Acts | Chapter 13

Acts 13:1-13

“Hinges of history”

Vs. 1-4 The will and the way

Vs. 5-13 Voted off the island

Intro.

Much of what we have all watched and listened to over the past week seems so unreal. What will take place over the next months or years in our country is yet to be known. But one thing almost all agree upon is that the events of September 11, 2001 mark a turning point in the history of our country and perhaps our individual lives. People will forever in their lives speak of what they were doing on that Tuesday. Winston Churchill spoke of such events prior to and during the 2nd world war as, “Hinges of history”. They marked the passage by which universal change in the world transpired. I find the phrase fascinating, as hinges are small and almost invisible. They are not the door through which people pass; no they are what places the door where it is, an opening between two different areas. Their very function is to offer a “turning point” upon which radical change happens.

             Chapter 13 of Acts is a hinge of history as 12 years or so has gone by from the words of Jesus in Acts 1:8. You will remember His words prior to the ascension, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  They are now heading through the door of, “to the end of the earth.” The first 13 verses of this chapter are the hinges and we shall see how God’s sovereignty works alongside man’s free will. In doing so I believe that we will discover some principles that we can apply to times of change in our lives as well as how to have “turning points” for greater effectiveness. 

Vs. 1-4 The will and the way

Vs. 1 In Acts Ch 11:30 we were told that the Church at Antioch was determined to send relief to the Church at Jerusalem and they did so through sending Barnabas and Paul. Then, as we saw two weeks ago, the first 24 verses of chapter 12 dealt with Peter and his deliverance from certain death by the Lord. It is only the 25th verse of chapter 12 that brings us back to Vs.11:30 and the text before us today. Before us there is a radical change in the book of Acts: the switch from the work of Jesus in Peter to that of the work of Jesus in Paul.

         God’s working in human lives and specifically our lives is often debated. How do we know God’s leading? How much of what directions we take in life are our following God or of our own making. Perhaps it could all be better said by the old adage, “Some people make things happen, others watch things happen, while still others are left wondering what’s happened?” Folks there are in every life certain “hinges” or turning points, which forever change our direction, but is there a way that we can be sure not to miss them? 

Lets see first from man’s perspective!

Vs. 1 Stay a part of the body: Now this ought not need to be said but I will anyway, God did not change the direction of Paul apart from his continual and consistent involvement with the local Church. He has been teaching them for a year, (11:26) and Luke mentions five of them by name as the leaders of the Church. In fact it is interesting in the names listed that the Greek divides them into two sections:

 Prophets: (GUIDE) Those whose ministry was to speak forth the heart and mind of God. Seeing Barnabas’ name there does not surprise us as he is always mentioned as encouraging the body of Christ. And so that is the gift of prophecy to encourage, edify, exhort and comfort the body.    

Barnabas: We first were introduced to him in Acts 4:36. He was a Levite from Cypress.

Simeon: He was from northern Africa and had the nickname Niger or “black”. He most likely was the same Simeon of Luke 23:26 who was compelled to carry the cross of Jesus. His sons, we are told, become part of the Church in Rome, Alexander and Rufus.

 Lucius: All we know of him is that he too was from northern Africa.

Teachers: (GROUND) These are the folks who teach folks how to live for Jesus.

Manaen: (man-a-in) This guy had been raised in the same home with Herod Antipas, who beheaded John the Baptist and presided over the trial of Jesus.

Saul: Saul means “requested one” that was his Jewish name. It was a proud name. Paul was his Roman name, his Christian name if you will. What does it mean? Well it means little! Paul changed his name, which reflected the change that had happened in his heart. Perhaps today we would say that the name change went from, “You de man” to “little man”.  

That was the leadership of the Church in Antioch. They were “guided” and “grounded” by the local body. What’s my point? Much, if not all, of the turning points in our lives come about through normal consistency. God was going to radically change the world but He did so by men being faithful in the little things, being guided and grounded in the Lord. Folks, you will never be ready for God’s move in your life without being a part of the local Church. They are the instruments that He uses to get you ready. Now look again at the list of names that made up at least some of the leadership in the Church. What do you see? Well you see tremendous diversity and all of them had been radically changed by meeting Jesus.

• Barnabas, the Jewish Levite who took care of the temple, now a man who was the temple full of the Holy Spirit.

• Simeon, the African who was forced to carry the cross of Jesus but now does so with joy.

• Lucius, another African.

• Manaen, a man who was raised in wealth, power and great wickedness but now is teaching all about poverty of spirit, power of God and His righteousness.

• Paul, the killer of Christ now willing to be killed for Christ. 

• Vs. 2a Serve the Lord: These guys were not sitting around doing nothing waiting for directions from the Lord they were busy serving the Lord. God’s call is going to come while they are busy exercising the gifts God had given them. Notice that it does not say that they ministered FOR the Lord. No, they were ministering TO the Lord. This is one of the many errors those that serve in the Church often make. They do things for the Lord instead of to the Lord. 

• How do you know if you have fallen into this error? Well it will be seen in your attitude. If you are serving to the Lord you won’t care what you do or who notices your service because you know that you are doing it TO the Lord. But if you are doing it FOR the Lord then you will be very concerned about what you do and who notices! God spoke to folks who were already busy doing His work towards Him. They did not yet know what He wanted them to do in the future but they did know what He wanted them to do now so that is what they were doing. Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to drive your car when it is standing still? 

I love it, the basics are here! God is moving but we are not sure what to do and when to do it. So, hey stay plugged into the Church and keep busy doing what you know He has called for you to do. Again it is this setting that God speaks to them. God asks us to be faithful! 

Now notice three things about God’s direction as He turns them.

Now separate to Me: The call of God never happens upon a person apart from a deeper commitment to the Lord. You can not go forward until you first draw nearer. We often want God to tell us what to do or where to go instead what He says is, “Come to Me!”

Barnabas and Saul: It is God who chooses the men! The Church did not select the men God did. I doubt they would have pulled out so many valuable folks.

For the work to which I have called them: God chooses the work. I love it! No doubt these men had already been hearing the Lord speak to them about reaching the Gentiles but it is God who chose them.

Do you see this? The call was clear but where to go and what to do was not. God very rarely gives us the blue prints of our lives. Instead He gave a clear call to go but only enough information to keep us coming to Him for everything. Folks, life is meant to be a venture of faith!

Vs. 3 So how did all of this come about? Well they were praying and fasting no doubt with a burden on their hearts. It was God’s sovereign choice mixed, as we shall see with man’s free will. They lay their hands on them; that is to say they commissioned them and sent them on their way. 

Let me state the obvious here on the work at hand:

• They prayed

• They waited on the Lord

• They served

• They went

When someone goes out there is always a part that the local body of Christ is to play. Yeah, “Some went while others were sent!” I think it is great for the Church to be involved in short term missions, because it always makes us better “senders”! There is a real important role that we are to play if we send someone out on the mission field.

Vs. 4 Now from the perspective of one being sent it is very important that you have dealt with the issue of Who is sending you! Here we are told that it was the Holy Spirit! This is always an important part of discerning God’s will in your life, the Holy Spirit was sending them and they were going. We are not told that the Holy Spirit told them to go to Seleucia and then to Cypress. You see that is the part where God lets you just go. So why did they choose to go here? Well the short of it is we are not told, but I have a suspicion that it was what was familiar to them.

Cypress was where Barnabas grew up; he knew the area, it was close by and a good place to start. Isn’t that great? God works through our natural choices to accomplish His will in our lives! In my life when I felt God’s call on me to go and pioneer a new work where did I go? Well I grew up in Modesto, it is where I went to school, where I met and married my wife. There was no mystical move of God here, it was a natural move. “Hey Barney, now that God has called us, where do you think we should go?” “Hey, I don’t know Shorty, but while we aren’t sure yet let’s travel over to my home town and hang out!” And that’s what they did! 

Vs. 5-13 Voted off the island

Vs. 5-6a They land at the port 130 miles right across the Mediterranean Sea from Seleucia. Salamis was on the Eastern part of Cypress and was really the most important city on the Island as it was the port. Now from God’s perspective Cypress was a very logical place to start the ministry to the Gentiles. First it had a very large Jewish population; it was only a two day journey from the sending Church. The culture was predominately Greek so both Paul and Barnabas would be familiar with its culture.

         So what is it that they did? Well They preached the Word of God in the synagogues right on through the Island and they came to the capital of Paphos. Now Cyprus was an Island that was known for its immorality. For three days every Spring they would hold a festival honoring the worship of Venus. Folks would come from all over the Island and even outside the Island for the celebration. Historians say that temple prostitution was so extensive that every woman on the Island was required by law to serve as a prostitute at least once in her life. So as you read through the history of Cyprus it is full of death, disease and despair. So that is where God sends the Good News! And these two start at one end of the Island and march right on through preaching the Word of God. Folks, that is what ought to be done now in light of our national tragedy. The nation needs to hear the hope in Jesus!  And they take with them John Mark who does whatever is needed.   

Vs. 6b-11 Things are going well until they get to the capital and meet up with a Jewish false prophet who called himself the “Enlightened one son of salvation” (Elymas Bar-Jesus). We are not sure what his full deal was but we do know from Paul’s rebuke a few things:     

• He was Sorcerer, thus he was into the occult

• He was about turning people away from the faith, (vs. 8)

• He used deceit and fraud to do so.

• He was claiming to be related to Jesus and righteousness while really being into lies and the father of lies.

• He was actively and at every opportunity seeking to pervert the simple gospel that they preached. 

Now he had hooked onto the head of the Island and was acting out his trade until Paul and Barnabas came marching through the Island with the truth. So Paul steps up to the front now and for the first time begins to act as an apostle. Now a lot of people think Paul and the Lord are a little tough on the guy but the truth is that Elymas was trying to keep people in the darkness so they would have to be dependent upon him. You see Elymas was into perversion and not conversion, so the Lord places him in the darkness so he has to be led. I’m always amazed at how the Lord works in life to get folks to turn to Him. Now we never find out what happens to Elymas but we are told of what happens to Sergius Paulus the Proconsul.

Vs. 12-13 The Proconsul believes. Now we are told here that it was not the miracle that shook him to the core but rather the teaching of the word of God. In fact archeology has unearthed inscriptions bearing his name, in fact Sir William Ramsey has found evidence that he became a Christian along with his whole family. So they finish the work on Cyprus and now move over to modern day Turkey, but John Mark can’t hack it for some reason and heads home. So you see here the mixture of God’s sovereignty and man’s free will and God receiving the glory.  

Acts 13:14-37

“The Word of encouragement”

Vs. 14-16 His-story

Vs. 17-22 Grace in the past

Vs. 23-37 Grace in His Son

Intro.

The week after 9/11 happened,  I made sure that I listened to the President’s speech before the nation. Prior to his address all T.V. commentators were in agreement that this was the most important speech of his life and perhaps our nation’s. President Bush had to say the right things the right way. As one who does public speaking every week I can tell you that this is a very difficult thing to do. The responsibility to speak the truth but to do so with great care and compassion. By the way I think he did a great job. What we have before us today is one of Paul’s three recorded sermons, the most complete of the three. 

He has the task of speaking of the only hope that the world has:

• To those who have not heard it before.

• Whose views are in direct conflict to Paul’s message. 

Now for those who like to study speeches and admire the way logic is communicated you will not find a better sermon in the book of Acts. I have spent a great deal of time this week looking at the religion of Islam, then preparing for this message. Man, are there ever-great reasons to rejoice that the truth of God’s Word has been made available to us.

Acts Ch 13 Vs. 14-16 His-story

Vs. 14-16 It is interesting that Paul did not stay long in Perga, instead he and Barnabas left the coast and traveled 100 miles up into the 3,600 foot Taurus mountains. There is no mention of them sharing the Word of God in Perga until their return trip in Acts 14:25. So why the quick departure? Well the speculation is that Paul got sick. In fact several months later he writes a letter to the province of Galatia and says, “You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first.”

         There are seven cities named Antioch and this one is the one located in modern day Turkey. So as was the custom of bringing the gospel to the Jews first and then to the Gentiles on the Sabbath they go into a synagogue. There was a general liturgy followed in the synagogue they would start out with opening prayers or Shema where 18 blessings or prayers were recited. Then there was a reading from the law, which is one of the first five books of the old testament. They would then open up one of the prophets followed by a “free reading” or teaching by a competent leader present, finally they would offer up a closing blessing. All of this was left up to the head of the synagogue to organize, so after the reading of the Law and the Prophets the rulers looked over at Paul and Barnabas to see if they would like to address the congregation.

         It is here that I would like to interject that these divine appointments do not come across our plate without God’s preparation. Paul had great experience even though this is his first recorded sermon. He had heard Stephen preach the gospel to him and others prior to his conversion. In fact there is a great similarity between the two sermons. Furthermore we saw that Paul in Acts 9:20 right after his conversion, “preached or proclaimed” Jesus. After 3 years in Arabia he was able to prove that Jesus was the Christ. Six to eight years in his home town of Tarsus no doubt teaching and expounding the Word led to Barnabas seeking him out for a year long teaching engagement in Antioch of Syria. So you can clearly see that Paul was no “overnight” phenomenon. Paul would later write to Timothy and exhort him to, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and teaching.” Folks, you will never be ready to be used by God if you are not consistently studying the Word of God.

So Paul motions with his hand then properly addresses them. Now he is going to give them a history lesson but it’s not history as we usually read it. History is usually about man’s accomplishments. Simply put, most of history that man writes centers around men, men who have done certain things. But this history is not going to center around men but rather it is going center around God’s gracious care for them.

Grace in the past

In the first section, (17-22) he is going to show them how God cared for them throughout four periods of their history:

Vs. 17 Pre-history “God of this people Israel”: He was gracious to them prior to them being organized as a people. You will recall that God in Gen. 12 called Abraham out of his country to bless him.

Vs. 17 Early history: “Chose our fathers”: He was gracious to them as he began to reveal Himself to their forefathers. Abraham, Isaac,  Jacob and then Jacob’s 12 sons. God took those 12 and made them a nation of a million in 400 year’s time.

Vs. 17-18 National history: God was gracious as He led them out of bondage and through 40 years of failure in the wilderness.

Vs. 19-22 Territorial history: God was gracious to them as He fulfilled His promise from the start when He rooted out seven nations, to 400 years of guiding them through Judges and even after they rebelled he gave them a King that they wanted and one that He wanted.

So what is the application point of this to you and I? Well it’s simple, if we could stop for a moment and observe our lives we would be able to see how God’s grace had been inter-twined with our lives even prior to us meeting Him. A careful examination of  your life would reveal how He was trying to reach you when you were still apart from Him and had no knowledge of Him. Then you will be able to see how God was working through family to reach you. Some of you had Godly parents, others had other relatives who were living demonstrations of His love. Next you will recall times in your lives where you were a stinker and all caught up in rebellion for years yet God was still being gracious to you, trying to get your attention. Finally you will remember the times when you would admit there was a God and in many areas of your life you were allowing Him to rule over you, but still you had not fully surrendered. Does that sound kind of like your experience? It does mine!

Vs. 23-37 Grace in His Son

In the second part of Paul’s sermon (verses 23-37) he focuses on how God brought all of His leading by grace to the fulfillment in the Son of His grace.

Vs. 23-25 The promise proclaimed: Paul says that Jesus was the seed of David and thus the fulfillment of God’s promise to David. It is this promise that John the Baptist proclaimed.

Vs. 26-31 The prophecies published: Next Paul says that Jesus was the one the all the prophets spoke about and still the nations did not understand God’s word. In so missing the truth of the Word they unwittingly fulfilled more prophecies by putting Him to death but God raised Him from the dead. 

Vs. 32-37 The praised person: Lastley Paul says that accordingly Jesus is the only one who was killed for our sins, buried in a tomb and raised from the dead. No other person in history demonstrates God’s gracious care for us as much as Jesus!     

With that as an outline of Paul’s sermon let’s take a look at some of his points.

Vs. 18 His grace was towards them in spite of them: The words, “He put up with their ways” can also be rendered “He cared for them”. As Paul mentions God’s grace and care for the young nation in the wilderness he does so by mentioning that God bestowed His grace and care for them because of who He is not who they were! Man have you ever realized what God has to put up with when He is daily dealing with you and I? For 40 years God hung with those rebellious Jews in the wilderness as they complained against Him. Have you ever realized that God’s actions towards us serve as a resume of His grace.

Vs. 20 His grace was patient: Four hundred years of bondage, forty years of wandering and 10 years to take possession of the land. And all along the way he was still gracious towards them. Is it not amazing that God bestows His grace towards us for the amount of time that He does? Ever stop and wonder how much patience God has towards us? So much so that we take it for granted.

Vs. 21-23 His  grace was faithful:Israel means governed by God and so he did through providing judges. But when Samuel came and was about to pass on the nation wanted to be ruled by man. So God allowed them to by letting them select a man of the flesh, Saul who ruled them for forty years. Then in contrast to that God raised up a man named David and we’re told that he was a man after God’s heart. What do you think when you think of someone that is after God’s heart? Now remember it is God here who declares this about David and not David’s claims about himself! So what does it mean? Well in contrast to that of Saul David was a man who recognized his sin and turned from it towards God. David you will recall was an adulterer and murderer. You see a man after God’s heart is not a perfect man, no he is a man that knows he is a sinner and confesses his sins before a faithful God of grace.

Vs.  24-37 His grace was persistent: John the Baptist was evidently a guy they were familiar with in this area as we are told in Acts 19:1-3 that as Paul had encountered some disciples he asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit and they had not even heard that there was a Holy Spirit. So Paul asked by what baptism were you baptized and they replied, “Into John’s baptism.” John the Baptist responded to the grace of God as seen in Jesus by preparing hearts towards receiving Jesus. 

Look at these words, “the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.” It was not uncommon in those days for a great teacher to have followers and it was expected that those followers would serve the teacher in certain ways. But the practice had gotten abusive at times, so the rabbis established a set of rules to decide what was too demeaning for a teacher to ask his followers to do. This was one of the things that was beneath a follower to do, “To loosen the strap” of  his teacher’s sandal. Yet John says when compared with Jesus he was not even worthy to do that! 

Next Paul answers two questions that most folks still want answered:

Vs. 27 If Jesus was the Messiah why didn’t the Jews receive Him?  His answer, “because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him.”  In other words sin had blinded their understanding to the Word of God that was being read each week concerning Jesus. Remember what Jesus said in John 5:39, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” That is a warning for those who have not met Jesus, they can hear the Word about Him and continue on in sin and miss the opportunity to be saved. They were ignorant of the Word so they missed the living Word.

Vs. 28-30 If Jesus was rejected as being their savior does that ruin God’s plan? Paul’s answer was no way, all they did was unwittingly fulfill God’s purpose. And we know this by seeing the resurrection. Man may do his best to fight against God, even to the point of killing Jesus but God is greater than even this and showed it by raising Christ from the dead.  

Vs. 33-37 Grace was promised:  Paul here lists three of those promises in scripture.

Ps. 2:7: HE WAS WHO HE SAID HE WAS This promise was fulfilled when God raised Jesus from the dead. You see this promise speaks not only of the incarnation, that is that God became man, but of the resurrection as the proof of his incarnation.

Isaiah 55:3: HE DID WHAT HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO DO This is the promise that Jesus would not stay in the grave. Simply put Jesus showed that he was the instrument of the sure mercies of David by not staying in the grave.

Ps. 16:10 HE OFFERS THE ONLY WAY Since Jesus is Who He says He is and did what He said He was going to do, then you only have one logical choice, turn to and trust Him! 

Folks, there is no plan “B”, good works are not good enough, religion is not religious enough. If they were then why did Jesus come and die for our sins? That’s the point of Paul as he preached this message. Now next week we will move into Paul’s closing as he gives his listeners the opportunity to respond. Again I think back to my study this week of Islam, what a hopeless religion. Truly God has shed His grace of us.     

Acts 13:38-52

“Amazing Grace”

Vs. 38-41 Through this Man

Vs. 42-48 Say it again

Vs. 49-52 Spread the Word

Intro.

I never watch the liberal T.V. show “West Wing,” for all I would do is end up having a one-sided argument with the T.V. set. But this past Wednesday it came on and I ended up watching it. Now what’s interesting is that I had been glued to a documentary on Adolph Hitler’s Germany. The documentary focused on the religion of Aryanism, which is the parent religion to Hinduism and Buddhism. Anyone watching that documentary followed by the episode of West Wing would have had a hard time relating to the statements of the show. You see the episode dealt with the subject of religion and how people practice it to the destruction of others. Their point was that all religions are the same. To illustrate their point on a blackboard one of the leading characters instructing High school students wrote down this question, “Terrorists are to Islam as ___________ are to Christianity?” 

The students took turns trying to fill in the blank and the closest they came was “fundamentalists.” He assured them that though they did not like them that is not true. He then filled in the blank to the agreement of all with the capital letters KKK. The point the show was trying to make is that of Pluralism, in fact if anyone missed the point right at the end of the show the same character stated that the hope for the entire world is Pluralism. Pluralism or Syncretism is the attempt to reconcile diverse or opposing beliefs or practices as it relates to religion, (one world religion). 

What the show was trying to say is that the Quran, and the Bible, or whatever is all truth and equal in value as it relates to mankind. Whatever their differences and contradictions are, somehow Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, Krishna, your higher power etc. are the same in the end. After all, truth is not absolute, it is relative, they state. For people to make those statements they must have never read the Bible and what it teaches compared to what other religions claim. They are in fact mutually exclusive, either the Bible is true and all others are false or it is the other way around.

         Paul finishes up his message with some striking truths about the person and work of Jesus that can not be said of any other person or message!  

Vs. 38-41 Through this Man

Vs. 38-39 Paul having just shown God’s grace through human history now shows how Jesus was the culmination of that history. Paul, whom I believe wrote the letter to the Hebrews, states this in his opening verses of that book as we read; “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”  

         One of the great questions that every person should ask of their belief system is, “What does it have to say about sin?” To the Hindu you pay for your own sin by coming back in the next life, thus they have an elaborate caste system so that you don’t help those who are desperate. Most of the rest of the religions from Aryanism to Zoroastrianism, deal with a complicated system of good works. Not so with Christianity!

Now stop and think about this for a moment, Paul had just preached in verse 28 that though they found no reason to put Jesus to death they still delivered Him over to Pilate for his execution. Then here in verse 38 Paul says it’s through His death and subsequent resurrection that Paul is now preaching forgiveness of sins. What? The sin of killing an innocent Jesus provided the only way by which all human sin will be forgiven. What great news this was for those who listened. In 1 Kings 8:46 Solomon declared “there is no one who does not sin”, it’s a universal affliction in all of humanity. Man’s greatest need gave way to God’s greatest deed, or as Paul writes in Rom. 5:20 “where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.”

And if that was not enough in verse 39 Paul further elaborates on the work of Jesus by saying, “by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things”. And to illustrate the magnitude of his statement Paul puts the emphasis on this by adding the comparison in the words, “from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” Maybe you are wondering what’s the difference between “FORGIVNESS” of sins and “JUSTIFIED” from all things? Forgiveness is a great blessing and clearly being justified entails this but it adds even more upon it. Perhaps the best way to illustrate the difference is to think of it in terms of a military discharge. If you are discharged from the military you have a service record.

The fact remains that no matter how you are discharged you are no longer in service to your country. You could be kicked out of the military because you broke the rules or committed a crime, it doesn’t matter your service to your country has been forgiven, your debt has been paid! However the way in which you were discharged does stay on your record, so if you were given a dishonorable or a general discharge you are still out of the military but the way in which you are out still hangs over you. So Paul is saying that your debt due to your sins was given an honorable discharge! Ok, is there any fine print on this deal you ask? 

Well let’s look at this carefully:

First it says here that it’s for EVERYONE: Now in the Greek the word “everyone” means…. EVERYONE! You see this offer is made available to every human person no matter what their ancestry, personal failure, religious background, etc.

Second it says that this “honorable discharge” covers ALL THINGS: Not most things, past things, but “all things”. Every sin you have ever committed or are presently committing or will commit in the future you will be given an “honorable discharge” from!   So what’s the catch? Well there are only two things necessary for us to partake of such a great grace as having all sin given an honorable discharge by God:

BY HIM: We must recognize that the “goodness” or grace of another and not our own merits has granted us this honorable discharge.

EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES: Next we must give our lives over to Him to be able to appropriate the benefits of this promise. Paul does not say that everyone who says the name of Jesus, prays or intellectually agrees with the person or work of Jesus has been given an honorable discharge from their sins. No, it says that they have put their “complete trust” in Jesus.

Now notice those ending words, “from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” Paul’s listeners were well aware of the law and were even trying to live by them but were still failing. Later he would write to this same group in Gal. 3:10, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” Then to the Romans he would write, “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.”

         Hey, dear Christian, if you are going to try to live by the law you’re doomed to failure. Paul would write these same believers less than a year later with these words in Gal. 2:21 “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” Simply put, if good works, the law or any other thing worked or was necessary for your forgiveness then why did Jesus die?

Vs. 40-41 There were no doubt people who heard this great news of God’s grace and said, “I don’t believe it. I can’t receive it! That my sins can have an “honorable discharge” by trusting in Jesus.” Perhaps some here today are thinking, “It’s too good to be true.” But the truth is He is so good that it is true! So Paul anticipates this by quoting Habakkuk’s words about God’s soon coming judgement upon Judah and their refusal to trust in God’s grace and goodness. The warning is to all who refuse to accept this free offer because they can not earn it! Friend, for a moment I want you to stop thinking about the person next to you or what you’re going to do once you leave here. I speak to you, don’t reject the opportunity today of receiving an honorable discharge from all your sin!     

Vs. 42-48 Say it again

Vs. 42-44 The initial reaction to Paul’s words were generally positive. I have been teaching the Word of God for 15 years and I can’t ever remember someone coming up to me and saying, “Man what you shared spoke to my heart so much would you mind giving the same message next week?” In fact the word “begged” in the Greek is “kept” begging him. Now I do find it interesting as Luke gives the impression that the Gentiles waited until after the Jews left the synagogue before they made this comment. You see the Jews had been trying to get the gentiles to obey the law, so that when they heard the message of grace they waited before they responded so eagerly.

         As Paul and Barnabas made it outside by the words they spoke to them, “continue in the grace of God”, it is safe to say that they had given their lives to Jesus. These words also help to give a definition to what Paul had said concerning everyone who believes. In other words those that believe are those who continue in grace. The mark of being born again is continuing in the grace that saves. Or put another way, “There can be no assurance without perseverance!” It is the abiding relationship that we have in Jesus that shows that we are His.

A week later almost the whole town shows up to hear the Word of God. Now what this shows was that their interest was not just a passing fancy but rather something that stirred their interest enough that they told others. With that said the sudden swill of community interest brought about the opposite response in the Jews who did not receive Jesus. So they were continually trying to contradict the teachings even to the point of speaking evil of Jesus. These guys were not going after the messengers, they were attacking the message.

Vs. 46-47 Paul and Barnabas response to this open opposition was boldness in speaking the truth. Paul says, “Hey it was a privilege that the Word of God came to you all first, but in rejecting it you judge yourselves not worthy of hearing it.” So Paul says then they will share it with those who want to hear it and receive it. So he quotes a passage in Isaiah 49:6 saying as much. Folks, there is much wisdom in not spending all your time trying to share the truth to those who only want to mock and ridicule it.

Vs. 48 With Paul’s statement to the Jews the Gentiles rejoiced and glorified the Word of God. Now the next phrase has gotten in the center of many debates concerning predestination and free will. First let’s look at what it says, “as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” It does not say it the other way around, “as many as believed were appointed eternal life.” 

So what this shows us is that Luke’s words are from God’s perspective. The word “appointed” comes from a word that means to inscribe or enroll which gives me a great perspective. I kind of wonder sometimes if perhaps God has written every human’s name in the book of life and that when they refuse to trust in His son they on their own blot out their names? Anyway, we know that God knows who will receive His Son for all eternity. The question is how can we know? Well that is easy, to repent and receive and I guess you will discover that your name is there! Those that go to hell are those who choose to do so. 

Vs. 49-52 Spread the Word

Vs. 49-51 The overall outcome was the Word of God was spread throughout all of Galatia. Now it was not just through Paul and Barnabas but through all those who trusted in Jesus. Did you know that most successful evangelism happens by those who themselves are new to Jesus? That’s why a fired up youth group is a great tool of the Lord in His church and folks I think we could learn quite a bit from ours! So what we see is that the Word of God shook up the area, but in the next verses we read that others stirred up trouble among the prominent women who were married to the leaders of the community and took them and beat them with rods as we are told else where, (2 Cor. 11:25). So some were shaken up while others were shaken off! But the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and through Him, great joy!