review As we began Chapter 13 we saw that WORSHIP

was the TRADEMARK of the early Church - It was

the PRIORITY of the church in Antioch.

As we spent time together in those first few verses

we saw that the missionary endeavors of the early Church were

birthed in the context of worship.

We saw that as they were ministering to the Lord

the Holy Spirit DIRECTED the believers to send Saul

and Barnabas out as missionaries.

review

the journeyan overview

As we pick up in Acts 13:4 Paul and Barnabas

will make the 15 mile journey from Antioch to Seleucia, the sea port of

Antioch.

They are going to sail 134 miles across the sea to Cyprus where they will preach at Salamis and

Paphos.

In Paphos, as Paul is sharing the Good News

with a Roman procounsel named Sergius Paulus,

they are openly opposed by a false prophet.

the journeyan overview

(Acts 13:9-12 KJV) Then Saul, (who also is

called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, {10} And

said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou

enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? {11} And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is

upon thee,

and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a

season. And immediately there fell on

him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. {12} Then the deputy,

when he saw what was done, believed, being

astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

From Paphos they will sail another 156 miles to Perga in Pamphylia.

(= 305)

They would immediately leave Perga and travel

125 miles inland to Antioch in Pisidia.

the journeyan overview

There was a reason for their brief stay in Pamphylia.

the journeyan overview

Not so very long afterwards Paul would

write a letter to the people we will soon find him

ministering to -

We know it as the Book of Galatians as these towns

were in the Roman province of Galatia.

the journeyan overview

(Gal 4:13 NLT)

Surely you remember that I was sick when I first brought you the Good News of Christ.

the journeyan overview

So when he came to Galatia he was a sick

man.

William Barclay suggests that he was the victim of a

vicious form of Malaria which was prevalent in that low coastal strip of

Asia Minor.

the journeyan overview

Quote

A traveller says that the headache characteristic of this malaria was like a red-hot bar thrust through the

forehead; and another likens it to a dentist's drill boring through a man's

temple.

the journeyan overview

Key Insight

This sickness was so severe that it took a

tremendous toll upon Paul’s life.

It apparently disfigured him to the extent that

many people treated him with contempt.

the journeyan overview

(Gal 4:14 NLT)

But even though my sickness was revolting

to you, you did not reject me and turn me away. No, you took me in and cared for me as though I were an angel

from God or even Christ Jesus himself.

the journeyan overview

It apparently damaged his eyesight.

Gal 4:15 (NKJV) What then was the

blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you

would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me.

the journeyan overview

Key Observation

It never struck him to turn back.

Even when his body was ravaged by Malaria Paul

never ceased to drive on and to be an missionary

for Christ.

the journeyan overview

(Acts 13:14 KJV)

But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia,

the journeyan overview

Key ObservationOne of the amazing things about this passage in Acts

is the courage that is passed over in a

sentence.

the journeyan overview

Key Insight

Antioch in Pisidia stood on a plateau 3,600 feet above

sea-level.

To get to it Paul and Barnabas would have to

cross the Taurus range of mountains by one of the

hardest roads in Asia Minor.

the journeyan overview

Key Insight

It was a road which was also notorious for robbers

and criminals.

It is very possible that this journey is what Paul was

referring to when he wrote to the Corinthian

Christians -

the journeyan overview

(2 Cor 11:26 NLT)

I have traveled many weary miles. I have faced danger from

flooded rivers and from robbers.

the journeyan overview

the message

Key Observation

When they arrived there he went into the

synagogue on the Sabbath.

When asked if he had anything to share Paul

jumped at the opportunity and began to share with

them the good news.

the message

Key Observation

His words are recorded in Verses 17-41.

In Verses 17- 25 Paul lays a foundation for the

Gospel by reviewing for them the history of God’s

gracious dealings with Israel.

the message

Key Observation

In Verses 26-37 Paul then makes a direct declaration

of the Gospel.

He focuses upon the death and resurrection of

Jesus .

the message

Key Observation

He concludes in Verses 38-39 by telling his

listeners that there is a wonderful PROMISE for those who RECEIVE the

Gospel.

(Acts 13:38-39 NKJV)"Therefore let it be

known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached

to you the forgiveness of sins;

{39} "and by Him everyone who

believes is justified from all things from which you could not

be justified by the law of Moses.

this Man

Note Well

This little 2 word phrase is a crucial one to note as we study the MESSAGE

of the early Church.

REMEMBER - This Book of Acts is THE MODEL for

the Church.

this Man

Note Well

Countless numbers of people REFUSE to come

to grips with the FACT that:

REAL CHRISTIANITY is all about

this man.

this Man

Christianity is not merely about values or morals or

principles.

It is not merely about the benefits of belonging to a

church.

It is about this man.

this Man

It is amazing how in so many pulpits today the subject will be about virtually anything and

everything except this man.

this Man

There is one thing that WE, and YOU and I,

MUST do - not in a rude,

confrontational way, but in a loving and clear way - bring people to the place of dealing with this man.

Key Application

this Man

I once got an e-mail from a man in which he said

that he couldn’t see himself becoming a Christian because

Christianity didn’t FEEL right to him.

Example

this Man

I replied by saying that it is not about what he feels, it

is about this man.

I think I should add that there are those who choose to “become

Christian” because it feels right to them.

Example

this Man

The GOSPEL, the GOOD NEWS,

centers around this man.

Key Point

this Man

Mark begins his account of the life of Jesus with

these words -

(Mark 1:1 NLT) Here begins the Good News about Jesus the

Messiah, the Son of God.

this Man

Paul said to the Corinthians -

(1 Cor 2:2 NKJV) For I determined not to know anything among

you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

this Man

Peter said in the first sermon ever preached –

(Acts 4:12) Neither is there

salvation in any other: for there is none other

name under heaven given among men,

whereby we must be saved.

through this Man

Christianity BEGINS and ENDS with this man

because it is through this man

(and this man alone), that we can find forgiveness

of sins.

Note Well

through this Man

(Eph. 1:7 NKJV)

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness

of sins, according to the riches of His grace

through this Man

Man’s GREAT problem is the problem of sin.

Crucial Insight

through this Man

All of man’s

FRUSTRATIONSLACK OF PEACE

DISSATISFACTION

come from the FACT that man was made to KNOW

God and RECEIVE life from love from God.

Crucial Insight

through this Man

BUT man’s sins have SEPARATED him

from God.

Crucial Insight

through this Man

The great need of man is NOT

a new environment. (The Great Society”)

Belonging to a Church –(“Got Church?”)

Having a sense of Community.

(postmodern-man)

Note Well

through this Man

The great need of man is to REMEDY the one thing that stands between him

and God.

The Good News is this -

God has provided a REMEDY for sin in the

person of His Son, Jesus Christ!

Note Well

through this Man

(Eph. 2:12-16 NKJV)that at that time you

were without Christ… having no hope and without God in the

world. {13} But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

through this Man

{14} For He Himself is our peace… {16} and

that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross,

through this Man

(Col 1:20-22 NKJV)and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself…

having made peace through the blood of His

cross. {21} And you, who once were alienated

and enemies in your mind by wicked works,

through this Man

yet now He has reconciled {22} in the

body of His flesh through death, to

present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight;

justified by Him

(Job 25:4) How then can man be justified with God? or

how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

Job asked the question

The Book of Roman uses the term justified a lot.

It answers the question of Job in the negative:

Key Insight

justified by Him

For no one can ever be made right (justified) in

God's sight by doing what his law commands.

For the more we know God's law, the clearer it becomes that we aren't

obeying it.

(Rom 3:20 NLT)

justified by Him

It answers the question of Job in the positive:

Key Insight

(Rom 3:24 KJV)

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in

Christ Jesus:

justified by Him

(Rom 3:28 NLT)

So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the

law.

justified by Him

Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we

have peace with God because of what Jesus

Christ our Lord has done for us.

(Rom 5:1 NLT)

justified by Him

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be

saved from wrath through Him.

(Rom 5:9 NKJV)

justified by Him

To be justified before God is not the result of our religious efforts, or moral

reform, or of church attendance!

In order for man to be justified before God, the penalty for sin must be

paid.

Crucial Insight

justified by Him

For the wages of sin is death;

(Rom 6:23 KJV)

justified by Him

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the

suffering of death… that he by the grace of God should taste death for

every man.

(Heb. 2:9 KJV)

justified by Him

Crucial Point

You and I can be justified because of God’s love.

justified by Him

(1 John 4:10)

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that

He loved us and sent His Son to be the

propitiation (wrath appeasing sacrifice) for

our sins.

justified by Him

a warning

Key Observation

In Verses 40-41 Paul closes his message with

a warning –

Beware….

(Heb 3:23 KJV)

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great

salvation…

a warning

Key Insight

God warns us because he loves us and does not want us

to perish!

a warning

(2 Peter 3:9 NKJV)

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise,

as some count slackness, but is

longsuffering toward us, not willing that any

should perish but that all should come to

repentance.

a warning