Untitled Sermon (2)

We return today to the book of Acts and pick it up in the 13th verse of chapter 13. We left off with the companions traveling on the island of Cyprus now they return to the mainland for their journey. We will see today that sometimes plans don’t go according to plan! Yet God still uses it for redemption of HIs people. We will talk about the gospel and see what Paul focuses on 14 years after responding to the message.

Let’s pray!

13 Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem. 14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. 15 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.”

-They left the island of Cyprus, coming to Perga on the mainland of what is today Turkey. While they were there in Perga, John Mark went home!

They left the island of Cyprus, coming to Perga on the mainland of what is today Turkey.

This would later cause Paul to refuse having him back.

We don’t know why he left.

Surely and expectation problem.

Even Paul had expectations for people, he was disappointed in his young companion.

The thing to see here is that disappointment and unmet expectations were not reason to leave or stop the work.

So why do we stop for those reasons?

They continued their journey to the north.

- Perga was a costal, harbor city, where the ship from Paphos came to the mainland. Antioch in Pisidia was about 135 miles (220 kilometers) inland, to the north. This general region was known as Galatia, and later Paul wrote a letter to these churches that is included in our New Testament library.

- Perga was a costal, harbor city, where the ship from Paphos came to the mainland. Antioch in Pisidia was about 135 miles (220 kilometers) inland, to the north. This general region was known as Galatia, and later Paul wrote a letter to these churches that is included in our New Testament library.

- “Pisidian Antioch was in the mountains at an altitude of about 3,600 feet. Since Paul mentions in the letter to the Galatians that he had a bodily affliction at this time, some scholars have supposed that Paul caught a disease, perhaps malaria, while living in Pamphylia’s lower coastal plains and that he had his party pressed on into the healthier mountain climate because of it.” (Boice)

Another city of Antioch (there were seven) this time up in the mountains and it was a journey of danger marked by sickness and robbers.

It would have been so easy for the companions to quit or misread these events being forsaken and having a hard journey but Paul new that God was in it,

16Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: 17The 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. 18Now for a time of about forty years He put up with their ways in the wilderness. 19And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land to them by allotment.

The tradition in the synagogues was that after the reading of Scripture any educated men would be given a chance to speak, and when someone with the reputation of Paul is there he gets first shot at it. The rest of today will focus on the words he spoke.

Paul begins to outline a brief history of the nation of Israel, and God dealing with them.

Beginning with the patriarchs and the captivity we see God deliver them from slavery.

Don’t forget!

Then in the wilderness he put up with them, I love that expression.

- “The phrase “suffered their manners” is a unique Hebrew idiom that can either mean “to feed” or “to put up with.” So which is it? When Scripture says God “suffered their manners,” was He putting up with the Israelites, or feeding them? He was doing both. God both hung in there with the children of Israel and provided for them for forty years.”

The same expression is used of a nurse to an infant

After that time he gave them the land of Canaan, and distributed it as He saw fit.

20“After that He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. 21 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. 22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, have found David the son of Jesse, man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ 23 From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus— 24 after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John was finishing his course, he said, Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.’ 26“Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. 27 For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. 28 And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. 29 Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. 30But God raised Him from the dead.

26“Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and :16those among you who fear God, :6to you the word of this salvation has been sent. 27For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, :34because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. 28Matt. 27:22, 23; , ; ; ; ; (; ); :22And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. 29Luke 18:31Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, ; ; ; –42they took Him down from the tree and laid Himin a tomb. 30Ps. 16:10, 11; ; , ; :6But God raised Him from the dead. 31

He continues and speaks of the time of the judges then the people and their demand for a king.

We see King Saul and his sin, then the man David, who was a type of Christ

Then we see Christ, the one that John would not loose the sandal of, a job that was outlawed

Perspective is important.

The men who saw him, chose not to listen to the prophesy and ended up asking for His life that very thing the prophesy would say.

We end this section with the greatest event in human history.

The tomb was borrowed for 3 days

31He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. 32And we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the fathers. 33God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.’ 34And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the sure mercies of David.’ 35Therefore He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’ 36“For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; 37but He whom God raised up saw no corruption. 38Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you: 41‘Behold, you despisers, Marvel and perish! For I work a work in your days, A work which you will by no means believe, Though one were to declare it to you.’ ”

‘You are My Son,

Today I have begotten You.’

34And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus:

‘I will give you the sure mercies of David.’

35Therefore He also says in another Psalm:

; ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’

36“For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, :29fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; 37but He whom God raised up saw no corruption. 38Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that :34through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39and (; )by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you:

41‘Behold, you despisers,

Marvel and perish!

For I work a work in your days,

A work which you will by no means believe,

Though one were to declare it to you.’ ”

We see the many witnesses that saw Him resurrected, and that declared good tidings.

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

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

-“Look among the nations and watch— Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you.

The great things that God does that we cannot imagine or believe, that is what we are focusing on.

7  I will tell of the decree:

The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;

today I have begotten you.

10  For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

or let your holy one see corruption.

10  For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

or let your holy one see corruptio

Be utterly astounded!

For I will work a work in your days

Which you would not believe, though it were told you.