Acts 13:16-41

                                                             Acts 13:16-41

So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance.  All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.  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.  And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’  Of this man's offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised.  

Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.  And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’  “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.  And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed.  And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.  But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. 

And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’ And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ Therefore he says also in another psalm, “‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’ For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, but he whom God raised up did not see corruption.  Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,  and by him everyone who believes is freed^[c] from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about: “‘Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’”

When Paul is given the opportunity to speak in the synagogue, he makes the most of it.  This passage records his sermon in the synagogue.  He is so wise in His approach to this audience of Jews.  The focus of his message, as every message should be, is Jesus.  However, he does not start with Jesus, he starts with a review of the history of Israel to demonstrate his knowledge of their history and how Jesus was a part of their story.  He clearly revels who Jesus is and what He had done for them.  Finally, he concluded by proving to them from Scripture that Jesus was the fulfilment of their Scripture.  He had a knowledge of his audience, a conviction to his message and a convincing argument from an authoritative source in the minds of his hearers.

THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL: Paul reviews the highlights of Israel.  They were chosen by God and became a numerous nation while in captivity in Egypt.  However, God’s strong arm led them out into freedom where they tested God in the wilderness.  Yet, God was faithful and empowered them to defeat many nations and they were given the land that had been promised to them.  They were ruled by judges and then the prophet Samuel before crowning a king.  Saul was not a faithful king, so God chose David from whom God brought forth Jesus the Savior of the world.  This quick review demonstrated God’s provision for the nation despite repeated unfaithfulness and established the identity of Jesus as a descendent of David from whom they were all awaiting Messiah.  This was Paul’s introduction in which he identified with his audience and presented his subject, Jesus.  As we try to reach others, these two goals are important.  If we don’t identify with people, they won’t hear us.  If we don’t reveal Jesus to them, there is no reason to hear us.

THE HISTORY OF JESUS: The history of the people of Israel is one that has a purpose and that it Jesus.  The promise of Messiah was given in the garden right after sin entered the world.  However, when God called Abraham, it was revealed that Messiah would come through his descendants.  The prophets spoke of this.  John the Baptist pointed to Jesus.  The people in the Synagogues of Jerusalem studied it.  However, they still did not recognize that Jesus was the promised Messiah.  Instead, they convinced Pilate to crucify Him.  He was buried but rose again.  This is the history of Jesus, and this is the good news because it is the way that God paid for sin.  God proved the identity of Jesus as Messiah though the resurrection.  This is the good news that Paul came to announce and that we are called to announce to all the nations.

THE HISTORY OF SCRIPTURE: Paul ends his sermon on the Gospel by going to the Scriptures and demonstrating form Psalms and the Prophets that Jesus was the Messiah and that they were now being given the opportunity to trust Him for the forgiveness of Sin.  The Law of Moses was unable to save but demonstrates the need of salvation by convicting of sin.  Jesus came to provide forgiveness, not by keeping a list of rules and regulations, but by faith.  He called them to make a decision and warned them of the consequences of unbelief.  This is a great presentation of how the Gospel should be taught.

APPLICATION: As we seek to reach people with the Gospel, it is fundamental that we identify with them as a people.  It is important to know the people to whom we speak and understand how they look at the world.  Jesus is the focus of any presentation of the Gospel.  The fact that He is the Son of God, died for our sin and rose from the grave must be a part of any presentation of the Gospel.  Speaking on the authority of God’s Word is the only way we have the right to share the way of salvation.  It is not a message of our tradition or invention but is God’s Holy Word.