God The Promise Keeper

[SLIDE 1] Introduction

If you have your Bible, then I would invite you to turn to Acts 13:13-41.

Illustration

Let me begin by talking about promises. I’m making the assumption that all of you have made promises in your life. And I’m going to ask you three questions to reflect upon:

How many promises did you make in your lifetime?

How many of those promises did you keep?

How many of those promises did you break?

By reflecting upon those questions, let me proceed to have you consider these thoughts.

What about God? Did you know that God made promises in the Bible?

How many promises do you think God made as revealed in Scripture? While we may not be able to determine the exact number, a scholar suggested that God made about 7,487 promises.

How many of those promises did God keep and break? He kept 100% of them and broke none of them.

Biblical Theology

Here is what you need to know about God. God is not like any of us. He is unchanging. He doesn’t vaccilate. He doesn’t lie and break His promises. When He makes His promises, He will fulfill them.

[SLIDE 2] Moses said this in Numbers 23:19

Numbers 23:19 (ESV)

19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

[SLIDE 3] King Solomon exclaimed in worship with these words found in 1 Kings 8:56.

1 Kings 8:56 (ESV)

56 “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant.

God made a big promise in which He fulfilled thousands of years and centuries later, and that is the sending of Jesus Christ, the Saviour.

What is so significant about this truth?

We will find out as we consider this passage that God is the Promise Keeper.

Context

Paul and Barnabas were sent out by the Antioch Church and the Holy Spirit on their missionary journey. The first location was on the island of Cyprus. We remember that Sergius Paulus, the proconsul of Cyprus, came to believe in the gospel while Elymas, the false prophet, was blinded by God for opposing the message of the missionaries.

[SLIDE 4] So, we pick up where we left off and we pay attention to the setting found in verses 13-14a. (READ)

I want to briefly comment that there’s a subtle change in the mentioning of the characters. Before, Luke indicated “Barnabas and Saul” in that order. Here, it says, “Paul and his companions.”

Barnabas has so far been the leader while Paul has been in the background. He’s an older and more experienced believer than Paul. He had the characteristics of a godly Christian.

He’s the One who reached out to Paul when he became a Christian. He’s the One who went to Antioch to encourage the Gentile believers to be faithful to the LORD, AND he recruited Paul to come alongside him to disciple these new believers in Antioch for at least one year.

Ever since Paul confronted Elymas in the previous passage, it seems that he has become the leader of this missionary trip and fulfill the calling in being Christ’s chosen instrument, and to carry the name of Jesus before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. And he’ll be the one who’ll preach the sermon in the Jewish synagogue.

And Barnabas didn’t seem to mind that at all. If you remember the meaning of his name, it means “Son of Encouragement.” He probably allowed and encouraged Paul to take ownership and leadership of this missionary trip.

[SLIDE 5] So, they’re in city of Paphos, located at the west coast of Cyprus. And they’re going to sail to a port city called Perga in Pamphylia, which is the southern area of modern day Turkey.

[SLIDE 6] After they arrive, Luke notes that John (who’s also called Mark), who was assisting Paul and Barnabas, left them and returned to Jerusalem.

Why he left is unclear, but what is clear is that we find out at the end of Acts 15 that Paul wasn’t happy about that. When Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them on their 2nd missionary journey, Paul said, “No,” because John Mark abandoned his responsibility and deserted his post, which was a serious breach in the mission work.

In ministry, you want a mature believer who is reliable and durable, not someone who leaves when things get tough.

[SLIDE 7] Luke doesn’t tell us exactly why John Mark withdrew from them. One source suggests various possibilities:

First, John Mark was the cousin of Barnabas. He might not have liked the idea of Paul leading this ministry instead of his cousin. Since Paul was in charge, there may have been a change of plan. We can assume that when they initially went to Cyprus, Barnabas was the one who chose that location. Now, Paul has chosen to go to Perga.

Second, John Mark might have left because he didn’t want to face the many perils of travelling from Perga to Antioch. This journey up the mountain was probably filled with notorious bands of robbers.

Third, since Perga was a port city and was near the water, it was filled with mosquitoes that carried malaria, a disease caused by a parasite, making people feel ill with high fever and chills. Therefore, John Mark did not want to deal with malaria, so he went straight back to Jerusalem.

Now, I cannot be 100% sure why he left, but the 3rd suggestion might explain why Paul and his companions did not stay in Perga.

[SLIDE 8] Paul might have gotten sick and had to stay away from the sea level, and travel for 177km to Antioch in Pisidia because it was up on the hill at a higher altitude (This was a different Antioch, not the same Antioch where they were sent from.)

And Pisidia was part of the larger region called Galatia. Paul wrote a letter to the Galatians, which was addressing to all the Christians living in that region.

[SLIDE 9] Paul says this in Galatians 4:13-14

Galatians 4:13–14 (ESV)

13 You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, 14 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.

So, you can imagine that this was an arduous or difficult journey. Nonetheless, by God’s grace, they made it to Antioch.

[SLIDE 10] After however many days, in what became Paul’s pattern in his ministry, they went to the Jewish synagogue on the Sabbath Day to worship God in Acts 13:14-16. (READ)

The general order of service in the Jewish synagogue goes like this: There’s an opening Prayer. There’s the Reading of the Torah, which means the Law in Hebrew that covers the first five books of the Old Testament. And there’s the reading of the prophets. After the reading, they invite guests to speak.

So, the rulers of the synagogues invites Paul and his companions to give a word of encouragement, probably because they recognized Paul as the teacher of the law.

Barnabas could have been the one to speak since he’s an encourager. Ironically, Paul as the leader would be the one to do that.

So, Paul stood up to give a message, and motioning with his hands as a way to invite people to listen to him.

In Paul’s sermon, we’ll get a good understanding of how God is the Promise Keeper.

Just a disclaimer: while it may be spiritually beneficial to dissect each verse, I do not plan to do that because that’s not Paul’s point.

Paul’s point is found within the bigger picture of God’s sweeping history of salvation. So, in his sermon founded in verses 17-41, I have four lessons for you to consider.

Exposition (Five Minutes For Each Point?)

[SLIDE 11-12] 1. God Was Actively Bringing His Promise To Fruition Throughout Redemptive History (vv.17-22) (READ)

Here, Paul is addressing two groups of people: Men of Israel and you who fear God. In other words, he’s talking to the Jews and the Gentiles who converted to Judaism as God-fearers.

As you were following along in the reading, Paul gives a sweeping history of the Old Testament that covers about at least 450 years of Israel’s history. By covering the Old Testament that his audience knew, Paul intends to point them to Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah and the fulfillment of God’s promises.

However, some of you may have no clue what the Old Testament teaches, but that’s okay.

Paul’s emphasis is on God and what He has done. It was God who did this. It was God who did that.

Hopefully, by knowing who this God is, you will want to know more about Him by reading the Bible. [SLIDE 13]

Acts: An Expositional Commentary (The New Testament Kerygma)

Christianity is not just a philosophy or a set of ethics, though it involves these things. Essentially Christianity is a proclamation of facts that concern what God has done. That is why Christianity is not malleable.

From the beginning to the end of God’s story of redemption, it was ALWAYS the sovereign God working out His plan and fulfilling His promise. As a skilled communicator, Paul draws their attention by bringing up Israel’s history and ancestors.

[SLIDE 14] It was God who divinely CHOSE the fathers of the Israelites, and that’s referring to what theologians have called the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was not because they were special. It was not because of what they have done. It was God picking Abraham out of the land of the Chaldeans and promising him a land and a nation. Out of Abraham came Isaac and then to Jacob. Out of Jacob came the tribes of Israel, that ended up living in Egypt.

Yet, it was God who MADE the Israelites great during their time in Egypt. This covers Israel’s slavery in Egypt for about 400 years. The God who put them in Egypt was the same God who led them out of Egypt with His uplifted arm, with His great and mighty power.

Afterwards, Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. And you know what happened? Paul tells us that God put up with them. It means to bear with them and to be very patient with them because the Israelites were rebellious in the wilderness.

After the wilderness, it was GOD who gave the Israelites the land as an inheritance by destroying the seven nations so that Israel can occupy the land as recorded in the book of Joshua.

[SLIDE 15] And then we get to the book of Judges. When the Israelites occupied the land, they were continuously rebellious, unfaithful, idolatrous, and morally corrupt. Consequently, God withheld His blessings, and God’s enemies plundered and oppressed them. Afterwards, Israelites groaned and cried to the Lord for help. And it was God who gave them judges to rule over in different areas of Israel and to rescue them from their enemies, and the prophet Samuel would be the final judge.

And in 1 Samuel, the Israelites wanted a king just like other nations. And it was GOD who gave them a king, who was Saul, but he did not follow God’s instruction.

So, it was God who removed Saul from his throne, and it was GOD who raised King David to be on the throne because David was a man after God’s heart and will do all of God’s will.

Paul then makes a huge leap in the timeline from David to Jesus, which is about 1000 years gap.

I think Paul skips that part of history to make a point about King David being the most ideal king in Israel. During the reign and dynasty of King David, Israel reached it highest peak in being the nation that God intended it to be.

And God promised to David in 2 Samuel 7 about the everlasting character of his dynasty and offspring. This promise produced a hope that spoke of a greater and better offspring in this family.

And it was GOD who brought Israel a Saviour, fulfilling the promise of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

And if you have no idea what the Bible is about, let me just inform you that the Bible is about Jesus Christ, from beginning to the end. That’s Christianity 101.

[SLIDE 16] 2. God’s Promises Were Kept At The Coming Of Jesus (vv.23-31)

Read verses 23-25. Paul brings up the cousin of Jesus, John the Baptist. People thought that John was the long-awaited Messiah because he was preaching a baptism of repentance to Israel.

However, John made it clear that he’s not the Messiah. He’s not the Christ. He’s the forerunner of the Messiah as prophesied in the book of Malachi. He’s the one who was preparing the way of the Lord. He’s the one who’s pointing people to turn to Jesus as the Saviour of the world.

So, having said that, Paul addresses his audience that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises as written in Scripture.

[SLIDE 17] However, the Jewish people did this to Jesus. (READ verses 26-29)

Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One whom the Jews have waited for. However, they condemned Him to death by having Him crucified on the cross because they failed to understand the Old Testament.

At the same time, the death of Jesus was also a fulfillment of the Old Testmant prophesies.

The text that comes into my mind is Isaiah 53:3-6.

Isaiah 53:3–6 ESV

3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

However, Jesus did not stay dead and buried in the tomb. Whereas the Jewish leaders and Pilate put Christ to death, notice that it was GOD who raised Jesus Christ from the dead…vindicating all that Jesus has accomplished. [SLIDE 18] (READ verses 30-31)

Not only was He raised, but He also appeared to many people, especially His disciples who went from Galilee to Jerusalem. Paul would later write in 1 Corinthians that there were more than 500 witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection.

During this time in Acts, the Apostles have become eye witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection. They preached the gospel in Jerusalem, and many Jews became followers of Christ.

Now, God’s promised were kept at the coming of Jesus, and now Paul will substantiate this claim from Scripture.

[SLIDE 19-21] 3. God’s Promises Were Fulfilled As Written In The Bible (vv.32-37) (READ)

In this third part of Paul’s sermon, he quotes three texts from the Old Testament to provide biblical support for what God has accomplished in the person and work of Jesus Christ, particularly in His resurrection.

In verse 33, Paul quotes Psalm 2:7

Psalm 2:7 ESV

7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.

Psalm 2 was written to celebrate that God has appointed the Christ/Messiah to be king over His people forever. And it would be God’s Son who would be the ruler forever. Thus, this text applies to Jesus.

In verse 34, Paul quotes from Isaiah 55:3

Isaiah 55:3 ESV

3 Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.

This text fits and applies to Jesus because Paul was trying to show that the promise that God made to David are fulfilled in Jesus Christ forever. This only came true because Christ was raised from the dead. If Jesus were to remain dead, then the promises of God are still yet to be fulfilled. A dead Messiah cannot fulfill anything.

Lastly, in verse 35, Paul quotes from Psalm 16:10

Psalm 16:10 ESV

10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.

The Apostle Peter quoted Psalm 16:10 in his sermon in Acts 2. So, Paul is trying to prove that Jesus’ body did not decay when he’s buried. Instead, Jesus’ body was preserved and did not see corruption for He was raised on the 3rd day according to the Scriptures.

King David ultimately did not fulfill this text because he’s dead and remained buried. Therefore, it is only Jesus who can fulfill Psalm 16:10 for He is the greater and better David.

Paul only covered three verses from the Old Testament to support the resurrection of Jesus. There are countless other Scriptures we can go through in the Old Testament that point to Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of God’s promises. And how God kept His promise was by raising His Son from the dead by the power of His might.

Finally, with any sermons, there has to be a conclusion. The conclusion is the response from the audience, and this is an application for you and why this message matters to you.

Application

[SLIDE 22] 4. How Should You Respond To God’s Promises? (vv.38-41) (READ verses 38-39)

What you need to know about the Jews (and Gentiles) is that they were fully aware of their own sins and the consequences of their own sins. Throughout Israel’s history, they’re aware that they have sinned not only individually, but also nationally.

But the question that they have to deal with is this, “What can they do about their sin?”

It’s also the age old question that Job asked in Job 9:2.

Job 9:2 ESV

2 “Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God?

Perhaps you can resonate with those questions. You have done something wrong in your life. You’re guilty of those wrongdoings, and you feel guilty about them. You’re figuring out how to address them.

Paul’s audience would have known the common answer, which was following the law of Moses in order for their sins to be forgiven and to be freed. No different from our culture. Follow the rules. Be a good and decent person in society.

However, Paul gives a completely different solution to the sin-problem. And if you’re not a Christian this morning, this is the most important message you need to know…the gospel. The good news.

Everything that’s been said by Paul in the sermon leads up to this point where he will tell them about the good news of Jesus Christ and a plea for personal response.

The good news is that through Jesus Christ forgiveness of sins is made available to everyone who believes and trusts in Christ for salvation.

Forgiveness of sins is not just one sin or two sins or three sins in your life. Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross COVERS ALL SINS from the past, present, and future FOR ALL who repent and believe in the gospel.

Notice in verse 39 that Paul says “freed” twice. This word can also be translated as “justified.”

“To be justified” is a judicial term where a criminal is pronounced guiltless, freed from the accusation.

In salvation, this word means that those who trust Christ for salvation can stand before a holy God guiltless. As sinners, we can stand before God AS IF we had never sinned because Christ bore the punishment of our sins and has given us His righteousness into our status.

Therefore, when God looks at us (BORN-AGAIN), He’s sees Christ’s righteousness in us, and He treats us AS IF we lived Christ’s life. And when God looks at Christ’s hung on the cross, the pure, spotless, and sinless Son of God, He treats Him AS IF He lived our lives.

That is known as the doctrine of justification by faith alone.

The law of Moses wasn’t able to accomplish that which only Jesus can accomplish. Your good deeds cannot accomplish that which only Christ can accomplish.

The solution to the sin and guilt problem is not found in you, not found in this world, not found in any other worldviews and religions. It is only found in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

[SLIDE 23] Therefore, Paul ends his sermon with a solemn warning in verses 40-41. (READ)

What Paul is saying is this, “TAKE HEED THAT YOU DO NOT NEGLECT AND REJECT THIS GOSPEL.”

And he quotes from the book of Habakkuk. He might have quoted it because it was read during the Jewish synagogue, so that text could be fresh in the audience’s minds.

In Habakkuk, God gave a dire warning of the impending judgement that would come upon the wicked and unrepentant Judah.

Similarly, Paul applies that text to his audience that judgment and wrath of God will fall upon them if they refuse to repent of their sins and trust in the promises of God fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Such warning applies not only to unbelievers, but also applies to false believers who say they’re “Christians,” but in reality they’re hypocrites and don’t truly obey Christ in their everyday life.

[SLIDE 24] Conclusion

Just as God fulfilled His promises at the coming of Jesus Christ, so will He fulfill His promise to His people at the return of Jesus Christ. Christ is now seated at the Father’s right hand, and He will return to judge the living and the dead as promised.

2 Peter 3:8–10 ESV

8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Therefore, will you trust God and His promises? Will you depend your life and hope on the Promise Keeper who will never fail you?

Or will you rebel and distrust God? Will you neglect such a great salvation promised in Christ Jesus? If you reject God’s promises, then how will you escape God’s judgement and retribution when He comes?

OTHERS

Warren Wiersbe told a story of a man named George Campbell Morgan, also known by some as G. Campbell Morgan.

When Morgan was a young man he visited two elderly ladies each week to read the Bible to them. When he read Matthew 28:20, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” He said, “Isn’t that a wonderful promise?” One of the ladies quickly replied, “Young man, that is not a promise. It is a fact!”

All of God’s promises are fact.