Gospel Proclamation to Jews and Gentiles
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· 8 viewsThe forgiveness of sins and eternal life are available to all who believe in Jesus Christ for salvation.
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The forgiveness of sins and eternal life are available to all who believe in Jesus Christ for salvation.
INTRO: Jesus final words to His disciples before His ascension to God the Father serve as the basis for all evangelistic efforts to be carried out by the Church. Matt 28:19-20
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
In this lesson we will see the evangelistic ministry of the Apostles Barnabas and Paul, as they set out on the first of Paul’s three missionary journeys recorded in the Acts of the Apostles.
COMMISSIONED FOR GOSPEL PROCLAMATION
Worship: The Foundation for Evangelism
Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
These five committed themselves to regular times of joint worship and fasting, and it was doing one of these occasions that the Holy Spirit is said to have spoken to them, telling them that Barnabas and (Saul) Paul were to be set apart for the special calling the Lord had placed on their lives.
The Calling: Proclaiming the Gospel to Jew and Gentile
In order to get the guidance from the Lord, they were ministering to the Lord, that is worshiping, prayer, fasting and exercising of spiritual gifts.
Barnabas and Paul were called to proclaim the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles, they would do so in Cyprus and Asia Minor.
Sending: The Activity of Evangelism
Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant.
First, they continued in fasting and prayer, seeking God’s guidance for how to set apart Barnabas and Paul for the ministry to which God had called them.
Only after this time of Fasting and prayer did the believers in Antioch place their hands on Paul and Barnabas, ordain them to their ministry, and send them out in obedience to the Holy Spirit.
The Gospel was initiated and empowered by the Holy Spirit. The means by which their evangelistic mission was to be accomplished was the working of God’s Spirit in their lives, and in the lives of those who would hear from them the proclamation of the Gospel.
EXAMPLE OF GOSPEL PROCLAMATION
The Audience: Jews and Gentiles
Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem. But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. 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.” Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen:
Barnabas and Paul began their evangelistic mission, called Paul’s First Missionary Journey, by taking a ship to the island of Cyprus.
They arrived in the port city of Perga in the province of Pamphylia. and there, John Mark ”departing from them returned to Jerusalem”
Evangelism is not always an easy endeavor, and some may become discouraged and lack the resolve to carry on.
The Message: The Word of God
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. Now for a time of about forty years He put up with their ways in the wilderness. And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land to them by allotment. “After that He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. 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. 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.’
Paul gave a concise review of Israel’s history from Abraham to king David. Then, he began telling the audience about the descendant of David, :a savior, Jesus” who was proclaimed to death on the cross by sinners buried and raised from the dead by God.
All that Paul said to the congregation was based on Old Testament Scriptures, he proved Jesus to be the Savior-Messiah whom God sent into the world.
The Gospel is “the power of God unto salvation
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
This means we must rely on Holy Scripture to bring people to saving faith in Jesus Christ.
This brings us into a right relationship with God. Therefore, we ought to avoid the ruin of sin and put our trust in Jesus the Savior.
ONE GOSPEL; TWO RESPONSES
The Gospel Accepted and Rejected
The God-fearing Gentiles who remained there begged Paul to preach the Gospel again the next Sabbath. The many converts that followed Paul and Barnabas, they persuaded them to “continual in the grace of God”
On the next Sabbath “almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God[the Gospel]
But when the Jews who rejected Paul’s message saw this, they strongly opposed him, speaking against the words he spoke.
Paul and Barnabas replied to their opponents boldly, it was necessary for the Gospel to be preached first to the Jews, but seeing they did not want it, they would devote their ministry to the Gentiles.
The Jews who opposed Paul and Barnabas provoked many in the city to forcibly drive them out of that region.
The disciples in Antioch and Pisidia were not defeated. They were filled with joy, and with the Holy Spirit.
Wherever the Gospel is proclaimed, some believe in and remain faithful to Christ. It is forthose who will believe that we must keep on proclaiming the Gospel to all people everywhere.
CONTINUING EVANGELISM
Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. And they were preaching the gospel there.
In Iconium a great multitude of Jews and Gentiles believed the Gospel. Again unbelieving Gentiles to oppose the Gospel. Still Paul and Barnabas persisted in proclaiming the Gospel and their message was confirmed by signs and wonders.
Finally, the persecution against them became so violent they fled to Lystra and Derbe and preached the Gospel.
Pau and Barnabas were determine to preach the Gospel regardless of the opposition they faced.