Sunday Recap - Sunday 6th September - ANOINTED Acts Chapter 11 + 12

September 8th, 2026
by Ps Jonny Kettle

Anointed - ACTS Chapter 11 + 12

Message Overview:

This week’s message from Acts 11–12 reminds us that the Kingdom of God continues to advance through the hand of the Lord, even in the face of opposition. As the gospel spreads to Antioch, we see God’s grace reaching unlikely people and forming a new community of believers who would first be called Christians. The sermon also highlights that revival must be followed by discipleship, as Barnabas and Saul teach and strengthen the new believers. When persecution intensifies and Peter is imprisoned, the Church responds not with fear but with earnest prayer, trusting that God is able to break chains, open doors and continue His work through His people.

Key Points
•The Kingdom advances through the hand of the Lord, not human strength, strategy or personality.
•Opposition does not stop the Church; God can use difficulty and scattering to spread the gospel further.
•God’s grace reaches unlikely people and places, as seen in the gospel taking root among the Gentiles in Antioch.
•Revival needs discipleship; new believers need to be taught, encouraged and formed in the way of Jesus.
•To be called Christian means to belong to Christ and to live in a way that reflects Him to the world.
•When opposition, trials and impossible situations come, prayer is the Church’s weapon and first response.

Application Questions
1. Where do you need to rely more deeply on the hand of the Lord rather than your own strength or ability?
2. Can you think of a time when God used a difficult season to grow your faith or advance His purposes?
3. Who has helped disciple you in your walk with Jesus, and who might God be inviting you to encourage or disciple?
4. In what ways should our lives stand out as people who belong to Christ?
5. What opposition, pressure or discouragement are you currently facing, and how can the group pray with you about it?
6. What is one “impossible” situation where you need to keep praying earnestly and trusting God?
7. What practical step can you take this week to pray again, encourage someone again or help someone grow in faith?

Key Scriptures:

Acts 11:19-21
Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

Acts 11:22-24
News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

Acts 11:26
The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

Acts 12:1-5
It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3 When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

Acts 12:5
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

Acts 12:6-11
The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”

YouTube Link for Service:

Sunday Service

Group Reflection Questions:

What do you feel God saying to you?
What can you do about it?
What is an actionable plan you can put in place to help yourself respond to God?
Who can keep you accountable?