FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF VILLA RICA, PCA

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Gospel Madness or Gospel Gladness

By

Rev. Todd W. Allen

5/16/04 Villa Rica

Acts 13:42-52

            Paul preached his first sermon in a Jewish synagogue in Pisidian Antioch and it had a tremendous impact on the whole region. There were those who believed and there were those that disbelieved. But we will see from this passage of scripture that when the gospel is preached it is not like anything else in the world. The message of the gospel is so powerful, so potent, and so soul-searching, that men cannot be neutral toward it. Men either react with gladness or with madness. There is no neutrality when it comes to the gospel. The gospel will not leave you the same way it found you. You must either be won by it or lost by it, saved by it or shattered by it, justified by it or judged by it.

            The gospel was to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. The Jews were the chosen people and it was necessary that God first favor them with the offer of it. Many Jews did turn to the Lord Jesus. All of the apostles were Jews. The church was founded in Jerusalem and was composed of Jews entirely. From this beginning God intended to spread the gospel to all the earth. This was to be the fulfillment of that scripture which foretold it...

²⁰“Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘It will yet be that peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities. ²¹‘The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts; I will also go.” ²²‘So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.’ ²³“Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’” Zech. 8:20-23 (NASB)

This was fulfilled with the apostle Paul and other

Jews took the Gospel to the Gentiles.  But the Words of the Lord Jesus are also fulfilled when he predicted that the messengers sent with the wedding invitation would be rejected and that the invitation would be taken to the crippled, the lame and the blind, to the poor and sick and down-and-outers, to the sinners among the gentiles, so that his house might be full of wedding guests. And the Lord said of those who despised his invitation, I tell you, none. Of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner (lu. 14:24)

            This is amazing madness. To think that the Jews who had the privileges and promises should spurn the mercy and salvation of God. Let's talk about this.

I. GOSPEL MADNESS

            Not all of the Jews in Pisidian Antioch rejected the gospel. There, as always, even to this day there is a remnant of Jews who believe. Yet many of them repudiated and rejected the gospel preached by the apostle Paul. Why was this so?

The scripture tells us that they were jealous when

they saw the success of the gospel. Why do you suppose that was so? We read in verse 45 the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming. Acts 13:45 (NASB)

 They were jealous for the same reason Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola get jealous when the other gets a preferred contract in a sports arena, the same reason Republicans and Democrats get jealous when one party has more seats in the house or senate than the other.

The Jews considered themselves the custodians of the Word of God. Their brand of religion had been the only one claiming to have prophetic authority and the proper approach to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They had the prophet Moses and many more prophets besides who spoke for the true God. They were looking for a Messiah who would establish them as the dominant ruling power in the earth. They were very satisfied with this. They did not want the gospel because it did not fit in with their preconceived notions of what the Messiah was like or of their concept of the kingdom he was to establish. It was a whole new concept and a completely different Messiah than the one they expected.

Not only that, they believed they had exclusive rights when it carne to teaching the scriptures. When they saw Paul and Barnabas having tremendous success in proclaiming the Word of God, they were enraged. They considered this an infringement on their religious franchise. They believed that God had made them the exclusive purveyors of the true Jewish messianic religion. Who were these men to come along and preach something that did not have the stamp of approval of the temple hierarchy! It was heresy. It was criminal.

It struck them in the place that hurt them the most -- the seat of their pride. They were proud to be Jews who had the copyright and patent rights on the Scriptures and what they considered to be the proper ritual and formula to be religious and go to heaven. How dare anyone come along and suggest that there is a free offer of salvation by one named Jesus. This could not be.

What does that do to a person who all of his life has gone through the motions of a religion that is supposed to be the only true way to approach God and fit a person for heaven? What an insult to be told that I am a sinner who can only be saved by trusting in a Jew who died a miserable death as a common criminal, a man who had been rejected by the leaders of Jewry, a man who had been humiliated by the Romans and subjected to the most cursed death of all -- hanging on a tree, nailed to a cross.

Thirdly, they rejected the message and the messengers because when the gospel is preached it does a number on the soul. As we read in Hebrews: ¹²For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. Heb. 4:12-13 (NASB)

 

The convicting power of the Holy Spirit comes when the gospel is preached. Men are brought face to face with their sin, and they must either submit to Jesus Christ offered in the gospel to heal them and forgive them or they must harden their heart against it. And so the gospel maddens some even as it gladdens others.

But this gospel rejection not only hardens the heart, it is a decision that has eternal significance. To refuse the gospel offer is to consider oneself unworthy of eternal life. In Acts 13 verse 46 we are told ⁴⁶Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. Acts 13:46 (NASB)

This was a critical time in the ministry of the apostle Paul. He had a commission from the Lord to take the gospel to the Gentiles, but his heart was to win the Jews. He wanted to win them and Gentiles too: And why not? The gospel is not restricted to either one or the other. It is for the Jew first, but also to the Greek. But at this particular time Paul sees that God is showing him that the hostility of the Jews left him no choice but to turn to the Gentiles. From here on his priority will be the Gentiles. The jealousy and rage of the Jews at this time convinced him that their obstinacy was so great that he simply could not break through it to them.

When a person refuses to eat you must resort to either intravenous or forced feeding to keep them alive. But God does neither. He will not infringe on a person's right to reject the offer of mercy. If they refuse the gospel God is just to leave them alone. 

If you hear the gospel and choose not to receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, you then become your own judge. You judge yourself unworthy of eternal life.

God operates on the will. You must be willing to come to Christ. But if you do not come you close the door to heaven by your own hand. You say, I do not choose to enter in. It is against my will to have a part in this matter.

But it doesn't stop there. Once a person takes that position he will find himself an enemy to the gospel. He will begin to wage his own brand of war on the church and the message of the gospel. We see a lot of that today in America and other parts of the world.

That is exactly what the Jews did who rejected the gospel there in Pisidian Antioch. We read in verse 50,  ⁵⁰But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. Acts 13:50  

II. GOSPEL GLAD NESS

But the Jewish unbelief did not destroy the effectiveness of the gospel message. The gentiles heard the gospel gladly. When Paul quoted the Old Testament scripture that says,   ‘I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles, That You may bring salvation to the end of the earth.’” Acts 13:47 then our text says 48When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. ⁴⁹And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region. Acts 13:48-49

God causes the gospel to be successful. We cannot take any credit for inspiring faith or for having faith. It is simply wonderful, amazing grace that inspires and gives faith to the gospel hearers. But those who do not believe only get mad and react contrary to the gospel. This is what we read happened at Pisidian Antioch, 50But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.  So Paul and Barnabus shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.

On the other hand, the Jews and gentile who believed were just the opposite. They were filled with joy and gladness.  The last verse of our scripture today says, ⁵²And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:50-52 (NASB)

 

Shouldn't that be true for you and me? I must confess that I don't always feel full of joy and the Holy Spirit. But I believe it is when we yield to the old nature and take our eyes off of the Savior that we lose our joy. We are daily renewed and strengthened in our faith by the Holy Spirit. His Word ministers to us, and His Spirit renews that knowledge of Christ, which brings joy.

One man who found Jesus as his Savior was so joyful that he could scarcely find words to express himself. He stood up in a testimony meeting and declared, "I'm happier now, when I'm not happy, than I was before when I was happy."

Of course there are trials and storms that come in the Christian life. You may be experiencing a storm right now in your life. But don’t give in to anxiety and worry and fear. Turn your eyes on the Savior who promised to keep you and support you in the whelming flood of life.

An Atlantic liner was caught in a storm. For two days the wind raged. Passengers were frightened. Finally an anxious passenger climbed by great effort to where he could see the pilot. Coming back down among the passengers, he spread the glad tidings of peace. He cheerfully announced, "We are all right. The ship will make port for I have seen the pilot and he is smiling.”

With the great Pilot directing our life we can smile on through every storm and smiling, be at peace. Is he your Pilot and Savior? Come to him today. Receive him as we sing our closing hymn.

Hymn #601   Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me