. Secondly, grace motivates us to respond with grace. Thirdly, grace comes full circle - grace gives generously.

Firstly, we can easily forget God’s grace. At the end of chapter 10, we learn that after Peter preached the gospel to Cornelius and Co, he stayed with them several days. God is no respecter of persons - anyone who fears God and does what is right by accepting His Son Jesus, is accepted by him. Those days were probably filled with instruction and also exotic experiences. Peter would’ve eaten the Roman delicacy - dormouse, jellyfish omelette, pork sausages - all flavored with a fermented sauce made of fish guts. And because it was such a special occasion, he may have even been served flamingo tongues. They experienced the grace of God in salvation and extended him hospitality - just as the early church did in Acts 2. They were saved, they met daily, extending hospitality house to house. But we see how easily we can forget God’s grace and be outraged. News had spread to Judea that the Gentiles were saved - verse 1 - the Gentiles had received the gospel. But what happened when Peter came to Jerusalem? He was attacked. Verse 2-3 - “And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.” All the Jewish Christians had heard, but some were not happy in Jerusalem. After Peter spent wonderful days with his new cleansed brethren, they of the circumcision contended with him. Now, every Christian in Judea and Samaria were circumcised - but the definite article “the” means that this was a group of Christians who believed that Gentiles had to be circumcised and had to become Jews in order to be Christians. “Wah, Peter, so now you've turned liberal eh? You mixed with people from whom you should’ve been separate - you went into their home.” Now, this is how Peter once felt - so it’s no surprise they should feel this way - but how quickly they forgot that Christ gave them access to God when they were unclean. But they were outraged. They contended - meaning, they argued, criticized, and discriminated him. He was now dirty by association. But it's very sad. This was said in context to verse 1. They received the Gospel - they’re believers - they have the Spirit. But they were not as concerned with that! They were only bothered by the fact that Peter ate with them. So rather than being excited about the Gospel, they couldn’t rejoice. They were hawkish - they had an aggressive or warlike stance - their scruples, their need for accuracy, their exactness caused them to be contentious. They were right, Peter was wrong. They had to make Peter know they were right and he was wrong. It didn’t matter that Peter was made clean and the Gentiles had received the Word and Spirit - they were still wrong because they were not circumcised. Peter was a bad boy. So what did Peter do?

Verse 4 says he explained what had happened from the beginning and in order. They needed to be converted from their weak mindset. By now, the reader would’ve read it 3 times. Why? Not only because these outraged men had to be converted, but it is written for us who have such inclinations. In verses 5-17, Peter told them what happened. He was in Joppa praying and he received a vision of the sky bakzhang with clean and unclean animals that he was supposed to eat. But he objected. And God told him what he had cleansed, no one should call polluted. He had to be told 3 times. Maybe this is why it must be recorded for us. Just as they objected, he objected initially. Just as they criticized him, he had criticized God. And then 3 men from Cornelius appeared and told him to follow them back to preach the gospel. Cornelius and Co in Caesarea believed. This was recounted so the men in Jerusalem would realize that the church couldn’t remain the same - no longer Jewish in nature, but also non-Jew. They would’ve realized that their proneness to contention was also an unclean thing.

Verse 17, Peter said, “Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?” God gave them the same gift as he did us. God saved them from uncleanness, just as he saved us from this kind of unclean thinking. That’s why in verse 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.” The conversion of the Gentiles was wonderful - but what is also wonderful is that these easily outraged contentious men in their self-righteousness were converted from their easily outraged contentious spirit. This kind of conversion, many of us still need to have. Peter needed to have it again some years later. He had fellowship with the Gentiles, but in Galatians 2 he slipped up in Antioch - he was afraid of the circumcision party; so he disassociated himself from the Gentiles. We learn several things - not only did this circumcision party not go away, but we need to be taught over again, to be converted from this kind of mindset. The circumcision party held their peace in verse 18 - but easily outraged contentious self-righteous people will forget God’s grace again. It happens to you and to me. Our conversion must affect all areas.

And what we see in Jerusalem also existed in other places. Secondly, grace motivates us to respond with grace. But we have to be taught. Not every Christian is automatically gracious. After the account, Luke does some backtracking. He described what was happening in the church since Stephen’s martyrdom. Philip was preaching in Samaria, Gaza, Azotus, and Caesarea; as Peter was healing in Lydda, Joppa, and preaching also in Caesarea - something was happening in Antioch. Verses 19-20 tell us that those who were scattered by the persecution “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.” The first word “now” can be translated as meanwhile or therefore. This means the gospel had spread northward by Christian Jews. They were in Lebanon, Cyprus, Libya, and Antioch. But these Christians struggled just like Peter and the circumcision faction. They preached only to the Jews; no non-Jews. They couldn’t move out of their comfort zones. Syrian Antioch - the third largest Roman city - was wicked. So the Christians there kept to themselves. It took Jewish Christians from North Africa and Cyprus, to preach to these Gentiles. Likely, these Jewish Christians were less squeamish. Thank God for such extraordinary, faithful, and gracious Christians. As a result, verse 21 - Christ’s hand was with them and many believed in Christ. Jesus worked through gracious men, when others were not as gracious. And it was from Antioch that the gospel went forth to all the world. It’s amazing - God used non-squeamish, not so easily outraged people to do the work of the Gospel; and he would use a Gentile church more than the Jewish church to spread the Word. He used Saul - a hostile man; he would use Antioch - a pagan city; he used Christ - a Galilean carpenter; and the disciples - country bumpkins. He uses the weak things of the world to confound the wise. This is how God works. Not out of our strength and self-righteousness, but out of our weakness and imputed righteousness.

Verse 22 says something remarkable - “Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.” News reached Jerusalem. But they reacted differently! They were converted! They weren’t the same critical and outraged people they were - but now, out of grace, they gave the best to the church there. They sent Barnabas - the one who loved people, the one who supported Saul when no one did. But also because he was a Greek speaking Jew from Cyprus. He was not uncomfortable associating with Gentiles. In verse 23, when he arrived, he saw what God had done. They believed! He rejoiced and taught them how to follow Jesus. He was concerned for their growth. Verse 24 says - “For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.”

This was his reputation! He wasn’t the contentious easily outraged man concerned for outward good behavior. He was a generous man. Jesus had made him good. He was bearing fruit. He was filled with faith and the Spirit. And as a result, more people believed. Now, what did he do? Verse 25 says he went to Tarsus to bring back Saul. Then they taught the Christians in Antioch - for a whole year. Why? Wasn’t Barnabas good enough? You see, he knew he wasn’t - he wanted to give the best. And Christ already said Saul would be apostle to the Gentiles. He was strong and no one could refute him. There was no one better. Barnabas was not jealous; he was giving. He didn’t care about accolades. He wasn’t like Ananias and Sapphira. And what’s more is during that year, other teachers came. Both Barnabas and Saul wanted to feed this church with the best. Verses 27-28 - said prophets from Jerusalem came to Antioch. New Testament prophets taught the Word besides pastors and apostles. Ephesians 2:20 says, the church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. They taught Jesus. So before the Bible was completed, these prophets gave nuggets of God’s revelation.

During the service, one prophet named Agabus stood up and predicted a famine would strike the whole Roman empire in the reign of Claudius Caesar. And this happened. In AD 45, the Nile flooded and destroyed all the grain. This reduced grain supply in Roman Empire. Drought hit the rest of the empire in AD 46 and affected grain production elsewhere. It was an empire-wide famine. Now, this was a prediction in AD 41 or 42. So what happened?

Thirdly, grace comes full circle - grace gives generously. After the church received so much - Barnabas, Saul, Agabus and other prophets - the people responded to the prophecy with grace and generosity out of obedience. Verses 29-30 says that every disciple, according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren in Judea. They did it by the hands of Barnabas and Saul, giving money to the elders there. There are several things to note from these verses. These were the disciples themselves - not the apostles or leaders. These were mostly Gentile Christians. They wanted to send relief. They responded to the teaching imparted over that year. They matured. They were willing to give to the brethren in Judea - those who initially judged Peter, who would not reach out to them. And also - verse 29 - every man gave according to his ability. It was not just the rich, or the widows with 2 mites, it was everyone. But who taught them to do this? It was Barnabas. They gave according to their ability - out of free will, based on what they had. They also collected money before the famine happened. They laid aside money already and designated this for the work of mercy. They did it for others. If we hear this prophecy, what would we do? We’d start buying stocks in Kellogg. Save up for ourselves. Start selling away investments in the Nile. Buy gold. But these disciples determined to send money to Judea. Now, why Judea? Is it because the famine would be worse there? Not necessarily. They were sending it to the leaders in Jerusalem. And these leaders would receive it with humility - this was not unclean money, but the money raised by Gentile Christians for their brothers - for the church at large. They were obediently committing money to the diaconate - those officers who distributed the mercy funds. This also shows understanding. They were well taught. Yes, the famine would affect them - they could’ve kept money in Antioch. But they submitted their money to officers to be distributed back to them. There was no Joseph ben Jacob in Egypt storing grain, but a Joseph Bar-nabas in Antioch teaching grace and mercy. Just as he sold land and brought the money to the feet of the apostles, now, the church collected money and by the hands of Barnabas and Saul to bring it to the feet of the officers in Jerusalem. Grace comes full circle. Verse 26 tells us that it was at Antioch that the disciples were first called Christian. They didn’t call themselves Christian, but others did.

Dearly beloved, what can we gather from this passage? Are we called Christians - as in - Ew! Christians! So judgmental, so exacting, so ungracious, so contentious, so “clean”? We must be converted. We are not married to our preferences, but wed to Christ. Christ came to take upon himself the sins of others, he came to dine with sinners, stay with them, walk with them, and to teach them. His heart was gracious. And Jesus had the harshest words towards those who were contentious, exacting, who thought themselves clean and well-behaved. Would you consider yourselves - and this goes for me - who think yourself as good and clean and better than others - that God has given the same gift to others as he did to us. Only Jesus saves - and maybe we must be saved from our pride that we have so-called good behavior that creates pride in us.

We must also see this and rejoice. The Cypriot Christians, the Libyan Christians - they could do things that the Jewish Christians could not. We are not cookie-cutter. Thank God for that. There are different Christians, who love the Lord Jesus, who have different things going for them - they can reach out better than you and me to those who may be like them. This humbles us. And makes us trust in the wisdom of God more than our own.

We also see here the grace of God in giving. Christ gave liberally. The converted in Jerusalem gave liberally. Barnabas gave liberally. Saul gave liberally. And the Christian disciples gave liberally. I have to be careful in what I say. Notwithstanding good stewardship and sound and responsible policies - we must give liberally - for the sake of the work of the church here, and for the sake of Christ’s work elsewhere. The work of relief and the work of the ministry. Please pray for your elders and deacons. We need your prayers to know how to balance sound stewardship with gracious liberality. That we would be of one mind. There are many requests made to the church - good requests. We have funds - a lot of funds. But we need wisdom, love, liberality, and grace from the Lord - to know especially that grace comes full circle.

But this is the work of Christ isn’t it? Why did he come and minister? Why did he suffer? Why did he deny himself? So that he would glorify God. And why? So that God would glorify him. Christ gave of himself, and now he has a people who worship him. He suffered for us, to exalt us, that we may exalt him. Grace comes full circle. You know, the children of the world do things wickedly for their benefit. We, the children of God, do good for the benefit of others - and the Lord smiles on us.