Paul's First Message | Justified Through Christ: Building the Foundation
Lessons from the 1st Century Church | A Study through the Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 3 viewsGod leads Paul and Barnabas to Pisidian Antioch to face abandonment, deal with disease, and preach his first message on the central theme of his ministry: justification.
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After calling out, resisting, and fighting the enemy of the gospel and false prophet, Bar-Jesus/Elymas, Paul, Barnabas, John Mark were able to see at least one convert while in Paphos, the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. After leaving Paphos, as we look into our Scripture today, building the foundation for Paul’s first recorded message, we see they once again go across the sea to Perga in Pamphylia. To to Pisidian Antioch, they would have landed at a coastal city, Attalia, which would have been on the coast of modern day Turkey, and would have then walked another five miles in land to Pisidian Antioch.
Why tell you all this? Because it’s important to know the depth to which our forefathers traveled and sacrificed to reach the world for Christ. May this be a challenge for us. We, at times, struggles to leave the easy chair for a cup of coffee much less travel five miles by foot to share the gospel with someone. Ministry is hard. Ministry is tiring, and ministry costs. But it is all worth in the end when someone accepts Christ as Lord and find victory over sin and hope for their soul. As we look at what transpires in Paul’s life, leading up to his first message, we’ll understand that what we face and what we go through shapes our attitudes and will to be faithful to the Lord and how we approach others with the gospel.
Focus Passage: Acts 13:13-25
13 Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue officials sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.” 16 Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: 17 The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it. 18 For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. 19 When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took about 450 years. 20 After these things He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’ 23 From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, 24 after John had proclaimed, before His coming, a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And while John was completing his course, he kept saying, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
Hardships in the Middle of Ministry (v. 13-14)
13 Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.
Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark, after finding success in Paphos, once again set sail, Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. They are on a spiritual high. They have fought the enemy. They have stood up against a false prophet and revealed his deceptive practices. They got to lead a man to the Lord. They are on a spiritual high and all is going well. They look at one another and think, we have got this. So they set out to continue this first missionary journey, and then something happens to derail the high and the process. In fact, two things take place to derail the high of this journey. The first thing that we see takes place, and is clear through our text, is that...
John Mark deserts the team
Why would this happen? Why would a faithful brother just up and abandon his team when they need him the most. They are on their way to the second stop of this missionary journey. Why abandon them now? Why abandon them mid stream? We don’t know why. We don’t know if it was because of a maturity issue. We don’t know if it was a jealousy issue. We don’t know if it was because he did not like the way it seemed the missionary journey was going (leaving a Jewish emphasis to a Gentile emphasis). We don’t know if he didn’t like the fact that his cousin was not the leader any more and that Paul was taking the leadership role. We just do not know. However, we do know that there was a blow up and it caused issue all throughout the team.
37 Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. 38 But Paul was of the opinion that they should not take along with them this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.
What ever John Mark’s excuse was for abandoning the team, it was not good enough for Paul. It caused great strain on the team and the mission at hand. This is the result of any divisive work within a team by the enemy.
Paul gets deathly ill
The other hardship that Paul deals with during this missionary journey and trip is that Paul gets deathly ill. We do not know what it was, but we do know that it was very painful. We know through his letter to the churches of Galatia that it possibly had to do with his eyes. We also know from his second letter to the Corinthian church that he toiled with God and begged God to take away his thorn in the flesh. As he fought through this illness and as he struggled through the desertion of a brother in ministry, we see Paul’s ever growing knowledge that God’s grace truly is sufficient.
9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
The work of the Lord continues and spreads
Despite illness and desertion, the work of the Lord continues. Just as in life, there will be ups and down, but the work does not stop. We find that despite John Mark up and leaving, Paul and Barnabas continue to press forward. We read, but going from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch. As they arrived in Pisidian Antioch, they did as they normally do, as their habit, they entered the synagogue. As we continue within our text, we read, on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. They may have went to minister, but I believe their ultimate aim was to hear the Word and rest. They had went through at least two grooling boat rides across rough seas. They had traversed five miles on foot. Their brother in Christ had abandoned them and Paul was deathly sick. They were wanting to rest, being physical, emotionally, and mentally spent. However it would seem that God had different plans. However, before going further within our text, we need to be reminded that just because the enemy attacks and causes brothers and sisters to leave their post, it doesn’t mean that God cannot turn that into a blessing. John Mark left, causing a great rift, but God continued to spread His message despite the enemies handy work.
39 Now it turned into such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose Silas, and left after being entrusted by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Now, back to text at hand…Tired, weak, exhausted, not feeling well, facing the heart ache of division among the team, a time of rest was probably wanted but would not be afforded.
An Opportunity to Be On Mission (v. 15-16)
15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue officials sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.” 16 Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen:
What we find next is just a God thing. I have seen too many times in my own life as a minister. You are tired. You are exhausted on the physical level, the mental level, the emotional level, and yes, even the spiritual level. All you want to do is what Paul and Barnabas did when the entered into the synagogue, they went in…and sat down (v. 14b). They went to worship and rest. It was the Sabath and that was what they thought was planned for that day. However, God had different plans. He had provided a divine appointment/opportunity for them to Be On Mission.
God was preparing hearts to hear the truth - ‘...After reading of the Law and the Prophets...’
It was no accident that the Law and the Prophets were being read that day. For throughout the Law and the Prophets, every one of them point toward the promise of a Messiah to come. Everyone of them prophecy and prick the heart for Christ. As the author of Hebrews writes...
1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Abraham was promised that through his seed all nations would be blessed. That blessing would come through Christ. Moses prophesied of a prophet greater than he that would save the people of Israel. That prophet was Christ Jesus. David spoke of a savior to come within the Psalms. That savior is Jesus Christ. Isaiah spoke of a suffering servant who’s stripes would heal our sin. That suffering servant was Jesus Christ. We could go on and on. We could speak of Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, and on and on. All of whom spoke of a Savior to come. That savior to come was Jesus Christ.
God was preparing to open a door for Paul and Barnabas to Be On Mission - ‘...the synagogue officials sent word to them, saying, Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it...’
God was preparing Paul and Barnabas’ heart to share the truth - ‘...Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen...’
They were not facing the issues that they were facing just because. The exhaustion and toil that had already taken place was a way of God teaching them. The illness that Paul faced was a way of God teaching them. The abandonment of John Mark was a way of God teaching them. We will never go through anything in life without what we are going through having a purpose. We may not understand why, but there is a “why” to it. Sometimes we can be on a such a spiritual high that we forget what our mission is. What we need to do is stay focused and humble. We must remain dependent upon God. Within in this, He opens doors for us to Be On Mission. Within our text, we realize that God prepares hearts to hear. God opens a door for us to Be on Mission. Finally, God prepares our hearts to share.
A Declaration of Who God Is (v. 17-25)
Paul begins his introduction of his first recorded sermon in verses 17-25. He begins by meeting the people where they are reminding them of what they already knew by taking them through a history lesson. In doing this, he met the people where they were. Often we try to speak over the head of people with the gospel and speak down to people with the gospel, when in reality we just need to speak to people with the gospel. In doing this, we must start where they are. For some, they may have no idea about God or about Jesus, or about the church. They need to be introduced to all of them. Others may be like the crowd that Paul and Barnabas were with, a crowd that knew of God and Christ but did not know God the Father and Christ the Son. His intent was to take their head knowledge and give them an opportunity to have heart knowledge which is what we are all called to do in Being on Mission. As already stated, God prepared the heart of the people to listen. God prepared the heart of Paul and Barnabas to share. God had opened a door to share the gospel, for them to Be On Mission. It was up to Paul and Barnabas to walk through. It’s the same for us today. When sharing the gospel and its truth, let us remember to...
God is faithful and patient (v. 17-18)
God is sovereign (v. 19-22)
God is faithful to His plan of salvation (v. 23)
Jesus Christ is God’s plan of salvation (v. 24-25)
