If you will please take out your copy of God's Word, I hope you have it here with you today.
and turn or swipe your way to Acts chapter 13.
Our text for today is Acts chapter 13, verses 44 through 52.
And while you're getting there, thank the band for leading us well in music.
This morning, Liz, you may or may not have noticed, I hope you've noticed, she's very pregnant, seven months.
And she was dizzy, and she said, I don't know if I can sing this morning.
And I said, please sing that song particularly.
I don't know if I had anything to do with her getting up and singing or not,
but she decided to sit on a stool, which I'm really, really thankful for.
And I'm thankful that Wes, in giving leadership to the band, sees his ministry not as separate from ministry of preaching the Word,
but he sees it as the same, and that is that he ministers to us the Word of God in song.
It's a wonderful thing that we should treasure together.
So Acts chapter 13, but before we get to this week's text, I want to remind you what happened in last week's text.
After proclaiming the gospel on the island of Cyprus, Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark sailed northwest back to the mainland.
At this point, John Mark leaves his companions and returns to Jerusalem.
We don't know exactly why, but it was probably because the danger of the journey that was ahead of them and the likelihood of further persecution.
Paul and Barnabas then go from the coast and travel 100 miles north through the Taurus Mountains to Antioch in Pisidia,
which is not to be confused with the Antioch that they were originally commissioned from.
There's lots of Antiochs in the area that's now modern Turkey in that day.
In Antioch in Pisidia, they attend the synagogue on the Sabbath where they are asked to speak,
probably because Paul was an understudy of the well-known rabbi Gamaliel.
So they likely knew who he was or he had told them who he had studied underneath,
and he's asked to speak to address the congregation on that day.
Next, we observe the first and longest of Paul's sermons in which Paul preaches Jesus Christ.
Let me clarify that statement, the recorded of his sermons.
Luke records it here for us.
Paul preaches Christ as the culmination of human history, as the fulfillment of prophecy,
and as the justifier of the sinner.
And he calls his listeners to believe in this message, the gospel that he is preaching to them.
Verse 42 and 43 of Acts 13 reads, was kind of the summary of last week's text.
As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath.
And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas,
who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
So we see a favorable response to the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ,
and they've asked him to come back the following week.
Would have been a Saturday to preach more.
And this brings us to our text today, beginning in verse 44 and through the end of the chapter.
The next Sabbath, almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him.
And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying,
It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you,
since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life.
Behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.
For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,
I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.
And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord,
and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.
But the Jews, inside of the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city,
stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district.
But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium.
And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Beloved, this is God's word to us.
It was written for his glory and for our good.
We would all do well to listen to it this morning in order to believe its promises and to obey its commands.
So we see Paul and Barnabas return to the synagogue on the next Sabbath, verse 44.
And this amazing thing that almost, Luke records for us, the whole city gathered to hear.
Isn't this a wonderful work of God that almost the whole city gathered?
There were no flyers mailed out.
There's no promise of entertainment whatsoever.
But simply to hear the word of the Lord.
What a work of God to bring together a city in this way.
Not to be entertained, but to hear the gospel preached.
Luke does not record for us what was said by Paul.
But we do know that Paul speaks.
We know this because verse 45 tells us that Paul spoke.
The Jews were responding to what he had said.
And I think it's proper to presume that he spoke as he did the week before.
I am sure that Paul spoke to them of the crucified and resurrected Christ.
I am sure now having an audience gathered that is both Jew and Gentile.
He spoke to them of a sovereign ruler of heaven and earth who created all things.
Who set up a standard in the garden.
A single rule that Adam transgressed and brought sin to all of mankind.
I am sure that he spoke to them of the law.
Which laid out for them a standard by which God would be pleased.
And then expressed our complete and utter inability to keep that law.
I am sure that he told them of the great separation that existed between them and God.
Because of their sinfulness.
Which would have pressed upon him the necessity of preaching good news.
After telling them the bad news.
The good news of Christ.
Come to earth.
Taking the form of a man.
Fully God.
Fully man.
Living a perfect life.
Obtaining the righteousness of God that the law requires.
So that by faith in him we could have that righteousness.
But not just that.
Dying the death of a sinner on the cross.
Bearing in his body the wrath that was due them and us for their sin.
Then in there Jesus was resurrected.
And is seated with the Father now.
Wes mentioned earlier.
Making intercession for us.
Because he's alive we can have life.
I'm sure that Paul proclaimed the gospel once again.
It was his call.
As it is ours.
To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 9.
Verse 16.
Paul says.
For if I preach the gospel.
That gives me no ground for boasting.
For necessity is laid upon me.
Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.
I believe that Luke does not record for us the specifics of what Paul said.
Because he intends for us to focus on the characters of this account.
And their responses to Paul's gospel proclamation.
So for the sake of your soul today.
I want to draw your attention by making five observations of the text today.
And I'll try to move through them quickly.
I'm going to listen for you real quick.
I'll readdress them.
Because you won't be able to get these out.
In pen.
In the time I say them.
So.
They are.
Number one.
The persecution that accompanies gospel proclamation.
Number two.
The responsibility of mankind to respond to the gospel.
Number three.
The sovereignty of God and the salvation of his people.
Number four.
The evangelistic fervor of God's people.
And number five.
The unwavering commitment of Paul toward the Gentiles.
So number one.
First observation.
The persecution that accompanies gospel proclamation.
I hear you, Silas.
He's saying data.
I just want to point that out.
The persecution that accompanies gospel proclamation.
So the week before.
They're very pleased.
The Jews are.
They're very pleased to have Paul proclaim the gospel to them.
But when the Jews see the crowds.
When it's no longer this elitist thing for them alone to hear this gospel proclamation.
But almost an entire city is gathered now to hear what it is that Paul has to say.
When they see the popularity of the message of Jesus Christ.
They're filled with jealousy.
Because it would seem that their elitist mindset.
That they have been God's people for all of ages.
Their special in some way was getting destroyed.
And it made them jealous.
Seeking the applause of men.
They failed to seek the approval of God.
And they begin to contradict what was spoken by Paul.
They revile him.
In the Greek, they blaspheme.
They slander.
They malign.
They defame Paul.
It's not just an emotion that they're feeling toward him.
It's an action that's taking place.
It's as the crowd is gathered.
And as he's proclaiming the gospel.
They're trying to discredit him at every turn.
Verse 50 goes on and expands upon what goes beyond just this meeting.
The Jews incited devout women and leading men.
And they stirred up a persecution.
We don't know the exact nature of it.
But likely they wanted to cause them physical harm.
And so Paul and Barnabas are driven out of the district.
I will not grow tired of saying to this generation in this place where we live.
Us in this place.
Gospel proclamation and persecution are mutually inclusive.
We're going to see this time and time and time again in the book of Acts.
They are mutually inclusive, beloved.
And persecution is going to take different shapes in different places.
A couple of weeks ago we spent some devoted time praying for the persecuted church.
And when we said that we meant the persecuted church abroad that's persecuted physically.
Imprisoned.
Beaten.
Killed.
For their faith.
We don't want to belittle that.
We don't want to make small the sacrifice of many believers around the world.
But we are deluded if we think that we are devoid of such a thing because we're Americans.
The world does not like the gospel of Jesus Christ.
And if we are proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, we will experience pushback from it.
Gospel proclamation and persecution are mutually inclusive.
Jesus, our Lord, was crucified.
He says in John chapter 15, verses 18 through 21,
If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own.
But because you were not of the world, but I chose you out of the world,
therefore the world hates you.
Verse 18 is conditional.
Verse 19 is not.
I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
Remember the word that I said to you.
A servant is not greater than his master.
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
What Jesus spoke to the apostles was already proving true.
In Acts chapter 3, Peter and John are arrested for preaching Christ.
They stand trial in chapter 4 and are charged to speak no more to anyone in the name of Jesus.
In chapter 6, a deacon named Stephen is falsely accused, arrested.
And in chapter 7, serves the kingdom of God as the first Christian martyr when he is stoned to death.
We can read of a great persecution that arises in Jerusalem in chapter 8,
which causes the church to scatter and the gospel message with them.
In chapter 12, the apostle James is killed by Herod, and Peter is imprisoned, then miraculously set free.
At the beginning of chapter 13, Paul and Barnabas are opposed by a magician named Elimus on the island of Cyprus.
And now, at the end of chapter 13, the theme remains, and it will continue on.
Gospel proclamation and persecution are mutually inclusive.
If you do not suffer in the name of Christ, then you are not following him.
If someone is not offended, if someone doesn't call you names, if someone doesn't want to spend time with you,
if you don't lose a job or are passed over for a promotion,
if your grade suffers in a particular class, then you're not following Christ.
It's going to take many shapes and forms.
I don't want you to make anything I just said absolute, and I certainly don't want you to go seek it.
But if you are proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ,
some people will treasure that, some people will listen to the words that you say,
and some will hate you for it.
Verse 19, John chapter 15,
If you are of the world, the world will love you as its own.
Beloved, if you are in Christ, and you are living as the world lives,
the world will love you.
But if you don't live as the world lives, but because you are not of the world,
but I chose you out of the world, the world will hate you.
Secondly, the responsibility of mankind to respond to the gospel.
The responsibility of mankind to respond to the gospel.
People are accountable to their decisions to accept or reject the gospel message.
You'll note in our text today that the crowd is divided along ethnic lines.
I find that fascinating.
Who's to know if there's not some mixture here, I suppose?
Acts 13, we see Jews and converts to Judaism, known as proselytes.
Last week I said proselytites seven times, and Wes pointed it out to me afterwards.
Proselytes, converts to Judaism.
Seem to be favorably following the encouragement in verse 43,
is that they would continue in the grace of God.
But Luke makes the record here, the Jews hated the gospel message,
and the Gentiles responded favorably to it.
One group accepted, the other group rejected.
Luke simply records the Jews were jealous in verse 45,
and that the Gentiles were rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord.
Note what Paul and Barnabas say to their Jewish listeners.
Verse 46,
Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying it was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first.
Since you thrusted aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life,
behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.
Paul and Barnabas say to the Jews that they are condemning themselves by judging themselves unworthy
by rejecting the gospel of Jesus Christ.
If men are damned, it will only be because of their rejection of God and His ways.
John 3, verse 18,
Whoever believes in Him is not condemned,
but whoever does not believe is condemned already,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 5, verse 40,
Jesus says,
You refuse to come to me that you may have life.
If you do not know Jesus Christ this morning,
do not respond as the Jews did,
thinking that they were pleasers of God,
but being condemned for their rejection of Jesus.
Be like the Gentiles.
Rejoice and glorify God,
for this can be the day of your salvation.
Verse 48,
When the Gentiles heard this,
they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord.
The gospel of Jesus Christ preached to them,
and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
Let's bring us to our third observation.
So, second observation,
mankind is responsible for their response to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
But thirdly,
the sovereignty of God in the salvation of His people.
Oh, this is a good one.
And we could talk a long time about this.
And as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
Now, the Greek word for appointed means to inscribe or to enroll.
To inscribe or to enroll.
To write down a name.
Psalm 69, verse 28.
The psalmist says,
Let them be blotted out of the book of the living.
Let them not be enrolled among the righteous.
Revelation 13, 8.
All who dwell on earth will worship the beast.
Everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world
in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
So, there's an unrolling happening.
And there's an unrolling that's happening before the foundation of the world.
Ephesians 1, 4.
God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world.
That we should be holy and blameless before Him.
Now, many will take this phrase,
As many as were appointed to eternal life believed,
and try to flip it around on us.
They would say, rather,
As many as believed were appointed to eternal life.
They'll give us some complex explanation of God
and the way that God exists outside of time,
which I certainly agree with.
However, we don't simply look at the plain meaning of the text.
The Greek does not allow us just to take it and flop it around.
Right?
Luke recorded, in this way,
As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
There's a cause, and there's an effect.
They were appointed, therefore, they believed.
Beware of those who want to use exegetical tricks
to do exegetical somersaults with a text
to suit their purpose.
There's an apparent paradox, right, presented here.
I was going to read you a long J.I. Packer quote,
but I forgot the book downstairs that it was in,
so I'm not going to.
If you know who J.I. Packer is,
he's a contemporary theologian.
When you're in good company,
if the paradox tears at your mind a bit,
ask me later, I'll read the quote to you.
This apparent paradox is apparent contradiction,
although it's not one at all,
but the apparent one of man's responsibility
and God's sovereignty.
We can see here Paul and Barnabas saying to the Jews,
right,
you've rejected,
you've dismissed,
you've counted yourselves unworthy.
But then Luke records for us
that as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
The Scripture teaches both things, beloved.
Man is ultimately responsible
and God is fully sovereign.
If you have a problem
with the doctrine of election,
your problem is not with me
or with a denomination
or a historical figure.
The problem is with the Scripture
and therefore the God
of the Scripture.
If you have a problem
with the doctrine of election,
I want to very humbly
and lovingly encourage you not to.
It will benefit your soul
to take up the promises of the Bible
and they are sure
because of God's sure purpose.
The doctrine of election
is always taught in the Scripture
to give us a pillow
to rest our heads upon.
That is why it is taught, right,
to those who are in Christ
to know that we did nothing
to find ourselves in Him
and therefore we can do nothing
to find ourselves outside of Him.
He saves.
He has worked.
We're the recipients
of this grand blessing.
This is why it's taught
a pillow to rest our heads upon
and I like to say
and never a rock
to bash somebody over the head with.
I believe here that Luke
means to help us understand
the broad rejection
and the broad acceptance
of Paul's gospel message
by making this statement.
Why?
What is going on
in redemptive history
that Paul is preaching
this gospel message
and it seems a whole ethnicity
rejects it
and a whole ethnicity
in this city receives it?
What is happening here?
And Luke simply says,
and as many were appointed
to eternal life,
believed.
God is at work.
God is sovereignly
making His plans
come to pass.
As God's people,
we should treasure
such doctrine.
It is precious to us
in so many ways.
I want to take you
to a place
and show you
just some of
why I love
the doctrine of election
and I want you to turn
there with me
to Romans chapter 8.
Romans chapter 8
is a grand chapter
of the scripture.
If you're not familiar,
when I say turn to Romans chapter 8
and your mind doesn't start racing
with wonderful things
from Romans chapter 8,
you need to study
this chapter.
Your assignment this week
is to read Romans chapter 8
every day this week
and just consider
all that is given to us
in Christ.
I'll give you a couple of examples.
It starts out,
chapter 8 verse 1,
there is therefore now
no condemnation
for those
who are in Christ Jesus.
No condemnation for us.
We don't have to bear
the guilt of sin
any longer.
We've been set free from it
because we are
in Christ.
Praise God.
Verse 15,
for you do not receive
the spirit of slavery
to fall back into fear,
but you have received
the spirit of adoption
as sons
by whom we cry
Abba,
Father.
We have God
as our Father
because we've been adopted
as sons.
Ladies,
that's for you too.
That's a promise for you
with all of the privileges
that came for sonship
in this day.
All of the blessing
that comes with being
the son of a father.
We've been adopted
as sons.
Verse 18,
for I consider
that the sufferings
of this present time
are not even worthy
to compare
with the glory
that is to be revealed
to us.
Right?
Precious.
Precious promises.
Down to verse 28.
Familiar to you,
I hope.
And we're going to read
through the end of the chapter
because I can't not
at this point.
And we know
that for those
who love God,
all things work together
for good.
What a promise that is.
Right?
All things,
everything we're walking
through in this life,
all of the troubles
of this life
are aimed
and are good
for those who are called
according to His purpose.
For those whom He foreknew,
He also predestined
to be conformed
to the image of His Son
in order that He might be
the firstborn
among many brothers.
And those whom He predestined,
He also called.
And those whom He called,
He also justified.
And those whom He justified,
He also glorified.
Paul gives to us here
in brief
kind of what's called
an ordo salutis.
Right?
The order of salvation.
How did this all come to pass?
And he's anchoring us
in this reality
that we have been chosen
in Christ.
Why?
What do we do with this?
Right?
I'm making the point to you
that this is a pillow
to rest our heads on.
Right?
Rest easy, beloved.
Verse 21.
What then shall we say
to these things?
If God is for us,
who can be against us?
He who did not spare
His own Son
but gave Him up for us all,
how will He not also
with Him graciously
give us all things?
Who shall bring any charge
against God's elect?
It is God who justifies
who is to condemn.
Christ Jesus
is the one who died
more than that
who was raised,
who is at the right hand of God,
who indeed
is interceding for us.
Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation
or distress
or persecution
or famine
or nakedness
or danger
or sword?
As it is written,
for your sake
we are being killed
all the day long.
We are regarded as sheep
to be slaughtered.
No, in all these things
we are more than conquerors
through Him
who loved us.
For I am sure
that neither death
nor life
nor angels
nor rulers
nor things present
nor things to come
nor powers
nor height
nor depth
nor anything else
in all creation
and put yourself
in that category as well
and you
will be able
to separate us
from the love of God
in Christ Jesus
our Lord.
It's beautiful, right?
all of the goodness
of God to us
in Christ.
And what happens
at this point
in Paul's letter?
Remember that the chapter break
is not inspired.
He goes on to lament
that there are those
that are of His flesh,
right?
The Jews
that do not believe.
He goes right on to say,
right,
in light of God's
elective purposes
there are people
who will not respond
favorably to the gospel
of Jesus Christ.
He is broken over that.
He wishes that
He Himself
could be accursed,
cut off from Christ
for the sake of them.
That's verse 3.
So in the midst
of all of this
speaking about election,
Paul is not cold
about it.
Right?
At all.
Right?
He's broken over it.
He wants His brethren
to know Christ.
Verses 16-18.
So that depends
not on human will
or exertion,
but on God
who has mercy.
For the Scripture
says to Pharaoh,
for this very purpose
I have raised you up
that I might show
my power in you
and that my name
might be proclaimed
in all the earth.
So then He has mercy
on whomever He wills
and He hardens
whomever He wills.
Beloved,
this is difficult stuff
to understand.
Right?
My mind is too little
to entirely comprehend
the great
chasm
that seems to exist
but seeing the responsibility
of man
and the sovereignty
of God.
How do we reconcile
these two things?
I don't know
that we actually can,
but the Scripture
teaches us to it
for our benefit.
You cannot have
Romans chapter 8
without Romans chapter 9.
You just can't do it.
You can't claim
all of the promises
of God to you
in Christ
without grasping
hold of rightly
the doctrine
of election.
So humbly
and lovingly
work through it,
wrestle with it,
study the Scripture,
ask hard questions,
and then embrace it.
It's a glorious,
glorious truth
and it's meant
to give us rest
as God's people.
Note fourthly,
and I love that Luke
did this,
the evangelistic fervor
of God's people
in verse 49.
Right after saying this,
stating this massive
elective truth,
all who were appointed
to eternal life
believed.
And then what happens?
If the doctrine
of election
has ever slowed
the advance of the Gospel
is because it
wasn't understood.
I would argue
historically
that it never has,
but if it ever has,
it just wasn't rightly
understood.
Understanding God's
purpose
for His people
in the world
has historically
driven people
out
to share the Gospel
of Jesus Christ.
I've shared this
with you before,
but you may not
have heard it.
When speaking
of election,
many people think
of the name
John Calvin.
And for some people
that name
is a dirty word.
Calvin,
when he was in Geneva,
pastored a church
and he led,
was the overseer
of a seminary.
And his seminary
became known
as the School of Death
because as he gave
pastors that were
fleeing persecution
from all over Europe
that came to Geneva
to learn more about God,
as he taught them
the doctrine of election
and many other doctrines,
not just this one,
but many other doctrines,
they were driven
by a passion
for God's glorious purpose
with their people
to go back home
and most of them
were martyred.
It became known
as Calvin's
School of Death.
Properly understanding
God's purpose
in the world
drives evangelism.
So note the evangelistic
fervor of God's people,
verse 49,
and the word of the Lord
was spreading
throughout the whole region.
Right?
Different words
have been used
in this text.
District,
they're driven
out of the district
the word of God
was spreading
throughout the whole region.
This is a much broader place.
The region is much bigger
than the district.
So the gospel's
going forth
far and wide.
Paul and Barnabas
have not been driven
out of the district
yet.
Right?
It's safe to say
that they're
still in this place
and maybe that
they're part
of the spread
of it
to the whole region.
But it would be
wrong to assume
that they were
the only proponents
of that spread.
They have come
to a new place,
a place that has not
heard the gospel
of Jesus Christ yet.
They preach the gospel
of Jesus Christ.
People are converted.
Right?
Gentiles in large numbers
embrace the truth
of Christ.
And we see
that the word of the Lord
spreads
throughout the whole region.
Right?
Far and wide.
The gospel
is being proclaimed.
Right?
Being a follower
of Jesus Christ
necessitates
that we be gospel
preachers.
Jesus made a promise
in Acts 1.8.
He said
to the apostles,
but you will receive
power when the Holy Spirit
has come upon you
and you will be
my witnesses
in Jerusalem
and in all Judea
and Samaria.
And here's where
we find ourselves
in the story
and to the end
of the earth.
The gospel proclamation
has now gone
outside of the borders
of Samaria.
It's gone beyond
that place
and they're filling
in the gaps
all along
as newcomers
to Jesus Christ
or sharing
the gospel
of Jesus Christ
with those
that they know.
But it has now
gone beyond that
in the work
of Paul
and Barnabas.
Right?
That promise
was being fulfilled
and it is still
now being
fulfilled.
We are
followers
of Christ.
We are Gentiles
saved by grace.
I don't know
that there's anybody
in here of Jewish descent.
If you are,
you're also saved
by grace.
I'm a Gentile.
Right?
Saved by grace.
Praise God.
And understanding
rightly that salvation
drives evangelistic effort.
Fifth thing
I want you to notice
and in closing
we'll go through
this really quick.
The unwavering
commitment of Paul
toward the Gentiles.
The unwavering
commitment of Paul
toward the Gentiles.
You have to remember
as we consider
Paul's ministry
that he was
of Jewish descent.
He prized
highly that.
We see in the book
of Galatians
oh my gosh
my brain
Philippians
he tears down
counts things
as rubbish
that he once
treasured.
He had studied
to be a Jew
a zealous Jew
a Jew among Jews
right?
And here he is
going to his people
and they are
wholeheartedly
almost rejecting
the gospel
of Jesus Christ.
and he has
set his attention
now to a people
that by his
upbringing
would have been
inferior in
every way.
The Jews
were very
proud.
This nationalism
even as they
had been scattered
and recollected
and scattered
again
a very
very proud
people
a minority
in most places
trying to stand
firm against
the oppression
of Rome
and the
dissolving
of their
culture.
and this
is who
God
calls
Paul
to reach
a people
that in
his
mind
would
have
been
and
ceased
to be
inferior.
He sees
these as
people
desperately
needing
the gospel
of Christ.
Verse 46
we've
touched on it
a few times
it was necessary
that the word
of God
be spoken
first to
you
since you
thrust it
aside
and judge
yourselves
unworthy
of return
behold
we are
turning
to the
Gentiles
in the
verse 47
for so
the Lord
has commanded
us
saying
I have
made you
a light
for the
Gentiles
that you
may bring
salvation
to the
ends
of the
earth.
Now you
might scratch
your head
there and
say but
wait a
second
is there
a record
of God
saying
to Paul
I have
made you
a light
for the
Gentiles
that you
may bring
salvation
to the
earth.
No
not directly
not explicitly
to Paul
but what Paul
is doing
is citing
Isaiah
49
6
chapter 49
verse 6
which says
it is too
light a thing
that you
should be
my servant
to raise
up the
tribes of
Jacob
and to
bring back
the
preserved
of Israel
I will
make you
as a
light
for the
nations
that my
salvation
may reach
to the
end
of the
earth.
Paul is
interpreting
for us
Old Testament
promises
that God's
people would
take the
good news
of Jesus
Christ
now
understood
to the
ends
of the
earth.
In many
places in
scripture
God speaks
of his
global
intention
for his
glory
to be
made
known.
I'll
just give
you one
other
example
this
morning
for the
sake
of
time.
Psalm
96
3
the
psalmist
commands
declare
his
glory
among
the
nations
his
marvelous
works
among
all
the
peoples.
The
notion
that God
was not
for the
nations
was a
sentiment
unique
to the
Jews
of this
time.
They had
developed
as I
said
a
superiority
complex
as God's
people.
They looked
down their
noses
at everyone
else.
The Jews
of Paul's
day
this is the
severity
of it
the Jews
of Paul's
day
took great
pains
not to
carry
Gentile
dust
into the
borders
of Israel.
Catch this
little important
detail for
some of the
rest of
our text.
They took
great pains
as they
traveled
through
Gentile
lands
before
they
entered
Israel
to
clean
up
to
get
all
of
the
dust
off
because
it
was
seen
as
defiled
because
Gentiles
lived there.
This was
their
disdain
for the
Gentiles.
But the
widespread
rejection of
the gospel
of Jesus
Christ
for the
Jews
served
as a
catalyst
for that
gospel
to go
to the
nations.
And note
what Paul
and Barnabas
do in
response to
being driven
out of
Antioch and
Pisidia
by the
Jews.
Verse 51,
but they
shook off
the dust
from their
feet
against
them
and went
to
Iconium.
There's the
significance
of this,
right?
This was to
suggest
that the
Jews in
Antioch and
Pisidia
were no
better
than
pagans.
And Paul
and Barnabas
didn't want to
take their
unbelief
with them.
That's
symbolic,
shaking the
dust
off.
The only
thing that
matters in
the end,
beloved,
is whether
or not we
are in
Christ.
Our
ethnic
descent
matters
not at
all.
And the
question to
ask you
primarily,
I know there's
some exceptions,
I praise God
for the
exceptions in
this room,
but primarily
white,
middle class
Americans
in this
room.
Is there
any ethnicity
that we
consider outside
the grace
of God?
Is there
any people
that you
would think,
oh, but
not to
them?
I'd suggest
that's the
very people
you should
carry the
gospel message
to.
Have it
rend your
heart.
You would
see that
people are
all in
the same
position
apart from
Christ,
damned
eternally
in desperate
need of a
Savior.
And so we
can observe
the
persecution
that
accompanies
gospel
proclamation
in this
text,
the
responsibility
of
mankind
to
respond
to
the
gospel,
the
sovereignty
of
God
in the
salvation
of
his
people,
the
evangelistic
fervor
of God's
people,
the
unwavering
commitment
of Paul
toward
the
Gentiles,
all in
these
few
verses.
What a
text.
And note
finally the
result of
these
observations.
Verse 52,
and the
disciples were
filled with
joy and
with the
Holy Spirit.
Let's pray
together.
Let's
pray together.