Sermon On the Net

THE LIGHT

 

ACTS 13: Barnabas and Paul were instructed by the Holy Spirit to begin a missionary work. Verse 2: “…Set apart for me  Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” They went to Salamis and began to preach the Word in the Synagogues. John was also there with them. In Paphos there was a proconsul that had heard about Paul and the Christians; he was curious and wanted them to speak before him. There was also a sorcerer there who tried to turn the proconsul’s mind. Paul quickly put him in his place, he told him that he would be blind for a little while. Verse 12: “When the pro-consul saw what had happened he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching of the Lord.”

 

Paul and his companions soon found themselves in Pisidian Antioch on the Sabbath. They went to a Synagogue and listened to the reading of the Law and the Prophets. The church leaders asked them to speak if they had a message of encouragement. Paul stood up and addressed the crowd mentioning both Jews and Gentiles. He discussed how the Lord had taken care of Israel during their time in Egypt and how He led them out of that country and endured their conduct for about forty years in the desert. He overthrew seven nations in Canaan and gave the land to the people of Israel as an inheritance which took about 450 Years. Paul continued telling them how the Lord gave the people Judges and then Kings and the fact that through the lineage of the Kings came Jesus. He was very clear and concise to point out that Jesus was not accepted by His people, yet they fulfilled the words of the Prophets of old by having Him crucified. He then pointed out hoe He was raised from the dead and His body saw no decay, which was prophesied through the Prophets. He reiterated how the Father fulfilled His promise to their fathers in Jesus. He told them how David’s body decayed and yet not so with the body of Jesus as was prophesied. Paul made a point of the fact that the Law could not do anything for them, if they wanted salvation it had to be through the name of Jesus Christ. Paul quoted the Priphets and warned them not to have the same thing happen to them in their disbelief. The Lord told them that He was going to do something that they wouldn’t believe.

 

The following Sabbath Paul continued hid discussions and finally told them that because of their unbelief, the good news of salvation was now open to the Gentiles. As was written, ‘I made you a light for Gentiles that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth. When the Gentiles heard this they were glad and felt honored and all who believed were appointed to eternal life. In the meantime the Jews stirred up a protest and told them to leave. Paul and Barnabas shook the dust from their feet (as they were told by Jesus) and left the region. And they were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

 

As I have previously written concerning salvation for the Gentiles, we do have a rebellious Jewish nation to thank for the opportunity to have direct access to God. Remember when the veil in the Temple was torn open; this presented the opportunity for direct access to God for the entire world. We now have direct access to God through Jesus, and only through Him. John 14:6: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Whenever I think of Jesus and eternal life, a smile and a warm feeling of joy does indeed overtake my body. This is what God wants, think of Him and enjoy, enjoy AND enjoy.