Episode 124: Jews’ rejection sees the Gentiles’ acceptance of the Gospel

In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy

Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the everlasting

mercies which sent you to us, O Christ, the light of the world

and the life of all. Give us wisdom by your law and

enlighten our impulses by Your knowledge.

Sanctify our souls by Your truth and grant that we may be

obedient to Your words and may fulfil Your commandments at

every hour. O You who enlightens the

rational with the knowledge of Your greatness, do enlight, O my

Lord, our thoughts, that we may meditate upon Your holy and

divine Scriptures at all times. O Lord of all, Father and Son

and Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

We will continue with our studies on the Acts of the

Apostles Chapter 13. That is the the beginning of the

early church. You know, this is the history of

the church begins from the book of Acts of the Apostles who were

preaching the Gospel to bring those fish or fishes into the

the net, which is the Church to bring souls to Christ, to bring

souls to be members of his holy sanctified body being the Church

and to be the children of God. So last week we left off at Paul

again, just to reiterate Paul preaching the resurrection,

Jesus Christ resurrected and this was his first sermon.

And just like Saint Peter's first sermon, having been

equipped with the Holy Spirit, having been been clothed with

the Holy Spirit, his first sermon, he converted 3000

people. Well, not he.

The Holy Spirit through him converted 3000 up to 3000 people

into Christianity, brought people to the faith.

Today, Saint Paul, this is his first preaching again.

And we see that same Holy Spirit that elects or chooses working

in a marvelous and mysterious ways for the glory of God and

the salvation of souls. So Saint Paul is again

reiterating, reiterating the the the resurrection in verse 31 of

chapter 13 of the book of the Acts of the Apostles, St.

Paul says, and for many days he was seen by them.

That is the apostles, and this was the promise given to the

apostles by Christ. We read in Acts chapter one

verse 8, he quotes prophecies about Christ's resurrections.

As evidence. He quotes Isaiah chapter 55

Isaiah 55:3

verse 3, Psalms chapter 2 or Psalm 2, the second Psalm

Psalms 2 · chapter mention Psalms 7 · chapter mention

Chapter 7, which is talking about the incorruptibility of

Christ's body which did not corrupt when he was put in the

tomb. But Saint Paul David prophesizes

that you will not leave my soul and my body will not see

corruption day King David's body was corrupted, but it was a

prophecy about Jesus Christ whose body was not corrupted, an

incorruptible body which he was resurrected with praise and

glory be to his name. And as prophecies have been

fulfilled in Jesus Christ, we read that Paul's Paul warns them

to avoid alarming prophecies being fulfilled in them.

And one of the prophecies was of Habakkuk chapter one verse 5,

verse five that reads see insolent 1 and gaze and be not

astonished and marvel because I do work in your days and you

will not believe if a man will tell you they didn't believe.

You know, he was pressing to the Jews and the Gentiles.

And we see that some of them are not going to believe.

So Paul is saying, listen, be careful.

I just told you your your prophecies of your father's have

been fulfilled in Jesus Christ resurrected.

So be careful that there are other prophecies that are

warning and alarming prophecies. Be careful that they not befit

you that they not are not fulfilled in you and they were

because they weren't believing those that were preaching to

them. We then examined, elaborated,

excuse me and expanded on Christ's prophecies and warnings

and agreed to be aware lest they befit and it conclude in US.

Luke chapter 6 verses 24 to 26. You read it.

Luke 6:24–26

You need to start reading your scriptures again.

Don't let me do all the hard work for you.

You need to read your scriptures, read Luke chapter 2,

Luke 2:24–26

verse 24 to 26 and see if they defeat you and they are

concluding in your life. Now if they are being being

fulfilled in your life. Well, if they are, repent and

come to Jesus Christ. OK, so now Paul continues and

we'll pick it up from verse 42 and he can now there's there's

going to be some opposition now, OK.

And now you're going to see that, you know, the the neglect

and the rejection of some is going to be beneficial for

others. You know, one man's loss is

another, another man's gain. They say, right, let's continue

reading chapter 13, the Acts of the Apostles, verse 42 and as

Paul and Barnabas were leaving them, the people besought them

to speak these things to them the next Sabbath.

So the Jews and the Gentiles who were, you know, they started

getting attracted to these words.

Now when the congregation was dismissed, a great many Jews and

also proselytes, non Jews who became faithful, who feed God,

followed Paul and Barnabas who's speaking to them persuaded them

to continue in the grace of God. How wise is that?

Again, beloved, going back to Saint Peter in the 2nd chapter

of of the book of Acts on the day of Pentecost, this is his

first sermon. Being equipped and, you know,

being, being embraced by the Holy Spirit, being given

strength by the Holy Spirit, strength of knowledge and what

wisdom. And he was a fisherman by the

way, right? And he always put his foot in

it. And I always say, you know, he

always, he always, he always shot from the hip, as they say

many times Jesus rebuked him. This is that fisherman who was

waiting for Christ on his resurrection and said, you know

what, I'm going to go back to fishing again.

This was last week's, last Sunday's gospel reading.

But when he received the Holy Spirit, he was empowered by the

Holy Spirit and gave the gift of speaking words that he probably

was astonished himself. He converted 3000 people again.

Saint Paul did the same. Saint Paul was was wise.

He was given wisdom. Now Saint Paul was more learned

than the Old in the Old Testament than Saint Peter was,

but still it was the power of the Holy Spirit.

Beloved, look how wise he is. He did excuse me, not only did

he win and admire the people that were listening to them, to

him, like the admiration of the people that were listening to

him through what he was saying and how he was saying, they also

longed to continue to listen. Now, we don't know the town of

tone of voice. We don't know the words that are

the complete words. You know, we don't know the

facial expression, but we know that he was wise.

He didn't go harder. He sowed the seed and left them

in suspense. He left them ready to be

accustomed to himself. He drew him, drew them to

himself, so that they would turn away from their own learning,

their own understanding, to come to Saint Paul to learn even

more. They were eager to listen.

You know, he says this in one Corinthians, chapter 3, verse 6,

and I believe This is why he writes in the First Epistle to

the Corinthians in chapter 3, verse six.

I planted and Apollo watered, but God made it grow.

Planting. See, Saint Paul doesn't say I

toiled the ground. I prepared the ground.

I, I fertilized the ground. No, it says I planted.

So that means one seed in the ground.

That's it. For example, right?

Or like the sower, we grab seed and just dispersed and

distribute it, right? So when Paul says I planted,

that means I just put one seed in the ground.

That's what we need to do sometimes, beloved.

That's what we need to. This is the the approach to

those who are stubborn, The approach to those who are not

stubborn. They've heard about Christ.

They want to learn a little bit more, not come down and bash

them and ram it down their throats.

No, because when you do that, when we, when we want to preach

the gospel in this manner, I think he portrays that it is me.

I want to now convert you. No, it's not your timing.

It's not even your place to convert.

It is the Holy Spirit. Beloved, we need to know that at

times we just need to plant one seed.

And you know, sometimes we don't even have to speak.

We don't have to quote scriptures.

Matthew 10161, Corinthians 237, Hebrews 5-6.

We don't need to do that. I think that's just to show that

I read the scriptures. No, Did you know there was 22

references from the scriptures? Very simple.

Didn't continue to bash them with scriptures.

No. And he spoke very simple about

the Lord Jesus Christ. And he and he planted that seed.

And sometimes we plant the seed through the love we show others,

the care, genuine care and concern we have fathers.

Sometimes we have to stand our ground and call a spade a spade

and walk away not having to bring a spade and, and, and, you

know, put on a show about the spade.

And why is the spade a spade? No, a spade is a spade.

That's my seat. Now let someone else water.

And that's what Paul did, beloved.

Why? Well, Jesus did say in John

John 6:44

chapter 6, verse 44, no man comes to me unless the Father

who has sent me will draw him, and I shall raise him in the

last day. Now, by saying this, by saying

this to our beloved Protestant friends, by no means is Jesus

denying the free will of a man. He's not denying our free will.

He's not taking away our free will.

He's say he's not saying to. I listen, if my father doesn't

want you, you're not coming. God hasn't chosen, you know, you

have that ridiculous doctrine. The elect, the chosen.

God has chosen some for destruction.

God has chosen some for eternal life.

So I was born, and from the beginning God had predestined me

to death, to eternal death. But Stephen was born from the

time of his birth, God has predestined him to the Kingdom

of heaven. Well, as I said in the Assyrian

section, I'm going to be an Oprah Winfrey.

Very bad choice, but I'm going to be an Oprah Winfrey and I'm

going to say I won't worship a God Who's going to choose

someone, who's going to bring someone to life to this world

and then toss them in the in the eternal furnace, Total

separation from God. No, no, no.

We have free will, beloved. Go back to the Garden of Eden.

Don't eat from the fruit. Adam and Adam ate from the

fruit. Oh, did God say I'm going to

give him a commandment and then I'm going to make him break it

because I want to come down and put on his flesh and be spat at

and be mocked and be crucified and be killed so that I can show

my glory? So ridiculous, costly.

That's a blasphemy. That's blasphemy.

No, beloved, what Saint Paul or what Christ is telling us?

More so. He's revealing the great need of

God's help and cooperation in those who believe.

Why? Let me give you an example that

the Father draws to him those who freely inclined to come to

him. I'm going to keep reading.

There's more evidence here. Not forcing those who choose to

be reluctant, unwilling. No God freely brings those,

allows those or or or escorts or helps and assist those who

freely want to incline to him and believe in him.

And he draws them to the Father, to no one else, no one else.

Beloved, if you think God, the true God, the creator of heaven

and earth has drawn you to where you are and you're not with

Jesus, that's the false God. No, the the true God, creator of

heaven and earth will only bring those who love him to his Son.

So he, he, he, he, he, he draws freely those who freely have

inclined to come to him. Matthew chapter 16, verse 24.

Matthew 16:24

Listen to this. Whoever wishes, there you go,

free will. You want to come?

Great. You don't want to come.

OK, I'm going. You know those who come freely.

I wish to come. No, I don't want you because

you're destined for hell. Actually, it's a mascara.

Always saying it's it's ridiculous.

No, no, no. You're going to hell or I want

you to come. No, I don't want you.

No, you're going to come whether you like it or not.

Again, I don't want to worship such a God.

Hassle. Whosoever wishes to come after

me must deny himself. That takes just there.

We need God to help us, to deny ourselves, to take up our cross,

to follow His Son. That's what Jesus means, that

unless the Father, you cannot do it.

In the Gospel of John, I am the vine, You are the branches.

You might must abide in me, for without me you can do nothing.

Without me you can't do. It's not without me.

I haven't grafted you in my in my soul.

I don't want you in my body. No, no, no.

I've called everyone and you need my help to come to me.

Because coming to me is not just Lord Jesus Christ coming to my

heart. And I'm saved.

Hallelujah. I'm going to heaven at the click

of a finger. There's no such thing as once

saved, always saved. No, beloved, the scriptures

don't teach once, once saved, always saved, no.

If that was the case, why do we have to toil and struggle to

enter? Not even not even, you know,

toil and struggle to go through this door to reach the other

side? No, no.

Just to enter, just to have your foot in the door.

Why I believe in Christ. Why do I have to need toil to

enter the door? Lord, I I believe you are the

door, aren't you? Yeah, you are the gate.

So I'm into heaven. No, we have free will.

And that's when you need God. Those things that are

impossible, that's what Jesus says.

You can't come to me unless my Father.

Through the strength of my Father, the the guidance of my

Father, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and myself, the Lord

Jesus Christ, praise be to his name.

Verse 43. Now when the congregation was

dismissed, a great many Jews and also proselytes who feared God,

followed Paul and barnappers, who, speaking to them, persuaded

them to continue in the grace of God.

And the next Sabbath day, the whole city gathered to hear the

word of God. But when the Jews, now these are

the unbelieving Jews. When the Jews saw the great

crowd, they were filled with envy, and they bitterly opposed

the words of Paul. And they blasphemed.

They blasphemed. Let's stop there.

See, this is where we we read and we feel and we understand

that here is the witness. This is the the indication, this

is the truth of the power of the word of God.

They were so eager to hear the word and that when they heard

them, they were so filled with joy.

And Saint Paul and Barnabas said, continue in this grace of

God, God's giving you this. Now continue in this the power

of the word just sown, we see and witness the power of the

apostles. It was the apostles who were

preaching. They didn't just stand there and

meditate and just close their eyes and open their mouth.

And the Holy Spirit was speaking through them.

No, the Holy Spirit used them. And we see the power of the true

mission of the one Holy One Holy Act chapter 13, verse 2, while

they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit

said, now listen what to what the Holy Spirit said.

We spoke about this. The Holy Spirit said, set apart

for me. Who was he telling?

Who did he instruct? It was the apostles.

Beloved, the Holy Spirit didn't say I have set apart.

I have chosen well. I have set apart.

I will do this. No, no, no.

You set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I

have called them. Excuse me.

So how did they set apart? By the laying of the hands,

right? Yeah, that's what happens.

The God draws, God calls, God chooses, the Church sets apart

by the power vested in a through the one Holy Spirit.

This just shows the power of the one holy Church and the the

Apostles, one holy and Apostolic.

These are the apostles who have been chosen in the Church and

commissioned by the Church, beloved, set apart or or or

called by the Holy Spirit, chosen in the church, in the

church and commissioned by the Church.

Romans 10/14/15. How can they call on him who

they have not believed? Faith comes from hearing.

How can they believe in Him whom they have not heard?

And how can they hear without someone to preach?

And how can people preach unless they are sent?

Who sent Barnabas and Saint Paul?

The Church sent the Holy Spirit. Call them and the Church set

apart and the Church sent. Do you see, that's why I said

the Acts of the Apostles is the beginning of the early Church,

and the Apostolic churches are the continuation of that one

true Church that Jesus established on earth.

And it is written. How beautiful are the feet of

those who bring the good news. One holy, Apostolic and Catholic

with a small C not denoting with all respects to our brothers and

sisters from the Roman Catholic Church.

When we say Catholic, it doesn't mean the Roman Catholic Church.

Many people will ask us, are you Catholic?

No. Well why is the word Catholic in

the in the name of your church? Well, it's a small C and it

denotes universal, universal, complete.

Why? Why complete and universal

because the preaching was that the Jews and the Gentiles and to

date the church is must and should forever preach to the

Christians and the non Christians.

But the Jews who saw the great crowd, they were filled with

envy. There's always going, there

always has to be a spanner in the works.

This is how Satan works, beloved.

Envy. But look at what happened.

Let's continue. We're filled with envy.

And they bitterly oppose the words of Paul, and they

blasphemed. Then Paul and Barnabas said to

them boldly. Of course, don't ever be

reluctant to speak the truth that has been revealed,

confirmed, rubber stamped by the Holy Spirit of God.

Don't ever be reluctant and don't be ashamed and speaking

boldly, regardless of what will happen if the sword is put on

the neck, praise the Lord Jesus Christ.

We will, we will speak boldly. If there are offenses, people

get offended. I will speak boldly because

that's what Saint Paul did and look at, but how wise he was as

well. Look at what they say.

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

you, but because you rejected it, you have decided against

yourselves and you are unworthy of everlasting life because

you've you've made this condemnation.

This is your judgement. So behold, we turn to the

Gentiles. Do you see how by their

argumentative reaction, these Jews and their demeanor, they

extended, they expanded the preaching to further regions,

going back to the beginning of the book of the act when they

were expelled from the synagogues and then there was a

a persecution to the church in Jerusalem.

They went to Samaria and they started preaching.

God uses evil. God uses evil for good.

One man's loss. God can make another man's

treasure or gain. The apostles gave themselves

more to the Gentiles and they made their defense and cleared

themselves of any accusations. They couldn't accuse them from

their own people because they said you chose.

It was their jealousy. And they boldly said, listen,

you don't want it, we'll take it somewhere else.

We can't stop here because it's not only for you.

Go out to the entire nations, all baptizing, all preaching to

all. But notice how their boldness is

also accompanied with measure, with reason.

Remember in Acts Chapter 11 verses 4 to 18, where there was

Acts 11:4–18

a excuse me, a dispute regarding the Jews who wanted to become or

the Gentiles who want to become Christians.

There was an argument no, they should be circumcised because

God in Deuteronomy said no, This command, this law is for

generations solar scripturas, solar scripturas generations.

There were some of the priests that had believed they said this

we have to this is this is the word of God.

It is written in the Bible. We have to adhere to it and then

say Paul gets up, Saint Peter gets up and says, no, my

brethren, wait, let me tell you an experience of the Holy Spirit

and I saw a vision. They did not rely to the

scriptures. Otherwise I've blasphemed is

blaspheming in the Holy Scriptures by by the apostles

and by those who believe because they didn't adhere to the

Scriptures. No, but they continued through

the experience of the Holy Spirit.

That's how the church lives today, not through sola

scriptura, but the experience, the life, the guidance, the

revelation of the Holy Spirit within the church, the life of

the church and the framework of the church.

And they also said the same thing.

They they weren't caught. No one called them to come and

speak to them, but they gave them the, the the reason they

said listen first in verse 46, first showing that we have to

preach to you to you it is our duty to preach.

You are the chosen people from your seed.

Excuse me From your genealogy, from your Father's the salvation

and the savor hath come. And then they said it was

necessary. We must, that we had to do this.

Not because we don't want to, not because it was our choice.

We love you more than the others.

No, no. But it had to be because this is

what we have been sent to. But then the reason is this,

since you turn away, see, Saint Paul says, Saint Peter says in

Acts, no, we can't adhere to what was said in the Old

Testament. Let me paraphrase it, right?

What's your reason, Saint Paul? St.

Peter? Because I had a vision.

The Holy Spirit spoke to me and this is what God said to me.

This is their reason. Since you turned away.

Now look, when he said since you turned away, He didn't say woe

to you. May God strike you down.

No, He said, you are punished yourselves, yourselves.

You made yourselves out. You claimed, you declared to be

unworthy of salvation. We will now turn to the

Gentiles. The boldness is full of

gentleness as well. No harsh words, right?

Verse 47 to 48 for so has our Lord commanded us as it is

written. I have set you to be a light to

the Gentiles that you should be for salvation to the ends of the

earth. And when the Gentiles heard

this, they were glad and glorified God as and as many as

were Oh, what I'm I'm going to be corrected.

I stand corrected. And when the Gentiles heard

this, they were glad and glorified God and as many as

were ordained to eternal life belief.

Now some of you are probably saying, there you go.

I was waiting for this verse. I was waiting.

He's going to be hammered. Now he's telling me that no, God

does not choose and does not show partiality.

Of course he doesn't show partiality.

Some are made for hell, some are born for heaven.

There it is. God ordained them, doesn't say

preordained ordained them. First and foremost, the Gentiles

were destined for eternal life because why?

Why? Why were they destined for

eternal life? Because God made them and forced

them. No, they chose to accept the

gospel. Remember, you know when he's

talking to the Jews, He says you chose not to.

It was you, God didn't. Do we read in the Scriptures

that God made them to reject the gospel?

No, God didn't ordain them to reject the gospel.

We don't read that. The only time the word ordained

is for the Gentiles. It's because they chose to come

to God, beloved. They chose to listen to the

gospel. They chose to believe to the in

the Gospel according to as well as those other Jews who believed

as well. Hence Matthew 1624.

Whomever wishes, that means, whomever chooses freely to come

after me, must deny himself. Let me read it again.

But when the Jews saw the great crowd, they were filled with

envy, and they bitterly opposed the words of Paul, and they

blasphemed. Then Paul and Barnabas said to

them boldly, It was necessary that the word of God should

first be spoken to you. But because you you rejected it,

God didn't make you reject it. God didn't ordain you to reject

it. Right?

There you go. So these gentiles, by receiving,

that's what it means. They received it.

They, they, they, they adhered to it and they followed it and

now they are so safe, they will be saved.

If this is trying, if Saint Paul is trying to tell me and teach

me that God chooses some and doesn't choose the others, why

does he not then write? And that because God ordained

you to reject. God ordained them to receive.

No, beloved, the free will. It's the free will.

Matthew 1624. Again, whoever wishes to follow

me, it wasn't God who destined the Jews to reject or oppose the

Gospel, was it? No, they chose.

But the Gentiles chose to accept the Gospel, and through

accepting they were made worthy of eternal life, of salvation

and eternal life with Jesus Christ.

Praise and glory be to His only name, now and at all times and

forever. Amen.

We hope you enjoyed this week's message.

Please don't forget to rate and review this podcast and share

with your friends and family for any future topic suggestions are

to give us detailed feedback, please visit our link in the

show notes linktr dot EE forward slash double edged sword.

Until next time, God bless you all.