Sermon Tone Analysis

Public Reading of Scripture

Introduction to Theme

At this changing of the years, as this year comes to a close, and the new year soon begins, this is the word of encouragement I want us to cling to —

— The words Paul and Barnabas spoke to the devout Jews and God fearers who were begging to hear more teaching about God.

These words are found at the end of v.34:

“continue in the grace of God.”

We are all here as a product of God’s grace.

We live, we move, we have our being because of God’s grace.

What is grace?

The grace of God, is God giving us what we do not deserve.

The grace of God is God’s favor that we cannot earn.

Our gathering together this morning, in the name of Jesus and in the presence of His Spirit, around God’s Word, is evidence of God’s grace.

Church: If God has shown you grace in 2019, would you let it be known in praise by saying “Amen”?

Amen!

Because God has shown us a measure of His grace, let us heed these words, and continue in that grace!

The same grace of God abounding to us this year, will be abundant in the coming year also.

God is a God of grace, so let us continue in His grace.

Let us Pray.

God of grace, God of glory, who gave us your only Son Jesus into the world as we have celebrated at Christmastime, so that we might be forgiven of sins and made new because He offered Himself on the cross in our place,

by this same grace with which you gave Jesus to the world, and by this same grace with which you have saved us, we ask and believe that your grace would also sustain us, to do your will.

May we have the courage as your people — your Church— with the boldness to continue in the grace of God, ever mindful with the changing of the years that each year is a gift from you, and each year belongs to you.

Help us we pray to finish this year well and start the next in your strength and grace.

With thanksgiving we continue to give our attention to the hearing and preaching of your word.

We pray for your grace to have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to obey.

In the authority and power of the name of Jesus we pray together as your Church, Amen.

Introduction

The Book of Acts is part 2 of a theological narrative of all that Jesus began to do and teach.

But what Jesus began to do and teach as recorded in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus continues to do and teach as recorded in the book of Acts.

And Jesus continues His work by His Holy Spirit through His Apostles, His disciples and His Church…even today!

Acts 13 represents a continuation of God working to send the message of salvation in Jesus from Jerusalem to the end of the earth.

Crossing cultural and geographic boundaries.

Overcoming resistance and opposition.

Acts 13:1 gives evidence for this by showing how far the Gospel of Jesus has already spread (even to Antioch) because of persecution, and there is a diversity of workers in that church, with a diversity of backgrounds, and God’s grace is evident in his provision of a diversity of gifts to build up and sustain that church:

Acts 13:1 (ESV)

“Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers…”

Notice where prophets and teachers were found — “in the church”

Prophets and Teachers are two provisions of God that deal directly with the ministry of the word of God.

The place where the word of God may be found and heard is ordinarily “in the church.”

In the gathering of God’s people.

One of the ways the Protestant Reformation answered the question: “Where is the Church to be found” was with the response: “The Church is to be found where the Word of God is preached...”

It is with emphasis that the name Saul ends that sentence.

Acts 13 marks the beginning of a focus on the mission work of Saul, the man who was persecuting the Church of Jesus Christ, who approved of the execution of Stephen, and a man who was on a mission of opposition to Jesus…

— but while on a road to Damascus he was met by the Lord who appeared to him, and was set apart by the Lord as a chosen instrument to carry the name of Jesus before Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

Saul was a man who was changed --- who went from persecuting Jesus to uniting with Jesus.

From causing harm to the followers of Jesus to suffering harm on account of Him.

He was a man who was bound to the law of God, but learned about God’s grace and freedom as he experienced it in his own life time and time again.

Saul has been in and out of the story of Acts, but in Acts 13 Saul is sent out to do the work God had called Him to.

In Acts 13 there is a formal “commissioning” of Saul for the work God had called him to.

It was in Acts 9 that Saul met Jesus, but by Acts 13 years have passed.

Saul has matured in his faith.

He’s practiced his craft — in Tarsus for a season, where he was later found by Barnabas who brought him to Antioch to help teach and build up the church there.

For Saul, his commissioning did not come immediately after his calling or conversion.

There was space between for God to grow Saul.

At the end of this year, there may be things that God started but to us it seems like God has left them unfinished.

God never leaves what he starts unfinished!

God always finishes what He starts!

Wait on God! Be patient!

The changing of the years is a good reminder that what God started this year He may intend to complete next year or several years down the road.

We don’t have to know right now the end of the work God recently began.

The point is —

We are all living right now as a part of God’s grace, which includes God’s plan and purposes to be fulfilled in God’s timing in His ways!

The changing of the years offers a renewed call for us as God’s people to be faithful with what we have been entrusted with — with the seeds that God has planted and is planting — believing that in God’s time those seeds will grow after seasons of faithful watering and nourishing.

The changing of the years is a reminder for us not to to be changing, but for us to be faithful.

Persistent.

Continuing in the grace of God.

After Saul’s conversion, Saul does not sit idly by waiting for Gentiles and kings to cross his path to fulfill God’s calling on his life.

Instead, Saul gets to work faithfully entrusting Himself to the positioning and timing of God.

He teaches, he ministers, and he worships.

The big things will come when the little things are mastered.

When Saul is found faithful in little, he will be given much more to be faithful with.

In the right time, the Lord spoke with guidance concerning Saul:

The Holy Spirit spoke at a time when the Church was worshiping together.

That word “worshiping” is a word that was used to describe the work of the priests in the tabernacle in the Old Testament.

Is is a word for worship through service.

It would have included the prophets and teachers serving by prophesying and teaching and ministering God’s word to the people.

And it would have included service of prayer (NIVAC, 374).

This is helpful instruction for us when we want to hear God speak.

We tend to prioritize the individual nature of our relationship with God, as if our personal walk with the Lord is more important than our corporate relationship with Him through His Church.

But the Church in Acts 13 models that God speaks when the Church worships together.

Acts 13 models that the corporate relationship with God as a body of believers gathered together is just as important as your individual relationship with God.

What does this say about your Church attendance?

How important is it for you to faithfully attend our gatherings together?

Can you really expect to hear from God when you are not part of His fellowship of believers?

Do not neglect, then, the gathering of yourselves together!

You may not hear God speaking because you are not among the Church gathering together for worship.

But in the same way, WE as the Church may not hear God speaking because you are not here with us.

Let me encourage you as you prepare your commitments and resolutions for next year — commit, better yet — covenant with the Lord and with us that unless you are providentially hindered, that you will attend our gathering of worship on Sunday mornings.

We need you.

We need the gifts God has graciously given you.

We need your presence and your prayers and your service so that WE as a Church together can hear from God.

Where do you start?

I want everyone to commit to Sunday morning worship.

This is the starting place.

Sunday School is good, evening gatherings are good — but start simply.

Sunday mornings are a time where we pray together as the church, we read the Scripture together as the church, we hear preaching as a church, we give generously to God as a church, where we respond to God as a church.

This is our “service” or “worship” and this is what the church was doing in Acts 13.

This is how the Church is faithful.

Notice who does the speaking.

It is the Holy Spirit.

v.2: “The Holy Spirit said...”