Acts 13:13-52 Paul takes the Gospel to the Galatians

Introduction

10,000 Sermon Illustrations The Violinist

Fritz Kreisler (1875–1962), the world-famous violinist, earned a fortune with his concerts and compositions, but he generously gave most of it away. So, when he discovered an exquisite violin on one of his trips, he wasn’t able to buy it. Later, having raised enough money to meet the asking price, he returned to the seller, hoping to purchase that beautiful instrument. But to his great dismay it had been sold to acollector. Kreisler made his way to the new owner’s home and offered to buy the violin. The collector said it had become his prized possession and he would not sell it. Keenly disappointed, Kreisler was about to leave when he had an idea. “Could I play the instrument once more before it is consigned to silence?” he asked. Permission was granted, and the great virtuoso filled the room with such heart-moving music that the collector’s emotions were deeply stirred. “I have no right to keep that to myself,” he exclaimed. “It’s yours, Mr. Kreisler. Take it into the world, and let people hear it.”

This is exactly how Paul feels

He has something so powerful that he can’t keep it to himself

He has to share the gospel with the world

Read Acts 13:13-16

Interesting Info

Acts 13 contains the first recorded sermon of Paul the apostle.

Paul and Barnabas are well into their first of three missionary journeys

They head to Pamphylia where they went to Antioch Pisidia

It was the capital city and Roman hub of the region of Galatia

Paul and Barnabas traveled 100 miles north and about 3,600 feet up to get to this important city on the Roman road.

As you follow Paul’s journeys in Acts, you will notice that he selected strategic cities, planted churches in them, and went on from the churches to evangelize the surrounding areas.

History Builds to Jesus vs. 13-25

Paul reviews the history of Israel, climaxing with the ministry of John the Baptist and the coming of their Messiah.

vs. 17-18 Made Israel great in Egypt

Led them out with his uplifted arm

Put up with the in the wilderness

vs. 21-23 Asked for a king

Gave them Saul, but removed him

Raised up David, a man after His own heart

Of this man God will bring a Savior, who was Jesus

Vs. 24-25 One was sent before him to prepare the people

Preached repentance

Declared himself unworthy to untie Jesus’ sandals

All of this history builds towards Jesus

Paul is paraphrasing something most of these people already knew to point them to Jesus

Jesus Our Redeemer vs. 26-41

Paul gives a brief history lesson to set the table for showing Jesus as the redeemer

But He can’t just outright say it to the Jews, he has to prove it

Paul does this by quoting OT prophecy

There are over 300 prophecies in the OT about Jesus

vs. 26-31 Fulfillment of Prophecy

Paul shifts from telling the history of Israel to the fulfillment of prophecy

Jesus fulfilled the old testament prophets

The rulers in Jerusalem didn’t recognize the utterances of the prophets

They actually fulfilled prophecy by condemning Jesus to death

Isaiah 53 lays it all out

They carried out all that was written about him

Jesus’ death fulfilled something that was spoken of hundreds of years before

Illustration: Odds of Jesus fulfilling all prophecies

There are over 300 prophecies about Jesus

All spoken hundreds of years before His birth

The odds of fulfilling just a few of those are staggering

Math professor at Westmont did the math

The odds of fulfilling just 8 would be like placing silver dollars all across the state of Texas 6 inches high and placing a red X on one of them and having someone find it on their first try.

That is the odds of fulfilling just 48 of the 300 prophecies

1 inch = 2.5 to 15th power electrons

It would take you 1.9 mil years to count them

If you marked 1 electron w/ a red X and asked blindfolded a man to find it on the first try

vs. 32-37 Raised from the Dead

vs. 32 We bring you good news

The promises in prophecy were fulfilled when Jesus was raised from the dead

In Acts 13:33, Psalm 2:7 is quoted; and note that it refers to the resurrection of Christ, not to the birth of Christ.

The “virgin tomb” (John 19:41) was like a “womb” that gave birth to Jesus Christ in resurrection glory.

Acts: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Jesus: The Fulfillment of Prophecy

The resurrection magnified and glorified Christ’s sonship.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Thirteen: God Opens the Doors (Acts 13–14)

The Jews considered Psalm 16 to be a messianic psalm, and it was clear that this promise did not apply to David, who was dead, buried, and decayed. It had to apply to Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

10,000 Sermon Illustrations The Light of the Gospel

tells the story of a couple who took their son, 11, and daughter, 7, to Carlsbad Caverns. As always, when the tour reached the deepest point in the cavern, the guide turned off all the lights to dramatize how completely dark and silent it is below the earth’s surface. The little girl, suddenly enveloped in utter darkness, was frightened and began to cry. Immediately was heard the voice of her brother: “Don’t cry. Somebody here knows how to turn on the lights.”

In a real sense, that is the message of the gospel: light is available, even when darkness seems overwhelming.

vs. 38-41 Freed & Forgiven of Our Sins

Paul had declared the Good News to them (Acts 13:32), and now all that remained was to make the personal application and “draw the net.”

He told them that through faith in Jesus Christ, they could have two blessings that the Law could never provide: the forgiveness of their sins and justification before the throne of God.

Justification is the act of God whereby He declares the believing sinner righteous in Jesus Christ.

It has to do with the believer’s standing before the throne of God.

The Jews were taught that God justified the righteous and punished the wicked.

But God justifies the ungodly who will put their faith in Jesus Christ

The Law cannot justify the sinner; it can only condemn him (Rom. 3:19–20; Gal. 2:16).

God not only forgives our sins, but He also gives us the very righteousness of Christ and puts it on our account!

Are You Rejoicing or Reviling? vs. 42-52

As you can assume there were two reactions to Paul’s message

It also shows us how people react when we share the Gospel

They either rejoice over it or revile it

vs. 44-47 Reviling

Reviling = Blasphemy

Greek word here is Blasphmeo

Means to speak in such a way as to harm or ruin someone’s reputation

As God started to move in the synagogues they preached in there arose groups that would try to destroy their reputation

There will be those who love their sin so much that the Gospel will repulse them

They judge themselves

Paul & Barnabas turn to the Gentiles

Vs. 48-52 Rejoicing

Rejoicing = to be glad

They rejoiced and glorified the Word of the Lord

Word spread throughout the region

Persecution was stirred up

Shook off the dust from their feet

Disciples filled with Joy & the Spirit

Closing: