See Grace

Introduction

Do you remember the movie “The Music Man”? The story of a con man who sells instruments to rural areas with the promise that he will organize a band that the whole town can enjoy. Of course, the con man, Professor Harold Hill, isn’t a musician and he doesn’t plan on staying to teach the boys how to play. He takes orders and money and then leaves town with the funds and never returns. After awhile the townspeople begin to demand evidence or proof that Mr. Harold Hill is who is says he is and can do what he says he can do. Of course, part of the tension in the production is to get close to proving himself only to use distraction to escape proof.

We want proof. “Put it in writing” is more than a catchphrase. It is a reminder that unless it is on paper there is no real deal. To get a license you have to prove who you are. To vote you have to prove who you are. To cash a check you have to prove who you are. To get on an airplane you have to prove who you are. We are constantly looking for proof or evidence that verifies reality.

Even people of faith demand proof from God. At times we bargain with God. If he will do this we will do something in return. If we have done something then we want God to do something for us. How would you know if God is at work? How would you know if God was involved in something? What proof would you need to be convinced that God was listening and acting? Some think God is a con man. Promising one thing and not following through. In some cases it isn’t God but individuals who are pretending. They promise to follow God only to follow their own path and blame God for the results. Today we look at the end of chapter 11 to see proof of God at work.

God’s Mission

Luke told us about the persecution in Acts 8. Now he tells us what happened generally because of that persecution in 11:19ff. The persecuted spread out. They go to Cyprus — a large island in the Mediterranean. They go to Phoenicia — a large area to the north. And some go to Antioch — the third largest city in the Roman world (only Rome and Alexandria in Egypt were larger). Luke tells us that in leaving Jerusalem and going to these places they focused on teaching the Jewish population in these areas. But then Luke tells us that men from the island of Cyprus and from the area of Cyrene (this is the east side of modern day Libya and would have included the island of Crete) go to Antioch and begin teaching non-Jews about Jesus. Historians tell us that there were large Jewish communities in Cyprus, Cyrene and Antioch. So are these Jewish men? Maybe. They are probably Greeks who were converted to Judaism and now come to know Jesus. So they didn’t have a Peter experience. So how did they decide to expand their preaching and teaching to Greeks?

Turn to Acts 2:10. Luke has already told us that people from Cyrene were in the audience on Pentecost. Some were Jews and some were Greeks converted to Judaism. Additionally, Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us that the man who carried Jesus’ cross was from Cyrene. Cyrene was an intellectual center in the 1st century. A medical school was there as well as a classical academy. Jerusalem is the center of Jewish training. Acts 6:5 has Nicholas, one of the seven men chosen to attend to the widows in Jerusalem, was from Antioch. Antioch, Cyrene and Cyprus were clearly influenced more by Greek and Roman thought. The point — the gospel is expanding away from a Jewish audience to a Gentile audience. Why? Because God was behind this. Who better to explain to these Gentiles about Jesus than those who understood the culture and also understood Judaism?

News of these events reached Jerusalem and Barnabas is sent as an envoy to find out what is happening. What Barnabas saw brought a dual response — gladness and a realization that help is needed. So he travels to Tarsus, retrieves Paul, and together they spend a year encouraging, teaching, and preaching. This word “Christians” is a word that is attributed to these believers from outsiders. It isn’t a term that the believers use about themselves but a term that outsiders use to describe the believers.

So What?

Two things to get from this text. First, other than Barnabas and Saul, none of the teachers or preachers are named. In fact, Luke writes in such a way that the assumption is that these unnamed teachers were in Jerusalem at Pentecost; heard Peter’s message; became followers of Jesus; were scattered in the persecution and then decided that going home wasn’t enough. They needed to move to other places in order to share the good news about Jesus with others. It appears that while some went exclusively to the Jews others who were probably non-Jewish adherents saw this as an opportunity to go to their own culture. Here’s the point. These nameless ministers didn’t wait for Jerusalem or for someone to instruct them about teaching. They did it because of their faith. What courage and boldness!

The second item is found in verse 23. Barnabas saw grace and was glad or rejoiced. He saw grace. What does grace look like? Would you know grace when you saw it? How would you describe grace when you saw it? Whatever Barnabas saw it brought gladness. He saw charis and he charai. Grace leads to gladness.

Here’s the point. We are the nameless teachers. Our obituaries will be short. Our names will not find their way into history books or even a good book. But others can see grace in us. We will fall into the Christ group because when grace is shared, Jesus is seen. We are the nameless ones who will bring grace courageously and boldly to people who do not know such. We will bring gladness to a world without joy.

What does this grace look like?

It looks like patience extended when a co-worker makes a mistake.

It speaks words that build up when a family member needs it.

It feels like a warm touch when a person is isolated.

It appears as a smile to a person who has only seen frowns.

It looks like calm in a world with chaos.

It speaks praise in a world that complains.

It shares when others are tight-fisted.

And when people see grace then they will see God through you. It may not created warm fuzzies but you will be the source of gladness because you have been touched by grace. And that may lead to you sharing about Jesus with someone that desperately needs to hear about him. You are the nameless minister to your world. This does not require special training but it does require boldness and confidence to share what you have experienced — grace. Prayer. No invitation song.

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