WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.740 20 or so Jewish people who could gather in a single room to the end of Acts, 00:00:06.820 --> 00:00:13.140 where the church has expanded throughout the Roman Empire until it reaches Rome itself, 00:00:13.280 --> 00:00:18.839 crossing cultures and languages and religious beliefs and boundaries on the way. 00:00:20.140 --> 00:00:25.740 And I want us, as we think about that, as we examine Paul's missionary journeys, 00:00:25.739 --> 00:00:30.159 to think about things like, what did Paul and his companions talk about? 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:34.820 How did they go about their missionary task? 00:00:35.359 --> 00:00:38.519 What reactions did they encounter? 00:00:39.700 --> 00:00:44.200 So that we ourselves, as a people on mission, as a church on mission, 00:00:44.259 --> 00:00:48.780 might be informed and equipped for our mission. 00:00:49.359 --> 00:00:53.099 Because for us, Jesus is still Lord. 00:00:53.100 --> 00:00:59.200 Our message is still a radical message that provokes different responses. 00:01:00.060 --> 00:01:02.200 Jesus is still King. 00:01:03.460 --> 00:01:09.040 And through His church, He's calling others to citizenship of His kingdom. 00:01:09.159 --> 00:01:14.480 So we have much to learn, I think, from this section of the book of Acts. 00:01:14.520 --> 00:01:19.500 So we're going to be in three places, and we're going to learn three lessons this evening. 00:01:19.500 --> 00:01:24.099 The first place we're going to be is in Antioch. 00:01:24.299 --> 00:01:28.099 Verses 1 to 3, we find ourselves in Antioch. 00:01:28.219 --> 00:01:35.299 And there, our lesson is this, that the Spirit is the one who directs our mission. 00:01:36.260 --> 00:01:38.539 The church in Antioch is an interesting one. 00:01:38.620 --> 00:01:42.599 It's often seen as a model, sending church. 00:01:43.140 --> 00:01:44.460 So what was it like? 00:01:44.459 --> 00:01:50.019 There are qualities within this church that would be useful for us to pray towards, 00:01:50.339 --> 00:01:52.119 for every local church to pray towards. 00:01:52.219 --> 00:01:56.319 First of all, we see that this church was equipped by God. 00:01:56.859 --> 00:02:03.039 Verse 1, we see that God had provided prophets and teachers from its beginning. 00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:07.219 Those prophets were foretellers rather than predicting the future people. 00:02:07.780 --> 00:02:10.780 They were training the church in the Word of God, 00:02:10.780 --> 00:02:17.120 training the church how to live for God in their community, grounding the people in the gospel. 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:19.099 So the church was equipped. 00:02:19.900 --> 00:02:22.379 You also see that the church was really diverse. 00:02:23.060 --> 00:02:27.680 When you look at that list of leaders, you discover that some of them were from Israel. 00:02:28.199 --> 00:02:31.080 You discover some were from North Africa. 00:02:31.580 --> 00:02:37.620 We discover this man, Mananae, who it seems like was Herod the Great's foster son. 00:02:37.620 --> 00:02:43.259 So it was his brother who was involved in the trial of Jesus. 00:02:43.400 --> 00:02:47.599 But this foster brother is one of the leaders in the church in Antioch. 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:52.599 So the church is as diverse as the city of Antioch was. 00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:55.340 And I think, again, that's a great thing to pray for. 00:02:55.439 --> 00:03:02.700 There are churches would be diverse groups of people reflecting the way the gospel breaks down barriers. 00:03:02.699 --> 00:03:09.079 Another thing that we see about this church is that they were a people who were seeking God. 00:03:09.179 --> 00:03:10.939 You see how they're described in verse 2. 00:03:11.379 --> 00:03:12.759 They're worshiping the Lord. 00:03:13.000 --> 00:03:14.019 They're fasting. 00:03:14.219 --> 00:03:16.159 In verse 3, they're praying. 00:03:16.619 --> 00:03:20.219 Here's a group of people who are evidently living to honor God. 00:03:20.819 --> 00:03:22.839 We see devotion to God. 00:03:23.339 --> 00:03:29.539 We see them seeking God's guidance and help as a group of leaders and as a church. 00:03:29.539 --> 00:03:36.939 And it's in this context that the Holy Spirit comes and the Holy Spirit begins to direct mission. 00:03:37.379 --> 00:03:38.259 As the Spirit says, 00:03:38.840 --> 00:03:43.799 Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. 00:03:45.739 --> 00:03:50.079 Just as we hit that, there's an important reminder about the Holy Spirit. 00:03:50.539 --> 00:03:52.680 That the Holy Spirit is fully God. 00:03:53.479 --> 00:03:55.959 Did you notice that he said, Set apart for me. 00:03:55.960 --> 00:03:59.800 And he says, I, the Holy Spirit speaking, I have called them. 00:04:00.599 --> 00:04:02.400 So the Holy Spirit is personal. 00:04:03.140 --> 00:04:04.280 He's not a force. 00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:08.920 And what the Spirit does in the church is he directs the church in mission. 00:04:09.780 --> 00:04:14.640 The Spirit is concerned for the glory of God, for the glory of Jesus. 00:04:15.080 --> 00:04:18.000 And so the Spirit wants to see more churches established, 00:04:18.240 --> 00:04:23.340 more people coming to submit to the good and loving rule of King Jesus. 00:04:23.340 --> 00:04:25.579 And the Spirit is involved in that. 00:04:26.919 --> 00:04:33.060 In many ways, the call of Barnabas and Saul sounds a little bit like the call of God to Abraham. 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:37.719 Maybe Abraham was called to leave his country and go to the place God would show him. 00:04:38.359 --> 00:04:43.439 There's no set details for where Barnabas and Saul are to go. 00:04:43.740 --> 00:04:45.120 They're just to be set apart. 00:04:45.699 --> 00:04:48.479 They've been called and they're sent off. 00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:51.080 This is part of the adventure of faith. 00:04:52.280 --> 00:04:58.280 Following God, living a life of faith will sometimes take us to surprising places 00:04:58.280 --> 00:05:02.300 if we put ourselves in the hands of the Holy Spirit. 00:05:03.300 --> 00:05:08.500 But here at this point, we are reminded of one of the dominant themes of the Bible, 00:05:08.580 --> 00:05:11.819 that our God is a missionary God. 00:05:11.819 --> 00:05:14.779 Ever since that promise to Abraham when he said, 00:05:15.599 --> 00:05:19.680 from one of your seed will come blessing to all the nations of the earth, 00:05:19.819 --> 00:05:22.560 there is that movement where God is bringing people in. 00:05:22.659 --> 00:05:25.379 We see it, glimpses of it, I guess, in the Old Testament. 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:32.079 We see it and hear it in the story of, for example, Ruth from Moab brought into the people of God. 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:41.439 We see it in the story of Jonah, where he reluctantly goes and preaches to the enemy city of Nineveh. 00:05:41.740 --> 00:05:45.759 But then you come to the New Testament, you read the life of Jesus, 00:05:45.899 --> 00:05:51.399 and you discover that he's crossing boundaries and borders in order to draw people in. 00:05:51.819 --> 00:05:56.079 And the book of Acts, then, is very much God's mission continued. 00:05:56.360 --> 00:06:01.819 The work of Jesus continues through his church, and it spreads through the world. 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:07.899 And another theme that emerges in the book of Acts is Jesus is a king with a kingdom. 00:06:08.539 --> 00:06:15.139 And so, God the Spirit is directing Saul and Barnabas to go on this mission 00:06:15.139 --> 00:06:19.060 so that they might call people to citizenship. 00:06:20.579 --> 00:06:26.779 One of the ways the Bible pictures it is if Jesus is king and he has this kingdom, 00:06:27.399 --> 00:06:30.659 then the church, the local church, are like embassies. 00:06:30.660 --> 00:06:32.080 What are embassies? 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:38.140 Embassies are institutions that represent one nation inside another nation. 00:06:38.680 --> 00:06:46.280 They exist to declare the interests of their home nation to the local nation. 00:06:46.680 --> 00:06:51.379 And as a local church, we are to act, as they were, 00:06:51.379 --> 00:06:57.060 as an embassy of the Lord Jesus Christ and his future kingdom. 00:06:57.060 --> 00:07:03.159 That we are to live within society declaring Jesus is Lord. 00:07:03.939 --> 00:07:09.579 That our direction comes primarily not from government, but from the Word of God. 00:07:09.699 --> 00:07:16.560 Yes, we obey and honor government, but our primary allegiance is to Jesus. 00:07:16.560 --> 00:07:21.839 We live by his values, and we call all people to do the same. 00:07:23.720 --> 00:07:28.420 And when we start to think about that as a church, we recognize this is a huge calling for our lives. 00:07:29.240 --> 00:07:32.199 In some ways, it's a scary calling, perhaps. 00:07:32.199 --> 00:07:40.639 And so we need this promise from what we see in Antioch, that the Spirit is the one who directs mission. 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:45.800 What we see in the life of Saul and Barnabas is that the Spirit will use his people. 00:07:46.459 --> 00:07:49.360 The Spirit will give words to his people. 00:07:49.959 --> 00:07:55.779 Therefore, we are called as a church to rely on the Spirit in our day-to-day mission. 00:07:55.779 --> 00:08:00.539 That's why we gather together as the people of God, Sunday by Sunday, 00:08:01.259 --> 00:08:04.439 to sit under God's Word, where God's Spirit speaks to us. 00:08:04.899 --> 00:08:08.299 It's why we rely as God's people on Word and prayer, 00:08:08.859 --> 00:08:11.339 why we need the wisdom of the Spirit, 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:16.919 because we are to live for the glory of King Jesus. 00:08:17.059 --> 00:08:22.679 So in Antioch, we discover that the Spirit directs our mission. 00:08:22.680 --> 00:08:28.480 And then, so they move from Antioch and they begin their journey through Cyprus. 00:08:28.780 --> 00:08:36.120 And the lesson I want us to see from the island of Cyprus is that there will be opposition to our mission. 00:08:36.899 --> 00:08:41.799 The Bible's always very honest about that reality. 00:08:42.379 --> 00:08:45.680 So attention here in Cyprus really focuses on two men. 00:08:46.340 --> 00:08:51.539 If you look at verse 7, we're introduced to a man called Sergius Paulus, 00:08:51.539 --> 00:08:53.639 the Roman proconsul. 00:08:54.199 --> 00:09:01.259 He's clearly some kind of spiritual man because he's got this guy, Bar Jesus, as an advisor, 00:09:01.799 --> 00:09:03.159 this Jewish sorcerer. 00:09:03.319 --> 00:09:08.199 But we discover that this guy, Sergius Paulus, he wants to hear the Word of God. 00:09:08.259 --> 00:09:12.339 In verse 7, he's drawn by the gospel of Jesus. 00:09:12.500 --> 00:09:17.019 And so he wants Barnabas and Saul to come and speak more about it. 00:09:17.019 --> 00:09:18.980 So we've got that man, Sergius Paulus. 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:25.079 But then we also have, verse 6, this Jewish sorcerer, this false prophet, 00:09:25.220 --> 00:09:28.480 sometimes known as Elymas, sometimes known as Bar Jesus. 00:09:28.659 --> 00:09:31.480 And what we see from these two guys is a picture of spiritual conflict. 00:09:32.220 --> 00:09:34.659 We've got the fact that there's one man who wants to hear 00:09:34.659 --> 00:09:39.039 and another who very much wants to oppose the hearing of the message. 00:09:39.039 --> 00:09:47.219 Verse 8, Elymas the sorcerer opposed Barnabas and Saul and tried to turn the proconsul from faith. 00:09:48.379 --> 00:09:55.779 And so into this situation of spiritual conflict, there is Barnabas and Saul. 00:09:56.319 --> 00:10:01.919 And Saul, verse 9, also called Paul, is filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:10:02.039 --> 00:10:07.039 So notice that as he's on mission, he's relying on the power of the Spirit. 00:10:07.039 --> 00:10:14.740 And he's very aware of spiritual reality and spiritual battle. 00:10:15.240 --> 00:10:19.480 He looks at this man, Elymas, and calls him a child of the devil. 00:10:20.120 --> 00:10:23.079 His name, Bar Jesus, means son of Jesus. 00:10:23.179 --> 00:10:25.419 But the way he's acting, he's not a son of Jesus. 00:10:25.539 --> 00:10:28.099 He's a son of the devil. 00:10:29.019 --> 00:10:33.819 And he speaks a word of judgment against Elymas. 00:10:33.820 --> 00:10:38.700 There is a blindness that comes on him because he's full of deceit. 00:10:39.060 --> 00:10:41.620 He's perverting the right ways of the Lord. 00:10:42.040 --> 00:10:48.120 And so Paul, filled with the Spirit, demonstrates the power of God there in Cyprus. 00:10:48.540 --> 00:10:50.600 And the impact is striking. 00:10:50.720 --> 00:10:53.020 It's striking on Elymas because he's struck blind. 00:10:53.019 --> 00:10:59.539 But also in verse 12, when the proconsul saw what happened, he believed. 00:11:00.179 --> 00:11:02.059 For he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord. 00:11:02.100 --> 00:11:05.819 So he sees this miracle, this judgment miracle happen. 00:11:06.120 --> 00:11:09.059 But he's also heard the word of the gospel. 00:11:09.159 --> 00:11:13.120 And this combination of word and sign causes him to believe. 00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:16.579 It was often the same pattern in Jesus' ministry. 00:11:16.980 --> 00:11:19.399 His miracles are described as signs. 00:11:19.399 --> 00:11:22.500 They are revealing his glory. 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:25.459 They're revealing that he is a king with a kingdom, with a kingdom message. 00:11:25.579 --> 00:11:29.480 And that causes people at different times to listen. 00:11:30.579 --> 00:11:39.360 But I think the reminder for us is this, that to be part of Jesus' kingdom is then to be called into spiritual battle. 00:11:40.299 --> 00:11:43.240 If we're not Christians, we're not in a spiritual battle. 00:11:43.240 --> 00:11:47.659 But by the moment we're trusting in Jesus, we're brought into this battle. 00:11:48.100 --> 00:11:51.180 We are introduced here to the work of the devil. 00:11:51.940 --> 00:11:57.379 We're told in the Bible that the work of the devil is to blind the minds of unbelievers so they won't see the glory of God. 00:11:57.700 --> 00:11:58.860 Elymas tries to do that. 00:11:59.820 --> 00:12:03.039 The work of the devil is to try and steal the word of God away. 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:06.159 Either from people who are just hearing it and haven't come to faith. 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:09.299 Or to steal the word of God away from God's own people. 00:12:09.299 --> 00:12:13.659 He wants to make people question the goodness of God. 00:12:14.519 --> 00:12:20.659 To rob God of glory in people's lives by keeping them away from trusting in the Lord Jesus. 00:12:21.379 --> 00:12:27.479 And from turning his own people, Jesus' people, away from wholehearted devotion to him. 00:12:28.500 --> 00:12:36.939 So we need to be aware of that spiritual battle that we find ourselves in if we seek to live for the glory of God. 00:12:36.939 --> 00:12:39.259 And as a church, we want to be on mission. 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:43.839 What we discover from Barnabas and Saul is this. 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:48.979 That to be sent by the Holy Spirit on mission does not mean that mission will be easy. 00:12:49.559 --> 00:12:53.459 It does not mean it will be plain sailing and everything will go smoothly. 00:12:54.240 --> 00:13:03.259 What we discover instead is that opposition and persecution and rejection are a part, are a feature of the Christian life. 00:13:03.259 --> 00:13:05.740 We know it in small measure here. 00:13:05.740 --> 00:13:08.240 But we hear about the persecuted church. 00:13:08.320 --> 00:13:15.980 We realize how intensely some of our brothers and sisters suffer because they want to follow King Jesus. 00:13:15.980 --> 00:13:24.480 And I think one of the things that that says to us is that we must endeavor to make the honor of Jesus our top priority. 00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:36.220 Because when opposition comes, when we try and share our faith and people are disinterested or hostile, unless our hope is in Jesus, we're going to become discouraged, perhaps bitter. 00:13:36.360 --> 00:13:39.259 Perhaps we might be tempted to just give up. 00:13:39.259 --> 00:13:46.819 But if we're living for the glory of God and if our eyes are on Jesus, then we'll be able to move beyond that. 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:53.039 To see that just as he suffered, so we too as a church are called to suffer. 00:13:53.039 --> 00:14:00.379 But also as we see from the example of Paul, we must go into battle with the full armor of God. 00:14:00.539 --> 00:14:03.899 Paul is filled with the Spirit as he speaks. 00:14:04.459 --> 00:14:12.980 Some of us will perhaps remember the disturbing reports that came out after the Iraq War, sometimes even during the Iraq War, 00:14:12.980 --> 00:14:22.099 about British troops being sent into battle with defective protection and a lack of ammunition and faulty weapons at some times. 00:14:22.100 --> 00:14:28.420 And it was incredibly dangerous then for troops, sometimes fatal for troops in that condition. 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:34.779 We must go into battle equipped with the full armor of God. 00:14:34.899 --> 00:14:37.200 We need the Spirit of God. 00:14:37.659 --> 00:14:39.480 We need the Word of God. 00:14:39.680 --> 00:14:42.680 And we also need the people of God. 00:14:43.159 --> 00:14:49.379 Because we're not to go on mission as some kind of solo SAS project behind enemy lines and we're just doing it ourselves. 00:14:49.379 --> 00:14:52.720 We stand together on the battlefield. 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:57.519 We're called together to be on mission. 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:03.279 But we are to take heart from what happens in Cyprus. 00:15:03.419 --> 00:15:05.120 Yes, there is spiritual opposition. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:08.779 But what we see is that Jesus is greater. 00:15:09.019 --> 00:15:13.419 Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world. 00:15:13.419 --> 00:15:17.740 This is not an equal battle of equal and opposing forces. 00:15:18.419 --> 00:15:20.139 Jesus is stronger. 00:15:21.379 --> 00:15:28.000 And we discover in the gospel that the decisive battle between Jesus and the devil has already been played out, 00:15:28.059 --> 00:15:32.059 that Jesus has won that victory through the cross and the resurrection. 00:15:32.059 --> 00:15:35.919 And so we live with hope of victory secure. 00:15:36.439 --> 00:15:44.659 And the same Holy Spirit that strengthened Jesus is the same Holy Spirit that lives and works in us. 00:15:45.079 --> 00:15:48.059 So we take heart even while we face opposition. 00:15:48.579 --> 00:15:55.879 And because we're serving our King, we know that his victory is secure and we have the Holy Spirit to help us. 00:15:55.879 --> 00:15:59.259 And that takes us to our third location. 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:02.799 It takes us to Pisidian Antioch. 00:16:03.799 --> 00:16:11.600 And I think the lesson that we can draw here as a church is that our mission as a church always has a message. 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:13.480 So it's a really long chapter. 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:19.799 And Luke spends a lot of time recording this first missionary sermon. 00:16:19.799 --> 00:16:27.359 And if we were to summarize, what themes can we see if we just have a brief overview? 00:16:27.939 --> 00:16:34.740 I think the first thing that stands out for us, verse 16 to verse 22, 00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:43.659 we see that the Old Testament, as Paul teaches it, the Old Testament prepares us for the coming of Jesus. 00:16:43.659 --> 00:16:53.139 As Paul gives a very brief overview of the Old Testament, he draws attention in different ways to the grace of God that Old Testament believers knew. 00:16:53.980 --> 00:17:00.559 For example, in verse 17, we see that God chose his people. 00:17:01.199 --> 00:17:05.139 And he did that on the basis of loving kindness and not merit. 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:08.359 It's God that made the people prosper. 00:17:08.359 --> 00:17:15.039 It's God, in verse 19, who overthrew the nations, who gave the land to his people. 00:17:15.399 --> 00:17:23.779 God is at work saving his people, providing for his people, freeing them from slavery to become the people of God. 00:17:23.819 --> 00:17:25.899 And in the midst of that, what are the people doing? 00:17:27.179 --> 00:17:30.539 The people are showing that they are anything but faithful. 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:37.299 Verse 18, God endured their conduct for about 40 years in the desert. 00:17:37.299 --> 00:17:47.159 The people of Israel, released from slavery, very quickly turned to worship an idol, turned to grumbling and complaining against God, showed a lack of faith. 00:17:47.480 --> 00:17:49.720 And then in verse 21, what else are they doing? 00:17:49.819 --> 00:17:51.899 They're asking for a king. 00:17:52.180 --> 00:17:54.339 And they're not doing this out of holy motives. 00:17:54.639 --> 00:17:56.500 They want a king like the other nations. 00:17:57.899 --> 00:18:00.559 There's a people-centered choice of king. 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:14.859 But God, in his grace, is patient to them, continues to love his people, faithful to his promises, gives them, in verse 22, a good king, a king after God's own heart. 00:18:14.859 --> 00:18:24.159 And so one of the things that Paul is saying to us in his sermon is that God's mission from beginning to end is a story of grace. 00:18:24.639 --> 00:18:29.779 It's not that Old Testament was all about the law and then he shifts to grace with the coming of Jesus from beginning to end. 00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:36.879 It's all about God's grace, God's undeserved kindness coming to sinful people. 00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:47.580 But Paul is also showing us a helpful way, and we see this from the teaching of Jesus, a way for the church to read the Bible, to teach and explain the Bible to others. 00:18:48.700 --> 00:18:51.760 A 19th century preacher put it this way, 00:18:51.860 --> 00:19:04.300 Just as every road in England will eventually lead to London, so every story, every theme in the Old Testament eventually leads us to Jesus Christ. 00:19:04.299 --> 00:19:08.500 And that's the way the apostles taught the Bible. 00:19:08.980 --> 00:19:15.159 They read their Old Testament and they saw the way that it pointed forward to Jesus. 00:19:16.039 --> 00:19:22.419 And that takes us to the second big theme, I think, that Paul draws our attention to, and it's this. 00:19:22.539 --> 00:19:29.859 Jesus' death and resurrection fulfills God's promises of salvation. 00:19:29.859 --> 00:19:40.459 So in verses 23 to 37, we see Paul frequently connecting the resurrection of Jesus with Old Testament passages as a way to say, 00:19:40.579 --> 00:19:46.119 Jesus fulfills all that was promised in terms of God's saving grace. 00:19:46.579 --> 00:19:51.019 Jesus is the true king in David's family line. 00:19:51.439 --> 00:19:53.219 He is the true savior. 00:19:53.220 --> 00:20:02.779 Verse 23, from this man, from David's descendants, God has brought to Israel the savior Jesus as he promised. 00:20:03.900 --> 00:20:08.200 And so then we get, just as we got a very brief review of the history of the Old Testament, 00:20:08.620 --> 00:20:18.180 we get a history of the events of the life of Jesus, particularly around the death of Jesus and the resurrection. 00:20:18.180 --> 00:20:26.120 In verses 26 to 28, he focuses on men's wrong verdict of Jesus, 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:31.019 the fact that people had decided that he wasn't the Messiah, he wasn't the king, 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:39.200 that they found no proper ground for a death sentence, but nevertheless, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 00:20:39.320 --> 00:20:44.980 So on one hand, we see men acting with injustice and getting the identity of Jesus wrong. 00:20:44.980 --> 00:20:53.039 But then on the other hand, we see that this is part of God's purpose, God's plan, and we see God's great reversal. 00:20:53.319 --> 00:21:00.720 Verse 27, in condemning Jesus, they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 00:21:02.099 --> 00:21:07.980 And then having executed Jesus, we read in verse 30, but God raised him from the dead. 00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:15.039 And then it speaks of the witnesses who then told others that Jesus was alive. 00:21:15.299 --> 00:21:20.019 Verse 32, we tell you the good news, what God promised our fathers, 00:21:20.680 --> 00:21:26.400 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:33.099 The historical events of Jesus are key to the good news, especially the resurrection. 00:21:33.099 --> 00:21:42.240 The resurrection of Jesus is that guarantee that all God's promises find their yes, find their amen in Jesus. 00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:46.099 And so we see that in verses 33 to 35. 00:21:46.379 --> 00:21:51.319 We see those references to Old Testament Psalms and prophecies 00:21:51.319 --> 00:21:56.599 that show the resurrection of Jesus fulfills God's plan. 00:21:58.139 --> 00:21:59.919 So we think about the message of the church. 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:01.099 What's our message? 00:22:01.099 --> 00:22:04.699 If we're on mission, what is it that we are to communicate? 00:22:05.699 --> 00:22:14.159 Well, Paul and Barnabas show us we communicate Jesus, his life, his death, his resurrection. 00:22:15.199 --> 00:22:22.099 We can draw connections like Paul does to the fact that Jesus is the one who is the greater than Moses, 00:22:22.099 --> 00:22:23.740 who leads people out of slavery. 00:22:23.740 --> 00:22:32.359 He is the true king, the one who calls us to submit to his rule. 00:22:33.640 --> 00:22:36.880 That he calls us into true freedom. 00:22:38.339 --> 00:22:45.839 And we call people to recognize that these historic events matter. 00:22:45.839 --> 00:23:00.819 There is a call in our message to respond to this truth. 00:23:00.899 --> 00:23:04.139 It's not, this is my truth, now tell me yours. 00:23:04.980 --> 00:23:07.119 This is my truth and you can take it or leave it. 00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:12.659 This is an event of history-shaping significance for us all. 00:23:12.719 --> 00:23:20.779 And so we see, as we often see in the sermons and acts, that our message has life or death importance. 00:23:20.779 --> 00:23:25.000 That's how we finish in verse 38 to 41. 00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:37.880 We see that positively in verse 38 in the fact that Jesus, through Jesus, through his cross, the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to us. 00:23:38.279 --> 00:23:40.519 That the cross speaks. 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:45.839 It's like a megaphone that God uses to communicate to people. 00:23:46.680 --> 00:23:52.180 To say that there is hope beyond our sense of shame and guilt. 00:23:52.180 --> 00:23:57.700 It says that yes, we are sinful before a holy God. 00:23:58.120 --> 00:24:04.560 But at the same time, God in his grace has provided a way of forgiveness and salvation. 00:24:04.900 --> 00:24:12.140 So there is a hope for us beyond a sense of condemnation and guilt and fear before God. 00:24:12.279 --> 00:24:15.259 There is good news in the cross. 00:24:15.920 --> 00:24:19.340 That the barrier that separates us from God has been removed. 00:24:19.339 --> 00:24:24.459 So we can have free access through faith in the Lord Jesus. 00:24:24.859 --> 00:24:27.399 Now we can enjoy salvation. 00:24:28.019 --> 00:24:30.619 Or to use the language of verse 39, 00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:40.799 Through Jesus, everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses. 00:24:41.059 --> 00:24:44.959 It's a courtroom picture that we found in Galatians last year. 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:48.340 That believing in Jesus justifies us. 00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:53.079 If our faith is in Jesus, we can stand in God's courtroom and be declared innocent. 00:24:53.579 --> 00:24:59.620 Even though we should, by rights, be declared guilty because of God's grace. 00:25:00.259 --> 00:25:05.340 Because Jesus, the judge, has willingly been judged for us. 00:25:05.339 --> 00:25:12.559 And so we have this message that says that we're always saved by grace through faith, not works. 00:25:12.599 --> 00:25:20.240 And we need to respond to Jesus in order to know this forgiveness, to know this justification, to know this eternal life. 00:25:21.459 --> 00:25:25.199 But negatively, there is also a warning. 00:25:25.879 --> 00:25:27.859 Our message is life and death importance. 00:25:27.859 --> 00:25:29.979 And negatively, verse 40, 00:25:30.099 --> 00:25:34.139 Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you. 00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:36.779 Luke, you scoffers, wander and perish. 00:25:36.899 --> 00:25:42.179 For I'm going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you. 00:25:42.219 --> 00:25:47.339 That's a message of coming judgment from the book of Habakkuk. 00:25:47.339 --> 00:25:51.559 And so Paul says to this group of people that know their Bibles, 00:25:51.919 --> 00:25:58.279 If you reject Jesus, if you reject his message of good news, 00:25:58.419 --> 00:26:03.319 then you will receive the righteous judgment of God. 00:26:04.339 --> 00:26:08.679 And the result, as we saw in verse 42 onwards, is that some responded positively. 00:26:08.859 --> 00:26:09.839 They wanted to hear more. 00:26:10.639 --> 00:26:13.679 Some turned to faith in the Lord Jesus. 00:26:13.680 --> 00:26:15.860 But others rejected. 00:26:16.100 --> 00:26:17.320 Others were jealous. 00:26:17.539 --> 00:26:19.500 Others were hostile to the message. 00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:26.299 And as we've probably discovered for ourselves, nothing changes in our day. 00:26:26.700 --> 00:26:31.480 As we look to be faithful, to tell people about Jesus' life and death and resurrection 00:26:31.480 --> 00:26:33.140 and his significance for us all, 00:26:33.680 --> 00:26:36.560 some people will hear gladly because the Spirit is at work. 00:26:37.180 --> 00:26:41.080 Some people will not hear because we're in the middle of a spiritual battle. 00:26:41.079 --> 00:26:45.919 So what will this mean for us on Monday? 00:26:47.019 --> 00:26:48.939 We go in mission. 00:26:49.460 --> 00:26:53.619 Whatever our vocation is, wherever we find ourselves, 00:26:53.699 --> 00:26:59.159 if you're a Christian, tomorrow and every day, you'll be on a mission for God. 00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:05.039 And so like Paul and Barnabas, whether it's at home or work or the school gate or the shops, 00:27:05.579 --> 00:27:08.339 we are called to live as citizens of the King. 00:27:08.339 --> 00:27:12.599 We're called to represent his rule and his message in the world. 00:27:12.599 --> 00:27:17.839 And we're to have that awareness that there is a devil who is real and he is powerful 00:27:17.839 --> 00:27:24.439 and he wants to oppose us, to seek to discourage us, to seek to derail us. 00:27:25.179 --> 00:27:30.599 And therefore, we must go every day, every situation, aware of our need, 00:27:31.079 --> 00:27:37.099 aware of our need for the Spirit to equip us, direct us, provide for what we lack. 00:27:37.099 --> 00:27:43.839 And in particular, to pray that the Spirit would guide us to those opportunities that we have 00:27:43.839 --> 00:27:48.339 to speak about Jesus and his good news.