Transcript

In a preface to one of his sermons, Charles Haddon Spurgeon confronted some of the preachers of his day with this parable:

“In the days of Nero there was great shortness of food in the city of Rome, although there was abundance of corn to be purchased at Alexandria.

A certain man who owned a vessel went down to the sea coast, and there he noticed many hungry people straining their eyes toward the sea, watching for the vessels that were to come from Alexandria with corn.

There was a great shortage of food, but there was an abundance of corn in Alexandria in Egypt. So people waited on the coastline, waited for the ship to come in with corn. They were hungry. They were starving.

When these vessels came to the shore, one by one, the poor people wrung their hands in bitter disappointment, for on board the galleys there was nothing but sand which the tyrant emperor had compelled them to bring for use in the arena.

It was infamous cruelty, when men were dying of hunger to command trading vessels to go to and fro, and bring nothing else but sand for gladiator shows, when wheat was so greatly needed.

Then the merchant whose ship was docked by the wharf said to his shipmaster, ‘Take care that you bring nothing back with you from Alexandria but corn; and whereas before you brought in loads of sand, don’t dare bring in as much sand as that which could fit upon a penny this time.

“Bring nothing else, I say, but wheat; for these people are dying, and now we must keep our vessels for this one business of bringing food for them.’”

Spurgeon went on to observe: “I have seen certain mighty galleys of late loaded with nothing but mere sand of philosophy and speculation, and I have said within myself, ‘No! I will bear nothing on my ship but the revealed truth of God and bread of life so greatly needed by the people.’”

With this episode, we will begin a series called, “Paul the Preacher” based on messages he preached in the book of Acts. In his preaching, in no way did Paul proclaim the sands of philosophy and speculation.

Rather, Paul faithfully and boldly proclaimed the bread of life of God’s Word to the nations. And in our lives and ministries we too need to be about this one business of bringing the truth of the Word of God to both unbelievers and believers.

Acts 13:13-15: “Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

“But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.”

Paul is on his first apostolic journey here in Acts 13 with Barnabas and John Mark. They had first traveled to the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea.

Their ministry in Cyprus began on the eastern side of the island at Salamis where “they preached the Word of God in the synagogues of the Jews” (v. 5).

Then they worked their way across the island to the complete other side at Paphos, where they faced satanic opposition from Barjesus, a Jewish false prophet.

It is following this that verse 13 states, “Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos.” Leaving Cyprus, Paul, Barnabas and John Mark sailed north nearly 200 miles and landed in Asia Minor or on the southern coast of what is Turkey today.

Then they traveled 12 miles inland to “Perga in Pamphylia.” It was at this point that the young man, John Mark, left Paul and Barnabas and returned home to Jerusalem.
Paul and Barnabas did not preach in Perga at this time, but later they did so on their return journey (Acts 14:25).

Instead, when Paul and Barnabas came to Perga and John Mark departed from them, they departed Perga and continued traveling until they “came to Antioch in Pisidia.”

There are two Antioch’s to keep track of in Acts. One was in Asia Minor, and the other was in Syria. The Antioch in Syria, located north of Israel, was the church that had sent Paul and Barnabas on this apostolic journey (13:3).

The Antioch in Pisidia was located in Asia Minor. To travel from Perga to Antioch in Pisidia was a 100-mile journey across rugged terrain for Paul and Barnabas.

Perga was at sea level and Antioch in Pisidia sits at an elevation of 3600 feet. The journey to Antioch was a climb. Paul’s tough journey to Antioch in Pisidia, though, shows that for the church to reach the nations, it involves personal sacrifice.

Antioch in Pisidia was strategically located at the axis of Asia Minor’s east-west traffic and thus was composed of people, culture, and elements from many parts of the world.

Merrill Unger adds that “In bringing the gospel to Pisidian Antioch, Paul and Barnabas were planting Christianity in the communication nerve center and heart of Asia Minor.”

Paul went to the strategic city in Asia Minor of Antioch in Pisidia, then he went to a strategic location in that city, as after arriving at Antioch, he and Barnabas “went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.”

In the local synagogue, Paul found a good jumping-off point for ministry. He found a ready audience of people interested in God’s Word and spiritual truth.

And the synagogue often contained a mixture of religious Jews and devout, God-fearing Gentiles. We see that being the case here in Antioch in Pisidia, where later in this account we read, “And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath” (v. 42).

Due to Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles as the apostle of the Gentiles, and out of his love for his countrymen, the Jews, and that the Jews might be aware of God’s change in dealings, left without excuse and provoked to jealousy and salvation, Paul went to the synagogue.

Sitting in the synagogue, Paul and Barnabas listened to “the reading of the law and the prophets” in God’s Word.

The fact that it was “after the reading of the law and the prophets” that Paul spoke is most important to understanding the message which Paul brought that day.

The rulers of the synagogue then invited and sent word to the visitors that day, “Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.”

It was customary at that time for the rulers of the synagogue to invite guests to speak to the congregation.

But God had also worked and arranged the circumstances here so that Paul was given this wide-open door of opportunity to preach the gospel of grace in Antioch of Pisidia.

Paul did have a “word of exhortation” for them from “the law and the prophets,” though what he was to say about the law and how he was to use the prophetic Scriptures to exhort them would fall like a bolt of lightning in that synagogue.

Acts 13:16-23: “Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.

“The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it. And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.

“And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot. And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

“And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

“And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus.”

To get the attention of the audience and to quiet them, Paul stood and motioned with his hand. He then addressed those present: “Men of Israel, and ye that fear God,” or the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles who were in attendance.

We know that “ye that fear God” refers to Gentiles because the Roman centurion, Cornelius, was said to be “A devout man, and one that feared God” (10:2). It refers to Gentiles who joined with the Jews in recognizing that Israel’s God is the true God.

That Paul’s message was also for the Gentiles likely caused some stirring in the audience, as Gentiles were not on the same level as the Jews under the law.

When Peter made his address on the day of Pentecost, he made no mention of the Gentiles and just directed his message to “Ye men of Israel” (2:22).

Then Paul preached his message here, and as we clearly see, he preached from the Bible. He practiced what he would later command Timothy to do: Preach the Word (2 Tim. 4:2).

We must share Paul’s commitment to sound preaching of the Word, otherwise, like the prophet Amos said, it will create “a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD” (8:11).

Charles Spurgeon stated this, “Paul’s mode of preaching, as illustrated by this chapter was first of all to appeal to the understanding with a clear exposition of doctrinal truths of God and then to impress those truths upon…his hearers with earnest and forcible exhortations. This is an excellent model for revivalists [and preachers].

“They must not give exhortation without doctrine, for if so, they will be like men who are content with burning powder in their guns, but have omitted the shot! It is the doctrine we preach, the truth we deliver which God will make a power to bless men.”

Paul began his exhortation with a point of agreement with the Jewish audience and addressed a topic that was dear to their hearts: the history of God’s providential care of Israel, remembering God’s faithfulness to Israel during difficult times.

Paul put great emphasis on God the Father throughout the sermon and His working and actions on behalf of Israel. John Stott stated that “Paul’s emphasis is on God’s initiative of grace. For He is the subject of nearly all the verbs.”

Thus, you see Paul preaching that God “chose,” God “exalted,” God “brought…them out,” God “divided,” God “gave,” and “God raised,” and on and on. And Israel deserved none of it.

Paul recalled the history of God’s care for Israel first in Him choosing their fathers, the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (3:13). Thus, Paul’s message began with God’s choice of the nation of Israel as His people.

After the patriarchal age, God “exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt.”

While they were in bondage in Egypt, God exalted the people of Israel, Paul said. As Exodus 1:7 states, “And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.”

And then “with an high arm brought He them out of it,” as in His authority and sovereignty over the nation of Egypt and their false gods, God’s high, uplifted arm of almighty strength delivered Israel out of her slavery and through the Red Sea.

Then after the Exodus from Egypt, God continued to patiently care for the nation as for “about the time of forty years suffered he their manners [or behavior] in the wilderness.”

God had sovereignly chosen the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—making and confirming with them an unconditional covenant of a great nation in a great land.

In fulfillment of promises He had made to the patriarchs, God miraculously delivered their children, the Israelites, from Egyptian bondage to bring them to the promised land.

But the Israelites continually showed contempt towards their glorious and miraculous deliverance from Egypt and wished to return to Egypt. They murmured and were ungrateful for God’s provisions in the wilderness, and they did not trust Him.

But Paul pointed out that, in spite of their rebellion, God demonstrated His mercy, lovingkindness, and longsuffering by suffering and bearing with their ill manners and lack of faith and He faithfully cared for them during the 40 years of their wilderness wandering.

After these forty years, God brought a new generation of Israel into the land promised to Abraham. Then God “destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan.”

Deuteronomy 7:1 lists those seven nations: “the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.”

Following the destruction of these seven nations, by lot, God justly and fairly distributed their land as an inheritance to His people.

Paul pointed out in verse 20 that it was “about the space of four hundred and fifty years” from Israel’s captivity in Egypt until the distribution of the land.

The Israelites were strangers in the land of Egypt for 400 years, they wandered in the wilderness 40 years, and it was about 10 years from the crossing of the Jordan, the conquest of the land, to the division of it by lot.

Throughout that entire period, God showed His mercy and care toward Israel.

After Israel took possession of the land, the people continued to rebel and be unfaithful, but God continued to be faithful.

When they were faithless, turned from God, and did what was right in their own eyes, their enemies would oppress them as a result, but God mercifully gave them judges who were deliverers given by God to preserve Israel from destruction.

The judges were given “until Samuel the prophet” who was the last judge and a prophet who anointed the first king of Israel, Saul. Samuel formed the bridge to the period of the kings of Israel.

In their rejection of God and desire to be like the other nations, Israel asked for a king. In response, God gave them King Saul, a Benjaminite. And Saul’s name means, asked or desired.

Samuel anointed Saul king and he reigned over Israel for 40 years. Saul’s reign overall was marked by his pride, self-will, and disobedience. And because he had failed so dismally, God had to remove him from the throne.

And David was raised up to replace him. Paul pointed out that God paid high tribute to David, “and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.”

There is a theme of sovereignty in Israel’s history coupled with a theme of grace that is woven throughout Paul’s message. God, in His graciousness, had done all these things for Israel, even raising up a faithful king for her, David, a man after God’s own heart.

And David, in contrast to Saul, was obedient and had a deep desire to do God’s will.

Paul then jumps from David directly to David’s seed and descendant, Jesus. God the Father had raised up David to be a good king over Israel, and then He raised up Jesus, the seed of David, Who is the King of kings, to be Israel’s greatest king and Savior.

As the greatest demonstration of God’s mercy, kindness, and care toward Israel, God “raised unto Israel a Savior, Jesus.” He is God’s greatest gift to her.

The same God Who saved Israel out of bondage in Egypt with a high arm, is the same God Who sent a Savior to her to powerfully rescue Israel out of their bondage to sin.

The “promise” refers to the Davidic Covenant in 2 Samuel 7, in which God promised David that a King would come from his line who would establish his throne and a kingdom that would last forever.

Throughout the Old Testament God gave several hundred prophecies concerning this promise Who would descend from David and ascend the throne of Israel.

And Paul plainly stated that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of that promise and all the prophecies in the law and the prophets. He is that Seed of David who would establish that everlasting kingdom; He is Israel’s King and Savior.

The Jews would have agreed with everything up to this point, but when Paul said this about Jesus Christ, gasps and a ripple of shock likely swept through the room.

Acts 13:24-30: “When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

“And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.

“Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.

“For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.

“And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead.”

Paul told all those in the synagogue that day that God had kept His promise, the promise of a Savior and King, and that it is Jesus Christ. To demonstrate that truth, Paul went straight to the resurrection.

First, he began by explaining the forerunner of the Messiah. This had been prophesied in the Old Testament as well in Isaiah 40 and Malachi 3. John the Baptist was fulfillment of these prophecies who “had first preached before His coming the baptism of repentance.”

In preparation for their Messiah and King, John preached and required “the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,” Mark 1:4 states.

This repentance and washing with water were for the purpose of preparing Israel for the King and His kingdom, making her a holy nation and inducting her into her national priesthood, which is the office that Israel will serve in the Messiah’s kingdom.

In verse 25, Paul quoted John the Baptist, to show the greatness of the One John prepared Israel for. As John’s ministry was fulfilling its course and drawing to a close, Paul stated that John firmly denied that he was the Messiah.

Because he was the FORErunner John said that “after” him would come One “whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.” Someone was coming AFTER John Who was supremely great and above all.

John did not even consider himself worthy of the lowliest task of untying the sandals of His feet. And this One was Who Paul referred to in verse 23, “Of this man’s seed hath God according to His promised raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus.”

Paul then readdressed the two groups in the synagogue’s audience and said, “Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham,” or the Jews, “and whosoever among you feareth God,” or the God-fearing Gentiles.

And Paul told them both that “to you is the word of this salvation sent.” This is the salvation of God that is found in the Savior, the supreme and glorious One Who came after John the Baptist, which is Jesus Christ.

Paul states that the word, the message of God’s salvation was sent and available for BOTH Jews and Gentiles.

“To YOU is the word of this salvation sent,” Paul said and then added, “For THEY that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers…condemned Him.”

It was not because the Jews in Jerusalem and Israel’s rulers had ACCEPTED Christ, and therefore the kingdom was now being proclaimed in the regions beyond.

Rather it was because Jerusalem and Israel’s rulers had REJECTED Christ that God’s salvation was taken to the nations.

As a result of Israel’s rejection, fall, and temporary setting aside, Paul had been raised up by God and sent to the nations, preaching and offering God’s salvation to these dispersed Jews and God-fearing Gentiles in faraway Antioch in Pisidia.

In the past, God’s word of salvation always went to Israel first. God had a plan to save the Gentiles, but it involved saving Israel first, then using them as a light and blessing to save the Gentiles.

However, when Israel rejected their Messiah and fell, God introduced a program, a dispensation of grace to reach the Gentiles directly through Israel’s fall.

So now in this age, the word of God’s salvation was and is being offered to BOTH individual Jews and individual Gentiles through Paul and his ministry.

In verse 27, Paul boldly preached and pointed out that Israel’s rulers had turned deaf ears and a blind eye to the prophecies in the Scriptures concerning the Messiah, which had just been read aloud in that synagogue in Antioch.

They did not link those Scriptures and prophecies with Jesus of Nazareth, they failed to grasp the fact that the messianic prophecies they heard in the readings each Sabbath pointed to and were fulfilled by Jesus Christ.

And then Israel’s rulers had unwittingly fulfilled the prophetic Scriptures in rejecting and in condemning their Messiah, doing everything the prophets had said they would do to the Messiah, which further validated Jesus as the Savior and Messiah.

As Isaiah 53:3 states, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.”

In condemning Him, Paul stated that “though they found no cause of death in Him, yet desired they Pilate that He should be slain.”

Although no cause for capital punishment was found to crucify Christ, because He was sinless and innocent, in their rejection of Him, the religious leaders still asked the Roman governor Pilate to put Him to death.

“And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him,” Paul said, referring again to “the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day,” and that the prophets wrote of Christ and that all the Scriptures concerning the Messiah’s rejection, and crucifixion and death were fulfilled in Him.

Following Christ’s death, showing He truly died, they “took Him down from the tree, and laid Him in a sepulcher,” which refers to Joseph of Arimathea, who took the body of the Lord Jesus and then with Nicodemus, lovingly buried Him.

Paul preached that Christ was rejected, he preached that He was crucified, died, and was buried, and then he came to the climactic truth of his sermon.

In God’s vindication of Him, demonstrating beyond any doubt that Jesus Christ truly is the Messiah, the Son of God, and the only Savior, “God raised Him from the dead.”