Adventurers in Hard Places

Our culture offers cheap platitudes like “look on the bright side,” but followers of Jesus are called to a much deeper, bolder reality in hardship. In God’s strange economy, we only ever become fully who we are meant to be through the difficult things we endure. The early church in Acts 11 faced brutal injustice and displacement, yet they refused to settle into a bitter, self-protective victim mindset. Instead, they stepped deeper into God’s mission, living with such transcendent faith that the world first labeled them "Christians." Let's dive in together to see how Jesus is writing a more beautiful story for our lives than simply the hard things we face.

Acts 11:19-30

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. 20 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. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 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, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 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.

27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 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). 29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

Read Acts 11:19-30 together

For Adult Homes and Groups

1. We don’t use the word persevere to describe good things. What is a funny, mundane, or mildly annoying task in your daily life you have to “persevere” through?

2. Culture says to find the “silver lining” in hard times, but James 1 tells us to consider trials pure joy. How is the secular idea of optimism different from Christian hope when you’re going through a truly painful season?

3. Instead of protecting themselves, the scattered believers pushed the Gospel to a new frontier in Antioch and became “adventurers with Jesus.” Where is the “frontier” in your life right now (in your family, workplace, or neighborhood) where Christ is inviting you to step out in faith and share it?

4. Pray over each other for those specific frontiers you share and ask the Holy Spirit to move in you to take that step this week.

For Families with Kids

1. The world says, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” But God promises that when hard or sad things happen, He uses them to grow and make us stronger. What’s something “sour” or hard that happened to you recently, and how can we ask Jesus to help us find joy in it?

2. In Acts 11, the people watching the believers saw that everything they did was about Jesus, so they nicknamed them “Christians” (“like Christ” or “belonging to Christ”). If your friends or neighbors saw how you act, what nickname or words might they use to describe you? Parents: Remind your kids that even if we’re teased for loving Jesus, it’s the greatest honor to be called by His name!

3. The early church went through really sad things, but the Bible shows us a beautiful “ray of light” - lots of people met Jesus and were saved since the believers moved to Antioch! If you look back at hard times your family went through, can you see any good or “rays of light” that Jesus brought out of it? Pray the Lord’s Prayer together.