Acts of Grace: Great Grace Upon Them

Introduction: A Walk Through History and Grace

There’s something about looking back at where we came from, tracing the steps that led to our traditions, and seeing the hand of God working in unexpected places. In today’s post, we’re going to unpack the rich connections between America’s beginnings, the roots of Thanksgiving, our freedom, the story in Acts, and, most of all, the breathtaking idea that “great grace was upon them all.”

Maybe you’ve never thought about how Jamestown, the Pilgrims, Abraham Lincoln, and the early church could all come together in one story, but hang around—we’re about to take that journey together.

How Communal Living Nearly Sank Jamestown

Let’s kick things off with Jamestown, that early English settlement in Virginia. Here’s a fun piece of trivia—did you know that Jamestown almost didn’t work out at all because of how they tried to do things? The colony tried this sort of communal, communistic style of living—everyone shares everything, nobody has their own stuff. You’d think it’d work, right? Not really.

People were pretending to be busy but slacking off, and it was tanking the vibe and the productivity of the entire settlement.

It wasn’t until Captain John Smith arrived—and then Captain John Rolfe (yep, the guy who married Pocahontas)—that things began to turn around. Captain John brought in biblical principles about work and contributing, which changed everything.

“Everyone that’s contributing, everyone’s having a part in the growth of this settlement…”

It was at this point that Jamestown started to prosper. The lesson? When people are invested, when everyone has a role and is responsible for their own work and their own bread, things can finally grow.

The Roots of Thanksgiving: From Holland to Cape Cod

Now, Thanksgiving. We all love the food, family, and football, but do you know the spiritual journey that led to that first feast?

It actually starts in Holland—back in 1609. There was a pastor named John Robinson who led a group of separatists from England to Holland. These folks—later known as Pilgrims—wanted religious freedom. They wanted a chance to worship God without the threat of “convert or die” hanging over their heads, which was real back in England. At the time, the lines between government and church were blurred, and leaving the Church of England (which was basically England’s version of Catholicism) could get you in deep trouble.

The Pilgrims lived in Holland for about 12 years, going from around 300 to 1,000 people. It was a growing, thriving group—but Holland, even then, had its own influence.

“They said, ‘It’s too worldly for our kids.’ Even though we’re growing, Holland is still very kind of liberal today, like the red light district and the coffee shops, which are not about coffee at all… it’s about the ganja man.”

They realized their children were being influenced by things they couldn’t control. So, hearing rumors of a new world, these Pilgrims thought, “Why not? Let’s get out there, start fresh, and follow God where He leads.”

The Church in Holland: A Walk Down Memory Lane

The story gets personal. It’s one thing to read history in a book; it’s another to see the places. There’s a church in Holland (still standing today!) where these separatists met and dreamed of this new world. The author of the sermon shares that he lived nearby, not far from Anne Frank’s house, not even realizing the historical significance until later.

When you’re standing in these old places, reading the plaques and retracing the steps, you realize how real and close history can be.

The Pilgrims’ Risk: Why Leave Everything?

They had three choices:

Go back to England (not a good plan—they’re literally killing Christians there).
Stay in Holland (too much worldliness for their liking).
Set out and start something new in America.

Let’s clear something up: a lot of folks say “Christians started more wars,” or that the most violence in history was in the name of faith. But, as the speaker says, this was about government-controlled religion—empire-driven churches forcing people with the sword, not Bible-centered, grace-driven, “born again” Christianity.

“This is not Christians like you and I… That’s not the Christian gospel of building the kingdom.”

Governor William Bradford’s Vision

Enter Governor William Bradford, the governor of Plymouth Colony. Here’s what he said about why they were doing all of this:

“Great hope and inward zeal of laying some good foundation for the propagating and advancing of the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in these remote parts of the world, yea, though they should be stepping stones to others for the performing of such great work.”

That’s the fire that pushed them through everything ahead.

1620: The Mayflower and the Birth of a Nation

In 1620, only about 42 of the original group from Holland made it across the Atlantic on the Mayflower. They landed in Cape Cod, America. Their goal? “To live as free people with God as their Sovereign and their Ruler.”

They had a deep conviction: true freedom comes from Christ, not government. That belief became a crucial part of America’s founding documents: our rights are inalienable, given by God, not handed out by any government power.

“Rights that all people are created equal come from God, not from government. …that they were free indeed.”

But let’s be real: it wasn’t easy. They faced deadly cold, hunger, and unfamiliar land. Many died that first winter. And yet, God’s grace carried this small community.

America: The Great Experiment

What made all this special? The idea that people could govern themselves, that rights came from God, and that everyone was created equal.

Yes, the history of America has its black eyes and bruises—we could spend all day on that. But that core idea—that people can be free, self-governing, and bound not by the state but by conscience and faith—was radical.

We celebrate Thanksgiving because a group of people risked everything, trusting God.

And of course, the story would be incomplete without mentioning Squanto—the Native American who helped these Pilgrims survive by teaching them how to plant and harvest in the New World. Not just an animated movie character!

“These Native Americans helped these people who set out by faith to live out of the dictates of their own conscience, with God and not government intervening in their lives… what we call the great experiment that people can govern themselves, believing in God: America.”

Gratitude: To the Troops and to the Future

The freedoms those first settlers fought for are only here today because, generation after generation, troops have defended those inalienable rights. The freedom to worship, to speak out, to assemble—all these are preserved by the courage and sacrifice of countless men and women.

“The soldiers that we have that are alive today that have served our country are preserving these things that still started hundreds of years ago.”

Have you thanked a service member recently?

Thanksgiving Becomes a National Day

Let’s fast-forward to October 3, 1863. Abraham Lincoln—yes, during the Civil War—makes Thanksgiving an official national holiday. Here’s what he said:

“No human council hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things; they are gracious gifts of the most high God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States and those who are sojourning in foreign lands to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as the day of thanksgiving and praise to the beneficent Father who dwells in heaven.

…It is announced in the Holy Scriptures, the Bible, and proven by all history that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord.” (Psalm 33:12)

It’s a call for unity, humility, and gratitude to God.

Lessons from the Early Church: Communal Living

Back to our story in Acts. That communal, “share-everything” lifestyle was tried by the early church too—and, like Jamestown, it wasn’t meant to last forever.

In the early church, people owned homes and jobs, gathering as a community but still having personal responsibility. Paul even said, “When you gather for the Lord’s supper, it’s not to eat and get drunk—do that at home, not in the church.” There was freedom, but also order.

This history lesson matters because it shows how grace, responsibility, and community work together. It’s not forced, not top-down, not government-run, but love-driven.

Acts 4: Power, Resurrection, and Great Grace

Now, let’s zero in on Acts 4:33.

“And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.”

Great grace. What does that mean? And why did these apostles, who once were scared and hiding out, suddenly become bold and unstoppable?

The Qualification of an Apostle

The apostles weren’t supermen—they were regular folks like you and me. The one thing that changed everything for them? They saw the resurrected Jesus.

To be an apostle, you had to have seen the resurrected Lord. Paul says that even he, though he missed the events of the gospels, truly saw Jesus after the resurrection:

“Then last of all, he was seen by me also, as one born out of due time.” (1 Corinthians 15)

The Resurrection: The Core of Christianity

Paul hammers this point hard in 1 Corinthians 15. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead—then everything falls apart:

“And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is also in vain…And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”

If Jesus is dead, there’s no hope. But if He’s alive (as over 500 witnesses saw and testified), Christianity explodes with power.

Grace: Not Just a Doctrine, but a Person

Let’s talk about grace. It’s easy to think of grace as a concept, like electricity or Wi-Fi—a spiritual energy out there somewhere. But Scripture keeps pushing us toward something deeper.

Grace is a person. Not just a blessing, but Jesus Himself. Check out these parallel passages:

1 Corinthians 15:10: “But by the grace of God I am what I am… yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
Galatians 2:20: “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me…”

Do you see the link? Paul is saying, “It’s not me—it’s the grace of God, it’s Christ living through me.”

“Grace isn’t just this ambiguous sort of like current… this grace power source, this dunamis is a person. Christ, the power of God, the wisdom of God. He is the power. He is the grace. It’s not the plan of salvation that saved you. It’s the person of salvation that saved you. It’s Jesus. He did it.”

Grace Leads Us to Do More, Not Less

A lot of people get nervous with grace. They think, “If you talk too much about grace, people will just slack off and do nothing.” Not true.

Paul was saved by grace and ended up working harder than ever—but not to earn God’s love. He was working out of the abundance of it:

“Grace doesn’t lead us to do less, grace leads us to do more.”

Works don’t produce grace; grace produces works—because God’s love compels us, not guilt.

The God of All Grace

You know how in Greek mythology there’s the “god of the sea” or the “goddess of love”? Well, the Bible says that Jesus is the God of all grace—the source and overflowing giver.

1 Peter 5:10: “But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus…”

Jesus is the fountain, the power, the One who is working in us and through us for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

Living Grace: Jesus Is Our Daily Life

Grace isn’t just how we get saved, it’s how we live every day. John 1:16 says it this way:

“And of His fullness have we all received, and grace for grace.”

God doesn’t just give us “stuff”—He gives Himself to us. Jesus fills us up. We are complete in Him (Colossians 2:9-10).

When the Bible tells us to “put on the whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6), it’s not saying to grab some spiritual accessories. It’s telling us to put on Christ Himself.

All those traits—faith, righteousness, truth, salvation—those aren’t just virtues in a vacuum. They’re all found in Jesus.

Grace and Jesus: Parallel Passages

Take a look at these “side-by-side” verses:

Titus 2:11: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.”
2 Timothy 2:10: “…that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus.”
2 Timothy 2:1: “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 6:10: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”

Notice how “grace” and “Jesus” basically swap places? Why? Because they’re both talking about the same thing—Jesus