GET BACK TO WHERE YOU ONCE BELONGED
ACTS 13:13-14:10
Intro: “Christians deceive themselves into thinking they have God’s presence because they have knowledge of Him”- Steve Gray. There is an ancient story about Zeus and (Hermes) Mercury (father of the gods and the messenger) visiting a town in the area of Lystra. They were not recognized and received only a cool reception. In anger they destroyed the town that had been so inhospitable. With such a folk-tale circulating in this region, it is hardly any wonder that the crowd reacted in the way that they did, bringing forth a bull and wreathes and wanting to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas after a simple healing. The legend also helps to explain why they assumed the visitors were those particular gods rather than a god of healing, as might have been expected from the events themselves.
13:13 From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. Paul and his party, implies the change in leadership was complete, which led to John Mark’s departure. There are many explanations for his leaving: lack of comfort, home sick, did not like the high level spiritual warfare necessary (Wagner). Mark’s departure was probably over the perceived demotion of his cousin Barnabas, or the changing mission. Jealousy and loyalty is one of the likely answers, although there is another possible explanation that we will look at a little later.
I) THE MYSTERY OF THE REVELATION
14 From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down No church planted in Perga, probably because of no Synagogue, so on to Antioch and the beginning of a missionary pattern that would prove to be successful for years to come when engaging in cross-cultural evangelism and missions. They found God Fearing people and started a relationship with them and by presenting them with truth. So Paul preached a significant, and biblically long sermon (26 verses).
16 Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! Paul speaks to two audiences simultaneously, “Men of Israel,” which would include proselytes, law keepers and circumcised, with Kosher kitchens, and the “God fearers,” which included Gentiles who were attracted to the Synagogue and God, but were reluctant to join completely. Circumcision is the usual reason we give as to the reluctance, but the Kosher lifestyle would be the real reason, as you would no longer be allowed to eat with, or go into the homes , or have into your home, your friends and family. Paul’s main audience was the God fearers, Gentiles. To win them, he would risk offending the hard-core Jews. This would become Paul’s rallying point, and it eventually led him to see the Jews as a secondary audience, which brought him a lot of trouble. This trouble was the probable reason for John Mark’s departure, as it is entirely possible that he disagreed with Paul’s desire to expand the Kingdom by including the Gentiles.
17 The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt, with mighty power he led them out of that country Paul stresses two key points in His opening remarks, 1) God had chosen the Jews, they were His elect people, and 2) God is a God of power. The phrase “with mighty power” can also be translated “with an uplifted arm.” Paul refers his listeners to the time of the Exodus, when God demonstrated His power in the most concentrated and dynamic way in all of history. This becomes his point for a significant portion of his message.
26 Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent Paul’s point was to show that Moses, Samuel, David and John the Baptist were all part of a divine line of succession that culminated in Jesus, who “came from this man’s (David) seed, according to the promise.” This is the rubber hits the road moment, as Paul tells everyone that Jesus is the long anticipated Messiah. All of this would be expected, and it fit into all of the prescribed patterns up to this point in the development of the church. Then Paul drops the Nuclear laced Theological Bomb in their midst: “men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you this word of salvation has been sent.” God had a new plan for salvation according to Paul. The message went to the Jews and the God Fearers equally. The God fearers no longer had to go through Jerusalem and the ceremonial aspects of the Law to find peace. For centuries, the Jewish perspective had been non-negotiable. The Jews were the chosen ones, and the only real way to God was through them and the Mosaic revelation. Paul’s new idea would have drawn THE IMMEDIATE CHARGE OF HERESY by the Jewish Rabbis, as Gentiles were told that they could be saved without becoming Jews first.
38-39 Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39Through him everyone who believes (pistis) is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses The core of this change occurs here, as he expounds upon the message of forgiveness and justification together for all men, and that no man, Jew or Gentile could be truly Justified by the Law of Moses. Paul radicalizes the message by associating the “remission of sin” to Jesus and not the Law. This would not have been tolerable to the Rabbinic community. This would be like the “Daughters of the American Revolution” allowing anyone to join, even recent immigrants, legal or not. This is probably the launching pad of the theological truth that we are “justified by faith” alone.
Justification by faith is Christianity’s most important theological truth. Its legal implications are astounding, as it implies full acquittal. There will never be a need to re-apply the power that initiates justification. Romans 6:23, for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, eloquently states our need and God’s response. So who can be justified? Paul tells us twice, Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me”Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent (Acts 13:16, 26). Both Jews and God Fearers can be saved through belief, not in the Jewish prescription of keeping the Law. Isn’t it funny how we try and try to develop the ability to be saved by our works, when God saves us by faith? Eventually, this changed view would lead Paul to identify the Gentile inclusion as “my Gospel” in Romans 16:25, Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past. It is entirely probable that John Mark was instigating the Judaizers in Jerusalem, with his tales of Paul’s releasing message of grace and belief, versus a reliance on the Law.
II) THE MYSTERY OF THE REJECTION
42-51 the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath (The Jewish response) Initially, those who rejected the word left the Synagogue. Many Jews and Proselytes became believers along with the God Fearing Gentiles, who were the most enthusiastic believers. These people were ecstatic, as the burden of the Law no longer applied. They gathered almost the entire city to hear this new message. Luke doesn’t tell us what the draw was here, but it is reasonable to conclude that Paul and company moved in word and deed (works), as they would have performed miracles, healings and signs. This is a reasonable conclusion that is with merit, as (Acts 15:12) tells us that Paul and Barnabas told of the “many miracles and wonders God had worked among the Gentiles.” The result: Paul and Barnabas planted a new work, a growing, dynamic Gentile church that trusted in God’s power, and God’s word. They became an evangelistic force in the region (48-49).
Paul’s words would have worked for the god-Fearers, as they were primed pumps, but the raw pagans would have needed more. They would have lived in fear of the spirit world and its evils. Pagans would have been less concerned about forgiveness and more concerned about evil spirits. God fearing people would want to know about justification by faith sans Law. The pagans would want healing and deliverance, with them being attracted to a miracle working God. Regardless of the path traveled, Paul was fulfilling his commission “to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to god (Acts 26:18).”
45, 46, 50, 51 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying. 46Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. The Jewish leaders understood that what was happening was significant. They did what they could to stop this force by contradicting and blaspheming the power of God and His Word. When this failed, they resorted to government intervention, which did work. Matthew 10:14 came into play, as Paul would curse the blasphemers and shake the dust off of his feet on his way out of town as Paul played the role of the prophet. Once again, the disciples were filled with the Spirit, with an added caveat, they also were filled with joy, and the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit (52)! Somewhere in this time frame, Paul would become sick, as you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you (Galatians 4:13).
III) THE MYSTERY OF RESULTS
14:1-7 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed Paul follows his now established pattern, he gained entry into the Synagogue and preached. Only five verses are dedicated here at Iconium, as opposed to the 36 previously at Antioch. Now a great multitude believes, with the Jewish leaders again viewing Paul and his entourage as traitors to the faith of their fathers. It took a considerable amount of time for the opposition to achieve critical mass. But before they did, another healthy and vibrant church was planted as their words were validated by the signs and wonders that were “done by their hands.” Luke is descriptive in his rationale for the success that the apostles had. They were “speaking boldly in the Lord.”
This isn’t a depiction of these men as splendid orators, as we see that Paul occasionally put people to sleep, On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. 9 And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. 10 But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.” 11 When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. 12 They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted…When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power (Acts 20:7-12; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5). It also was not because of their personal magnetism or charm. The depiction we have of Paul historically comes from a resident of Iconium named Onesiphorus. He said Paul was “a man of small stature, with a bald head and crooked legs, in a good state of body (fat), with eyebrows meeting and nose somewhat crooked.” The reason Paul made an impression was he preached “in the Lord.” His words were validated by his deeds. The description of Paul continued by saying that, “now he appeared like a man, and now he has the face of an angel.” That’s a different way of saying that the anointing was so strong on Paul that it occasionally caused a tangible change in his countenance.
14:3 They stayed there a considerable time and continued to speak boldly for the Lord, who kept affirming his word of grace and granting signs and wonders to be done by them Acts summons us to a bold faith, an exercise of the power that Holy Spirit places within us. This may be unfamiliar—and more than a bit uncomfortable—to many of us. Accepting the fact that God has equipped the church to operate on a plain that goes beyond our natural realm of understanding is really getting back to where we once belonged, as we make people say, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13).” I find it refreshing to read about men and women who believe in our great God to do great things in a great way. God is calling His church today to have the courage to believe and to walk in that same kind of boldness. The first step in acting out this type of faith is to choose to believe steadfastly that God will fulfill everything He has promised in His Word to do (Acts 3:21). In Isaiah 55:11 we read God’s declaration: “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Another important step in walking in boldness of faith is to call on to the Lord to perform signs, wonders, and miracles to confirm with power the gospel message of His Son, so Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders (Acts 14:3).
Conclusion: Revelation, rejection, and results are three words that normally do not go together. When they do, look out!
