2014.09.14. Acts 13:
14-41
Paul proclaims the Good news at Antioch
Good morning everyone..... It´ great to see you here
this morning.... As most of you know.... We teach through the Bible verse by
verse..... At the moment we are studying the birth of the church in the book of
Acts.....
Those were exciting times..... People cried out to The
Lord for mercy and forgiveness..... And born Out of the Joy of their
Salvation.... the church was born...... Because of their excitement and
joy..... the church begins to spread the Good News…… Many became genuine
believers….. But some refused to repent and cry out to the Lord Jesus for
forgiveness….. They hardened their hearts….. They began to persecute and even
kill the Lord´s people….. As we pick up our text today..... The believers were scattered because of that persecution….. And the center of the proclamation
of the Gospel shifted to Antioch and the ministry of Paul.... This morning we
will listen to a sermon that Paul preached in Antioch.....
As we look at this passage in Acts chapter 13..... Paul has already been
preaching for many years by now..... But this is the first one that we have in print in
the Word of God...... As
we pick up our text this morning.... we
come to another great sermon.....
We've already heard some great sermons..... Peter and Stephen for example..... and they have helped us to understand
what preaching is all about..... Paul knew that
proclaiming the Good News was a great privilege..... A privilege that he knew
he did not deserve…. In Ephesians 3:8…. Paul wrote this….
Ephesians
3: 8 NLT Neues Leben
8 Though
I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the
privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them
in Christ.
8 Obwohl ich der Geringste unter denen bin, die zu
Christus gehören, hat Gott mich ausgesucht, um den anderen Völkern von dem
großen Reichtum zu erzählen, der ihnen in Christus offen steht.
I want to bring us up-to-date as we look at This sermon…. The church has expanded already from Jerusalem….
The Good News has spread all the way to
Asia… to the city of Antioch in Syria…… They established a church there….
Barnabas became the pastor…… Barnabas needed help ministering to these New Gentile believers…. He went and got Saul
to come and help…. Then Saul and Barnabas preached for one year…. .and that
church grew strong and the Lord began to raise up teachers and elders…. Gerald talked about them last week.... They're
listed in verse 1 of chapter 13….. Simeon, Lucius, and Manaen….. and so there
are five leading elders…… leading and teaching the church…. The
church is solid….. and it's growing…. Then God says, "It's time to reach out…… Separate
unto Me Paul and Barnabas for the work to which I've called them….. and so
the church laid their hands on them… and they send out Paul and Barnabas as
missionaries…. Later this morning…. We
will be sending Eva Bauer out to minister in Egypt…. We are not her original home
church, but we are one of the churches that has committed to supporting and
praying for her work in Egypt…..
Paul and Barnabas hit the road…. Sent out by the Lord and the
fellowship in Antioch….
The first place they went was to Barnabas' home Cyprus…. They
preached the Gospel there…… and they had great success…..
They ran into conflict with Elymas the sorcerer over the ruler Sergius Paulus…..
He tried to turn him away from repentance and faith in Christ…. The Lord Jesus intervened
and Sergius Paulus was saved….. This is where we will pick up the text for this
morning…
Acts 13:
14-23 NKJV Sch 2000
14 But
when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into
the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. 15 And after the reading of the
Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Men
and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.”
16 Then
Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who
fear God, listen: 17 The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and
exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with
an uplifted arm He brought them out of it. 18 Now for a time of about forty
years He put up with their ways in the wilderness. 19 And when He had destroyed
seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land to them by
allotment.
20
“After that He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until
Samuel the prophet. 21 And afterward they asked for a king; so God gave them
Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 And
when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He
gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My
own heart, who will do all My will.’23 From this man’s seed, according to the
promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus—
Acts 13: 14-23 Sch
2000
14 Sie aber zogen von Perge weiter und kamen nach
Antiochia in Pisidien und gingen am Sabbattag in die Synagoge und setzten sich.
15 Und nach der Vorlesung des Gesetzes und der Propheten
ließen die Obersten der Synagoge ihnen sagen: Ihr Männer und Brüder, wenn ihr
ein Wort der Ermahnung an das Volk habt, so redet!
16 Da stand Paulus auf und gab ein Zeichen mit der Hand
und sprach: Ihr israelitischen Männer, und die ihr Gott fürchtet, hört zu!
17 Der Gott dieses Volkes Israel erwählte unsere Väter
und erhöhte das Volk, als sie Fremdlinge waren im Land Ägypten; und mit
erhobenem Arm führte er sie von dort heraus.
18 Und er ertrug ihre Art etwa 40 Jahre lang in der
Wüste;
19 und er vertilgte sieben Heidenvölker im Land Kanaan
und teilte unter sie deren Land nach dem Los.
20 Und danach, während etwa 450 Jahren, gab er ihnen
Richter bis zu Samuel, dem Propheten.
21 Und von da an begehrten sie einen König, und Gott gab
ihnen Saul, den Sohn des Kis, einen Mann aus dem Stamm Benjamin, 40 Jahre lang.
22 Und nachdem er ihn abgesetzt hatte, erweckte er ihnen
David zum König, von dem er auch Zeugnis gab und sprach: »Ich habe David
gefunden, den Sohn des Isai, einen Mann nach meinem Herzen, der allen meinen
Willen tun wird«.3
23 Von dessen Samen4 hat nun Gott nach der Verheißung für
Israel Jesus als Retter erweckt,
Verse 14… the left Perga and went to Antioch of
Pisidia…. It was a very well-known city…… It was the most important city in that part of
Asia Minor….. And It had a large settlement of
Jews.....
The end of Verse 14 says that
they went into the synagogue on the
Sabbath day and sat down."
This is way Paul did his ministry…. The Jewish people had scattered around the world….. They had founded
synagogues in almost every city….. Paul would go into a town and would go
immediately to the synagogue..... It was customary in a synagogue for visitors
to be invited to speak….. so it was an automatic audience….. The Jewish people
were often receptive to hear Him teach from the Word of God….. at
least until he introduced the Lord Jesus as the Messiah…. Paul
loved Israel……and he wanted Israel to be saved….. look at
v15….
Acts 13:
15 NKJV Sch 2000
15 And
after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent
to them, saying, “Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the
people, say on.”
15 Und nach der Vorlesung des Gesetzes und der Propheten
ließen die Obersten der Synagoge ihnen sagen: Ihr Männer und Brüder, wenn ihr
ein Wort der Ermahnung an das Volk habt, so redet!
So he goes into the synagogue with Barnabas, and they sit down…..
It's the Sabbath day…… What an opportunity…..
It's exciting to see how the
Spirit of God leads these men….. No one knows they're even coming….. and all of
a sudden…… the Spirit of God touches the leader of the synagogue says…. If you
have something to tell us…. Come and speak….The Holy Spirit set it all up….. He
opened the doors for their ministry….. They will be used by the Lord to shake up
the entire city….. Let´s look ahead a little…. Look at verse 44…
Acts
13:44 NKJV Sch 2000
44 On
the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.
44 Am folgenden Sabbat aber versammelte sich fast die
ganze Stadt, um das Wort Gottes zu hören.
The Spirit of God had prepared Paul and Barnabas….. He had prepared
the hearts of the people too…. This
sermon will spread all through the city in just one week…
Verse 16…..
Acts
13:16 NKJV Sch 2000
16 Then
Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who
fear God, listen:
16 Da stand Paulus auf und gab ein Zeichen mit der Hand
und sprach: Ihr israelitischen Männer, und die ihr Gott fürchtet2, hört zu!
Leute Listen carefully! Paul had a very important message for
them…. It was a matter of life and death! 2 weeks ago we began a new series
about the grace of God…… I started on a Sunday morning and then I am continuing
on Teusday nights… The text that I started with was Titus 2:11…
Turn with me there for a minute…
Titus 2:
11-13 NKJV
11 For
the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us
that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and
glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Titus 2: 11-13 Sch 2000
11 Denn die Gnade Gottes ist erschienen, die heilbringend
ist für alle Menschen;
12 sie nimmt uns in Zucht, damit wir die Gottlosigkeit
und die weltlichen Begierden verleugnen und besonnen und gerecht und
gottesfürchtig leben in der jetzigen Weltzeit,
13 indem wir die glückselige Hoffnung erwarten und die
Erscheinung der Herrlichkeit des großen Gottes und unseres Retters Jesus
Christus,
Paul has their attention and he says…. listen carefully…. In his sermon he will prove
to his hearers…… That the Grace of God has appeared….. 1 That It was God´s plan…. 2 that It was God´s doing…. God has
done this great thing…. All through this sermon as he reminds them of their
history….. He also reminds them that God
has done this awesome thing….. God has provided them a way out of their sin
and rebellion…. It´s all God`s actions
for us…. look in our text for today….
verse 17God
chose, God exalted, God brought out….Verse 18, God bore….. Verse 19, God
destroyed and God divided…… Verse 20, God gave….. Verse 21, God gave….. Verse
22, God removed, God raised, and God gave testimony….Verse 23, God raised…..
Verse 30, God raised….. Verse 37, God raised….
Verse
33, God fulfilled….. Etc., etc. God has acted to redeem and save His people…… God raised up a
Savior…..! Verse 23…
Acts 13:
23 NKJV
Sch 2000
23 From
this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a
Savior—Jesus—
23 Von dessen Samen hat nun Gott nach der Verheißung für
Israel Jesus als Retter erweckt,
This sermon is The LORD God presenting Jesus as the long promised
Messiah…. The Savior….
Verse 23 is the key statement that ties everything together….. We are
hearing Paul´s words…. But It is really God
himself presenting Jesus……
Paul didn´t just say…. Listen I want proclaim Jesus to you… In the first part of the sermon….. he lays the
foundation of the Sovereignty of the God of Israel….. and reminds the Children of
Israel of His plan and saving purpose….
Now, the sermon falls into three parts..... All of these things point to Jesus….. Paul preaches about those three things…..
Jesus
Christ is proclaimed!
1 He is
the culmination of history….. v17-22
2 He is
the fulfillment of prophecy… v 23-37
3 He is
the justifier of sinners……. v 38-41
First he points to the Divine purpose of all history…. Then he outlines the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy….
and then the good news…. God´s justification
of sinners…..
First of all, Jesus is the culmination of history…..
You know, one of the greatest questions that people face today…. What is going to happen to this world…. to
me….? "Where is history going?"
Every Jew in that synagogue knew where history was going….. It was right
toward the culmination of all things in the coming of the Messiah….. and Then Messiah would restore man to full
fellowship with God……
They knew that through the Messiah…..God's Kingdom would come….. man
would be restored…… Messiah would begin God´s
Glorious Kingdom…. men would no
longer sin….. But would worship God and give Him the glory that He deserves…. That's where history is going…..
Jesus is the culmination of history…. When He came and died on the
cross…… He made it possible for us to have restored fellowship with God….
Verse 17…..
The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers...
History started for the Jew with the selection of the fathers. Who
were they? Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph…… God chose our fathers…..
God is not a victim of man's sinful will…. God is running history….
God chose our fathers….. Renmember what
Jesus said…. You have not chosen me…. I have chosen you….. the simple term is
sovereign election….. In the case of the Children of Israel and our own case……
God chose us….. That´s good news….
Then he goes a step further in verse 18…. And about the time of
forty years, bore He their manners in the wilderness." The term bore is
interesting…. The idea of the verse is simply this - that God was patient and caring…… For forty years
of griping and bellyaching….. God continued to care for them….. He Provided
manna and water from the rock…. He provided their needs through those 40 years in the wilderness….. God took
care of them…..
God bore Israel as a father nourishes and cares for his son….. and
so it could read….. About the time of forty years, He nourished you as a Father
in the wilderness." And God truly was their Father…... He is our loving
Heavenly Father too…. Peter said…. cast all of your cares on Him because He
cares for you (Alle eure Sorge werft auf ihn; denn er sorgt für euch)….. 1
Peter 5:7….
Paul presents the fact that
Jesus is the promised Messiah of Israel……
The sermon falls into three parts…… Jesus Christ is presented first
as the culmination of history….. secondly, as the fulfillment of prophecy……
thirdly, as the justifier of sinners…….. Those three things.
Jesus
Christ is presented!
1 He is
the culmination of history….. v17-22
2 He is
the fulfillment of prophecy… v 23-37
3 He is
the justifier of sinners……. v 38-41
Where is history going?
Here is the answer…... It's going toward the Lord Jesus Christ……. Jesus
is the fulfillment of history…..
He is the only one who can remove the curse that separates us from
God…..
So in verses 17 to 22 Paul declares that history points to Jesus
Christ……
verse 23 is the bridge to his second point… Paul declares Jesus is the Messiah and therefore the culmination of
history…… How? Why?
The promised Messiah….. The seed
of David….. is Jesus…. He reminds them of the Word of God…. verses 23-37 show
just a few of the hundreds of fulfilled prophesies….. Let´s read them…..
Acts 13:
23-37 NKJV Sch 2000
23 From
this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a
Savior—Jesus—[e] 24 after John had first preached, before His coming, the
baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John was finishing
his course, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, there
comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.’
26 “Men
and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God,
to you the word of this salvation has been sent. 27 For those who dwell in
Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices
of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning
Him. 28 And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that
He should be put to death. 29 Now when they had fulfilled all that was written
concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. 30 But
God raised Him from the dead. 31 He was seen for many days by those who came up
with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. 32 And
we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the fathers. 33
God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus.
As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son, Today I have
begotten You.’
34 And
that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has
spoken thus: ‘I will give you the sure mercies of David.’35 Therefore He also
says in another Psalm:‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’
36 “For
David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep,
was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; 37 but He whom God raised up
saw no corruption.
Acts 13: 23-37 NKJV Sch 2000
23 Von dessen Samen hat nun Gott nach der Verheißung für
Israel Jesus als Retter erweckt,
24 nachdem Johannes vor seinem Auftreten dem ganzen Volk
Israel eine Taufe der Buße verkündigt hatte.
25 Als aber Johannes seinen Lauf vollendete, sprach er:
Wer meint ihr, daß ich sei? Ich bin es nicht; doch siehe, es kommt einer nach
mir, für den ich nicht gut genug bin, die Schuhe von seinen Füßen zu lösen!
26 Ihr Männer und Brüder, Söhne des Geschlechtes
Abrahams, und die unter euch, die Gott fürchten, zu euch ist dieses Wort des
Heils gesandt.
27 Denn die, welche in Jerusalem wohnen, und ihre
Obersten haben diesen nicht erkannt und haben die Stimmen der Propheten, die an
jedem Sabbat gelesen werden, durch ihren Urteilsspruch erfüllt.
28 Und obgleich sie keine Todesschuld fanden, verlangten
sie doch von Pilatus, daß er hingerichtet werde.
29 Und nachdem sie alles vollendet hatten, was von ihm
geschrieben steht, nahmen sie ihn vom Holz herab und legten ihn in ein Grab.
30 Gott aber hat ihn aus den Toten auferweckt.
31 Und er ist mehrere Tage hindurch denen erschienen, die
mit ihm aus Galiläa nach Jerusalem hinaufgezogen waren, welche seine Zeugen
sind vor dem Volk.
32 Und wir verkündigen euch das Evangelium, daß Gott die
den Vätern zuteil gewordene Verheißung an uns, ihren Kindern, erfüllt hat,
indem er Jesus erweckte,
33 wie auch im zweiten Psalm geschrieben steht: »Du bist
mein Sohn, heute habe ich dich gezeugt«.
34 Daß er ihn aber aus den Toten auferweckte, so daß er
nicht mehr zur Verwesung zurückkehren sollte, hat er so ausgesprochen: »Ich
will euch die heiligen [Gnaden-]Güter Davids geben, die zuverlässig sind«.6
35 Darum spricht er auch an einer anderen Stelle: »Du
wirst nicht zulassen, daß dein Heiliger die Verwesung sieht«.
36 Denn David ist entschlafen, nachdem er seinem
Geschlecht nach dem Willen Gottes gedient hat; und er ist zu seinen Vätern
versammelt worden und hat die Verwesung gesehen.
37 Der aber, den Gott auferweckte, hat die Verwesung
nicht gesehen.
V23…. God has sent a Savior in the line of David….. as promised
long ago…. Jesus is presented as the Messiah is because….. He fulfilled Messianic prophecy…... God says such and such
will happen…..and Jesus comes along and it all happens to Him……
In verse 24…. the first great prophecy that Paul deals with in
regard to the coming of Messiah….. was the prophecy that there would be a
forerunner to Messiah….. John the baptist….. And with the Appearance of John we
see another prophesy fulfilled in
the life of Jesus…. Prophesy fulfilled….
That means that God said it would happen…And it did…. Just as God said… It was
fulfilled to the letter….
Here Paul
is presenting Jesus….. Here are his three key points About the Savior…..
1 v23….
Jesus is the Savior promised by God….
2 v26…. He
saves all of us who come to Him…..
3
v39…. He saves us by faith, by
believing….. look at v38 and 39…
Acts 13:
38,39 NKJV
38
Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached
to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone who believes is
justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of
Moses.
Acts 13: 38,39 Sch 2000
38 So sollt ihr nun wissen, ihr Männer und Brüder, daß
euch durch diesen Vergebung der Sünden verkündigt wird;
39 und von allem, wovon ihr durch das Gesetz Moses nicht
gerechtfertigt werden konntet, wird durch diesen jeder gerechtfertigt, der
glaubt.
And so he says…. This Savior is sent unto us......
Jesus is the promised Messiah….. and He's promised to all of us…… Jews and
gentiles…. Don't miss Him….
Paul goes on to say that they killed Jesus…. But God raised Him
from the dead…
This is central to all apostolic preaching in the Book of Acts….. You
killed him… But God raised Him from the dead…. God reversed the verdict of
Israel….. And God raised Him up…. In fact, the great proof that Jesus is
Messiah…. the crowning proof is His resurrection…… Romans 1:4 says ….."He is declared to
be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead…
Then
Paul gives evidence in v31….. "He was seen many days of them who came up
with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses unto the people….And
then in 32 he says…..And we declare unto
you good news…… What is it? The promise
which was made to the fathers….. All of the prophesies about The Messiah God
hath fulfilled in The Lord Jesus
Christ….. God raised Him again to life…..
The suffering and resurrection of Jesus fulfilled every prophesy….. The sufferings
servants passages in Isaiah
52 and 53… give us the most complete
account of the sufferings of the Messiah in all of scripture…. Jesus is there
to see.….. The grace of God has appeared to men….. His name is Jesus…. He is
the Savior the redeemer…. Then as Paul ends his sermon…. He invites to repent
and believe the Gospel…. He also warns them not to despise…. Not to reject so
great a salvation…. Acts 13…v 38-41…
Acts 13:
38-41
NKJV Sch 2000
38
Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached
to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone who believes is
justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of
Moses. 40 Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon
you:
41
‘Behold, you despisers, Marvel and perish! For I work a work in your days, A
work which you will by no means believe, Though one were to declare it to
you.’”
Acts 13: 38-41 NKJV Sch 2000
38 So sollt ihr nun wissen, ihr Männer und Brüder, daß
euch durch diesen Vergebung der Sünden verkündigt wird;
39 und von allem, wovon ihr durch das Gesetz Moses nicht
gerechtfertigt werden konntet, wird durch diesen jeder gerechtfertigt, der
glaubt.
40 So habt nun acht, daß nicht über euch kommt, was in
den Propheten gesagt ist:
41 »Seht, ihr Verächter, und verwundert euch und werdet
zunichte, denn ich tue ein Werk in euren Tagen, ein Werk, dem ihr nicht glauben
würdet, wenn es euch jemand erzählte!
Jesus is the Messiah…… He is not only the culmination of history…..
He is the fulfillment of prophecy….. It´s
good news….. But God has appointed a future day of judgment…. God has kept His promises in the past…. He will
keep them in the future…. God's prophesies always come true…. for one who
rejects Jesus Christ....... There is only certain Judgment…. it is a fearful thing to fall under the hands
of the living God…..
The grace of God has appeared…… There is a way out…. His name is
Jesus…. Repent and cry out to Him today…. Before it is too late…. Let´s pray….
