Jesus at teh center of it all

Introduction

Good morning everyone. It’s a real joy to be with you. If you have your bibles go ahead and open up to Acts chapter 13 and in a moment we will start in verse 13

In case you are new here we’ve been wwalking through the books of Acts since Janurary verse by verse. And we’ve been reminded that the story we find in Acts is the beginning of our Story. We’ve seen the Lord do so much and a theme over and over in the books of Acts is how the church grew and mulptiled. Wheterh through miricales or perscuation as the good news about Jesus is shared lives are changed

and that is still true today. As Christ is proclaimed we see the church grow and mulptly. We see God moving and transfroming lives in ways only he can

In our passage today the story continues. We are going to see Paul and barnabas sent out and on mission spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth.

In the text we read this morning we are going to see the activity of God and how Jesus is the center of it all. and as we learn about Jesus being at the center of everything my simple hope this moring is that we would realize as Jesus is the cneter of everything throughout history that through the gospel he can be and should be at the very center of our lives

and this is signficant today becasue it’s something I know I think about often. What is my life really about? And when I start to explore and reflect on this question I beginning to answer it by looking at what might be at the very center or core in my life.

and maybe that’s something we have in common this morning. Maybe you know you were created for something rich and meangiful and I want to invite you this morning to look at your life and see what is at the very center of it.

This morning I want to look at Acts 13 to see who and what has been at the center of the world since the very beginning

Let’s read

Acts 13:13–42 ESV

Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king, and 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 David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’ “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “ ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’ And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, “ ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ Therefore he says also in another psalm, “ ‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’ For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about: “ ‘Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’ ” As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath.

Paul and barnabs set sail to conitnue to procliam the good news about Jesus. And he adds a detail because that’s what Luke does

he says the wen tfrom Perga to Pisidian antoich and the reason this matters is because he is highlighting this journy was extremely hard

it was a difficult trek. Antioch laied around 100 miles north across the Taurus mountain range

it was barren, flooded by mountian streams.

and there were bandits on the road which even the Romans couldn’t bring under control

and this matters because it shows us just a few things early on in the text. First Paul and Barnabas are real people in real places in real history. and as they sent out with burning passion for others to know the Lord the way they did the journey was hard

and there are moments when evanglism and sharing the gospel is going to be hard. there is a commitment, and determination a passion these disciples have for others to be reconclied to God that they have expirenced that allows them to keep going even through extremly difficult circumsantces

and I think the reason for this as Paul is about to proclaim is becasue they recognize Jesus is at the very center of their entire lives.

How do we know this? Pauls sermon. In some ways his sermon is similar to Peters sermon in Acts 2 and in other ways it’s similiar to Stephens in acts 7. and there’s no way anyone can miss what his sermon is about.

He is sharing with the people about how at the center of all of human activite and at the center of the story of Isreal is God.

The story is centered around jus tbeing better people, or buidling jerusalm, or exile or suffering. While those things are in the story. That’s not at the center

The story is not centered around great victories on the battifield or prophets who were raised up. It’s not centered aroudn the kings of the past

while there names are mentioned

no the story is all about how from the very beigninng God is the author, and initator of His story throughtout history.

and at the center of the story is Jesus

This text [vv. 17–30] is utterly saturated with God. Sixteen times Paul presses home the truth that God is the central Actor in history” and the climax is in his Son Jesus Christ

and this can give us great confidence. That God is not inactive in the universe. He hasn’t abadoned us and his creation and just let it run its own course

no He is supreme and soveriegn over every single aspect. Paul would later write about in Colossians

Colossians 1:15–20 ESV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

This message Paul is preaching brings hope to the hopeless. It gives security to those who might be puzzled by the mystryes of life

when you look throughout history and you can begin to trace the hand of God it creates a desire within each person who comes to bleive this message is ture to also make God the complete center of their own lives

Scripture is God centered and Christ exalting and so should our lives

This is why Paul and barnbas made the long journey and they would conitnue to give everything for the spread of the gospel. And it wasn’t jsut becasue they wanted peoples lives to be better, it wasn’t just because of their love for the lost. They had those things. but

They knew something. Something we need to know.

Thier evenglism. Their missionary journeys their very lives a deep and rich enjoyment of God and a longing for others to enjoy God in the same way

because God was at the very center, the very core of their idenity.

They were expierence what the Psalmist would write about

“The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup” (Ps. 16:5). “As a deer

pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My

soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Ps. 42:1).

They were tasting and seeing the Lord was good. They were feasting on the bread of life and drinking of the living water. They were completely transfomred and changed by God

This is what the gospel does. I’ve enjoyed reading many different thoughts on the gospel this week

it’s best defined in

1 Corinthians 15:3–7 ESV

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

that christ died,

that Christ was buried

that Christ was raised,

and that Christ appeared

It’s good news

I enjoyued this thought from one author

There would be no good news if we had to merit the gift of the gospel.

The gospel is the good news of our final and full enjoyment of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Piper captured what these men where sharing

in his book God is the gospel

“When we celebrate the gospel of Christ and the love of God, and when we lift up the gift of salvation, let us do it in such a way that people will see through it to God himself. May those who hear the gospel from our lips know that salvation is the blood-bought gift of seeing and savoring the glory of Christ. May they believe and say,

“Christ is all!” Or, to use the words of the psalmist, “May those who

love your salvation say evermore, ‘God is great!’” (Ps. 70:4). Not

mainly, “Salvation is great,” but “God is great!””

THIS IS WHAT KEEPS MISSIONARIES ON THE FIELD and Keeps us sharing the gospel of God with friends, family members, co workers and enimies

It’s from a place where we know Christ and the power of his resurection that things beging to change.

and in showing how great God is Paul puts the exclimation point on his message by saying that even Jesus was killed. Even though he was hung on a tree and laid in a tomb

God raised him from the dead

and in pointing people to the resercucation of Jesus he is saying wholeheartdley that becasue Jesus is alive there is new life for us today

we are reminded for each and ever one of us there is a future

it’s there. If God really did raise Jesus from the dead we can know we have a future. That though our life is a vapor on earth there is when we die it’s just a comma, it is just an iteruption

that we have far more ahead of us that what’s behind us

it’s not just darkness in the goud. If you are in christ you have a future. Resurrection

you aren’t just dust. You don’t just fall to the bottom of the earth. you don’t just rot away

no you have a future

and it’s personal

there are false relgions today and even in Pauls day that have this idea when you die you just become part of the world in some strange way. You lose your individual personilty

The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive, 2012–2013 But God Raised Him

The doctrine of the resurrection that Jesus was raised from the dead and those who believe in him will be raised from the dead too and we will get our bodies means you’ll still be you. You’ll have your spirit. You’ll have your body. You’ll still be you. You will be with people who are still them. Therefore, the resurrection promises love without parting. It promises a personal future.

and this future is certain.

and this is tied into

Acts 13:38–39 ESV

Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

The resurrection is proof, and vidication of why Jesus died. He died for you and he died for me

so we could enjoy him forever.

and it’s a receipt of what God has done. It’s the proof.

If you ever go to costoco or sams you know there was a time before they’d let you out they’d check your items and make and then they check your reciept to make sure everything mataches up

(side note someimes i go in and don’t buy anything. I walk out and wonder what I would do if they stop me. )

receipts are good things

and Keller helped me think about this when he said

The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive, 2012–2013 But God Raised Him

The resurrection is the greatest receipt in the history of the world. It’s stamping across history in a way everybody can read that your sins have been paid for. Jesus Christ’s resurrection means the payment worked. If the penalty for this crime is 10 years in jail, when you walk out of jail, that means it has been paid for. Our penalty was death, and when Jesus walked out of death, it meant it was paid for.

and the resurrection allows you to know if you are suffereing, if you are going through dark times, if you are facing death you can be absolutly sure God is

For you

accepts you

your sins have been paid for

and you are going to be with him

that knowldege of a bfirght future brings you comfort, and consolation

What Romans 8:18 highlights for us

Romans 8:18 ESV

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

and that’s why the resurrection is almost unimaginably wonderful

When you first get saved, espically if you got saved early in life the corss means a lot. I can rememeber the first time I heard about the cross and God showing his love for me how amazed I was.

I was overwhelemed by grace. It was unimageniable. I had so many things I had done wrong, so many regrets and I wondered how could I ever be free from thsat

and what Jesus did on the cross. His payment for sin was great

but as life goes on. And some of you know this even more accutly the resurrection becomes really special

because your future is coming, the invicibility we feel in our teenage years and early 20s is know meet with youth that is Gone we can’t live in the past no matter how much we might want to

when our health begins to fail it feels final

when people in our lives die their is a finility to it. I remember when my dad passed away what I wasn’t prepered was how irreversable it felt. How final it felt. Those of you who’ve lost someone close to you have felt that

what we realize the longer we live is everything is going away

there are people, places and seasons in life we are not going to get back

I heard someone once say it’s like death in the midst of life

and why that also feels heavey and inrrevesiblity

resurrection says NO.

The resurrection means that everything broken or lost in this life is made whole again. You don’t just get your body back—you receive the body you were meant to have, free from pain and limitation. You’ll be able to touch, embrace, dance, and sing once more. Life itself is restored, not merely returned as it was, but perfected into what you always longed for it to be. Because we were made as embodied souls, the resurrection renews both us and the world we inhabit—physical, beautiful, and complete. It’s the undoing of what once seemed final. It transforms “never again” into “forever restored.” No other faith offers such a breathtaking hope, which is why people who first heard it couldn’t help but say, “I want that to be true.”

It’s why those hearing Paul and Barnabas message said I want to believe that

v 39 Paul says everyone who believes is freed form everything from which could not be freed by the law of moses. Jesus said he who the son sets free is free indeed

and how would they be free

Free from the penetly of Sin

Free from death

Free to enjoy God at the very center of all they were forever.

and maybe youre in this room this morning and you long for that kind of freedom. you’ve tried everything on your own to be free and it’s not working

today believe the gospel message and ask Jesus to be at the very center of your life

belive he died for your sins

that he was burried

that he rose again

and ask him to save you

HE WILL

and for the rest in this room don’t just be amazed by the good news of the gospel

be in awe and in love with the God of the gospel

leave chruch this morning enjoying that in the gospel you dont’ just get the love of God, or the grace of God, or the forgivness of God

but you and I get GOD

that’s for monday. go with this questino….am I enjoying the nearness of God thorugh sricpture reading and prayer?

if you are not we’d love to help…..

if you are keep feasting on the bread of life and drinking of the living water. the well that is deeper wider and more wonderful then we can imagine and as you drink this living water know it can never run out

and from that place tell the world about a God who came to be with us. a good who moved into the nieghborhood. A God who gives himself freely to anyone who would call on his name.

let’s pray LEAVE TIME FOR FORGIVNESS…HE WHO THE SON SETS FREE IS FREE INDEEEDDDD