Acts 13:44-52

If you will please take out your copy of God's Word, I hope you have it here with you today.

and turn or swipe your way to Acts chapter 13.

Acts 13 · chapter mention

Our text for today is Acts chapter 13, verses 44 through 52.

Acts 13:44–52

And while you're getting there, thank the band for leading us well in music.

This morning, Liz, you may or may not have noticed, I hope you've noticed, she's very pregnant, seven months.

And she was dizzy, and she said, I don't know if I can sing this morning.

And I said, please sing that song particularly.

I don't know if I had anything to do with her getting up and singing or not,

but she decided to sit on a stool, which I'm really, really thankful for.

And I'm thankful that Wes, in giving leadership to the band, sees his ministry not as separate from ministry of preaching the Word,

but he sees it as the same, and that is that he ministers to us the Word of God in song.

It's a wonderful thing that we should treasure together.

So Acts chapter 13, but before we get to this week's text, I want to remind you what happened in last week's text.

Acts 13 · chapter mention

After proclaiming the gospel on the island of Cyprus, Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark sailed northwest back to the mainland.

At this point, John Mark leaves his companions and returns to Jerusalem.

We don't know exactly why, but it was probably because the danger of the journey that was ahead of them and the likelihood of further persecution.

Paul and Barnabas then go from the coast and travel 100 miles north through the Taurus Mountains to Antioch in Pisidia,

which is not to be confused with the Antioch that they were originally commissioned from.

There's lots of Antiochs in the area that's now modern Turkey in that day.

In Antioch in Pisidia, they attend the synagogue on the Sabbath where they are asked to speak,

probably because Paul was an understudy of the well-known rabbi Gamaliel.

So they likely knew who he was or he had told them who he had studied underneath,

and he's asked to speak to address the congregation on that day.

Next, we observe the first and longest of Paul's sermons in which Paul preaches Jesus Christ.

Let me clarify that statement, the recorded of his sermons.

Luke records it here for us.

Paul preaches Christ as the culmination of human history, as the fulfillment of prophecy,

and as the justifier of the sinner.

And he calls his listeners to believe in this message, the gospel that he is preaching to them.

Verse 42 and 43 of Acts 13 reads, was kind of the summary of last week's text.

As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath.

And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas,

who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.

So we see a favorable response to the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ,

and they've asked him to come back the following week.

Would have been a Saturday to preach more.

And this brings us to our text today, beginning in verse 44 and through the end of the chapter.

The next Sabbath, almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.

But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him.

And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying,

It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you,

since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life.

Behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.

For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,

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

And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord,

and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.

But the Jews, inside of the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city,

stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district.

But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium.

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Beloved, this is God's word to us.

It was written for his glory and for our good.

We would all do well to listen to it this morning in order to believe its promises and to obey its commands.

So we see Paul and Barnabas return to the synagogue on the next Sabbath, verse 44.

And this amazing thing that almost, Luke records for us, the whole city gathered to hear.

Isn't this a wonderful work of God that almost the whole city gathered?

There were no flyers mailed out.

There's no promise of entertainment whatsoever.

But simply to hear the word of the Lord.

What a work of God to bring together a city in this way.

Not to be entertained, but to hear the gospel preached.

Luke does not record for us what was said by Paul.

But we do know that Paul speaks.

We know this because verse 45 tells us that Paul spoke.

The Jews were responding to what he had said.

And I think it's proper to presume that he spoke as he did the week before.

I am sure that Paul spoke to them of the crucified and resurrected Christ.

I am sure now having an audience gathered that is both Jew and Gentile.

He spoke to them of a sovereign ruler of heaven and earth who created all things.

Who set up a standard in the garden.

A single rule that Adam transgressed and brought sin to all of mankind.

I am sure that he spoke to them of the law.

Which laid out for them a standard by which God would be pleased.

And then expressed our complete and utter inability to keep that law.

I am sure that he told them of the great separation that existed between them and God.

Because of their sinfulness.

Which would have pressed upon him the necessity of preaching good news.

After telling them the bad news.

The good news of Christ.

Come to earth.

Taking the form of a man.

Fully God.

Fully man.

Living a perfect life.

Obtaining the righteousness of God that the law requires.

So that by faith in him we could have that righteousness.

But not just that.

Dying the death of a sinner on the cross.

Bearing in his body the wrath that was due them and us for their sin.

Then in there Jesus was resurrected.

And is seated with the Father now.

Wes mentioned earlier.

Making intercession for us.

Because he's alive we can have life.

I'm sure that Paul proclaimed the gospel once again.

It was his call.

As it is ours.

To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 9.

Verse 16.

Paul says.

For if I preach the gospel.

That gives me no ground for boasting.

For necessity is laid upon me.

Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.

I believe that Luke does not record for us the specifics of what Paul said.

Because he intends for us to focus on the characters of this account.

And their responses to Paul's gospel proclamation.

So for the sake of your soul today.

I want to draw your attention by making five observations of the text today.

And I'll try to move through them quickly.

I'm going to listen for you real quick.

I'll readdress them.

Because you won't be able to get these out.

In pen.

In the time I say them.

So.

They are.

Number one.

The persecution that accompanies gospel proclamation.

Number two.

The responsibility of mankind to respond to the gospel.

Number three.

The sovereignty of God and the salvation of his people.

Number four.

The evangelistic fervor of God's people.

And number five.

The unwavering commitment of Paul toward the Gentiles.

So number one.

First observation.

The persecution that accompanies gospel proclamation.

I hear you, Silas.

He's saying data.

I just want to point that out.

The persecution that accompanies gospel proclamation.

So the week before.

They're very pleased.

The Jews are.

They're very pleased to have Paul proclaim the gospel to them.

But when the Jews see the crowds.

When it's no longer this elitist thing for them alone to hear this gospel proclamation.

But almost an entire city is gathered now to hear what it is that Paul has to say.

When they see the popularity of the message of Jesus Christ.

They're filled with jealousy.

Because it would seem that their elitist mindset.

That they have been God's people for all of ages.

Their special in some way was getting destroyed.

And it made them jealous.

Seeking the applause of men.

They failed to seek the approval of God.

And they begin to contradict what was spoken by Paul.

They revile him.

In the Greek, they blaspheme.

They slander.

They malign.

They defame Paul.

It's not just an emotion that they're feeling toward him.

It's an action that's taking place.

It's as the crowd is gathered.

And as he's proclaiming the gospel.

They're trying to discredit him at every turn.

Verse 50 goes on and expands upon what goes beyond just this meeting.

The Jews incited devout women and leading men.

And they stirred up a persecution.

We don't know the exact nature of it.

But likely they wanted to cause them physical harm.

And so Paul and Barnabas are driven out of the district.

I will not grow tired of saying to this generation in this place where we live.

Us in this place.

Gospel proclamation and persecution are mutually inclusive.

We're going to see this time and time and time again in the book of Acts.

They are mutually inclusive, beloved.

And persecution is going to take different shapes in different places.

A couple of weeks ago we spent some devoted time praying for the persecuted church.

And when we said that we meant the persecuted church abroad that's persecuted physically.

Imprisoned.

Beaten.

Killed.

For their faith.

We don't want to belittle that.

We don't want to make small the sacrifice of many believers around the world.

But we are deluded if we think that we are devoid of such a thing because we're Americans.

The world does not like the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And if we are proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, we will experience pushback from it.

Gospel proclamation and persecution are mutually inclusive.

Jesus, our Lord, was crucified.

He says in John chapter 15, verses 18 through 21,

John 15:18–21

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own.

But because you were not of the world, but I chose you out of the world,

therefore the world hates you.

Verse 18 is conditional.

Verse 19 is not.

I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Remember the word that I said to you.

A servant is not greater than his master.

If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

What Jesus spoke to the apostles was already proving true.

In Acts chapter 3, Peter and John are arrested for preaching Christ.

Acts 3 · chapter mention

They stand trial in chapter 4 and are charged to speak no more to anyone in the name of Jesus.

In chapter 6, a deacon named Stephen is falsely accused, arrested.

And in chapter 7, serves the kingdom of God as the first Christian martyr when he is stoned to death.

We can read of a great persecution that arises in Jerusalem in chapter 8,

which causes the church to scatter and the gospel message with them.

In chapter 12, the apostle James is killed by Herod, and Peter is imprisoned, then miraculously set free.

At the beginning of chapter 13, Paul and Barnabas are opposed by a magician named Elimus on the island of Cyprus.

And now, at the end of chapter 13, the theme remains, and it will continue on.

Gospel proclamation and persecution are mutually inclusive.

If you do not suffer in the name of Christ, then you are not following him.

If someone is not offended, if someone doesn't call you names, if someone doesn't want to spend time with you,

if you don't lose a job or are passed over for a promotion,

if your grade suffers in a particular class, then you're not following Christ.

It's going to take many shapes and forms.

I don't want you to make anything I just said absolute, and I certainly don't want you to go seek it.

But if you are proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ,

some people will treasure that, some people will listen to the words that you say,

and some will hate you for it.

Verse 19, John chapter 15,

John 15 · chapter mention

If you are of the world, the world will love you as its own.

Beloved, if you are in Christ, and you are living as the world lives,

the world will love you.

But if you don't live as the world lives, but because you are not of the world,

but I chose you out of the world, the world will hate you.

Secondly, the responsibility of mankind to respond to the gospel.

The responsibility of mankind to respond to the gospel.

People are accountable to their decisions to accept or reject the gospel message.

You'll note in our text today that the crowd is divided along ethnic lines.

I find that fascinating.

Who's to know if there's not some mixture here, I suppose?

Acts 13, we see Jews and converts to Judaism, known as proselytes.

Last week I said proselytites seven times, and Wes pointed it out to me afterwards.

Proselytes, converts to Judaism.

Seem to be favorably following the encouragement in verse 43,

is that they would continue in the grace of God.

But Luke makes the record here, the Jews hated the gospel message,

and the Gentiles responded favorably to it.

One group accepted, the other group rejected.

Luke simply records the Jews were jealous in verse 45,

and that the Gentiles were rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord.

Note what Paul and Barnabas say to their Jewish listeners.

Verse 46,

Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying it was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first.

Since you thrusted aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life,

behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.

Paul and Barnabas say to the Jews that they are condemning themselves by judging themselves unworthy

by rejecting the gospel of Jesus Christ.

If men are damned, it will only be because of their rejection of God and His ways.

John 3, verse 18,

John 3:18

Whoever believes in Him is not condemned,

but whoever does not believe is condemned already,

because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

John 5, verse 40,

John 5:40

Jesus says,

You refuse to come to me that you may have life.

If you do not know Jesus Christ this morning,

do not respond as the Jews did,

thinking that they were pleasers of God,

but being condemned for their rejection of Jesus.

Be like the Gentiles.

Rejoice and glorify God,

for this can be the day of your salvation.

Verse 48,

When the Gentiles heard this,

they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord.

The gospel of Jesus Christ preached to them,

and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

Let's bring us to our third observation.

So, second observation,

mankind is responsible for their response to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

But thirdly,

the sovereignty of God in the salvation of His people.

Oh, this is a good one.

And we could talk a long time about this.

And as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

Now, the Greek word for appointed means to inscribe or to enroll.

To inscribe or to enroll.

To write down a name.

Psalm 69, verse 28.

Psalms 69:28

The psalmist says,

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living.

Let them not be enrolled among the righteous.

Revelation 13, 8.

All who dwell on earth will worship the beast.

Everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world

in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

So, there's an unrolling happening.

And there's an unrolling that's happening before the foundation of the world.

Ephesians 1, 4.

God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world.

That we should be holy and blameless before Him.

Now, many will take this phrase,

As many as were appointed to eternal life believed,

and try to flip it around on us.

They would say, rather,

As many as believed were appointed to eternal life.

They'll give us some complex explanation of God

and the way that God exists outside of time,

which I certainly agree with.

However, we don't simply look at the plain meaning of the text.

The Greek does not allow us just to take it and flop it around.

Right?

Luke recorded, in this way,

As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

There's a cause, and there's an effect.

They were appointed, therefore, they believed.

Beware of those who want to use exegetical tricks

to do exegetical somersaults with a text

to suit their purpose.

There's an apparent paradox, right, presented here.

I was going to read you a long J.I. Packer quote,

but I forgot the book downstairs that it was in,

so I'm not going to.

If you know who J.I. Packer is,

he's a contemporary theologian.

When you're in good company,

if the paradox tears at your mind a bit,

ask me later, I'll read the quote to you.

This apparent paradox is apparent contradiction,

although it's not one at all,

but the apparent one of man's responsibility

and God's sovereignty.

We can see here Paul and Barnabas saying to the Jews,

right,

you've rejected,

you've dismissed,

you've counted yourselves unworthy.

But then Luke records for us

that as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

The Scripture teaches both things, beloved.

Man is ultimately responsible

and God is fully sovereign.

If you have a problem

with the doctrine of election,

your problem is not with me

or with a denomination

or a historical figure.

The problem is with the Scripture

and therefore the God

of the Scripture.

If you have a problem

with the doctrine of election,

I want to very humbly

and lovingly encourage you not to.

It will benefit your soul

to take up the promises of the Bible

and they are sure

because of God's sure purpose.

The doctrine of election

is always taught in the Scripture

to give us a pillow

to rest our heads upon.

That is why it is taught, right,

to those who are in Christ

to know that we did nothing

to find ourselves in Him

and therefore we can do nothing

to find ourselves outside of Him.

He saves.

He has worked.

We're the recipients

of this grand blessing.

This is why it's taught

a pillow to rest our heads upon

and I like to say

and never a rock

to bash somebody over the head with.

I believe here that Luke

means to help us understand

the broad rejection

and the broad acceptance

of Paul's gospel message

by making this statement.

Why?

What is going on

in redemptive history

that Paul is preaching

this gospel message

and it seems a whole ethnicity

rejects it

and a whole ethnicity

in this city receives it?

What is happening here?

And Luke simply says,

and as many were appointed

to eternal life,

believed.

God is at work.

God is sovereignly

making His plans

come to pass.

As God's people,

we should treasure

such doctrine.

It is precious to us

in so many ways.

I want to take you

to a place

and show you

just some of

why I love

the doctrine of election

and I want you to turn

there with me

to Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

Romans chapter 8

Romans 8 · chapter mention

is a grand chapter

of the scripture.

If you're not familiar,

when I say turn to Romans chapter 8

Romans 8 · chapter mention

and your mind doesn't start racing

with wonderful things

from Romans chapter 8,

Romans 8 · chapter mention

you need to study

this chapter.

Your assignment this week

is to read Romans chapter 8

Romans 8 · chapter mention

every day this week

and just consider

all that is given to us

in Christ.

I'll give you a couple of examples.

It starts out,

chapter 8 verse 1,

there is therefore now

no condemnation

for those

who are in Christ Jesus.

No condemnation for us.

We don't have to bear

the guilt of sin

any longer.

We've been set free from it

because we are

in Christ.

Praise God.

Verse 15,

for you do not receive

the spirit of slavery

to fall back into fear,

but you have received

the spirit of adoption

as sons

by whom we cry

Abba,

Father.

We have God

as our Father

because we've been adopted

as sons.

Ladies,

that's for you too.

That's a promise for you

with all of the privileges

that came for sonship

in this day.

All of the blessing

that comes with being

the son of a father.

We've been adopted

as sons.

Verse 18,

for I consider

that the sufferings

of this present time

are not even worthy

to compare

with the glory

that is to be revealed

to us.

Right?

Precious.

Precious promises.

Down to verse 28.

Familiar to you,

I hope.

And we're going to read

through the end of the chapter

because I can't not

at this point.

And we know

that for those

who love God,

all things work together

for good.

What a promise that is.

Right?

All things,

everything we're walking

through in this life,

all of the troubles

of this life

are aimed

and are good

for those who are called

according to His purpose.

For those whom He foreknew,

He also predestined

to be conformed

to the image of His Son

in order that He might be

the firstborn

among many brothers.

And those whom He predestined,

He also called.

And those whom He called,

He also justified.

And those whom He justified,

He also glorified.

Paul gives to us here

in brief

kind of what's called

an ordo salutis.

Right?

The order of salvation.

How did this all come to pass?

And he's anchoring us

in this reality

that we have been chosen

in Christ.

Why?

What do we do with this?

Right?

I'm making the point to you

that this is a pillow

to rest our heads on.

Right?

Rest easy, beloved.

Verse 21.

What then shall we say

to these things?

If God is for us,

who can be against us?

He who did not spare

His own Son

but gave Him up for us all,

how will He not also

with Him graciously

give us all things?

Who shall bring any charge

against God's elect?

It is God who justifies

who is to condemn.

Christ Jesus

is the one who died

more than that

who was raised,

who is at the right hand of God,

who indeed

is interceding for us.

Who shall separate us

from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation

or distress

or persecution

or famine

or nakedness

or danger

or sword?

As it is written,

for your sake

we are being killed

all the day long.

We are regarded as sheep

to be slaughtered.

No, in all these things

we are more than conquerors

through Him

who loved us.

For I am sure

that neither death

nor life

nor angels

nor rulers

nor things present

nor things to come

nor powers

nor height

nor depth

nor anything else

in all creation

and put yourself

in that category as well

and you

will be able

to separate us

from the love of God

in Christ Jesus

our Lord.

It's beautiful, right?

all of the goodness

of God to us

in Christ.

And what happens

at this point

in Paul's letter?

Remember that the chapter break

is not inspired.

He goes on to lament

that there are those

that are of His flesh,

right?

The Jews

that do not believe.

He goes right on to say,

right,

in light of God's

elective purposes

there are people

who will not respond

favorably to the gospel

of Jesus Christ.

He is broken over that.

He wishes that

He Himself

could be accursed,

cut off from Christ

for the sake of them.

That's verse 3.

So in the midst

of all of this

speaking about election,

Paul is not cold

about it.

Right?

At all.

Right?

He's broken over it.

He wants His brethren

to know Christ.

Verses 16-18.

So that depends

not on human will

or exertion,

but on God

who has mercy.

For the Scripture

says to Pharaoh,

for this very purpose

I have raised you up

that I might show

my power in you

and that my name

might be proclaimed

in all the earth.

So then He has mercy

on whomever He wills

and He hardens

whomever He wills.

Beloved,

this is difficult stuff

to understand.

Right?

My mind is too little

to entirely comprehend

the great

chasm

that seems to exist

but seeing the responsibility

of man

and the sovereignty

of God.

How do we reconcile

these two things?

I don't know

that we actually can,

but the Scripture

teaches us to it

for our benefit.

You cannot have

Romans chapter 8

Romans 8 · chapter mention

without Romans chapter 9.

Romans 9 · chapter mention

You just can't do it.

You can't claim

all of the promises

of God to you

in Christ

without grasping

hold of rightly

the doctrine

of election.

So humbly

and lovingly

work through it,

wrestle with it,

study the Scripture,

ask hard questions,

and then embrace it.

It's a glorious,

glorious truth

and it's meant

to give us rest

as God's people.

Note fourthly,

and I love that Luke

did this,

the evangelistic fervor

of God's people

in verse 49.

Right after saying this,

stating this massive

elective truth,

all who were appointed

to eternal life

believed.

And then what happens?

If the doctrine

of election

has ever slowed

the advance of the Gospel

is because it

wasn't understood.

I would argue

historically

that it never has,

but if it ever has,

it just wasn't rightly

understood.

Understanding God's

purpose

for His people

in the world

has historically

driven people

out

to share the Gospel

of Jesus Christ.

I've shared this

with you before,

but you may not

have heard it.

When speaking

of election,

many people think

of the name

John Calvin.

And for some people

that name

is a dirty word.

Calvin,

when he was in Geneva,

pastored a church

and he led,

was the overseer

of a seminary.

And his seminary

became known

as the School of Death

because as he gave

pastors that were

fleeing persecution

from all over Europe

that came to Geneva

to learn more about God,

as he taught them

the doctrine of election

and many other doctrines,

not just this one,

but many other doctrines,

they were driven

by a passion

for God's glorious purpose

with their people

to go back home

and most of them

were martyred.

It became known

as Calvin's

School of Death.

Properly understanding

God's purpose

in the world

drives evangelism.

So note the evangelistic

fervor of God's people,

verse 49,

and the word of the Lord

was spreading

throughout the whole region.

Right?

Different words

have been used

in this text.

District,

they're driven

out of the district

the word of God

was spreading

throughout the whole region.

This is a much broader place.

The region is much bigger

than the district.

So the gospel's

going forth

far and wide.

Paul and Barnabas

have not been driven

out of the district

yet.

Right?

It's safe to say

that they're

still in this place

and maybe that

they're part

of the spread

of it

to the whole region.

But it would be

wrong to assume

that they were

the only proponents

of that spread.

They have come

to a new place,

a place that has not

heard the gospel

of Jesus Christ yet.

They preach the gospel

of Jesus Christ.

People are converted.

Right?

Gentiles in large numbers

embrace the truth

of Christ.

And we see

that the word of the Lord

spreads

throughout the whole region.

Right?

Far and wide.

The gospel

is being proclaimed.

Right?

Being a follower

of Jesus Christ

necessitates

that we be gospel

preachers.

Jesus made a promise

in Acts 1.8.

He said

to the apostles,

but you will receive

power when the Holy Spirit

has come upon you

and you will be

my witnesses

in Jerusalem

and in all Judea

and Samaria.

And here's where

we find ourselves

in the story

and to the end

of the earth.

The gospel proclamation

has now gone

outside of the borders

of Samaria.

It's gone beyond

that place

and they're filling

in the gaps

all along

as newcomers

to Jesus Christ

or sharing

the gospel

of Jesus Christ

with those

that they know.

But it has now

gone beyond that

in the work

of Paul

and Barnabas.

Right?

That promise

was being fulfilled

and it is still

now being

fulfilled.

We are

followers

of Christ.

We are Gentiles

saved by grace.

I don't know

that there's anybody

in here of Jewish descent.

If you are,

you're also saved

by grace.

I'm a Gentile.

Right?

Saved by grace.

Praise God.

And understanding

rightly that salvation

drives evangelistic effort.

Fifth thing

I want you to notice

and in closing

we'll go through

this really quick.

The unwavering

commitment of Paul

toward the Gentiles.

The unwavering

commitment of Paul

toward the Gentiles.

You have to remember

as we consider

Paul's ministry

that he was

of Jewish descent.

He prized

highly that.

We see in the book

of Galatians

oh my gosh

my brain

Philippians

he tears down

counts things

as rubbish

that he once

treasured.

He had studied

to be a Jew

a zealous Jew

a Jew among Jews

right?

And here he is

going to his people

and they are

wholeheartedly

almost rejecting

the gospel

of Jesus Christ.

and he has

set his attention

now to a people

that by his

upbringing

would have been

inferior in

every way.

The Jews

were very

proud.

This nationalism

even as they

had been scattered

and recollected

and scattered

again

a very

very proud

people

a minority

in most places

trying to stand

firm against

the oppression

of Rome

and the

dissolving

of their

culture.

and this

is who

God

calls

Paul

to reach

a people

that in

his

mind

would

have

been

and

ceased

to be

inferior.

He sees

these as

people

desperately

needing

the gospel

of Christ.

Verse 46

we've

touched on it

a few times

it was necessary

that the word

of God

be spoken

first to

you

since you

thrust it

aside

and judge

yourselves

unworthy

of return

behold

we are

turning

to the

Gentiles

in the

verse 47

for so

the Lord

has commanded

us

saying

I have

made you

a light

for the

Gentiles

that you

may bring

salvation

to the

ends

of the

earth.

Now you

might scratch

your head

there and

say but

wait a

second

is there

a record

of God

saying

to Paul

I have

made you

a light

for the

Gentiles

that you

may bring

salvation

to the

earth.

No

not directly

not explicitly

to Paul

but what Paul

is doing

is citing

Isaiah

49

6

chapter 49

verse 6

which says

it is too

light a thing

that you

should be

my servant

to raise

up the

tribes of

Jacob

and to

bring back

the

preserved

of Israel

I will

make you

as a

light

for the

nations

that my

salvation

may reach

to the

end

of the

earth.

Paul is

interpreting

for us

Old Testament

promises

that God's

people would

take the

good news

of Jesus

Christ

now

understood

to the

ends

of the

earth.

In many

places in

scripture

God speaks

of his

global

intention

for his

glory

to be

made

known.

I'll

just give

you one

other

example

this

morning

for the

sake

of

time.

Psalm

96

3

the

psalmist

commands

declare

his

glory

among

the

nations

his

marvelous

works

among

all

the

peoples.

The

notion

that God

was not

for the

nations

was a

sentiment

unique

to the

Jews

of this

time.

They had

developed

as I

said

a

superiority

complex

as God's

people.

They looked

down their

noses

at everyone

else.

The Jews

of Paul's

day

this is the

severity

of it

the Jews

of Paul's

day

took great

pains

not to

carry

Gentile

dust

into the

borders

of Israel.

Catch this

little important

detail for

some of the

rest of

our text.

They took

great pains

as they

traveled

through

Gentile

lands

before

they

entered

Israel

to

clean

up

to

get

all

of

the

dust

off

because

it

was

seen

as

defiled

because

Gentiles

lived there.

This was

their

disdain

for the

Gentiles.

But the

widespread

rejection of

the gospel

of Jesus

Christ

for the

Jews

served

as a

catalyst

for that

gospel

to go

to the

nations.

And note

what Paul

and Barnabas

do in

response to

being driven

out of

Antioch and

Pisidia

by the

Jews.

Verse 51,

but they

shook off

the dust

from their

feet

against

them

and went

to

Iconium.

There's the

significance

of this,

right?

This was to

suggest

that the

Jews in

Antioch and

Pisidia

were no

better

than

pagans.

And Paul

and Barnabas

didn't want to

take their

unbelief

with them.

That's

symbolic,

shaking the

dust

off.

The only

thing that

matters in

the end,

beloved,

is whether

or not we

are in

Christ.

Our

ethnic

descent

matters

not at

all.

And the

question to

ask you

primarily,

I know there's

some exceptions,

I praise God

for the

exceptions in

this room,

but primarily

white,

middle class

Americans

in this

room.

Is there

any ethnicity

that we

consider outside

the grace

of God?

Is there

any people

that you

would think,

oh, but

not to

them?

I'd suggest

that's the

very people

you should

carry the

gospel message

to.

Have it

rend your

heart.

You would

see that

people are

all in

the same

position

apart from

Christ,

damned

eternally

in desperate

need of a

Savior.

And so we

can observe

the

persecution

that

accompanies

gospel

proclamation

in this

text,

the

responsibility

of

mankind

to

respond

to

the

gospel,

the

sovereignty

of

God

in the

salvation

of

his

people,

the

evangelistic

fervor

of God's

people,

the

unwavering

commitment

of Paul

toward

the

Gentiles,

all in

these

few

verses.

What a

text.

And note

finally the

result of

these

observations.

Verse 52,

and the

disciples were

filled with

joy and

with the

Holy Spirit.

Let's pray

together.

Let's

pray together.