Acts 13:13-52
The Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted
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Paul and Barnabas begin their missionary journey west. Most of this section deals with Paul’s sermon in Pisidian Antioch.
1. Two notable changes
1. Two notable changes
A. Paul seems to have take the primary leadership of the team.
A. Paul seems to have take the primary leadership of the team.
Prior to this chapter, Barnabas is mentioned first and then Paul. Now, Barnabas is not even mention and has simply become referred to as one of Paul’s companions. It would seem as if Paul had taken over the leadership role. Remember, Barnabas’ main ministry was that of encouragement. It would seem as if he graciously stepped out of the primary role.
B. John Mark has left the group.
B. John Mark has left the group.
We don’t know why he has left. Perhaps it is because he is homesick or he didn’t plan to be away for so long. Maybe he was unprepared for the travels or he was upset that Barnabas, his cousin, was not the leader. Maybe he doesn’t like the approach Paul is taking. For whatever the reason, John Mark has left the group and returned to Jerusalem.
2. Paul’s sermon in Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13:13-52)
2. Paul’s sermon in Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13:13-52)
A. Upon arriving in Antioch of Pisidia, Paul and Barnabas went to the local synagogue. (Acts 13:13-14)
A. Upon arriving in Antioch of Pisidia, Paul and Barnabas went to the local synagogue. (Acts 13:13-14)
13 Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia, but John left them and went back to Jerusalem.
14 They continued their journey from Perga and reached Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.
B. The leaders of the synagogue invited them the speak. (Acts 13:15)
B. The leaders of the synagogue invited them the speak. (Acts 13:15)
15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, you can speak.”
C. Paul addressed the Jewish people and other God-fearing people. (Acts 13:16)
C. Paul addressed the Jewish people and other God-fearing people. (Acts 13:16)
16 Paul stood up and motioned with his hand and said, “Fellow Israelites, and you who fear God, listen!
Twice in this sermon, Paul addressed both Jews and God-fearing people.
D. Paul began with a review of Israel’s history. (Acts 13:17-22)
D. Paul began with a review of Israel’s history. (Acts 13:17-22)
17 The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors, made the people prosper during their stay in the land of Egypt, and led them out of it with a mighty arm.
18 And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness;
19 and after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance.
20 This all took about 450 years. After this, 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 removing him, he raised up David as their king and testified about him, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my will.’
i. God worked with Israel in Egypt.
i. God worked with Israel in Egypt.
ii. God provided the escape from slavery through the Exodus.
ii. God provided the escape from slavery through the Exodus.
iii. God was with them even during their desert wanderings.
iii. God was with them even during their desert wanderings.
iv. God gave them the Promised Land as an inheritance.
iv. God gave them the Promised Land as an inheritance.
v. God gave them judges to deliver them.
v. God gave them judges to deliver them.
vi. God gave them Saul and then David as king.
vi. God gave them Saul and then David as king.
Paul’s point in give them this extremely brief history reminder is to show them how God’s activity in the nation of Israel climaxed with the coming of Jesus. God continued his progress in redemptive history until the climax with Jesus Christ.
E. Paul passed over the rest of Israel’s history to connect Jesus with King David. (Acts 13:23)
E. Paul passed over the rest of Israel’s history to connect Jesus with King David. (Acts 13:23)
23 “From this man’s descendants, as he promised, God brought to Israel the Savior, Jesus.
Paul wanted them to understand that Jesus was the fulfillment of all of the Old Testament’s anticipations of the Messiah.
F. Paul offered proofs of his claims that Jesus in the Messiah, the Son of God. (Acts 13:24-37)
F. Paul offered proofs of his claims that Jesus in the Messiah, the Son of God. (Acts 13:24-37)
i. John the Baptist anticipated his coming.
i. John the Baptist anticipated his coming.
24 Before his coming to public attention, John had previously proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25 Now as John was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the one. But one is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet.’
ii. Paul claimed that the long awaited salvation had arrived. (Acts 13:26)
ii. Paul claimed that the long awaited salvation had arrived. (Acts 13:26)
26 “Brothers and sisters, children of Abraham’s race, and those among you who fear God, it is to us that the word of this salvation has been sent.
iii. Paul presented Jesus’ death as fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. (Acts 13:27-29)
iii. Paul presented Jesus’ death as fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. (Acts 13:27-29)
27 Since the residents of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize him or the sayings of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, they have fulfilled their words by condemning him.
28 Though they found no grounds for the death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him killed.
29 When they had carried out all that had been written about him, they took him down from the tree and put him in a tomb.
iv. Paul recounted Jesus’ resurrection as witnessed by many credible people in keeping with the Old Testament prophecy. (Acts 13:30-37)
iv. Paul recounted Jesus’ resurrection as witnessed by many credible people in keeping with the Old Testament prophecy. (Acts 13:30-37)
30 But God raised him from the dead,
31 and he appeared for many days to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.
32 And we ourselves proclaim to you the good news of the promise that was made to our ancestors.
33 God has fulfilled this for us, their children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second Psalm: You are my Son; today I have become your Father.
34 As to his raising him from the dead, never to return to decay, he has spoken in this way, I will give you the holy and sure promises of David.
35 Therefore he also says in another passage, You will not let your Holy One see decay.
36 For David, after serving God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and decayed,
37 but the one God raised up did not decay.
G. Paul made the invitation to receive forgiveness and justification. (Acts 13:38-39)
G. Paul made the invitation to receive forgiveness and justification. (Acts 13:38-39)
38 Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers and sisters, that through this man forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you.
39 Everyone who believes is justified through him from everything that you could not be justified from through the law of Moses.
Notice the “requirements” of justification and salvation. Knowledge and belief are the two requirements. You must first know what Jesus did for you and then you must believe. If you don’t know what Jesus did, you can’t possibly believe and you can’t believe unless you know. They two concepts go hand in hand. You are justified by faith in Jesus Christ. This is a central idea in Paul’s teachings.
H. Paul concluded his message with a warning. (Acts 13:40-41)
H. Paul concluded his message with a warning. (Acts 13:40-41)
40 So beware that what is said in the prophets does not happen to you:
41 Look, you scoffers, marvel and vanish away, because I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will never believe, even if someone were to explain it to you.”
This is a quotation from Habbakuk 1:5. It is a warning of judgment upon those who reject God’s offer of salvation.
3. The response to Paul’s sermon (Acts 13:42-52)
3. The response to Paul’s sermon (Acts 13:42-52)
A. Paul and Barnabas were invited back to speak the next Sabbath. (Acts 13:42)
A. Paul and Barnabas were invited back to speak the next Sabbath. (Acts 13:42)
42 As they were leaving, the people urged them to speak about these matters the following Sabbath.
B. During the week, Paul and Barnabas continued to speak with the people. (Acts 13:43)
B. During the week, Paul and Barnabas continued to speak with the people. (Acts 13:43)
43 After the synagogue had been dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and urging them to continue in the grace of God.
During the week, they continued to engage the people and discuss the message of salvation with them.
C. The next Sabbath, everyone showed up to hear the message. (Acts 13:44)
C. The next Sabbath, everyone showed up to hear the message. (Acts 13:44)
44 The following Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of the Lord.
I doubt they were expecting this kind of response, but it was evident that God was working in the hearts of people.
D. The Jews, filled with jealousy, begin to speak against Paul. (Acts 13:45)
D. The Jews, filled with jealousy, begin to speak against Paul. (Acts 13:45)
45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what Paul was saying, insulting him.
E. Paul set a new pattern for ministry: Jews first, upon rejection, take it to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:46-47)
E. Paul set a new pattern for ministry: Jews first, upon rejection, take it to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:46-47)
46 Paul and Barnabas boldly replied, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles.
47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”
F. The Gentiles have an overwhelmingly positive response to the message of salvation. (Acts 13:48-49)
F. The Gentiles have an overwhelmingly positive response to the message of salvation. (Acts 13:48-49)
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed.
49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.
The Gentiles were amazingly receptive to the gospel message. Notice the tag line at the end of verse 48. It is not simply a person’s choice to be saved or not saved. It is always God’s love and mercy which saves.
G. Because of increasingly hostile Jewish persecution, Paul and Barnabas are forced to leave the area. (Acts 13:50-52)
G. Because of increasingly hostile Jewish persecution, Paul and Barnabas are forced to leave the area. (Acts 13:50-52)
50 But the Jews incited the prominent God-fearing women and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their district.
51 But Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet against them and went to Iconium.
52 And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
The “shaking off of the feet” is symbolic of removing the contamination of profane areas. Paul and Barnabas were declaring that the Jewish people in that region were profane and no true Israel.
Five Discussion Questions
Five Discussion Questions
1. What are some biblical ways to deal with leadership changes in ministry?
1. What are some biblical ways to deal with leadership changes in ministry?
2. Why is it important to have a background knowledge of Israel’s history?
2. Why is it important to have a background knowledge of Israel’s history?
3. Proclaiming the message of salvation is vital and so is following up with the people who hear the message of salvation. What are some ways we can continue to engage those who have heard the gospel, but have not yet recieved the gospel?
3. Proclaiming the message of salvation is vital and so is following up with the people who hear the message of salvation. What are some ways we can continue to engage those who have heard the gospel, but have not yet recieved the gospel?
4. Jealousy clouds good judgment. How do we combat feelings of jealousy when others are successful and we are not?
4. Jealousy clouds good judgment. How do we combat feelings of jealousy when others are successful and we are not?
5. Have you ever had to “shake off your feet” when giving the gospel and are rejected? What did it feel like?
5. Have you ever had to “shake off your feet” when giving the gospel and are rejected? What did it feel like?