Everybody can grab their seat.
As Jen said, my name is Matt.
I'm one of the, or I'm an intern.
We've changed the title a couple times, so I get mixed up.
But basically, Elder in Training.
I want to just give you a brief update.
Thank you for those who prayed for my last test.
I did pass that, and so I'm moving on to the next one.
Thanks for that.
So I go down the end of August down to Covenant Fellowship Church,
where I'll get drilled by, I think, three pastors for like three hours,
and that's the next test.
So, you know, it's a little nerve-wracking, but at the same time,
it's a good and helpful process to go through.
So pray for me for that.
Once that gets done, then it'll move into like a period where we'll set up
like the ordination service itself.
I don't know if there's any other things to pass at that point.
And I'm not sure what that means as a church for us.
So that's another thing you can be praying for.
Like, I'll move into being an elder, but what does that mean?
I still have a full-time job.
And so we haven't really talked about that.
This is just where God is leading.
And so pray that we as a church and the elders, the leaders,
can decide how God is moving us forward as a church in this area.
That would be great and helpful.
I'm going to pray, and then we'll start out.
Lord, thank you for the opportunity that we have to be here tonight.
In this place, being able to hear your word,
Lord, we pray that you would awaken our hearts,
that you would awaken this city,
even as we are affected by the gospel,
and as you push us out through the power of the Holy Spirit
to affect the world around us.
Lord, we pray that even now you would be preparing the hearts of unbelievers
in our neighborhoods and around where we live.
Lord, may this passage teach us and encourage us
and help us this week as we strive to follow you.
Lord, we ask these things in your holy and precious name.
Amen.
Acts chapter 13 is where we find ourselves this evening.
We're going to start in verse 13 and go to the end of the chapter.
It's a little long, but it's a story that goes together,
so that's why it is not broken up.
Acts chapter 13, starting in verse 13.
Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos
and came to Perga and Pamphylia,
and John left them and returned to Jerusalem.
I just want to pause there for a minute.
It's not part of the message,
but there's a few parts as we read that I just want to pause for,
and that is John Mark leaves them at this point
and goes back to Jerusalem.
He's traveled with them for over 400 miles,
so he's committed to the mission,
but for some reason we find here that he goes back to Jerusalem,
and we're not sure why Paul talks about it later
as being something that's not really favorable in his eyes.
So there's some animosity,
there's sort of a struggle there.
Again, we don't know why he left.
He just did.
So I wanted to point that out,
but the other thing I wanted to point out
is in verse 13,
starting from here and moving on through the rest of Acts,
it's not Barnabas and the team.
It's not Barnabas and Paul,
but after the last,
the beginning of chapter 13,
when Sean preached it last week,
you saw how Paul got into the face of this magician.
From then on,
there's this transition in leadership,
and now it's Paul and Barnabas.
It's Paul and the team,
and we see that from here on out.
And I bring that out because I think it's helpful,
because up to this point,
Barnabas, the son of encouragement,
has been such a scene as a big part in the church,
and he still is.
But we see that Barnabas had no problem
stepping to the side
when he saw God bringing up someone
that he wanted to use
more in a primary front seat position.
So this transition,
while it's kind of quiet,
it's important for us,
because we can be those who struggle
with position in the church,
with a title,
with what we can do or not do,
or what someone else is doing.
So I would just encourage you with that
to observe Barnabas' humility
as he serves the Lord.
We pick up in verse 14.
But they went on from Perga
and came to Antioch in Pisidia.
And on the Sabbath day,
they went into the synagogue and sat down.
After the reading from the law and the prophets,
the rulers of the synagogue
sent a message to them saying,
Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement
for the people, say it.
So Paul stood up
and motioning with his hands said,
Men of Israel and you who fear God,
listen.
The God of this people Israel
chose our fathers
and made the people great
during their stay in the land of Egypt.
I'm just going to pause there.
This is the last time I'm going to do this.
It's not part of the message.
But another important thing to remember here
is he says that the people were made great
during their stay in Egypt.
They were in slavery in Egypt.
Their people grew, yes,
but they were in slavery and it was hard.
And yet here, Paul says they were made great
during their time in Egypt.
And so, although it may not seem like it,
this is an encouragement
because we're going to find,
if we haven't already,
that blessing and strength
from the Lord
often comes through times of struggle.
And in this case, slavery.
The people were made stronger,
brought closer to God
through their slavery.
We'll continue on.
Verse 17.
The God of this people Israel
chose our fathers
and made the people great
during their stay in the land of Egypt.
And with uplifted arm,
he led them out.
And for about 40 years,
he put up with them in the wilderness.
And after destroying seven nations
in the land of Canaan,
he gave them their land as an inheritance.
All this took about 450 years.
And after that,
he gave them judges
until Samuel the prophet.
Then they asked for a king,
and God gave them Saul,
the son of Kish,
a man of the tribe of Benjamin,
for 40 years.
And when he had removed him,
he raised up David to be their king,
of whom he testified and said,
I have found in David
the son of Jesse,
a man after my heart,
who will do all my will.
Of this man's offspring,
God has brought to Israel a savior,
Jesus, as he's promised.
Before his coming,
John had proclaimed
the baptism of repentance
to all the people of Israel.
And as John was finishing his course,
he said,
What do you suppose that I am?
I am not he.
No, but behold,
after me one is coming,
the sandals of whose feet
I am not worthy to untie.
Brothers,
sons of the family of Abraham,
and those among you who fear God,
to us has been sent the message
of this salvation.
For those who live in Jerusalem
and their rulers,
because they did not recognize him,
nor understand the utterances
of the prophets,
which are read every Sabbath,
fulfilled them by condemning him.
And though they found in him
no guilt worthy of death,
they asked Pilate
to have him executed.
And when they had carried out
all that was written of him,
they took him down from the tree
and laid him in a tomb.
But God raised him from the dead.
And for many days,
he appeared to those
who come up with him
from Galilee to Jerusalem,
who are now his witnesses
to the people.
And we bring you the good news
that what God promised
to the fathers,
this he has fulfilled to us,
their children,
by raising Jesus.
As it is written
in the second psalm,
you are my son,
today I have begotten you.
As for the fact
that he raised him
from the dead,
no more to return
to corruption,
he has spoken in this way,
I will give you the holy
and sure blessings of David.
Therefore, he says also
in another psalm,
I will not let your holy ones
see corruption.
For David,
after he had served
the purpose of God
in his own generation,
fell asleep
and laid with his fathers
and saw corruption.
But he whom God raised up
did not see corruption.
Let it be known to you,
therefore, brothers,
that through this man
forgiveness of sins
is proclaimed to you.
And by him,
every one who believes
is freed
from everything
from which you could not
be freed
by the law of Moses.
Beware, therefore,
lest what is said
in the prophets
should come about.
Look, you scoffers,
be astonished and perish,
for I am doing a work
in your days,
a work that you will not believe
even if one tells it to you.
As they went out,
the people begged
that these things
might be told to 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.
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
incited 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.
When I was about
eight to ten years old,
I lived in Tennessee.
And one activity
that our church did
was on a regular basis
we would go up
about an hour and a half away
and visit this church,
Mount Pisgah Baptist Church.
It was just a little bit
outside of Knoxville.
But it was a Baptist church,
but a few years before
they had gotten a calling
that they thought
was from the Lord
to set up a printing ministry.
They were going to be
printing Bibles.
They felt that that's
what God called them to do
and they raised money
and they bought
what they needed.
They set up shop
in a bus garage
that was big enough
to hold the equipment.
And we would go up there.
I think it was about
once a month.
We would go up there
and spend a few hours
just putting Bibles together.
So it was pretty cool
as a kid
because you got to see
these pieces of machinery
that are used
to make Bibles.
So it was pretty cool
just to see
like these big cutters
that would just cut
like stacks of Bibles
that were like five high.
And you got to see
the machine
where it would like
slide it through the glue
and put the cover on it.
That was really cool
but what was also neat
about it is
it wasn't hard
to connect
to the mission
that they were on.
They were printing Bibles
that were going to be
sent out
across the world
and they were going to be
doing that
so that they could
spread the gospel
in the way that they felt
God was using them
to do that.
It was a really cool mission.
It was also a hard mission.
We, for us
it wasn't very hard.
We just gave up
some time on a Saturday.
Sometimes it was hot.
It was,
what I remember doing most
was these long tables
and you walked around
with this holder
and you just grabbed
little packs of paper
that were small sections
of the Bible
and you just piled them
on top of each other
walking around the table
and you just do that
over and over again
but they used that
and pass it on
to the next person
who would fold it
and cut it
and glue it together
and it would get
put together
and stacked
and put in boxes
and shipped out.
So it was work
but you saw the mission.
You were able to see
the bigger picture
of what was going on.
It was worthwhile
and you know what?
That's an important mission
and there's,
there's thousands
if not millions
like that.
Not that make Bibles
but that do something
for the mission of God
all over the world.
And so,
our passage tonight,
we're going to be looking
at God's mission.
We're going to be looking
at three points.
One is mission directed.
One is mission denied.
And the last one
is mission driven.
So as you can pick up,
it's all about the mission.
The mission that God
is doing in this passage,
in his church,
in his people.
And so those are the points
but as we move through it,
the question
that it leaves for us
is what is our involvement
in God's mission?
It may not be to go
and help put Bibles together
but if you're a Christian tonight,
God does have something
for you to be doing
that is part of his mission.
So that's what I want you
to be thinking
as we move through this.
Last week we saw how
last week it was Barnabas
and Paul,
how they were set apart.
And we saw how they
and also the church
in Antioch,
they became both part
of the mission, right?
The church laid their hands
on them
and set them apart
and gave them what they needed
to send them out.
And Barnabas and Paul
were on the mission
to go and take that gospel
to several places
being led by the Spirit.
And so that's where
we find ourselves tonight.
They arrived at Perga
and that's where
John Mark leaves them.
I have a map
that we'll put up.
I like pictures
so I can see
as we're moving around.
Is that big enough?
Yeah.
Just to get an idea
of where they started,
so they're Antioch
over here on your right side.
That's Antioch in Syria.
They travel down to
Salamis and Paphos.
That's a message
that was last week.
And then they go up to Perga.
And it's at Perga
where John Mark
decides to leave
for whatever reason.
So he's got a long journey
to go back
way down here
to Jerusalem.
But I showed you that
because I think it's helpful
to see
where they're going
on their mission.
It wasn't an easy mission.
Once John Mark leaves,
they're traveling
100 more miles
over mountains
to get to Antioch.
Not this Antioch,
but Antioch in Pisidia.
Antioch,
not to be confusing,
but it was a common,
popular city name.
And so that's why
you might hear that.
There's two different locations.
I think there was about
a half a dozen
in that area
at that time.
So they travel there.
Paul and Barnabas
and their team.
I don't know how many more
were with them
at this point.
We don't know
if they visited
the synagogue
in Antioch
that week.
Maybe they were
wearing clothes
that set them apart,
but there was some reason
why the rulers
in the synagogue
knew that they were
not just somebody
visiting the area,
but of a rabbi status
like Paul was.
So after the reading
of a portion
of the law,
a portion of the prophets,
which is what they
traditionally did
during the service,
they extend an invitation
to Paul,
and they say,
hey, if you or anyone
in your team
has a word for the people,
please say it.
So Paul has a message
that God has.
It's probably not
what the rulers
were thinking.
He stands up
and he begins to preach
to these people
who were primarily Jewish.
There were other people
who were converts,
so they were not Jews,
but they believed in God
and they feared
who God was.
So as we move
into verse 17,
what I want us
to see first,
our first point
in our outline
is a mission directed.
It is a mission
directed by God.
If we start in verse 17
and we move on,
we see all the ways
where God does something.
Man is there,
but it's God
the one who leads.
God the people of Israel,
he's the one
who chose the fathers.
He made them great
and then brought them
out of Egypt.
He's the one
that led them
through the wilderness
and destroyed
the seven nations.
He brought them
to the land
that he promised them.
It says here
that it took
about 450 years.
It's basically
a reference
to their 400 years
in slavery
and then their 40 years
in the wilderness
and then about 10 years
where they are doing battle
as God brings them
into the land of Canaan.
After that,
it says God
gave them judges.
Of course,
they weren't happy
and so they wanted a king.
So it says that God
gave them Saul
and after 40 years,
it says God
removed him.
In verse 22,
it's interesting
that it says
God raised up David
to be their king.
So if we compare Saul,
which we know
didn't go well
as a king,
that's just what
the people wanted.
It says that God
gave them Saul
and when it came to David,
God raised up David.
So we have
different language
being used
by two different kings.
David was an ordinary man,
a son of Jesse.
The difference was
he allowed God
to lead his life
and to shape his heart
into being like God's heart
and that's what we see here
said in this passage.
God's mission
was David's mission.
Now,
some are probably
questioning like most,
but didn't David sin.
Absolutely,
in some really big ways.
But notice that
those sins
didn't change
God's testimony
that he said about David.
The reason why
is because David
was repentant.
He repented
of what he did.
It wasn't good.
It was very evil,
bad things.
But that didn't keep
David from seeing
his wrong sin
and he repented
before God.
He didn't dwell in that.
He didn't try
to cover it up
and make a reason.
Well,
he did try to cover it up,
but once he realized
his sin,
the depth of his sin,
then he repented
and he makes it right
and comes back to God.
That's a message
of hope
to anyone out there
who thinks
that their sin
is too large
for God
to do anything
in their life with.
there isn't a sin
that God's grace
and love
can't cover over
and can't forgive
if we are to repent.
Now we come to
the core of the mission
that God is directing
and that is,
as we all know,
the core of the mission
of the gospel
is Jesus Christ.
He's the promised Savior.
Savior.
We see that
Paul jumps
from David,
King David,
all the way to Jesus
in his sermon here.
So,
1,000 years
he's jumping
in this history summary
that he is doing.
And the connection
he uses
is in verse 23.
Of this man's offspring,
of David's offspring,
God has brought
to Israel
a Savior,
Jesus.
He has promised.
Now,
this connection
from David
to Jesus
would have
been fully accepted
by his Jewish audience
because they knew
the Messiah
would come
from David's line.
Back in Matthew
chapter 22,
it says,
now when the Pharisees
were gathered together,
Jesus asked them
a question saying,
what do you think
about the Christ?
Whose son is he?
And they said to him,
the son of David.
So,
they knew
what to expect.
They knew
where the Messiah
was coming from.
Not only fulfilling
the promise
that would come
through David,
but highlighting again
that God
is the director
of what is going on.
God brought
to his people
a Savior.
God made the promise.
God made it happen.
In verse 24,
Paul mentions
John.
John the Baptist
is who he's talking about,
who was sent
to prepare the way
of Christ,
of Jesus.
He was sent
to call people
to repentance
and to be baptized.
It says,
as he is finishing
his course,
that is,
as his life
and ministry
is nearing
an end,
he says,
what do you suppose
that I am?
See,
some thought
that maybe
he was the prophet Elijah
coming from
the wilderness,
and some even
thought that he
could be
the Messiah.
He said,
do you think
that I am
the Savior?
I am not.
And then he adds
to that,
he uses an illustration
of a servant.
A servant
who already
is in a lowly position,
but the lowest thing
that they could do
is wash the feet
of guests coming in.
And to do that,
they would have to
untie their sandals.
So,
so here he's
pointing out
that he is not
even worthy
to serve in a position
that is the lowest
person doing
the lowest job.
Like,
I,
I am not the Savior,
and up next to him,
I don't even stand
worthy to be
the lowest of low,
is what John the Baptist
says.
Paul continues
in verse 26,
and then talk about
salvation
has been sent
to them.
But we notice
that his,
in verse 26,
his greeting changes.
Previously,
he had said
men of Israel.
In verse 26,
he says,
brothers,
sons of the family
of Abraham.
He's,
he's personalizing
this.
He's pointing out
that they are children
of the people
of Israel,
going back to
the ones
that God chose
their fathers.
their fathers
were the very ones
that God chose,
and they are
from that line,
the sons
of the family
of Abraham.
He's making it
more personal.
He's also reminding
them that they are
part of that family.
Not just reminding
them of that,
but having them
realize the weight
that should accompany
that.
The character,
the faith,
the high standing
that embodies
the weight
or the,
the Abrahamic
family name.
Chosen
and set apart
by God.
They should want
to live up
to that,
that weight
and live in a way
that doesn't
detract
or diminish
that heritage
that God
put in place.
Now,
I also don't want
us to miss
our connection
to this
because we also
have been given
a similar heritage.
As children
of God,
we have been
set apart
by God.
And like
verse 26
says,
we have been
sent the message
of this salvation.
So we should
also live
in a way
that Paul
is encouraging
the Jews
to do
as God's people.
Now,
as we move
into verse 27,
Paul starts
to address
the problem
and that brings
us to our
second point.
So we have
mission directed
and then we have
mission denied.
God has promised
salvation
salvation.
He has brought
it to them
and yet they
deny it.
They heard
the prophets
read it
every Sabbath.
They heard it
read from the
scrolls
and yet they
still condemned
him.
It says
they did not
recognize him
nor understand
the utterances
of the prophets
even though
they were read
every week
in the synagogue
that they
went to
faithfully.
they still
failed to
hear the
salvation
message.
The pointers
took Christ,
his death
and his
resurrection.
In recognizing
Jesus
and understanding
the words of the
prophets,
they failed
in both of
these.
And yet,
ironically,
in their
failure,
they fulfilled
them both.
Out of their
ignorance,
they fulfilled
what they
did not
understand.
Finding no
guilt in
him,
they executed
the innocent
one and
fulfilled all
that had been
written about
him.
But God
raised him
from the dead
and he was
seen for many
days and by
many witnesses.
I think it's
neat that he
is seen,
Jesus,
after he is
resurrected,
he goes to
his people,
his disciples,
close friends.
And that,
I think,
is not only
to comfort
them into
what has
taken place
because they
didn't understand,
but also,
like,
those were the
people who
would know,
who knew
him the
most.
Someone who
would not
be tricked
by it not
really being
Jesus or
him not
really being
dead.
These people
would know
a fraud.
But he
doesn't just
go to those
that Jesus
knew,
most
intimately,
but he
also went
to others
outside of
that group,
appearing to
500 people
at a time
in one spot.
So Paul
lays out
the good
news for
them after
giving them
this in
verses 32
and 33
and reminds
them again
of their
heritage.
He says,
we bring
you the
good news
that what
God promised
to the
fathers,
this he
has fulfilled
to us,
their children,
by raising
Jesus.
Here,
notice he
says,
us,
their children.
He's including
with that
because he
comes from
the Jewish
line as
well.
He's also
leaving out
the Gentiles
who are in
the congregation
at this
point.
He's not
doing that
to make
them feel
secluded,
but Paul
is trying
really hard
to win
over his
Jewish
people,
emphasizing
that what
God has
done
and how
the whole
work of
Jesus was
done within
this Jewish
people,
within their
own people,
their own
family.
Next couple
verses,
Paul gives
some Old
Testament
quotations,
trying to get
the Jews
to see
this promise
of salvation
that is
being fulfilled.
I'm not
going to go
into each
of these
quotations
for sake
of time,
but each
one,
verse 33,
taken from
Psalm,
you are
my son,
today I
have begotten
you.
Verse 34
is taken
from Isaiah,
talking about
the everlasting
covenant made
with David.
And then
verse 35,
a quote
from Psalm
16,
talking about
how David
was human
and how
at the end
of his
life he
did die.
He was
buried in
the ground
and his
physical body
did see
corruption.
But the
Holy One,
speaking of
Jesus at
this time,
whom God
raised from
the dead,
he did not
see corruption.
And now
in verses
38 and
39,
we get to
see the
salvation
point of
Paul's
message.
And he
begins us
with a
little bit
more
authoritative
tone.
Good thing
I wasn't
speaking then.
Let it
be known
to you
therefore,
brothers,
that through
this man,
through
Jesus Christ,
the one
that you
crucified,
the one
you didn't
believe in,
through him
has come
forgiveness
of sins
and is
being
proclaimed
to you.
And then
when he
adds
verse 39,
it's just
beautiful.
He says,
and by
him,
everyone
who believes
is freed
from everything
from which
you could
not be
freed by
the law
of Moses.
Jesus.
This word
freed,
translated
better from
the Greek,
is actually
the word
justified.
And you
can see how
they can
mean the
same thing,
but I
think justified
is just
stronger.
and by
him,
belief in
Jesus,
everyone
who believes
is justified
from everything
from which
you could
not be
justified
by the
law of
Moses.
The Jews
were all
about the
law of
Moses.
They lived
by this
law.
They
added to
this
law.
They
condemned
people
with this
law.
And Paul
is saying
there is
no
justification
from
this
law.
It's
not like
some sins
could be
removed
by the
law.
No
sins
can be
removed
by the
law.
No
freedom
comes
from
the
law.
It
only
brings
demands
and
requirements
that we
break.
And there
is no
freedom.
There
is only
the
pointing
out of
sin
and there's
guilt.
It is
only through
Jesus
Christ.
It's
his work
of
salvation.
It's
our
belief
in that
work
where we
find
freedom,
where we
find
justification.
Paul
ends
his
message
in
verses
40
and
41.
But as
he does,
he gives
a warning.
Again,
using an
Old Testament
quotation,
this time
from Habakkuk
chapter 1.
The
prophet
Habakkuk
is told
to prophesy
to the
Israelites
that God
will be
using the
Chaldeans
to come
in and
utterly
destroy
them.
the
problem
is
not a
single
one
believed
it
until
it
actually
happened.
And so
in
Paul's
warning,
he's
asking
the
hearers
if
such
unbelief
is
about
to
repeat
itself.
And
then
Paul
ends
his
message.
And
in
verse
42,
we see
that
people
are
begging
to
hear
more.
The
meeting
broke
up
and
there
are
Jews
and
Jewish
converts
that
want
to
hear
more.
Verse
43
says
that
they
followed
Paul
and
Barnabas.
They
spoke
to
them
and
Paul
and
Barnabas
are
encouraging
them,
persuading
them,
it says,
to continue
in the
grace
of God.
This
is
talking
about
the
message
of
salvation
that
they've
just
been
given.
Paul
is
encouraging
them,
listen,
you've
just
been
giving
this,
go
with
that,
don't
go
back
to
what
you
had
before,
but
continue
on.
So as
you can
imagine,
there is
no doubt
a lot
of talk
in the
city
that
week.
There
was a
message
that
was
given
in the
synagogue
that
had
never
been
heard
before,
and
many
people
wanted
to
hear
more.
So
on
the
next
Sabbath,
Luke
says
that
almost
the
whole
city
came
out
to
hear
the
word
of
the
Lord.
Can you
imagine
a city
where
people,
whether
believers
or
unbelievers,
were excited
to come
together
and hear
the word
of the
Lord?
It
would
really
be a
great
revival
service
to be
part
of.
But
from
this
passage,
we
know
that
there
is
trouble
brewing.
Verse
45,
when
the Jews
saw
the
crowds,
they
were
filled
with
jealousy
and
began
to
contradict
what
was
spoken
by
Paul.
Paul
is
preaching
the
gospel
of
Jesus
Christ.
He's
talking
about
what
God
has
done,
what
he
has
promised,
and
the
work
that
he
is
doing.
So
when
they
contradict
Paul,
they're
contradicting
God.
When
they
revile
against
him,
they're
actually
doing
it
against
God.
If
we
think
about
that,
how
crazy
and
futile
that
is.
God's
people
that
he
called
are
now
contradicting
the
mission
that
he
is
doing,
the
work
that
he
is
doing
to
save
them.
And
as
the
Jews
start
to
argue
here
in
this
passage
and
they're
contradicting
Paul,
verse
46
says
that
Paul
and
Barnabas
had
to
get
loud.
Right?
Before
they
lost
their
chance
to
say
any
more
to
this
crowd
as
they
get
louder,
they
had
something
else
that
they
still
needed
to
say.
It
was
another
important
detail
that
they
had
to
pass
on,
and
it
was
this.
They
said,
it
was
necessary
that
the
word
of
God
be
spoken
to
you
first.
You
Jewish
people,
but
since
you
have
thrusted
aside
and
you
judge
yourselves
unworthy
of
eternal
life,
that
is,
you
are
pushing
away
the
message
of
salvation,
and
by that
act
you
are
pronouncing
that
the
final
verdict
for
yourself
is
that
you're
not
worthy
of
saving,
you're
not
worthy
of
eternal
life.
And
Paul
says
for
that
reason
we're
turning
to
the
Gentiles.
And
that
brings
us
to
our
last
point,
which
is
a
mission
driven.
It
is
driven
forward
even
through
denial.
Paul
says
that
God
told
us
to
move
on
from
you
to
the
Gentiles.
This
was
God's
plan
all
along.
He
quotes
Isaiah
49
reminding
them
that
God's
mission
was
always
to
start
with
the
Jews.
To
make
them
a
light,
an
example,
a
beacon
of
hope
to
the
world.
To
bring
salvation
to
the
world.
Not
keep
salvation
just
to
the
Jews
themselves.
And
when the
Gentiles
heard
this
from
Paul
and
from
Barnabas,
as you
can imagine,
they're
filled
with joy.
Right?
Excitement.
There's
this gospel
party going
on as
they glorified
the word
of the
Lord as
salvation is
being given
to them.
People,
Gentile
people,
like us,
who were
once outside,
are now
brought
inside.
And people
got saved.
And the
gospel is
growing through
the region.
Through the region.
brothers and
sisters,
it is a
glorious
thing
when
cold,
dead
hearts
are brought
to life
by the
word of
God.
And people
realize
that God's
mission
included
their
salvation.
When the
God of the
universe
shows up
and touches
a life
and gives
it a
purpose
that spans
eternity,
that
experience
cannot be
matched by
anything else.
And that's
what happened
here for
the non-Jewish
believers.
And that's
what's happened
here to
all of us
outside of
the Jewish
people.
So be
encouraged
today.
Now look,
Luke could
have ended
this passage
with verse
49,
but he
didn't.
And I
think that
allows us
to see
something
important.
If you're
a Christian
this morning,
if you're
doing God's
work,
people are
being
changed
and saved
and people
are coming
to church
and their
lives are
being affected
by the
Lord,
there will
be persecution.
persecution.
It's safe
to say
that if
your life
is void
of persecution,
that you
are not
part of
God's
mission
very strongly.
And I
know that
sounds
rough.
If your
life is
void of
persecution,
you're probably
not very
serious in
your mission
with God.
God's
love.
I
say that
because I
want to be
honest with
you and I
want you to
be honest
with yourself
because we
know that
Satan is
alive and
well.
And we
know that
if we're
doing things
for the
Lord,
Satan will
want to
knock us
off.
So if
persecution
and trials
are coming
at you,
then you
can rest
assured that
Satan is
not happy
with what
you're doing.
But the
other side
of that
is if
you are
attending
church once
a week,
like these
Jewish rulers,
and your
life comes
with no
persecution,
then you
should question
what are you
doing for
God?
Because Satan
is not
afraid of
you.
Satan is
not afraid
of any
work that
you're doing,
most likely
because you're
not doing
any work.
So I
know that
comes out
strong,
but I
want to
encourage you
to be
about the
battle against
Satan and
the mission
for God.
Verse 50
says that
the Jews,
those who
were supposed
to know
and love
and follow
God,
they were
jealous,
they were
angry,
they were
stirred up
by these
crowds that
were brought,
not because
of them,
but because
of the
word of
the Lord.
And they
brought
persecution
against
Paul and
Barnabas,
and they
drove them
out of
the city.
Most
likely,
this
kicking
them
out of
the city
was not
a painless
ordeal.
Several
commentators
think that
there was a
beating involved
with kicking
them out.
And so,
again,
I remind us
that Paul
and Barnabas
were not
wondering,
why am I
getting beat
because I'm
doing what
God wants
me to do?
They understand
why they're
getting beat
because the
word of
the Lord
is going
out and
Satan and
unbelievers
are fighting
against that.
The reminder
points us
back to
Jesus Christ.
We know
that Jesus
lived a
perfect life.
We also
know that
his message
was rejected.
He was
persecuted
and he
was crucified.
If he,
our Savior,
went through
that,
then why
would not
us,
his followers,
go through
something similar?
A couple
verses just
to remind
us.
John
chapter 15
verse 18.
If the
world hates
you,
keep in
mind that
it hated
me first.
Speaking of
Jesus.
2 Timothy
3.12
In fact,
everyone who
wants to
live a godly
life in
Christ Jesus
will be
persecuted.
That's just
what comes
with a
Christian's
life.
We're
commanded to
share the
gospel.
Our job
is not to
take the
gospel and
change it
to make
it pretty
or soft,
more acceptable
to an
unbelieving
world.
They are
going to
fight against
it.
Many will
hate it.
But it's
the message
that God
uses to
save his
people.
It's the
same message
that if
you were
saved here
tonight,
was used
to bring
you to
salvation.
Verse 51
says,
they shook
off the
dust from
their feet
against them.
That is to
say,
I tried to
tell you,
and now the
weight of
unbelief and
the judgment
from that is
on your
head.
And then
they went
to Iconium.
And it
says the
disciples were
encouraged,
filled with
happiness.
They were
filled with
the Holy
Spirit.
The disciples
they're referring
to, those
who were
left there
in Antioch,
they weren't
referring to
Paul and
Barnabas.
Those who
were left
there, they
were filled
with the
Holy Spirit
to continue
the mission.
Remember,
Jesus, when
he was going
back to
heaven, said
he was sending
us the
Holy Spirit
to live
in us for
the purpose
of God's
mission, to
encourage us,
to strengthen
us, to
help us, to
drive us
forward in
God's mission.
Now I know
in this room
tonight there
are two
groups of
people.
There are
those who
are saved
and those
who are
not.
And so
like Paul
was preaching
the gospel
to the people
in Antioch,
I'm
presenting
to you
the gospel
from God's
word, not
man's words, not
my word, but
God's word.
God has made
salvation available
to you.
If you don't
know that
salvation, if
you have not
put your trust
in Jesus,
you can't
know God,
you can't be
on God's
mission if
there is no
belief in
his son.
And so
if you
haven't trusted
Jesus, I
would urge
you not
to continue
like the
Jews in
unbelief and
risk and
eternity
separated from
God.
And so I
would encourage
you to come
talk to me
after the
service.
Come talk
to someone
next to
you.
Reach out
to someone.
For those
who already
know and
have put
their belief
in Jesus,
let me ask
you something
this evening.
Are you
on God's
mission or
your own
mission?
Are you a
religious person
going to church
every week and
you hear the
word and
that's your
part?
And has
God moved
on from you
because you
are not like
Paul and
Barnabas and
the people who
are being
saved?
You're not
desiring to
be part of
the mission
to allow
the Holy
Spirit to
work?
Is there
no involvement
in what God
wants you to
be doing?
Maybe it's
because of a
stubborn heart
or unwillingness
to do what
God wants.
Maybe it's
stop clinging
to something
that God's
calling you
to let go.
So there's
this battle.
I urge you
to let those
things go
and let God
be your
director
tonight.
A couple
practical
aspects of
this passage
and some
of you I
know do
this very
well.
So I want
to encourage
you to keep
doing those
things.
But if
you're a
new Christian
or maybe
you've been
a Christian
for a few
years and
you find
yourself not
you just feel
not connected
to God's
mission.
You don't
know what
God is
doing in
your life.
Sometimes you
feel like you're
moving backwards
and not forward.
a couple
things that
you can be
doing.
And these
are basic
things.
I say basic
things because
we never
move away
from them.
And that
is Bible
reading.
We can't
know God
outside of
his word.
So read
the Bible.
We know
that prayer
has power.
So we need
to be about
praying to
our God.
So make
prayer a
habit.
Make Bible
reading a
habit.
And as we
do those
things, like
David, we
allow God's
will to
become our
will, we
won't miss
the mission
that he has
for us.
Last night
after I put
Juliet to
bed, it's
part of our
nighttime
routine where
I sit next
to her bed
and I just
do work.
I read on
my phone or
I type on
the computer
and she
lays in
bed and
she likes
to fall
asleep that
way.
So I
usually get
about 10-15
minutes where
she's fallen
asleep.
And as I
did, I was
thinking about
Mount Pisgah
where I
helped make
Bibles.
And so I was
just curious and
I looked it
up and it
was pretty cool
because they're
still there,
right?
They've actually
grown bigger.
So now, 40
years later,
they're still
printing Bibles.
I think in
over 16
different languages,
they're still
sending out
Bibles all
over the
world.
So I'm just
thinking about
that mission
and how they're
continuing on.
As people of
God, let us
connect to the
mission that God
is directing.
Let us not
deny our
responsibility in
that mission
mission and
let us allow
the Holy Spirit
to drive us
forward in
all that God
has for us.
Let's close
in prayer.
Lord God,
again, we
thank you for
your word and
for these
missionary
stories.
about how
you are
doing a
work.
Lord, help
us not to
just get
comfortable in
our life and
deny what you
are doing and
disconnect from
the one who
has given us
salvation.
God, help us
move in each
person's life,
knowing that each
person's situation
is different and
what you call
from them for
them to do,
is different.
Lord, work in
their lives and
their hearts.
Help them not
to deny
what you are
doing.
Lord, help
them to follow
the Spirit.
Help us to
follow the Spirit.
Help us to
seek you in
your word.
And God, may
we be driven
forward in
your mission
through the
work of the
Holy Spirit.
Lord, in your
name we pray.
Amen.