(Read Acts 13:44-52)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing to learn more about the amazing life of the Apostle Paul. I trust you enjoyed yesterday’s message. The sermon Paul preached in Pisidia was the first message he preached on his first missionary journey. The primary audience who heard the message were Jews, but God had called Paul to the Gentiles. Paul may not have known what God was doing, but God was up to something. Once the Jews heard that Jesus was the Messiah, that He could offer what the Law of Moses could not, and that salvation was available by Grace and not works, the word spread like wildfire throughout the city.
The following week almost the entire city turned out to hear Paul and Barnabas preach the Gospel of the Kingdom and salvation by Grace. But when some of the Jews saw the crowds, they were jealous; so they slandered Paul and argued against whatever he said. These were supposed to be God’s people, but they were (like Paul once was) fighting against God. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, “It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles. For the Lord gave us this command when he said, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.’” The Jews were not happy with Paul’s statement, but the Gentiles surely were. They were exceedingly glad and thanked the Lord for His message. All who believed were Born-Again and received eternal life.
The Lord’s message quickly spread throughout the region. The Jews, still upset about both the message and the messengers, stirred up the influential religious women and the leaders of the city, and they incited a mob against Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town. Paul and Barnabas were not moved. They had done what they were supposed to do. They shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection and they moved on to the next town, Iconium. Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel in Iconium and many were filled with the Holy Spirit and with joy.
So what does this mean to you today? Let’s seek to glean some nuggets from the revolutionary message Paul and Barnabas were preaching. Amazingly, over 2,000 years later, the message still sounds revolutionary.
1. You are not saved by works. The Jews Paul and Barnabas preached to quickly rejected and fought against the gospel of Grace, because they were so focused on what they thought they were doing for God, that they could not embrace what God had already done for them through Jesus. Unfortunately, over 2,000 years later, many (Jews and non-Jews alike) still have the same mentality. While they think they are doing right by focusing on their works, and while their heart might be in the right place, the only way to receive eternal life is to embrace God’s Grace and the finished work of Jesus on Calvary’s cross. You should perform divine works BECAUSE you are saved, to TO BE saved.
2. The Law of Moses was not designed to save you. I shared this yesterday, but it is worth repeating. Paul taught, “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor 3:6). The letter was the Law of Moses and the Holy Spirit is freely given by Grace. Paul taught, “The Law gives sin its strength” (1 Cor 15:56). Without the Law you would not sin, because you would not have any rules to break. In two places Paul made it clear that we are not under the law but under grace (Rom 6:15 & Gal 3:25). Paul even called the 10 commandments, which was God’s Law etched in stone, “the ministry of death” (2 Cor 3:7). Why? Because the Law was designed to show us that we needed a Savior. The Law was designed to get us (mankind) to the end of ourselves. We could never fulfill the Law. The Law condemns us, but Jesus came to give us access to eternal life and freedom IN HIM by Grace!
3. Eternal life in Christ is freely made available to all men. When Paul and Barnabas freely offered eternal life to Gentiles (non-Jews), it infuriated the Jews in Pisidia and they incited a mob to run the men out of town. You think the racial tension in the United States is bad, the racial tension between Jews and Gentiles, and especially between Jews and Samaritans, was extremely bad. Many Jews could not accept the fact that God was freely offering eternal life by Grace to all men. Jew or Gentile, male or female, bond or free, Black or White, Hispanic or Asian, rich or poor, General or Private, Executive or laborer, we all have access to eternal life in Christ, by Grace, and we all BECOME ONE IN HIM once we have received Jesus as Lord!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for Your radical and revolutionary message. I now understand that I am not under the Law anymore and I can never earn my salvation by works. The Law condemned me and I got to the end of myself. I arrived at the point where I knew I could not do it on my own, nor could I ever be good enough to deserve eternal life. So I embraced Your Grace, I received eternal life in Christ, not because of my works, but by Jesus’ finished work. I am not perfect, but Jesus was perfect for me. I am not worthy, but Jesus was worthy for me. Jesus is my Savior and He is now, and He will always be my Lord! I now freely share this message, this gospel of Grace and the Kingdom, with everyone You lead me to share it with. I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is Your power for salvation, freely offered to everyone who believes. I am IN YOU and I now freely embrace all my brothers and sisters who are also IN YOU. I embrace them regardless of race, ethnicity, skin color, background, or socioeconomic status. We are ALL ONE IN YOU! I refuse to allow race or anything else to divide us. Whether Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, Church of God, Church of Christ, or Church of God in Christ, we are ALL ONE IN YOU! No longer will I focus on our differences. I will focus on what we have in common and that is Jesus. Jesus the Christ is our common denominator and if we have Him in common, then we have too much in common to be uncommon with one another. I walk in love, I extend Grace, and I share Your gospel message with a dark, dying and decaying world. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
