Birthday Gifts: Forgiveness of Sins
Notes
Transcript
Warren Brosi
September 1, 2024
Dominant Thought: The risen Jesus sets free from every sin those who trust in Him.
Objectives:
I want my listeners to remember Jesus fulfills history as it was prophesied.
I want my listeners to feel the forgiveness and freedom Jesus offers.
I want my listeners to serve God’s purpose in their generation.
As we continue to remember, celebrate, and serve Jesus in our bicentennial year, we turn to another sermon recorded in Acts. This time the preacher is the apostle Paul. Our text is Acts 13.
Paul and his mission partner, Barnabas, the son of encouragement, are traveling through what is modern day Asia Minor. The arrive at a city called Pisidian Antioch located on a major Roman road called Via Sebaste.
It is the Sabbath and the synagogue has gathered to read the Law and prophets and they ask Paul and Barnabas if they have a word of encouragement to share.
Paul accepts their invitation and begins to preach. As we listen to his sermon, we’ll encounter three encouragements to follow Jesus.
First, remember our history so we can follow after God’s heart (Acts 13.15-22). Paul gives them quite a history lesson taking them through their ancestors’ time in Egypt, God’s patience with them in the wilderness. He continues through the judges, the prophet Samuel and the kings Saul and David.
A common theme we see throughout this remembering is God’s kindness. Several times we hear how “God gave” them something. Here are the examples:
God made them prosper during their stay in Egypt (Acts 13.17).
with mighty power He led them out (Acts 13.17).
For forty years, he endured their conduct in the wilderness (Acts 13.18).
He overthrew seven nations (Acts 13.19).
God gave them judges (Acts 13.20).
The people asked for a king, and He gave them Saul (Acts 13.21).
Paul, then culminates this section by highlight the great king David. After God removed Saul, He made David their king. Then, we hear this declaration from God, “I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do” (Acts 13.22).
Paul reminds them of their history. Paul wants them to remember David, the man after God’s own heart.
One of our key words this year is remember. We want to remember our past so we can faithfully follow God’s heart in the future.
Here’s the earliest published article that I have found that references our church. It is from 1839. It is “News from the Churches” in The Millennial Harbinger by Robert Foster, June 1, 1839, p. 285.
McCoupin county, Illinois, April 29, 1839.
I attended meeting on the South Fork of Sangamon river, in Sangamon county, in company with brother Walter Bowles, on the 2d Lord's day in March, which continued till Tuesday following. Eleven bowed to the King’s authority. On the 4th Lord's day in the same month four more were added by immersion, and the brethren rejoiced in the Lord. There are eleven congregations in Sangamon county; one at Springfield; one 14 miles to the south of that, on Lick creek; one at Athens, 14 miles north-west of Springfield; one on the Lake Fork of Salt creek, north-east of Springfield; one on Contral’s creek; one on Wolf Creek; one at Sugar Grove; one on the South Fork of Sangamon river; one at Germany, five miles west of Springfield; one at Island Grove, and one at Chany’s Grove We give this information that the brethren travelling through this state may know where to find us and visit us on their journey.
ROBERT FOSTER.
Georgetown, Kentucky, May 2, 1839.
I love how he states, “eleven bowed to the King’s authority.” We need to learn our history so we can follow after God’s heart.
How are you going to follow God’s heart if you don’t know is his heart. We know the hearts of our family members by spending time with them. The same is true with God. When we can live after God’s heart, then we will know how to care for our loved one who is sick, or for the stranger we meet in the grocery store, or the student sitting alone at the lunch table, or the missionary raising support.
When we recount the works of God throughout history, then we will know how to follow His heart for the future.
Second, recognize Jesus so we can serve His purpose in our generation (Acts 15.23-37).
In typical Paul fashion, he launches from king David to his promised descendant Jesus. Paul gives a nod to the ministry of John, the baptizer, the cousin of Jesus. He quotes something similar recorded in Matthew 3, “I am not the one you are looking for. But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie” (Acts 13.25).
Paul a second time addresses them as men of Israel and those who fear God or God-fearing Gentiles (Acts 13.26). Then he declares, “The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus” (Acts 13.27).
We live in a time where people do not recognize Jesus. The promised one who fulfills the prophets walked among them and they missed Jesus. Recognizing Jesus may depend as much on our eyesight as it does our heart. We’ll find out something about the hearts of those who are hearing this message at the conclusion of Paul’s sermon.
Would you recognize Jesus if He showed up today?
Paul, then walks them through the story of Jesus. They had no proper grounds to kill Jesus. They asked Pilate to execute Him. They fulfilled what was written about Jesus. They took him down from the tree and placed Jesus in a tomb.
Then, we come to Acts 13.30, “But God raised Him from the dead.” These early sermons in Acts that founded churches in these cities were birthed and sustained by the message that Jesus is alive.
This teaching is in direct contrast to what our Muslim friends believe. It is written in the Qur’an:
“and for boasting, “We killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.” But they neither killed nor crucified him—it was only made to appear so.
Even those who argue for this [crucifixion] are in doubt. They have no knowledge whatsoever—only making assumptions. They certainly did not kill him.
Rather, Allah raised him up to Himself. And Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (Qur'an 4.157-158)
Both Christian and Muslim teaching cannot be true. Both are making exclusive claims. Christians say Jesus died and a a cross and God raised him from the dead. Muslims say, “Jesus did not do nor was crucified. Allah raised up him to Himself.” If Jesus did not die, then you do not need a resurrection.
Paul recounts the witnesses who saw Jesus for many days after He rose from the dead (Acts 13.31). The life of Jesus gives us life and purpose now and for eternity.
Paul quotes two Psalms and a prophecy from Isaiah (Psalm 2.7; Isaiah 55.3; Psalm 16.10). By quoting Psalm 2, Paul may have been making connections to the Roman city, Pisidian Antioch, and their view of the Divine Caesar Augustus, who they called a son of the gods, and a savior. His audience would have viewed the Roman emperor a son of the gods and not Jesus as the son of God.
Paul continues to make connection to the promises of David (Isaiah 55.3) and that the holy one would not see decay (Psalm 16.10). Then he says, “Now when David served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep” (Acts 13.36). David served God’s purpose in his own generation. David took on the giant Goliath. He honored the Lord’s anointed, a crazy king Saul, who was out to kill him. He was not perfect, committing sexual sin with Bathsheba and giving the orders to murder her husband. He wrote psalms in praise to God. He wrote psalms of lament to express sadness, depression, and anguish to God. David serve God’s purpose in his generation.
What’s that look like for us in our generation? What giants do we need to take on in the name of the Lord? What leaders do we need to respect even though they may be out to harm us. What sins do we need to confess? What wrongs need to be made right? What songs need sung or written? What leaders need raised up? What’s it look like to serve God’s purpose in your generation?
I’m excited this Wednesday, Lord willing, I have the opportunity to speak for career day at the New Berlin Junior High School for about a 150 sixth and seventh graders. I’m going to tell the story of a 12 year old boy living in Seneca, MO attending youth group for the first time and finding out that following God is fun. I may tell them about preaching my first sermon at 14, traveling the world to serve Jesus, and raising a family that loves Jesus and His church.
What’s it look like for you?
When we recognize Jesus, we can serve His purpose in our generation. Jesus is “the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay” (Acts 13.37).
Third, trust Jesus so we may receive forgiveness and freedom (Acts 13.38-52). Paul gets the main theme of his sermon in Acts 13.38-39, “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through Him [Jesus] everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses” (Acts 13.39).
Paul proclaims to clear images of what life with Jesus is like.
Through Jesus we receive two gifts: forgiveness of sins and set free from every sin.
The focus of forgiveness is to remove the guilt resulting from the wrong doing. The event still happened, but the guilt associated with it is pardoned (From Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains (40.8).
In Isaiah 55, the same prophet Paul quoted from earlier, we read, “Let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion on him, and to our Go, for He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55.7, ESV).
In Acts 13, the freedom image comes from justify or declared right. So in in Christ, we are pardoned and declared not guilty.
Joe Gray talked with me on August 21, 2024, how many people are in jail in their minds. They are captive by negative thoughts and traumas. Jesus can set us free from the captivity of our negative thoughts, too.
The risen Jesus sets free from every sin those who trust in Him.
What in your life needs forgiven?
The forgiveness of Jesus comes with a condition: everyone who believes. Notice that “everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses” (Acts 13.39). We have to trust in Jesus. Do you trust Him enough to cover your sins, to declare you right? If he conquered the grave, then I feel that’s enough to earn our trust.
The alternative is to live a good life and keep all the commands all the time. The way of Moses leads to condemnation. Sin is never fully forgiven. Only in Christ is forgiveness fully given to us.
Paul closes with a warning and a prophecy from the hidden prophet Habakkuk. In Habakkuk 1.5
“Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.
The initial response to the sermon was positive. The people invited Paul and Barnabas back to the synagogue the next week for more. “Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God” (Acts 13.43).
On the next Sabbath “almost the whole city gathered to heard the word of the Lord” (Acts 13.46). The Jews saw the crowds and became jealous and began to contradict what Paul was saying. They even incited some God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city against Paul and Barnabas. They stirred up trouble for them.
Paul answered them boldly (Acts 13.46). We had to speak to you Jews first. Since you reject it, then we go to the Gentiles. He quotes Isaiah 49.6, the command to be a light to the nations and bring salvation to the ends of the earth. They shake the dust off their feet in protest and as a warning.
“When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed to eternal life believed” (Acts 13.48).
The chapter closes, “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13.52).
It was a memorable time that week in Pisidian Antioch. Paul offered clear encouragements. First, remember your history so you can follow God’s heart. Second, recognize Jesus so you can serve His purpose in your generation. Third, trust Jesus to receive forgiveness and freedom.