Another Antioch

Setting the geographical context just a bit, from Cyprus to the mainland, Mark bailed

Overland to Antioch, where Paul gives a history lesson;

Next week the journey continues to Iconium

Those who fail to learn from History are doomed to repeat it

Winston Churchill, paraphrasing philosopher George Santayana

Throughout the Bible we have numerous recounting, in abstract form, portions of the history of the Jewish people. We see the history in more detail from Genesis through Chronicles---to the captivity; from there we see Ezra-Nehemiah, and Haggai recounting the restoration of the nation, rebuilding the city wall, rebuilding of the temple and restoring worship

We have another rather uneventful bit of a travel report then, Paul and Barnabas attend the regular Sabbath Day gathering at the synagogue in Antioch

They are given the opportunity to spea

Why Paul was given that opportunity is in dispute by scholars, it is likely that somehow, his reputation as a speaker had been noted... and Paul seizes the opportunity

As Paul lays out his argument for Christ—insert commercial for the books: Cold Case Christianity and the Case for Christ, on the table---

He begins by addressing his fellow Jews, the...

The People of God

He included “you who fear God” for the seekers or God-fearers of the group who were not part of the family of Abraham

Proselytes or other “God-seekers”

In V. 17, he stressed the connection by saying “the God of this people, Israel;” nothing new here, just a completion of the old (not the “Paul Harvey ‘rest of the story’ version” but the Paul the Apostle “rest of the story”)

Paul begins the history lesson in Egypt—a people group in captivity

His use of history is consistent with the sermon of Peter and that of Stephen

From this rather pathetic start of just the family of Joseph—75 people in all when they arrived…to a nation that may have numbered up to 3,000,000 (estimates up to 4.5 million) when enslaved and then released by God’s mighty hand were

Chosen by God!

This is no accident, not a matter of a people group choosing a God—inventing their own deity as some cultures appear to have done

This was a sovereign act of the one true and living God—saving them from both the famine of the day and the ungodly influence of the pagan culture in which they lived...

God had done all the groundwork to put the pieces in place to carry out this might act of redemption

After plagues upon the nation of Egypt, they were released

Under the leadership of Moses, headed east, got through the Red Sean and almost immediately began to try the...

The Patience of God

Without working over all the details—read Exodus and Numbers; Joshua and Judges....

It started at the Red Sea with the lack of faith, got through that and worshipped the golden calf; they engaged in grumbling, groaning, more idolatry coupled with gross immorality...outright rebellion against God’s chosen leaders, and then a crowning achievement when their lack of faith exhibited after the spies brought back their report provoked God to condemn an entire generation to die off before He allowed them to enter the Promised Land…

But, after 40 years of enduring their lack of faithfulness, He brought them to the Promised Land

As a matter of fact, facilitated the conflict, driving out many of the nations before the Israelites even got to the land, working great acts—like the battle of Jericho—fighting their battles as they conquered the land, gave them judges to lead them, and then blessed them as they established the Kingdom up to the time of David and then Solomon…and then it went downhill

Though their history was well-recorded, they failed to learn and kept repeating the pattern

Prosperity brought apostacy and sin, which brought judgment and oppression, which led to confession, which led to restoration....

God endured (put up with, suffered) all this because he had a purpose

The Purpose of God

A side note from v. 17: Paul references God’s selection of David as a man after His own heart…He had chosen David for his heart…certainly not his perfection…also part of God’s purpose, His divine plan of redemption

The earliest statement was in the “protoevangellium” Gen 3 15, long before this text, God giving Satan the bad news about his future

Genesis 3:15 (ESV)

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

After the flood, after Babel and dispersal of the nation (Gen.10 ff), we have the captivity and the exodus

Then, Moses and the burning bush

Exodus 6:6 (ESV)

Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment.

I will bring you out

I will deliver you

I will will redeem you

Another early glimpse of the Gospel

We can see it in Is 11 1, to which Paul alludes in his statement concerning David’s offspring

Isaiah 11:1 ESV

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

…referencing David, the son of Jesse...

Then Paul zeroes in on the fulfilment of that promise—the Messiah, the Savior, Jesus of Nazareth

…and quoting John the Baptist—generally well-respected across the Jewish populations in diaspora—identifying Jesus as the one whose sandals he was worthy to untie

WITFM

Who Are the People of God Today?

Simple answer: 1 Peter 2 9, Peter speaking to the scattered church

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Peter is not talking about an ethnicity—he’s talking about the people of the Church, which going into eternity will be a Rev. 7 9

Revelation 7:9 (ESV)

...a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages....

Yes, if you’re a believer, a follower of Christ, you’re part of that people....

If not, the lake of fire awaits

All believers of all time, those who have trusted, are trusting and will someday trust in Christ

The bad news is that some are excluded—a fact we continually will reinforce

The people of God are those who believe the Promise of God…the plan he had for mankind

Interesting comment from Gresham Machen:

Those who have been saved by the Lord Jesus Christ are in a far more blessed condition than [Adam was] before he fell. Adam before he fell was righteous in the sight of God, but he was still under the possibility of becoming unrighteous. Those who have been saved by the Lord Jesus Christ not only are righteous in the sight of God but they are beyond the possibility of becoming unrighteous. In their case, the probation is over. It is not over because they have stood it successfully. It is not over because they have themselves earned the reward of assured blessedness which God promised on condition of perfect obedience. But it is over because Christ has stood it for them; it is over because Christ has merited for them the reward by His perfect obedience. …

But even as believers...

Do We Try the Patience of God?

Don’t even try to tell me NO

We haven’t learned from history…ancient history, not-so ancient history, or even recent history…any more than the Jews of 1st century Jerusalem, or the rest of Asia and Paul’s audience of that day had

We fall back into sin like the proverbial dog returning to its vomit

It may not be the big sins…but we return to the little sins, anger, jealousy, gossip, back-biting, doubt, fear, failing to obey....

Our need is the same as when David committed adultery and murder…the same as when Paul preached, and when John wrote: confess, repent, be restored…and move on

Are We Living according to the Purpose of God?

Brought out from under the burden

…having been delivered...

We have been delivered, we have been redeemed; bought with a price, the blood of Jesus Christ

If we are truly saved, we need to live like it!