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Main Idea
Seeing God’s gracious provision from the past points us to His gracious provision for today.
The parents of a young family once wanted to take their kids on vacation, and not just a trip to the beach, but a real adventure, sparing no expense. So, the parents commit themselves to:
- Brainstorm vacation ideas
- Select the destination
- Save up for the trip
- Plan out the itinerary and logistics
- Provide the snacks for the car and pay for the meals
- Patiently deal with all the ‘Are we there yet?’ remarks and hangry attacks
- Deal with any traffic issues along the way
- Delight in the daily experiences of their kids
- buy them souvenirs
- Protect them from harmful and bad decisions
- Get them safely home
Though exhausting for the parents, they would instantly do it all again.
Today’s scripture reflects this family’s story, and its conclusion can be summed up in two numbers: 15 to 1.
Passage
Acts 13:13–32 ESV
13 Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, 14 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. 15 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.” 16 So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said:
“Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. 17 The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. 18 And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. 19 And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. 20 All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ 23 Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. 24 Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
26 “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. 27 For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 28 And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29 And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. 32 And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers…
Outline
I – The gospel goes North (vv. 13-15)
II – God’s grace and provision in the past (vv. 16-25)
III – A plea to behold God’s new provision (vv. 26-32)
I – The gospel goes north
Once their work is finished on the island of Cyprus, the 3-man band travels north into Asia Minor. In modern-day terms, they launched from the southern tip of Turkey (Antioch of Syria) to Cyprus, then returned to the southern coast of Turkey.
Notice the change in leadership. Before, Luke would put Barnabas first on the list. After all, Barnabas was the one who vouched for Paul, to begin with, and was sent by the Apostles to Antioch to investigate the church’s growth. However, Paul will take the lead role as first among equals on this 1st missionary journey. Now, instead of ‘Barnabas and Saul,’ it is ‘Paul and his companions.’
Travel Itinerary
Paphos: The west coast port of Cyprus, which housed the local Roman government.
Perga: A slightly inland coastal city in southern Turkey. Geographically, it is in the region of Pamphylia.
Antioch: Geographically in the region of Pisidia, though politically, it was in the Roman province of Galatia. There were up to 16 ‘Antiochs’ in the first century, so Luke must identify exactly which one he refers to. This Antioch was established in 25 BC as a Roman colony by Caesar Augustus himself and became the military and civil center for the region of Galatia; and sits at an elevation much like Boone and Jefferson, being 3,600 feet above sea level. There is a reason I am making this distinction. Culturally and ethnically, this is the region of Pisidia. Politically, it was Galatia, though there was a cultural and geographical region further north called Galatia. Because Paul visited one during his first missionary journey, and the other during the second, this has brought confusion when trying to confirm the timing of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Just some food for thought. It’s even speculated that Paul caught malaria in Perga and went to higher ground in Antioch to recoup, based on the sickness he described in his letter to the Galatians.
During the travel, John Mark left them and went back to Jerusalem. We don’t know how his departure affected Barnabas, but Paul will clarify in a few chapters that he felt like John Mark deserted them. This event would eventually cause this dynamic duo to split up and separate.
The playbook
We don’t get any details from Luke about their activities in Perga, but when Paul and Barnabas arrive in Antioch of Pisidia, we see them run the same play from their playbook. They went to God’s covenant people in the synagogue.
The service was standard. The Shema was likely read, followed by a prayer, a reading from the law, and then from the prophets. Evidently, the reputation of these two men had reached this synagogue because, after reading the law and prophets, Paul and Barnabas were invited to give a word of encouragement to the congregation. This would initiate Paul’s first recorded synagogue sermon in the book of Acts. It would also reveal a few things about Paul.
1. As we saw with Peter when he escaped prison, he motioned with his hand to quiet the excited church so he could tell his story. Here, Paul also motions with his hand before telling his story. This is another intentional parallel between the two church leaders.
2. Paul stands to address the people. We will see in a moment how Paul relationally identifies with his audience, even in the posture in which he addresses them. It is customary in Palestinian synagogues to sit while you teach, but it was more common in the synagogues of the Diaspora in the surrounding regions to stand while teaching. Paul is a master of knowing his audience.
We can glean a few relevant applications in this small section. First, we can take comfort in knowing that doing ministry isn’t easy. In just a few short verses, we see Paul possibly contracting malaria, John Mark deserting the others (which surely have led to some hard conversations since he was Barnabas’ cousin), and we see a change in front-line leadership. Doing ministry is hard, and we can be encouraged to know that reality in the first missionary journey and their continued partnership and unity after the fact.
Secondly, we can see the adherence to the playbook and boldness to proclaim the gospel. They did not back down from any opportunity to proclaim Christ.
Here, we see God’s continued provision for His people by leading Paul and Barnabas to new territory, teaching and equipping the growing missional church.
II – God’s grace and provision in the past
After the invitation to speak, Paul takes the lead.
Paul’s sermon: similar to Stephen and Peter. Stephen gave a much longer exposition of Israel’s past, building bridges from the past to the present… how rulers in the Old Testament rejected God, and how the Jewish leaders of the present were doing the same. Peter cited a handful of Old Testament passages and pointed to how Jesus fulfilled them. Here, Paul does a bit of both.
As I said earlier, Paul knows his audience well and addresses both groups present: Ethnic Jews and Proselytes (Gentiles who fear Israel’s God).
The Pharisee of Pharisees is identifying with his audience by using inclusive language. First, he calls them brothers, thus identifying himself as a Jew. Then, he explains how God chose “our fathers,” again including himself with the others.
Then, he launches into an exposition of their shared past, laying it out in four distinct sections. Consider these four links in a logical chain that fortifies the truth of God’s provision for and grace over His people. Today, I pray that we all drink deeply from this deep, theologically rich well. It may seem like a small history lesson, but in reality, Paul masterfully lays out 15 different ways God graciously provided for His people. Let’s study the scriptures together, and then we will end with a recap.
The Era of the Exodus
God graciously provided for His people:
1. In the land of Egypt for 400 years (made them great, uplifted them, led them out). We grow in the struggles of life. God made them great (blessed their numbers) while in the painful and exhausting conditions of their slavery. He raised Moses, by which he lifted them out of their affliction and crushing circumstances, and led them out of the country.
2. In the wilderness for 40 years (put up with them). God led and sustained His people, who were noisy, clanging symbols in His ear, constantly complaining about their lack of this and that. While they demonstrated faithlessness, God remained patiently faithful to them.
3. In the conquest of the Promised Land for 10 years (destroyed seven nations and gave them the land, Deut. 7:1). God goes before the enemies of His people, destroying the opposition and lovingly protecting His own.
Seeing God’s gracious provision in the past always points us to His gracious provision for today.
The Era of Judges
God provided for and showed grace to Israel by giving them the Judges… all the way through Samuel. The original design was for God to be the King over His people and established Judges (or rulers) as His delegated ruling authority. Though there were good and bad Judges, however, Paul doesn’t go that far into the weeds. His point was to highlight God’s provision of leadership for the Israelites. God’s established rulers reigned up to the time of Samuel when the first official King was established.
The Era of Kings
1. Saul. The people rebelled against God’s original design and begged for a human King, so He gave them one. Saul was chosen from the tribe of Benjamin and ruled for 40 years – being a sort of symbolic wilderness experience because he was a poor leader. After 40 years, God removed him from leadership and raised up David.
2. David – David was the beloved King of Israel who passionately loved God. He was by no means perfect, but he pursued God in his successes and failures. That is probably why Paul pieced together scripture from Ps 89:20 & 1 Sam. 13:14, showing how God himself testified to David’s faithfulness and determination to carry out God’s will.
The Era of the Messiah
Up to this point, there would have been unanimous agreement on the content of Paul’s encouraging words. Now, Paul was going to drive this bus right into the gospel highway.
All of this history was laid out so that God could be revered, the people would be attentive, and God’s gracious provision of the past would point to the ultimate, gracious provision in the present day: Jesus Christ.
verse 23 – “Of this man’s offspring (David’s) God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised.” This is where Paul is driving the bus. But, he doesn’t just leave the connections 1,000 years in the past. He also makes a logical connection between David and John the Baptist. The prophecy was given about a savior from David’s lineage, and John the Baptist would be the one to herald its fulfillment.
John the Baptist was the present-day prophet and leader that God established to bring about the full realization of His gracious provision. He would be the one to say that he was not the messiah but simply an unworthy messenger.
Paul was driving home a point, encouraging them to see how God’s gracious provision in the past always points to His gracious provision for today. And the ultimate expression of His gracious provision is found in Jesus the Messiah.
Now that the provision of the past has been highlighted, Paul will issue a warning.
III – A plea to behold God’s new provision
Before the audience can object or question his final logical leap to Jesus, Paul reconnects with the Jewish identity, once again addressing them as brothers, as the family of Abraham, and acknowledging that God has sent ‘us’ this salvation message.
Then, he issues a dire warning.
Don’t be like the Jewish Leaders in Jerusalem
The Jews in Jerusalem read the same scriptures we read today… they read from the law and prophets every Sabbath… the same scriptures that proclaimed Jesus, yet they did not recognize Him and therefore condemned their Messiah.
Though these Jewish leaders could not find a reason for the death penalty, they fulfilled the very scriptures they read every week by conspiring with Pilate and condemning Jesus to die on ‘the tree.’ Paul likely mentions the cross in this way to connect Jesus’ death to the Old Testament scripture, which states that whoever is hung on the tree is considered cursed by God. He was then taken by them and buried. In the continuity of Paul’s argument, ‘them’ likely refers to Joseph of Arimathea and possibly even Nicodemus, who were Jewish leaders. The Sanhedrin thought they had finally put this whole matter to rest. However…
The provision of a living Messiah
Jesus didn’t stay dead. God raised Him to life. And Paul basically says that you don’t have to take my word for it; you can ask all the other people He appeared to. They can also serve as eyewitnesses to what I am telling you now.
So, brothers, in light of God’s provision in the Old Testament that paved the way to the provision of the living Messiah, “we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers…”
And that good news is…. what we will discuss next week.
As we finish today, we see how the Jerusalem leadership read the same scriptures each week that pointed to Jesus as the Messiah, yet they missed Him. Paul’s appeal was to see it and believe… or to put it into the context of the imperative commands from Paul… listen and behold. Listen to the testimony of scripture and behold the truth of your Messiah.
How many of God’s people today sit in churches and listen to sermons with their physical ears, yet completely miss Christ? We all know people who ‘grew up in church’ yet come to faith later in life, don’t we? My exhortation to you today is: don’t miss Jesus. Don’t sit here today physically, yet be 1,000 miles away mentally and lose spiritual nourishment. Don’t come here to check off a box. Not only is Jesus fulfilling God’s gracious provision, but he is also the fulfillment of everything you need in this life and the next. Don’t miss Jesus. Listen to the truth of scripture and behold the glorious truths of your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Seeing God’s gracious provision from the past points us to His gracious provision for today: Jesus, our Savior.
Conclusion
First, there are some wonderful theological nuggets in this passage.
1. The omniscience & omnipotence of God – Thousands of years are represented, and God has the foreknowledge and power to bring about His will through human agents.
2. Atonement – Jesus saved His people by dying on the cross. Jesus brought the message of salvation. Salvation from what? From sin. Our sin separates us from God. Jesus’ death atoned for (made payment) our sin so that we could be reconciled to the God we were estranged from. He died in our place by taking our punishment. The full name of this particular method of atonement is called Penal Substitutionary Atonement – Penal, meaning he bore the penalty for our sin. Substitutionary, meaning we deserved the penalty, but instead, he took our place as our substitute.
3. The sovereignty of God – You can’t get around it. God initiated every action in the story today. Every. Single. One.
15 declarations of God’s gracious provision
1. chose the fathers
2. made His people great
3. led them out of captivity
4. put up with their complaints
5. destroyed their enemies
6. gave them the promised land
7. gave them Judges
8. gave them a King
9. removed a bad King
10. raised up a new King
11. testified to the godliness of the new King
12. brought Israel’s savior: Jesus
13. sent the message of salvation
14. raised Jesus from the dead
15. gave promises to the fathers
If you summed this up, it would sound a lot like:
Exodus 34:6 CSB
6 The Lord—the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth…
I encourage you to ruminate this week on these three theological truths while you highlight these 15 provisions from God and delight that the same God would go on to provide the one, ultimate provision: Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.