FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF VILLA RICA, PCA

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Paul's First Recorded Sermon

By

Rev. Todd W. Allen

Villa Rica 4/25/04

Acts         13:13-41                     

We left Paul and Barnabas last time in Paphos on the island of Cyprus. They preached on the island and one of their most significant successes was the conversion of Sergius Paulus, the Roman governor of the island. This was all the more noteworthy because they had been opposed in their preaching by a sorcerer and magician named Bar-Jesus, also known as Elymas. This man was struck with temporary blindness for his evil activity in opposing the gospel. We never hear of him again, so we don't know whether he ever turned to the Lord or not. Probably he did not. Those who serve the Devil are loath to give up the wages of un­righteousness.

Paul and Barnabas now leave Cyprus and journey to Perga on the mainland. At this point John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. His leaving later became a source of contention between Paul and Barna­bas. We will come upon this later.

We aren't told anything about their activities in Perga. It just says they left there and went to Pisidian Antioch. This is not the same Antioch in Syria from whence they originally started out. This is another Antioch high up on the tableland of central Asia Minor. They had to climb the steep passes of the Taurus Mountains to reach Pisidian Antioch.  Travel in those days was not as easy as it is today. We ought to note that those first missionaries had more difficulties than just opposition and persecution

When they arrived at Pisidian Antoich they went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. After the reading of the scriptures they were invited by the synagogue officials to speak to the people if they had any word of exhortation. So Paul rose to his feet and motioned with his hand that he had something to say. Apparently Paul knew how to use his hands in speaking. It is interesting that the Holy Spirit saw fit to record that for us.

I want to divide this sermon up into two parts. This will illustrate for us the two things that Paul believed were most important in preaching the gospel. Those two parts are -- A Review Of Jewish History and The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ.

I. Review Of Jewish History

Why do you suppose Jewish history is important? Well, for one thing, Paul was speaking to Jews. And to Jews history about themselves is extremely impor­tant. I believe all history is significant and worth studying and reviewing. You young people -- get all the history you can. And be sure you don't rely on only one or two books. Go to reliable historians of the past. I am afraid that much of history has been rewritten to accommodate secular humanism and socialism. When you study history what you want is truth, not misinformation. ­

What Paul gives us is a very brief sketch of Jewish history. It is most instructive and confirming to the Biblical record. It isn't something new; it is something old and well known. Stephen also reviewed history in his defense before the Jewish Council. You cannot be a student of the Bible and not learn the his­tory of God's dealings with Israel and other nations. God is the God of history. He makes history happen. He directs history along paths he ordains.

For the purpose of reviewing Paul's historical review, let me mention five things very quickly...

(1) In verse 17 he mentions that God chose the Jewish fathers. In this we see God's election of Israel. Then he made them great -- that is numerous -- in Egypt. And then he brought them out by his mighty power. This covers the space of time from Abraham to Moses and the Exodus.

(2) Then in verse 18-19 he covers their stubbornness and unbelief in the wilderness, which caused them to wander for forty years. Paul covers this by saying that God put up with them in the wilderness, but then he destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave their land as an inheritance to Israel. This took 450 years, which means all the land God had promised.

We ought to note in passing that God is sovereign when it comes to allowing men to use his property. It is God who is the landowner, not men. Men are but the sharecroppers and stewards of what rightfully belongs

to God. When men misbehave and sin to the point of intolerability, when God says enough-is-enough-is-enough, then God will destroy that nation and remove them from his sight. This was what happened to the nations in Canaan. And may I add, but for the grace of God that inevitably happens to every nation. Sin is a progressive disease that finally claims a man or a nation. All that needs to happen is for God to let a man alone, or let a nation alone, and it will happen. Sin will destroy any person or nation that is not saved and healed by the Lord of the malady of sin.

(3) Paul mentions the period of the Judges to the days of Samuel, and then speaks of the monarchy in Israel beginning with king Saul.

(4) There is another period that commences with David, a man after God's heart who did all His will. Of this king’s seed God promised to send to Israel a Savior.

­               (5) Lastly, Paul mentions John the Baptist as the forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ, who comes as the offspring of David to be a Savior to Israel. John the Baptist made sure that none thought he was the Messiah but instead that he was not worthy to even untie the shoe laces of his sandals.

But the Jerusalem Jews and their rulers did not recognize the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, so they condemned him before Pilate and asked for his execution, even though they found no grounds for his death.

That concludes the first part of the sermon. In the second part Paul speaks of the forgiveness of sins, justification by faith and especially of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

II. The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ

Without the resurrection there really is no gospel to preach. In verses 30 - 36 Paul drives home the fact of the resurrection being a fulfillment of God's promise to Israel. He quotes Psalm 2, Psalm 16:10 and Isaiah 55:3 as his promise to David. God had sent a Messianic King who was not to see corruption of the body.

Surely, this is the most momentous and exciting event in all of history. Since the fall in the garden man has known death and misery. But this Redeemer King, who is to sit on the throne of David, will never see decay of his body in a tomb or grave. He is to be resurrected to a life that is endless. And through Jesus the Messiah is proclaimed everlasting life. As Paul says, ³⁸“Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, ³⁹and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. Acts 13:38-39 (NASB)
      Paul has reviewed history and now he comes to the most important truth of all -- salvation is by and through the Lord Jesus Christ who has been raised from the dead.

The Game Of Death

               There is a wonderful picture called the game of death in which a young man is represented as playing chess with the Devil. The Devil, apparently by the position of the chessman, has won the game. A noted chess player went to see the picture, and after looking at it, he said, "I can save that fellow!" Then he explained how the chessmen should be moved to win the game.

That is what the Lord Jesus has done for us. He has, in one move, eternally checkmated the Devil, and snatched the prey from the mighty. By His victory over death Jesus has given us victory over the grave.

The Silver cup Recovered

There is a story told of a workman helper of the great chemist, Faraday. One day he knocked into a jar of acid a little silver cup. It disappeared, being eaten by the acid. The great chemist came in and put some chemical into the jar, and in a moment every particle of silver was precipitated to the bottom. He sifted it out a shapeless mass, sent it to a silversmith and the cup was restored, shining brighter than before.

               If Faraday could precipitate that silver and recover his cup, I believe God can restore my sleeping and scattered dust. There are greater miracles than those that He accomplishes through men.

Paul closes his sermon with a warning:   

⁴⁰“Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you:

⁴¹ ‘Behold, you scoffers, and marvel, and perish; For I am accomplishing a work in your days, A work which you will never believe, though someone should describe it to you.’” Acts 13:40-41 (NASB)
  

Paul is quoting the prophet Habakkuk in chapter 1:5. He app­lies that to those who pride themselves on knowing God but yet who do not know him. They will be amazed when they discover one day, to late for them to benefit by the resurrection and salvation of Jesus Christ, that He was the very One sent to save them. They shall be amazed that they had disbelieved it and therefore lost out on the promise. Paul warns them to take heed to themselves that they do no t let that happen to them.

He also tells them that by him, that is by Jesus Christ, men are freed from their sins, from which they can never be freed by the law of Moses.

How sad that some men hear the gospel and disbelieve it and perish. There is no other plan for any man's salvation other than what God has done in Christ.

SURRENDER OR...

This true story comes out of World War II. The American forces had surrounded Aachen. Hitler had sent orders to the Nazi commander to stand and die in the city's defense.  But the American commander gave the city an opportunity to surrender before destroying it.

               Lt. General Courtney H. Hodges sent an ultimatum to the Nazi commander and to the mayor of this city of 165,000 souls. Then thousands of leaflets were dropped into the city by shellfire, appealing to the troops and citizens of Aachen to surrender and thus prevent needless bloodshed.

"Aachen is encircled," read the leaflets, "American troops surround the city. The German command cannot relieve you. People of Aachen! The time has come for honorable surrender. We Americans do not wage war on innocent civilians. But if the leaders insist on further sacrifice, we have no course but to destroy your city.”

               "There is no time to lose. On our airfields, bombers are waiting for final orders to take off. Our artillery surrounding the city is ready to fire. People of Aachen, act quickly. Tomorrow may be too late. There is only one choice, immediate surrender or complete destruction."

But the Germans did not surrender. Great destruction ensued! How like Christ-rejecters today! They are warned to flee from the corning wrath. They are warned of the doom of Christ rejecters. Still, they heedlessly hotfoot the road of vice, whose term­inus is endless remorse and separation from God! All who go to hell go there as usurpers. It is a prepared place for the devil and his angels. Oh, how much God has done to save souls from Hell! He gave his Son to die a vicarious death to save men from the eternal burnings!

Are you in the faith of the Lord Jesus today? Do you have salvation in him? He invites you to come to him and be saved.