First Baptist Church Audio

Scott Aniol
Acts 13-14
Evening Service

Transcript

We are now set to embark with Paul on his first missionary journey. The journey took somewhere around three years, from 47–49 AD. He traveled somewhere around 1000 miles; that would be like traveling from Rockford to Tampa, mostly on foot. He spent time in 7 major cities.

But in all of that — three years, 1000 miles, 7+ cities — Luke records only four major events and only one of Paul’s sermons. Now the question is, why did he chose those particular events and that particular sermon?

We have already seen in the book of Acts how Luke is a master historian, and he is not just listing some random events in this book. Luke is making significant theological points by what he includes in his account.

So what is the point Luke — really the Holy Spirit — is trying to make through this account of Paul’s First Missionary Journey?

Jewish Rejection

In order to answer that question, I want to quickly survey the four major events that Luke records from this journey, and I think we’ll notice a common theme.

Cyprus

First, Cyprus in verses 4–12. The major event on the island of Cyprus involves two individuals — a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus and a Roman governor named Sergius Paulus. These two individuals represent the two groups that are the focus of Luke’s account — Jews and Gentiles. And their responses to the gospel are representative of the responses of these two groups — rejection by Bar-Jesus the Jew and acceptance by Sergius Paulus the Gentile.

Luke uses the account of these two individuals to set the stage for what happens in the other four events.

Pisidian-Antioch

The next major event occurs in Pisidian–Antioch in verses 13–52. There we find the only sermon of Paul recorded from this journey. To whom does he preach this sermon? Well, he was in the Jewish synagogue on the Sabbath, and verse 16 makes it clear to whom he was speaking:

Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me!

Paul was addressing Jews and Jewish proselytes, and the content of his sermon is obviously directed toward Jews. Paul basically seeks to prove that Jesus was the Messiah — he fit the qualifications for the Messiah, and he fulfilled all the prophesies of the Messiah.

Now we’re going to look more carefully at the content of Paul’s sermon in a moment, but first notice the response of the Jews. Verse 43 tells us that at first many of them were interested, but the next Sabbath when almost the whole city gathered to hear Paul preach, verse 45 says that the Jews “were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.” When they thought the message was exclusively for them, they were happy. But as soon as it appeared that even Gentiles were included in the message, the Jews rejected it. In verse 50 they even stir up persecution against Paul and Barnabas.

But notice the response of the Gentiles in verse 48:

When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

Again, we see rejection by the Jews, and acceptance by the Gentiles.

Iconium

The next major event recorded by Luke occurs in Iconium in 14.1–7. Actually it’s not really a record of a particular event, but a summary of the two responses that we’ve already seen in Cyprus and Antioch. Notice verse 2:

But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.

Now notice verse 4:

The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles.

Here again we have a corporate rejection by the Jews, and an acceptance by many Gentiles.

Lystra

The final event recorded by Luke is in Lystra in verses 8–20. Before we note the responses of these two groups here, I want to notice one other interesting thing.

Several times in our study of Acts we have discussed the primary purpose of miracles — they are blessings that belong to the future Kingdom, and they authenticate the message of the gospel. I have also noted that they are primarily for the benefit of Jews, because Jews would be those who would recognize the miracles as Kingdom blessings since they knew the prophesies of the Kingdom.

Here in Lystra, we have an example of what happens when Gentiles — people who don’t know the connection between healings and the Kingdom — see miracles. They get confused and think Paul and Barnabas are Greek gods! Jews automatically linked miracles with Kingdom prophesies in their minds. Gentiles had no basis in their understanding for such a link. All they knew was myths about powerful gods doing spectacular things. This is why miracles are primarily for Jews; they don’t really accomplish the purpose of authentication when Gentiles see them. And this is one of the primary reasons miracles are not happening today. The only people who would benefit from miracles would be those who would really understand what they mean — they’re foreshadows of the blessings of the coming Kingdom. And no one would really understand that except Jews who know the prophesies of the Kingdom.

But what is the response of the Jews even after this authenticating miracles? Verse 19:

Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.

Here again, Jewish rejection. But after Paul recovered, he went back into the city, and verse 21 says that he “won a large number of disciples, probably mostly Gentiles.

Jewish Rejection, Gentile Acceptance

Again and again, in city after city, the response is the same: Jewish rejection, and Gentile acceptance. And the fact that Luke records only these few events indicates that this was the pattern wherever they went: Jewish rejection, Gentile acceptance.

Now the heart of this passage is 14.46, where Paul indites the Jews for their rejection and announces the change of focus to the Gentiles:

Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.

Now the question that should come to our minds, and the question that would have certainly come into the minds of Jewish Christians in that day, is why? Here are God’s chosen people, and for the most part they are rejecting their Messiah. There are some individual Jews who are accepting the gospel, but as a nation, Israel is rejecting Christ. Why? Has God abandoned his people?

I know that this was a question in the minds of Jewish Christians, because Paul addresses this very question in Romans 9–11. Even Paul finds himself longing for the salvation of Israel. Romans 9 opens this way:

I speak the truth in Christ– I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit– 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

Paul longs for his fellow Jews to come to Christ — they are God’s chosen people! God had made promised to them! Has God’s Word failed?

I would like for us to answer this question: what is God’s plan for mankind, and how does Israel and the Gentiles fit into that plan? Particularly, how does the rejection of Israel and the shift of focus to the Gentiles fit into God’s plan? I think we can find the answer to that question here in Paul’s first missionary journey with a little help from Paul’s own words in Romans.

World Reconciliation

Some might answer that question this way: God planned for Israel to be His special people; He planned to send them a King and to set up His Kingdom; but they rejected Him. And so now God had to go to Plan B.

Is that correct? Was the rejection of Israel a surprise to God? Was His shift of focus to the Gentiles Plan B? Obviously the answer to these questions is no. Isaiah 46.9-10 says:

I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.

In other words, God’s plan is eternal. It has been around from ancient times. His plan will be accomplished. Anything that happens that seems to be out of step with God’s plan is simply due to our misunderstanding of God’s plan, not a flaw in the plan itself.

So how then does what is happening in Acts fit into the plan?

The Messiah cam through the Jews

Paul’s sermon to the Jewish audience in Pisidian-Antioch reveals some important truths about God’s plan, specifically with regard to Israel as a nation. First, notice 13.23. After recounting Israel’s history and the rise of David to the throne, Paul says about David,

From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised.

So the first way we can see how Israel fits into the eternal plan of God is that God gathered Israel together as His people to be the nation from which the Messiah would come. God specially directed the nation of Israel, and particularly the line of David, to provide just the right conditions for the coming of the Messiah.

God’s message of salvation came through the Jews

Next, look at verse 26:

Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.

Israel was also the nation that God used to deliver his revelation; specifically, truth about salvation from sin. This is what Jesus meant in John 4 when He said that salvation is of the Jews. Israel was the nation that possessed all of the revelation that God wanted mankind to have. They were the caretakers of God’s truth.

The Jews made the atonement possible by rejecting the Messiah

But as important as these purposes for Israel were, God had an even more important purpose for them in His plan. Continue reading in verse 27:

The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 28 Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29 When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people. 32 “We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.

In other words, Israel’s rejection of their Messiah was no surprise to God; it wasn’t an accident; it was part of God’s eternal plan. Verse 27 says that “in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets.” This is even stronger in Acts 4.27–28:

Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.

Israel’s rejection of Jesus and their murder of Jesus was always part of God’s eternal plan. In fact, we can even go so far as to say that it was necessary to fulfill the plan of God. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Jesus had to shed His blood in order to atone for our sin. And so the rejection of Israel was necessary to accomplish atonement! The death of Christ was not a mistake; it was not Plan B. The death of Christ made possible the salvation of all mankind.

Which leads to our next observation:

God intended for the Messiah to be a light for the Gentiles

Notice Paul’s justification in 14.46–47 for turning his ministry from the Jews to the Gentiles:

Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

Now who is the “you” in verse 47 — “I have made you a light for the Gentiles”? Verse 47 is a quotation of Isaiah 49.6, which is a prophesy concerning the Messiah. In other words, Paul is saying that he has justification to take the gospel to the Gentiles, because God intended for the Messiah to be a light to the Gentiles all along. It was always part of His eternal plan!

So God did have a specific plan for Israel: out of the nation of Israel came the Messiah Himself, Israel was blessed with receiving the revelation of God.

But Israel’s rejection of the Messiah was also always part of God’s eternal plan. It accomplished two things: First, it was used by God to make the atonement possible. But second, Israel’s rejection made possible the salvation of all the nations. Right here in the middle of Paul’s missionary journey he is saying, “Since you Jews are rejecting the word of God, we now turn to the Gentiles.” So Israel’s rejection is the very thing that prompts them to take the gospel to the Gentiles.

Now I would like us to turn to Romans 11 to find a further explanation of how Israel’s rejection made possible the salvation of all the nations, and what Israel’s future will be. Although the Old Testament prophets predicted the salvation of all the nations, how that would be accomplished was a mystery until now, and Romans 11 help us understand that mystery.

God himself ordained Israel’s rejection

In Romans 9–11, Paul is addressing this very issue. Has God turned His back on Israel? Why has He shifted his focus to the Gentiles? Have his promises to Israel failed? How does all of this fit together in God’s eternal plan? Let’s pick up his argument in verse 7:

What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, 8 as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day.” 9 And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. 10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”

In other words, it is God Himself who has blinded Israel; it is God Himself who has ordained their rejection. They are certainly responsible for their actions, but God is behind it all.

But why did He do it? Keep reading:

Because of Israel’s transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles

11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles . . .

So God has blinded Israel, leading to their rejection of Him, and that has led to the salvation of the Gentiles. This is pictured, I think, in what happened on Cyprus. Do you remember the two individuals who represented the Jews and the Gentiles? Bar-Jesus represented the Jews, and Sergius Paulus represented the Gentiles. And what happened? Paul blinded the Jew, and that led to the salvation of the Gentile.

This is exactly what has happened and what is currently happening in God’s plan. It is through the blind rejection of the Jews that the nations of the world are being reconciled to God.

But what, then, is the future of Israel? What will come of this people of God? Look at verse 11 again:

The salvation of the Gentiles will make Israel envious

Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!

In other words, Israel’s rejection led to the salvation of the Gentiles, and the salvation of the Gentiles is what makes Israel envious and leads to their ultimate salvation as a nation.

We have to remember that although Israel was the people of God nationally, very few individuals were actually saved. Just being part of Israel nationally was not enough to save someone. Faith in the revelation of God has always been the means of salvation, and not very many individuals of Israel really had faith in God. Paul says himself in Romans 9 that not all the offspring of Abraham are really God’s spiritual people. Israel as a nation was God’s chosen nation, but it is individual faith that makes someone a child of God. In order to be a member of the Israel that would receive the promises of God, you had to be part of Israel ethnically and spiritually.

So very few of national Israel were ever really part of spiritual Israel. And so how does God accomplish His plan to gather a large number of people who meet both qualifications of nationality and spirituality? This is how: by saving people from all the nations of the earth, Israel becomes envious, and one day, all Israel will be saved! Look at verse 25:

And so all Israel will be saved

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

In the Old Testament, only relatively few individuals within national Israel were really God’s spiritual children. But one day, a great majority of those who are part of ethnic Israel will also be regenerated, reconciled, believers in Jesus Christ! And that will happen only because God has gathered together people from every tongue and nation to be his own. And that is happening right now only because Israel rejected their Messiah at His first coming — we’re witnessing that transition right now in Acts. And that happened all because it was part of God’s eternal plan!

Conclusion

Verses 30–36 summarize this plan perfectly:

Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

God is the source of all things, He is the sustainer of all things, and He is the ultimate goal of all things. So let’s trust His perfect plan for all things.