INTRODUCTION
• Over the past few weeks, we have been looking that some of the sermons preached by the early church, specifically from the Apostle Peter.
• The focus of the sermons we have examined thus far was on the fact that Jesus was resurrected from the grave; therefore, Jesus is alive and can be a great blessing to us yet today!
• In our passage today, we will notice a shift of focus from the preaching of Peter to Paul's messages.
• The theme of the resurrection will still be a vital foundation for the messages; however, this week, we will see a shift in emphasis to a major ramification of the resurrection of Jesus.
• One of my all-time favorite movies, the 1999 film The Matrix, shows a dystopian world where people are held captive in chambers.
• They are oblivious to the reality that they live in a fallen world, ruled over by machines that use their life force as the power source for their technology.
• The people are oblivious to this reality because their minds are continually plugged into the Matrix, a computer-simulated reality.
• Some humans have escaped or been set free, and one group of them, led by the character Morpheus, is searching for “the One.”
• The One has been foretold in prophecy to deliver humanity, setting them free from the rule of the machines.
• This is an example of a Messianic-style prophecy.
• There is something in the theme of Messianic prophecy that deeply appeals to the human psyche.
› Our big idea for today flows from the proclamation from the early church and see that one crucial element of the early church’s proclamation was that Jesus is the Messiah!
• Let’s turn to Acts 13, we will begin in verses 23-25!
Acts 13:23–25 CSB
23 “From this man’s descendants, as he promised, God brought to Israel the Savior, Jesus.
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.’
SERMON
I. The message of John the Baptist.
• I want to give you a little background before we dive deep.
• Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark left Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia.
• PAPHOS TO PERGA RED LINE. GREENLINE IS JOHN MARK GOING BACK TO JERUSALEM. MAP!!!!
• In Perga, John Mark (author of the Gospel of Mark) leaves Paul and Barnabas to go back to Jerusalem, which later causes a temporary rift between Paul and John Mark mot likely because Paul felt John did not have a good reason to run home and leave Paul and Barnabas.
• From Perga, Paul and Barnabas head towards Pisidian in Antioch. MAP!!!
• Once in Pisidian, Paul, and Barnabas head to Pisidian.
• As I said earlier, by Acts 13, the focus has shifted from Peter to Paul. Paul and his companions have arrived in Pisidian Antioch.
• On the Sabbath day, they attend a synagogue service. After reading Scripture, the leader invites them to speak, and so Paul gets up and addresses the congregation.
• Fitting the context of Jews and gentile converts to Judaism (God-fearers), Paul steeps his message in the Scripture they know: the Old Testament.
• Paul knew how to capture the attention of his Jewish audience so he started with something the Jewish people loved to hear, their heritage.
• When we share the gospel, we need to find something that connects with the person or people before us. If we cannot capture their attention, they will not listen to the message,
• Paul goes over four important events in Jewish history, and his message culminates in a declaration of messianic hope (v. 23).
• This is the one; he proceeds to point out that John the Baptist testified (vv. 24–25).
• John the Baptist was extremely well known; even in Acts 19Paul encounters people in Ephesus who were followers of John the Baptist.
• So Paul uses John the Baptist as his launching pad from Old Testament Scripture to the Messiah Jesus.
• In verses 16-22, Paul sets up what he is about to share by offering a brief history of Israel from the time the nation was in Egypt to the time of King David.
• This takes us to verses 23-25, where we are told the Messiah would come through the line of David, the man Jesus!
• Paul proclaims that Jesus is the one of whom God spoke!
• Now, this brings us to John the Baptist.
• John’s job was to prepare the way for the Messiah with his baptism of repentance.
• In verse 25, we have a quote from John from Matthew 3:11
Acts 13:25 CSB
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.’
• Some thought John was the one they were waiting for.
• People were looking, and people were looking for some hope. Their lives were not the best; they were under the rule of Rome.
• John made it clear that he was not the Messiah; later, John would point out, baptized, and lose his followers to Jesus!
• John was a witness; we have his testimony.
• Paul moves on from John to another thought.
• Let’s turn to verses 26-36. We will hit a couple of highlights.
Acts 13:26–36 CSB
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.
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.
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,
II. The message of the Old Testament Prophets.
• In this section of the message, Paul spends time talking to them about Jesus.
• Paul reminds the folks that the word of salvation was given through the nation of Israel.
• Paul goes on the say that the residents of Jerusalem did not recognize Jesus.
• Look at verse 27 again.
Acts 13:27 CSB
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.
• The Prophets pointed to Jesus; their prophecies shined their light on Him!
• Paul gives speaks of how Jesus was put to death and even made a point to say that Pilate even said Jesus did nothing deserving death.
• Verse 29 reminds us that the prophets had prophesized all that happened!
Acts 13:29 CSB
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.
• Then we are back on the theme of the early church; God raised Him!!
• Paul said they were sharing the good news about Jesus that the prophets had given.
• Paul quotes Isaiah 55:3 to show that Jesus was the one of whom who Isaiah spoke of.
• Verse 35 is a quote of Psalm 16:10.
• Paul makes the point that David did what God called him to do and then he died and stayed dead!
• Because David is in the grave, David was not the one the Psalmist speaks of!
• The prophecies point to Jesus!
• There is no hope in a dead man! A dead person cannot save you!
• Let’s turn to verses 37-42!
Acts 13:37–42 CSB
37 but the one God raised up did not decay.
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.
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.”
42 As they were leaving, the people urged them to speak about these matters the following Sabbath.
III. The message of hope!
• Back to the resurrection theme! JESUS DID NOT decay in the grave!
• In this section of the message, Paul really drives home the power of this liberation:
Acts 13:39 CSB
Everyone who believes is justified through him from everything that you could not be justified from through the law of Moses.
• This is radical and liberating!
• The division between clean and unclean that guided the life of observant Jews was never enough to make them acceptable to God, and so they still had to perform sacrifices of cleansing, sin offerings, purification rites, and so forth (Hebrews 10:4).
• Jesus lived the perfect life for us and then took the curse of God upon himself when he was crucified.
• In verses 40-41 we are cautioned not to dismiss Jesus as they had done because we do not want to miss on the great gift of salvation!
• Verse 41 is a quote from Habakkuk.
• Habakkuk had reference to when he originally spoke was to the temporal judgments following the invasions by the Chaldeans.
• What is the reaction to this good news? Verse 42 says the people “begged” for them to return the next Sabbath and speak more on this subject.
• The Greek word for “begged” is a combination of two words: to be near and to cry out.
• The image is of Paul’s hearers running up to him after his sermon and crying out for him to continue speaking about this gift of salvation that God has given to us (Strong’s Greek Concordance, s.v. “G3870, parakaleo,” https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G3870&t=KJV).
• Why? Why would they beg for more?
• Because Jesus fulfills the hopes and dreams of the world.
CONCLUSION
• What about those gathered here today?
• What’s oppressing you?
• What are you hoping for that Jesus already has provided?
• What are you yearning for that Jesus can satisfy?
• Have you discovered that he comforts our fears and gives us hope for the future?
• Come to Him and believe.
• That was Paul’s proclamation in Pisidian Antioch, and it is still relevant today.
• We can trust what the prophets and witnesses have to say about Jesus, Jesus Messiah!
• Our Application Point for today is: Jesus fulfills our deepest yearnings and hopes for life.
