Week 18 Acts 13:4-52 Hook Main Point: Bold Gospel presentations ignite both opposition and reception. Current Event: How is your vision? According to a CBS survey, 61 percent of Americans reported wearing some sort of corrective lens. 1 Nearsightedness (myopia) is the leading cause of vision problems and it is on the rise. In 2000, 28 percent of people in North America were nearsighted; by 2010 that number had grown to 34.5 percent. Researchers estimate by 2030 half of all North Americans will be myopic. Why this trend? Although there is not a definitive answer, some lifestyle trends might be to blame: Spending a significant amount of time indoors Heavy reading (or close-up activities) Being indoors robs eyes of natural light, which helps them to relax; this lack of natural light prevents objects from focusing as they should on the retina which can trigger myopia. Participating in close-up activities (such as reading or using handheld electronics) causes your eye muscles to work harder. As a result, the eyeballs elongate over time causing myopia. 2 1 https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/news/2013/38/more-than-6-in-10-people-wear-glasses-or-contact-lenses 2 https://www.menshealth.com/health/why-your-vision-continues-to-get-worse
Do you have impaired vision? How does your vision affect you day to day? Did you resist taking steps to correct your vision (such as purchasing or using glasses)? Why or why not? How have your glasses/contacts/corrective eye surgery changed your life? In what ways does the Bible bring our vision of the world and ourselves into focus? How has the Bible changed the way you view things?
Week 18 Acts 13:4-52 Book Main Point: Bold Gospel presentations ignite both opposition and reception. Text Summary: Acts 13:4 52 In this section of Acts, Luke begins his record of Paul s first missionary journey, a trek which also includes Barnabas and John. The first two stops on their journey are Cyprus (an island) and Pisidian Antioch (a Roman colony in southern Galatia). Luke records three of Paul s sermons in this passage. As the team is faithful to share the Gospel in these places, the boldness of their speech ignites both opposition and reception. Acts 13:4-12 [Read] Sub-Point: The powerful Word of God exposes spiritual blindness Verses 4 In the previous lesson, the Antioch church commissioned Paul and Barnabas as missionaries (13:1 3). Beginning in verse 4, Luke records that their journey took them to a coastal city to the east called Salamis, which operated as center for both commerce and the Jewish religion 3 on the island of Cyprus. It is interesting to note that Luke again describes Paul and Barnabas as being sent out by the Holy Spirit. Previously, he wrote that the Holy Spirit led the Church to send out the two men (13:3) and he repeats the idea here. We can learn that the sending out of Gospel witnesses from a congregation is a joint project, one initiated by the Holy Spirit but carried out by obedient people. Cooperation between God and man is essential for any sending effort to be successful. Q: How carefully do you consider the Holy Spirit s counsel when making plans for ministry? What does your process look like? Verse 5 Now that the word of God (Luke s way of referring to the Gospel message) is spreading to Gentile areas, a new pattern emerges as it relates to the apostle s evangelistic efforts. Their strategy, as we see in this verse and throughout the rest of Acts, is to start with the Jews ( in the synagogues ) and then continue to the Gentiles. Here we see that the inclusion of the Gentiles in the Gospel s message does not require the exclusion of the Jews, nor does initiating efforts with the Jews first prevent the message from continuing to non-jews. 4 Paul will later write down the principle that, though the Gospel is presented to the Jew first and then to the Greek, anyone who calls on the name of the Lord 3 Bock, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Acts), 442. 4 Bock, BEC (Acts), 443.
shall be saved (Romans 1:16, 10:13). The apostles make their way to the city of Paphos, a major worshipping area for the Syrian goddess, Paphia (equivalent to Aphrodite), as well as the seat of Roman government on the island. Luke focuses on a highlight from their time in Cyprus, the conversion of a proconsul named Sergius. 5 Verses 6 8 Before Sergius becomes a follower of Christ, however, the apostles encounter a serious obstacle, Bar-Jesus, who is a Jewish false prophet, magician, and likely a court astrologer intent on thwarting their missionary efforts (v. 6). Luke records that the proconsul was a man of intelligence and actively sought out Paul s teaching (v. 7), but he tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith (v. 8). At that time, Roman leaders ascribed great value to a sorcerer s ability to forecast future events. Bar-Jesus s opposition to the Gospel was likely out of fear of losing his lucrative career if the proconsul trusted Christ instead of his sorcerer. 6 Q: Describe a time when you felt as though you were competing for the heart of a non- Christian. Verses 9 12 As the reader might expect, given the result of the last confrontation between a sorcerer and an apostle (Acts 8), Bar-Jesus s efforts to thwart the Gospel is futile. Paul pronounces judgment from the Holy Spirit on Bar-Jesus, rendering the man temporarily blind (vv. 9 11). This consequence demonstrates that God s power is greater than the magic performed by the helpless sorcerer and also highlights the man s spiritual blindness. Paul s interaction with Bar-Jesus shows that darkness of mind leads to darkness of sight. His physical condition parallels the spiritual blindness of his heart (John 3:19 20; 9:39). 7 The apostles preaching, paired with the act of God s judgment, leads the proconsul to belief in Christ (v. 12). 8 Luke s language reveals the irony of the situation in two ways. First, the sorcerer was revered for seeing future events, but he now cannot physically see and must rely on others to guide his steps. A second ironic twist Luke is that Bar-Jesus means son of the Savior, but Paul pronounces him the son of the devil (v. 10). On an earthly level, this battle seems to be managainst-man, but Paul s inversion of Bar-Jesus s name reveals that the confrontation is actually between God and the Devil himself. We see here that all earthly opposition to the Gospel is really a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:12). Indeed, as John Calvin states on this section of Acts, Satan never stops trying to overthrow the faith. 9 5 This paragraph is jointly informed by Bock, BEC (Acts), 443, and Polhill, NAC, 292. 6 This paragraph is jointly informed by Bock, BEC (Acts), 444, and Polhill, NAC, 293. 7 Bock, BEC (Acts), 445. 8 This paragraph and the preceding paragraph are jointly informed by Bock, BEC (Acts), 445-446, and Polhill, NAC, 293-294. 9 John Calvin, 507 Commentary Upon the Acts of the Apostles. Vol. 1, 507. Originally Satan ceaseth not to overthrow the faith. Edited for modern readability.
Q: How might a better awareness of this spiritual battle guide your mission to share Christ? Acts 12:13-52 Sub-Point: The timeless Word of God enables spiritual sight. Verses 13 15 This section introduces Paul s first missionary sermon by recording the setting of his speech. First, we are given the apostles itinerary. They leave Cyprus, stop for a short stint in Perga (v. 13), where John Mark departs, then travel one hundred miles to Antioch in Pisidia, a Roman colony in the southern region of Galatia (v. 14). 10 The trek would have been incredibly difficult, given that the route was notorious for bandits who beat and robbed travelers and was also a barren terrain overtaken by the frequent flooding of mountain streams. 11 Though the conditions to get there were tough, the city was a strategic place for the Gospel, since it was a civil and military center for the entire Roman province and contained a large Jewish population. Upon their arrival, the apostles go directly to the synagogue, a wise strategy since the Jews had already received revelation of God s promised Messiah. After reading a portion of the Law and Prophets, as was customary during synagogue gatherings, the Jewish leaders ask if their apostolic guests have anything to share (v. 15). Q: How have you seen God strategically use you as His messenger despite a difficult journey? Verses 16 41 Overview: At their invitation, Paul stands up and delivers the most developed speech recorded in the book of Acts (v. 16). His sermon unfolds in three distinct sections. Verses 16 25 First, Paul surveys the history of God s people, from the time of their fruitfulness in Egypt (v. 17) to the establishment of Israel s kingdom (vv. 19 22) to the prophetic ministry of John the Baptist (vv. 24 25). This history records God s faithfulness to keep His promises and accomplish redemption for His people. Paul says all of this to undergird the truth that Christ, as a descendant of David (v. 23), is the ultimate fulfillment of God s promises through history and the ultimate expression of redemptive actions toward His people. 12 Q: How does recounting your own history highlight God s faithfulness to redeem your life? Verses 26 37 Second, Paul plainly states the Gospel, the message of salvation found in the supernatural work of Christ alone. Here the apostle highlights two failures of the Jewish leader: 10 This paragraph is jointly informed by Bock, BEC (Acts), 450-451, and Polhill, NAC, 297. 11 Polhill, NAC, 297. 12 This paragraph is informed by Bock, BEC (Acts), 448-451, Polhill, NAC, 300, and Longenecker, EBC, 921.
1) They have failed to recognize Christ s nature and ministry as the Son of God; and 2) they have failed to understand the very literature they study with such dedication (v. 27). Paul declares that, though they failed to comprehend and even took part in carrying out the predictions of Christ s suffering and Resurrection (vv. 28 29), they have been fulfilled. The climax of Paul s message is in verse 30, where the subjects of the sentences change from earthly to divine. Though Jews and Pilate led Jesus to his death, God brought Him back to life. It is in this moment of Jesus story that God shows on which side of the argument He stands. In the Resurrection, Heaven vindicates the One who stood condemned by earthly courts. Paul finishes this section by reminding his hearers that Christ s Resurrection is validated not only by witnesses, but by the fulfilled promises of Scripture itself (vv. 32 37). 13 Q: Do you know someone who studies Christianity, but his or her eyes are not opened to who Jesus is? How are you praying for that person? Verses 38 41 In the third section of Paul s speech, the apostle moves on to the applications of his Gospel message (v. 38). He issues a call to repentance for his hearers to grab hold of the forgiveness that is available to everyone who believes in the resurrected Christ (v. 39). He further adds that Jesus can provide what Moses and the Law could not, namely, freedom, which translated means justification (v. 39). Paul also warns his hearers against scoffing and rejecting of salvation, as some had done in the past, urging them to repent and live (vv. 40 41). Verses 42 47 This section records the aftermath of Paul s compelling speech. Most of the city want to hear more (v. 42) and begin seeking instruction from Paul and Barnabas (v. 43). They gather on the following Sabbath to hear Paul preach again (v. 44). After the sermon, the Jews are enraged with jealousy over the city s great interest in the Gospel and try to oust the apostles (v. 45). Paul and Barnabas accept this fate and move on to evangelizing the Gentiles, offering them salvation in accordance with Scripture s prophecy (vv. 46 47). Verses 48 52 In this section, Luke records the two opposing responses to Paul s Gospel message, the faith of many Gentiles (v. 48 49) and the unbelief of the Jews, a common theme throughout the rest of Acts (v. 50). The chapter ends with the empowered disciples moving on to the next town, filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit (v. 51 52). We see that, regardless of opposition, God will move His plan forward. 14 Q: How do you respond when people reject your Gospel presentation? How might you minister to these individuals after their rejection? 13 Bock, BEC (Acts), 454-455. 14 Bock, BEC (Acts), 464-465.
Week 18 Acts 13:4-52 Took Main Point: Bold Gospel presentations ignite both opposition and reception. Current Event: A study by the National Institute of Health reports that 3 million Americans have visual impairment that cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. 15 Spiritual blindness plagues those without the Holy Spirit. Paul explains it this way in 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. What can cure this blindness? Faith. Romans 10:17 tells us Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. The message, the Gospel, is powerful and able to bring about sight where blindness once resided. How would you describe spiritual blindness? How does someone move from spiritual blindness to a relationship with Christ? In what ways is the Bible powerful? Read Hebrews 4:12 and discuss how Scripture memory might help in bringing the spiritually blind to sight. Lesson Conclusion: Though the apostles faced many obstacles, both outside the Jewish community (Bar-Jesus, the magician) and inside of it (the synagogue leaders), Acts teaches us that God is in control of advancing His Gospel message. This passage in Acts prepares us for the reality that our Gospel witness will likely face opposition from both the wayward, sensational culture and the legalistic, self-righteous religious. Regardless of the circumstances, we must remain faithful to proclaim the truth of the Gospel, following the Spirit s leadership and trusting in His empowerment. We need to remember the true battle is a spiritual one, being waged not between us and the culture or us and the religious, but between the Lord and Satan. As we place our trust in the power of God s Word, we see Him advance the Gospel through our faithfulness. We must remind ourselves daily that God is in control and able to advance the multiplication of His Church, no matter the obstacles. Challenges Thank God for including you We ve seen that the apostle s ministry to the Gentiles is officially underway as they bring the Gospel to non-jews. Take time to praise God for extending the 15 https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/study-finds-most-americans-have-good-vision-14-million-arevisually-impaired
benefits of Christ s work to you, a Gentile, and incorporating you into the people of God. Take risks for the Gospel Just as the apostles risked traveling in unsafe terrain for the sake of getting the Gospel to those who needed it, we should also take risks to share the Good News. In your own daily life and routines, identify some environments you consider risky territory to share the Gospel. Make a plan for how you can navigate this terrain and get the Gospel to those who need to hear it. Minister under God s sovereignty Though the apostles Gospel message had varying responses, their spirits were not broken by the reactions they encountered. As we saw in this chapter, God was in control of both their ministry and the responses to their ministry the entire time. As you minister this week and beyond, rest in God s controlling hand behind your Gospel efforts.