Well, shall we turn in the Bible to the book of Acts? Book of Acts, chapter 11. I hope you're getting something out of Acts. I've got to say, I personally have. I feel like, you remember when you were a child and you went on holiday and you'd go to a, your parents would take you on the beach or you'd go to a sandpit and there's a boy who used to love the sandpit. And I feel like a boy in the sandpit looking at the book of Acts. And we've got as far as Acts chapter 11. I'm going to read Acts 11, 1 to 30. I'm going to read the whole chapter. The title of the sermon is Gentile Expansion to Antioch. And this is really exciting, Gentile expansion to Antioch. So let's hear the word of God before I preach it to us by God's grace. Verse one, now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him saying, you went to uncircumcise men and ate with them. But Peter began and explained it to them in order. I was in the city of Joppa praying and in a trance I saw a vision. something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air, and I heard a voice saying to me, rise, Peter, kill and eat. But I said, by no means, Lord. for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth. But the voice answered a second time from heaven, what God has made clean do not call common. This happened three times and all was drawn up again into heaven and behold at that very moment, three men arrived at the house in which we were sent to me from Caesarea. And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter. He will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household. As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. If then God gave the same gift to them as He gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way? When they heard these things, they fell silent, and they glorified God, saying, Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life. Verse 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. 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. Hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 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. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. 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. Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch, 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. So the disciples determined everyone, according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. Excuse me. The title of the sermon is Gentile Expansion to Antioch. Now the reason why I've chosen the whole chapter, because it really fits together. The first part is rehearsing. what Peter has done to the church in Jerusalem because something dramatic has happened. A non-Jew getting Saved. What is this? In fact, even more, you mean you've taken the gospel to men who are not circumcised? And apart from that, these people, they eat pork chops. They don't deserve the gospel. We don't eat such things. And it was a major event in the church. And it was a major event in the history of salvation. But yet this whole chapter, chapter 11, is dripping with the grace of God. Isn't that wonderful? This whole chapter is dripping with the grace of God. Not only the news comes in Jerusalem to be reported to the apostles, But then, before they could handle almost that news, more news is coming. This huge Gentile city called Antioch. that not only Jews are getting converted there, but God is converting Gentiles as well. And there's no committee that's arranging this. There's no committee of elders, well, we gave our sanction of this, no. God is running ahead of what the church were thinking and doing. Why? Because He is called God, and the church belongs to God. God, it doesn't belong to man. And the head of the church is Jesus Christ. And so therefore all of us, whether we're pastors, whether we're elders, whether we're deacons, and if we own the name Christian, we all have a responsibility, including children, to submit to Almighty God. Are you submitted to Him this morning? That's a big question, isn't it? Are you submissive to him or do you pick and mix? Well, I agree with that part of the Bible, but I've begun to develop my own opinions on this particular area. I don't agree with tithing. I don't agree with actually going to church on Sundays. I can worship God just as much at home. I know the Bible says how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity. But I enjoy listening to lots of internet sermons. And in fact, there's better preachers online than our own pastor. So therefore, I think I will avail myself of that and other areas we could go on and on and on. But the question is, are we going to submit to the word of God and freshly do that? doesn't matter what you've been doing the last five years ten years or for some people thirty years or for some people thirty five years the word of god comes to us and says today today yes the bible says today if you hear his voice do not harden your heart and clearly the church here including peter that wonderful apostle He'd got his own inner traditions of what he thought God should do and what God shouldn't do, and the Lord had to change Peter's inner traditions so that the gospel could break through. And as far as I know, if you are Jewish, we love it that you're here with us. But whether you're a Jew or a Gentile, and I think we're pretty much all Gentiles in this room, Because God no longer makes a distinction. The gospel comes to all people. But, well let me give the four headings first of all, for those who are taking notes. They're not memorable headings, you have to forgive me for that, but they're from the text. Number one is gospel criticism. Gospel criticism. Number two, repentance is a gift. Repentance is a gift. Number three is Antioch. And number four is Barnabas and Saul. They're not overly memorable, but I hope we'll be fed the word of God. When I was in Berlin last week, there were a couple of, well, a number of children, there's quite a lot of children actually in the church in Berlin, and a friend of mine, Marius Walisch, who became an elder, we've known him since 2004, and he now has four daughters. It's like Philip, who we'll meet later on in the book of Acts. And I thought, well, I want to choose headings in Berlin. And for one of the sermons, there was, I don't know, was it five headings or whatever? And I said, I think even the two oldest daughters were called Nuri and Salome. I said, I've chosen headings, so even those two children can remember the headings. I didn't do it deliberately, but what I found by saying I think they could remember, I found the adults thought, well, if they can remember, I'm going to remember as well. So adults are coming up to me in between the two services to tell me they'd remembered the headings. But number one, first heading, is gospel criticism. Look in 11, verse one and two. Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, you went to uncircumcise men and ate with them? But Peter began and explained. So the first setting is gospel criticism. And what we encounter here is that God does a great thing, but criticism comes. And I think there's a principle here that often when God is doing great things, that criticism will come. And so we shouldn't be offended by criticism, but seek to answer the critics according to the word of God. But this was a specific criticism that actually went on for quite a few centuries. This one did not quieten down. Why? Because of pride. The Jews thought, we're somehow better than the Gentiles. that we've been given the law and Moses was one of ours, he wasn't an uncircumcised man. But I just wonder sometimes for us in the church, are we really open in the church? Are we open and receptive? that God might start saving Muslims. How would you feel if you came along here this morning and there was a bloke sitting in your seat, which is, you think it's your seat, but you're sitting up with a long beard and a white robe on, and you're gonna think, what's happening? Is this place being taken over by terrorists? What's happening here? No, we pray for Muslims to be converted. Do you pray for that? We invite Muslims to come to Christ. We don't think, well, they're a Muslim and they're not gonna believe, no. That's creating the same kind of barriers in our mind that the Jews had. We want the gospel to go to all people. And I'm sure Oscar can say amen to that. It doesn't matter. But the fact is, that sounded like him. But we pray for that because it says here that when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him. And so when there is an extension of the gospel, whenever the Holy Spirit starts to move, there always will be, or not always, but often will be criticism. But this is not a founder criticism, it's an unbiblical criticism. And did you notice also it says, when they heard that the Gospels had received the Word of God. The Word of God. Now often today, when we as Christians use the phrase, the Word of God, We often use it regarding the Bible, the Bible that's on your lap. And we refer to this as the Word of God. But actually, the phrase, the Word of God, could be translated, the message of God. And it's used often in the book of Acts, not to refer to the whole Bible, but to refer to the message of God, and in particular, the message of the gospel. And so we need to be reminded that it's not enough just to give people a copy of the Bible. We need to give them the main message of this Bible is the good news. The good news that if you repent, turn from your opinions, and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the Savior, and the only way by which you can be saved and to call upon the name of jesus you can have forgiveness of sins now that's the said very briefly but we need the preaching of the gospel in the church a preacher can never assume well everybody here they're all christians they must all be christians because they've got up this morning to come to church well obviously The majority of us are professing Christians, but the word of God needs to be constantly preached. And to be reminded that the Bible says this, for all of us to be reminded of this this morning, everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Are you saved? I remember when I was a, Well, I was in Bromley. I met a family from Kent this morning, and we were discussing about Bromley, whether it's kind of the city part of Kent. But I was invited to one of these, it was called a nurture group. It was people who were interested in exploring questions. And there was a converted punk rocker in the group, and he just got a fresh tattoo on, not that I'm recommending that, John 316. He became convicted a few years later that Christians shouldn't tattoo themselves. They had to pay a lot to get it lasered off. But he wasn't at that point right then, and he ripped his shirt off. And I worked for a company, so I've got a suit on. And not that that really matters, but... And he asked me, you know, ripped his shirt off, show me this tattoo, look at this. For God so loved the world, he gave... And I had no idea what John 3, 16 was for a start. I didn't really know what he was saying. And then he said to me, are you saved? And I honestly didn't know what he was talking about. So I said to someone next week that this fellow next to me was asking me, are you saved? And then he had to explain that. But to be saved means to be rescued from sin and the consequences of sin. Because when I got converted, I rang my dad up to tell him I'd now been converted, which was a number of weeks later. And I'll never forget what I said to him till my dying day. I said to my dad, I said to my dad, Dad, I now believe in Jesus Christ. And I said, if I get knocked down by a London bus tomorrow, I will not go to hell. And I've never ceased to be thankful for deliverance from hell. How about you? Are you saved? Are you saved? Well, the second heading, gospel criticism, number two, repentance is a gift. And let's take a look at chapter 11, verse 17 and 18. Peter giving this testimony, he says, if then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way? When they heard these things, they fell silent and they glorified God saying, then to the Gentiles also, God has granted repentance that leads to life. And the second heading is that repentance is a gift. Repentance, this is a leveler for us in every generation. Peter says, if God gave them the same gift as us, and every aspect of salvation is God's gift, And that includes repentance, repentance turning from whatever you're trusting in and turning to God in the name of Jesus Christ. Some clever Christian now says, well, hang on a minute, I've got a question for you. God requires us to call people to repent and to believe. And therefore, if God calls people to repent and believe, clearly that's my responsibility and it can't be a gift from God. Well, let's just, it's true, God does command us to preach that every individual has a responsibility to repent and to believe. We have that responsibility. But we have a problem as well, and it's called sin. And as a result of sin, unless God intervenes in our life, we will never turn to God. We will never put our faith in God through Jesus. In fact, we will actually hate Jesus, though we won't quite use those words. So the second heading is that repentance is a gift and that's what Peter is explaining to the church here in Jerusalem and saying if God gave them that gift and he gave them the gift, who am I to argue? And so it's a reminder for us that this doctrine of repentance is that man cannot and will not repent unless God helps them. unless God helps them. So you cannot sit here this morning and say, I'm not like the rest of my work colleagues. Most of my work colleagues, they're so thick and they even have broad Yorkshire accents. It proves that they don't know a thing about the gospel. But yet that's not true for me. I'm not like the rest of them. Well, if you're not like the rest of them because you have repented, and you're not like the so-called rest of them because you believe in Jesus, then this morning we need to be reminded that the only reason why you have repented and that you believe in Jesus is the grace of Christ. Do you believe that? We sing this hymn, it says, nothing in my hand I bring. Can you believe that? Your hands are empty this morning. We're poor in spirit. Nothing in my hand I bring, but simply to thy cross I cling. But if God has opened our eyes, we can shout hallelujah. but it's only because of the grace of God. And there's nothing better than to be a Christian. For those who are brought up in Christian families, maybe you might be faced with a temptation at some stage to think, well, that's my mom and dad's religion, but I'm big enough now to find my own way through life, thank you very much. But let me tell you, that's a foolish thing because Your parents are not perfect. No parents are perfect. But Jesus is perfect. And you want to follow him all the days of your life. So repentance is a gift. Our third heading this morning is Antioch. So we move on in the same chapter from the gospel penetrating and Peter giving the house of Cornelius and this whole household getting saved. But before we know it, we're now in verse 19. Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen. Do you remember how Stephen was persecuted? If you remember that story, it's quite a few chapters back, but yet the ripples are still spreading everywhere. The ripples are spreading all over the place. This man was brutally killed by being stoned to death. And there was a man called Saul. who was standing, giving consent, and these men gave him their clothes, as it were, as they stoned Stephen to death. So it's many years ago, I think now, Saul has been converted. And yet we still see the impact of the martyrdom of Stephen. It says that those who were persecuted that arose over Stephen in verse 19 traveled as far as Phoenicia. You know where Phoenicia is? It's modern-day Lebanon. So they're going way north now into big Gentile territory. Why? They wouldn't have gone naturally. They would never have fulfilled this mission. They would have stayed in their same holy club. Let's stay in the library in Jerusalem. But the Lord says, forget about your library in Jerusalem. There's people out there that need to be hearing about the testimony of Jesus and the resurrection. So they're now going to Lebanon and Cyprus and Antioch, this huge Greek city, which today is on the edge of Turkey, And they were speaking the word to no one except Jews, but there were some of the men of Cyprus and Cyrene who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the non-Jews, also preaching the Lord Jesus. And look at verse 21. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. A great number of them believed and turned to the Lord. That's what God did for Antioch. We'll look at Antioch in a moment, but don't we desire that there will be a great turning to the Lord in our own generation? Does it bother you as a Christian, the fact that so many people in our land, that they're just totally lost? And they don't even realize they're lost, and they're actually proud of their lostness. They even tell you sometimes, I'm an atheist. God doesn't even exist. Boy, oh boy, oh boy. Does God exist or cease to exist because they say he doesn't exist? Imagine facing the true and one living God with such a testimony. To die in your sins is the worst way anybody could die. And so we need to be moved as Christians and stirred to cry out to God that God will be merciful on this godless nation which is called the United Kingdom. It's still sometimes referred to as Great Britain. I'm not sure it's great in God's sight. We desperately need the power of the gospel, and for God to raise up men to preach so that pulpits are raised up again and church buildings are either rebuilt or reopened because I don't know how many buildings that we see in our land today that once were houses of worship and today they're luxury homes, they're places for refitting tires, but can God change things? He can, look at Antioch. That was a godless city and God broke through in Antioch. Do we believe God can break through in Sheffield? Do we believe God can break through in Maltby? God can break through in Rotherham? We believe that he can because God has not changed. And we need the Lord to help us to have a vital faith. And it says, the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. What do you think is going to happen in Jerusalem now? There's a new newspaper headline that's coming. It's like these uncircumcised Antiochans and it says verse 22, the report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. Well, why Barnabas? He'd been named Barnabas, the son of encouragement. He had a good reputation. Barnabas, you go there and sort out, find out what's happening. And when he came in verse 23, he saw the grace of God. That's interesting, isn't it? If the grace of God has affected you, it will begin to affect your outward countenance. Because they saw the grace of God. If you're enthusiastic about Jesus, it's hard to cover that up. Would you agree? It's hard to cover it up. He says, when he came, he saw the grace of God. And he was glad. And he exhorted them. Look at this. He exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose. It's a bit like going running, isn't it? It's not really my cup of tea running, and running might be your cup of tea, but it says here in verse 24 that Barnabas exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose. If you're well trained and you're good at running 5k, let's just go for 5k for now. Then you've got to just finish the 5K. I know if you're only just starting out, like me, your lungs will be burning and you'll be dragging yourself over the line. But let's say you've been doing it for a year or so. You know what it's like to run. You just finish the run with steadfast purpose. You don't start quitting halfway through. But how about being a Christian? Because Barnabas encourages them to remain faithful to the Lord. And I want to ask you a question. Honestly. People listening online. Anybody here? I want to ask you a question. Are you remaining faithful to the Lord? Because the last year and a half has meant there's been a real war of attrition where we've not really had the fellowship with one another like we've had before, and it does affect us. And we need to ask ourselves honestly, are we remaining faithful to the Lord? Has our zeal waned? Has the light grown dim? And if the answer is yes, then come to the Lord and say to Him, Lord, I've heard the preacher this morning. I feel convicted. I think I've grown lukewarm. I've been a pastor for not quite 30 years, and I've never had anybody in 30 years come to me and say, Pastor, I need to talk to you. I need to confess. I think I've become lukewarm. I've never had that. I think, why? It must be pride to acknowledge that we've let the light grow dim. But if it has grown dim, let's come to Christ this morning. Let's not spend another day in a lukewarm state. This nation needs Christians to be salt and light. And this was the message of Barnabas to that new church in Antioch. And let me just say one other thing before we move to our last heading, is that they preach the word of God. And they didn't alter, I've got this in my notes, and I'm gonna look at my notes. The church does not alter its message for different audiences. It preaches the same Christ to all nations. So we don't alter our message. We don't say to a Muslim, well, we're not going to mention Jesus as Son of God because they may be offended. But let them be offended. Because if the Holy Spirit's at work, then they won't be offended, they will come to Christ. We do not alter the message. Jesus is the way, He's the truth and the life, and no matter what the BBC would think, The fact is you cannot be saved, you cannot go to heaven by any other religious figure except the name of Jesus, and it's Jesus who said that. And so the church does not alter its message for different audiences. It preaches the same Christ to all nations. My fourth and last heading is this, Barnabas and Saul. Barnabas and Saul. Well, where do we really begin? But this is a major turning point for us because a great many people are turning to the Lord. And this encouraged Barnabas. In verse 25, so Barnabas went to Tarsus. to look for Saul. Remember, he'd been there to encourage Saul, this mighty apostle, who wasn't a mighty apostle yet, but he thought there's a massive work in this Gentile city. We sent Saul off to Tarsus, and now Barnabas goes to look for Saul. And it says, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for a whole year, they, Barnabas and Saul, they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch, the disciples were first called Christians. Well, as we finish this morning, what a wonderful act of encouragement that was in the God's providence for the church, for Barnabas to go looking for Saul, this man with little experience really with the church, and he says, we need you in Antioch. come over with me, and then Paul begins to get trained, he's already called by God, but get trained in church ministry. And for a whole year, Saul, as well as Barnabas, teach the church. And from verse 25, the whole of church history changes. Because in chapter 13, God sends out Saul and Barnabas on a mission, and that mission's never ceased. We're in Sheffield today because this gospel will be preached in all nations. And what a wonderful thing, and as we finish this morning, don't we want there to be more Barnabases in the church? Don't we need more Barnabases? People who will bring encouragement, not discouragement and criticism the whole time, but bring encouragement. And I don't know what the female equivalent of Barnabas is, I don't know, but we need female Barnabases as well. Not to be teaching in the church, but to be having this gift of encouragement. Well, Saul and Barnabas began to teach and they continue for a whole year and then we find this church in Antioch becomes one of the most solid churches in the whole of the Book of Acts. So much so, Paul takes his middle name, Paul, and then he keeps on going back to the church to report to them of the great things God is doing in Galatia and then in Corinth and elsewhere. Because the Lord's blessing comes down from heaven into the church, flows out from the church, but remains connected to the church. And therefore we need to realize God has not changed. His purpose is to build his church and the gates of hell shall not prevail. So as we close this morning, what are those four headings then? Well, the first thing is there was expansion, but there was criticism. There was expansion, there was criticism. They answered the critics and then carried on. Don't let criticism stop you as a Christian. Answer the questions and keep pressing on. And if you get offended by criticism, just remember that Peter was criticized, so you're not gonna be better than Peter. Jesus was criticized. Answer the critics, pray for them, forgive them, and press on. Secondly, a reminder that repentance is a gift. Therefore, as we finish singing in a moment, we're gonna finish singing the final song, which is, and can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's blood? If you sing it with a lively interest, it's only because of the grace of God. Thirdly, in Antioch, a great number believed and turned to the Lord. May God increase our faith to believe that, never mind in far off lands, but in our own land, there can be a fresh work of the Holy Spirit. And then fourthly, Barnabas and Saul. What a wonderful thing it was to have this team working in the church. But may we be reminded this morning, not just what they brought as a message to Antioch, but the message comes to you and I today. We have a responsibility to remain faithful to the Lord. Are you remaining faithful to the Lord? And if the answer is yes, Is that really an honest yes that other people would say, yeah, I think they are remaining faithful to the Lord.