From Acts to Revelation Part 36 – IN POSIDIAN2

From Acts to Revelation

Part 36 – IN POSIDIAN2

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

After their first missionary trip to Antioch, Barnabas and Saul, who were called by the Holy Spirit to this journey during prayer and fasting, continue the journey they were sent on by God.

They travel to a Synagogue in Antioch (NOT the Antioch in Syria we read about last week.), where they listen to a reading of the Law and Prophets, sitting among both Israelites, and God-Fearing Gentiles alike.

After the reading, the leaders of the Synagogue ask if Paul and Barnabas would like to share anything that may be encouraging, and uplifting to the people.

Paul stands and speaks.

Paul will explain how God chose a fertile foundation (the Israelites), to sew His seed (the Word), and how God pruned, and raised up the people, so that they would produce God's First Fruit, the Savior Jesus Christ. 

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Acts 13:32-39

³² “We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors ³³ he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:

“‘You are my son;

 today I have become your father.’

³⁴ God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said,

“‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’

³⁵ So it is also stated elsewhere:

“‘You will not let your holy one see decay.’

³⁶ “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed. ³⁷ But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.

³⁸ “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. ³⁹ Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. ⁴⁰ Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

⁴¹ “‘Look, you scoffers,
    wonder and perish,
for I am going to do something in your days
    that you would never believe,
    even if someone told you.’”

⁴² As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. ⁴³ When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

⁴⁴ On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. ⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷ For this is what the Lord has commanded us:

“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
    that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

⁴⁹ The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. ⁵⁰ But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. ⁵¹ So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. ⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

In today's scripture we will see that, just because you were called by God to do something, and you obey and do it, does not mean that everything will go perfectly, or that you won't have trials and tribulations.

Paul and Barnabas obey the Holy Spirit, and go to where they were called, and preach the Gospel, but not everyone was saved. Not only that, they were verbally abused, and kicked out of Antioch!

Yet, the scripture ends with them leaving to Iconium, full of Joy and the Holy Spirit!

I.                   THE PLAN OF SALVATION

I.                   AUL AND BARNABAS ANSWERED THEM BOLDLYIN

I.                  

a.      This plan begins in Genesis

                                                                         i.      "What God promised our ancestors ³³ he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus."

                                                                      ii.      God began this promise in Genesis 3:15, and it spans the entirety of Old Testament History!

                                                                   iii.      Genesis 3:15 "And I will put enmity
    between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring (or seed) and hers;
he will crush (or strike) your head,
    and you will strike his heel.”

b.     God tells of it throughout the Old Testament

                                                                         i.      Psalm 2:7 "I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;
    today I have become your father."

                                                                      ii.      Isaiah 55:3 "Give ear and come to me;
    listen, that you may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
    my faithful love promised to David."

                                                                   iii.      Psalm 16:10 "because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,  nor will you let your Holy one see decay."

c.      God also spoke of the Jews disbelief

                                                                         i.      Habakkuk 1:5 “Look at the nations and watch—
    and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
    that you would not believe,
    even if you were told."

II.               PAUL AND BARNABAS INVITED TO SPEAK AGAIN

a.      They were invited to speak the following Sabbath

                                                                         i.      vs 42 in the LIT translation, tells us, after they left the synagogue, they were asked by the people to preach again on the following Sabbath.

b.     vs 43 tells us that many of the Jews and Gentiles followed Paul and Barnabas after the service to hear more of God's Grace

                                                                         i.      vs 43 also shows us that we must not just "accept" the Gospel of Christ, but continue in Christ.

c.      The following Sabbath, nearly the entire city came to hear Paul speak

                                                                         i.      When the Jews saw the crowds, they became full of jealousy

1.      Not expecting such a large crowd, they were angered at the reception the Word about Jesus brought.

                                                                      ii.      The Jews then began to contradict what Paul and Barnabas were saying

1.      vs 45 in the King James actually says; "...filled with envy, they spoke against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming..."

2.      How were they blaspheming? Because they knew the Word being spoken by Paul and Barnabas was true, but envy and jealousy caused them to speak against the very Word of God!

                                                                   iii.      The scriptures say that the Jews "abused" Paul and Barnabas as well

III.            PAUL AND BARNABAS ANSWERED THEM BOLDLY

a.      They stood their ground, and answered boldly to the abusive words

                                                                         i.      This "boldness" was given to them by the Holy Spirit.

                                                                      ii.      "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles."

b.     This is what the Lord commands

c.       “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
    that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” ~ Isaiah 49:6

                                                                         i.      Salvation afforded by Christ is intended for the entirety of the world!

1.      White

2.      Black

3.      Red

4.      Yellow

5.      Mexican

6.      Muslim

7.      ALL PEOPLE!

CONCLUSION

"When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord;"

"... and all who were appointed for eternal life believed."

This simply means, God has appointed and provided Eternal Life for all who will believe!

John 3:15-20;   Romans 1:16;  10:9-10;   I Timothy 2:4;   II Peter 3:9;   Revelation 22:17

⁴⁹ The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.

...Notice, the scripture does not say "the church", or some religious institution, but rather, "the Word of the Lord"; showing us where the emphasis must be!

⁵⁰ But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.

⁵¹ So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. ⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

1.      Paul and Barnabas were CALLED by the Holy Spirit to go to Antioch

2.      They obeyed

3.      Many were saved, but the Jews became jealous

4.      The Jews forced Paul and Barnabas out of the city of Antioch

5.      However, because they "obeyed" God, the Word of the Lord spread through the whole region.

How did Paul and Barnabas react to being expelled from the region?

As we all should, they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to the Jews in Antioch, and continued to Iconium.

They did just as Jesus commanded His disciples to do under these circumstances.

Matthew 10:14 "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet."

Mark 6:11 "And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them."

Luke 9:5 "If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them."

Luke 10:11 ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’

The scripture ends, not with, they were full of sorrow and sadness because not all accepted the Word, or because they were attacked with abusive words and kicked out of Antioch, but rather, they were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

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