Never Enough Series

“Never Enough”

Acts 13:42-49

My brother, up in Alaska, wrote to me and told me what happened last Sunday. He had been asked to preach because his pastor was going on vacation. When he sat down he could hardly write fast enough a message the Lord gave him. Waking up Sunday, panic set in when the water line at his house broke and there was no water. Then he got to church only to find the greeter was sick and would not be available, he got a back up and discovered there was no time to review his notes and pray the amount of time he desired. Well pray (short) he did, and then stepped into the pulpit where he immediately felt the Lord’s presence and help; and he preached.”

What a mighty God we serve!

In this day and hour the simple word “Preach” has somehow become a bad word.

Many radio sermons are introduced as a talk, but the Bible calls it preaching over 100 times.

With the Law of First Mention we find “Preach” first written in; Nehemiah 6:7 “And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.”

The root meaning:

Preach = call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim, to summon, or invite,

This has not changed even when we see the word “Preach” in the New Testament.

I am not against sitting when the body is week or tired.

I am not against a Bible study at a home where we all sit and discuss the Word of God.

But “Preach” is a word that should remain in our vocabulary and should be used often as we gather together.

Let’s look at Paul and the results of preaching God’s Word…

I. Excitement From The Word

Acts 13:42-43 “And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. 43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.”

Worship service has ended and we see, like any other church, there are those who leave and then there are those how hang around.

Proselytes - one who has come over from a Gentile religion to Judaism

In today’s world this word is used for any change of religious action that would cause them to leave their base religion.

In the Muslim world this would be a call for death because they left their false teaching.

Persuaded them to continue in the grace of God - Looks like changes have taken place in the hearts of these who are following and they were hungry for more.

Persuade - to induce one to do something

Not much needed because this is exactly what Paul wanted; the Gospel to be received.

Luke 15:10 “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

Can’t say for anyone else but I get excited when salvation happens in the heart of a person.

II. Expectancy From The Word

Acts 13:44 “And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.”

Expectancy = state of expecting; expectation

Came almost the whole city together - The news of the presence of the apostles, and of their doctrines, had been circulated, doubtless, by the Gentiles who had heard them, and curiosity attracted the multitude to hear them

To hear the word of God -

Some perhaps curious

Some excited (want more)

Some to quarrel

Whatever the reason the Gospel is going out and it is not restricted to just the Jews but the whole city.

III. Extinguishing From The Word

Acts 13:45 “But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.”

Envy - to boil with heat, be hot, fierceness of indignation, to be jealous.

Envy is an observable emotion that others will see and the one acting in envy denies.

Notice the extent that they were willing to go to stop Paul from becoming an influence of others.

Contradicting - declare one’s self against him, refuse to have anything to do with him

Blaspheming - speaking evil, slanderous, reproachful, railing, abusive

You might say in today’s words, they cussed him out.

Those who oppose the Bible and God’s children are not content to just say nothing.

What harm could be by letting you and me alone?

The answer is they do not want others to be moved into a relationship with Christ.