Sermons Worth Stealing - Pt 8

Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen.” (Acts 13:13-16 ESV).

This is the first sermon in the book of Acts that we hear from the apostle Paul. And one way to understand it is to see two main points. One point is that everything in the history of Israel was leading up to the coming of Jesus and the great salvation for sinners that he would accomplish when he died and rose again. The other point in this sermon is that the story behind Jesus is God's story. This text is utterly saturated with God. Sixteen times Paul presses home the truth that God is the central Actor in history (vv. 17-30). I would encourage you to read those verses and note how Paul’s sermon undeniably declares God is responsible for all of history, both collectively and individually. Now think about all this for a moment. Don't take this kind of narration of history for granted. Let it strike you as strange as it really is. We don’t usually tell our stories from this perspective. When we tell somebody about the past, do you say, "God did this and God did that and God did that and God did that."? Do you say that God did virtually everything? I know I fall woefully short in that regard. So, Paul didn't have to either. He chose to preach this way. He consciously chose to narrate history this way. He was making a statement. It is a point we need to listen to again and again today. He was saying, There is a great and glorious God. Know him. Reckon with him. Think about him. He was saying that God is really working in history. He is the main Worker in history. He is the explanation for, the meaning of, everything. We live in an age where this is not believed. We assign responsibility for outcomes based on what we do. While it is true that there is a consequence for every choice, we are not the basis for that consequence. That is simply way above our pay grade! We live in a superficial and naïve age. It is superficial and naïve to discuss events and never deal with their most important connections; namely, their connections are with God and his purposes. Dealing with this truth and being intentional in our message to ourselves and others is the only means to contentment. We cannot be overcomers until we are in touch with the One who has already overcome! The message of Paul was joyfully accepted by some and violently opposed by others. The outcome of the truth is never our responsibility. It is our responsibility to declare it. That is the path to freedom for all men. Indeed, if God brings you to it, He will bring you through it!