ACTS 13

It's time to pass the torch!

Up to this point in Acts we've primarily been following Peter, but starting in Acts 13, we start to track Paul, his three missionary journeys, and his trial and imprisonment.

Here are some details on Paul's first missionary journey from the ESV Study Bible:

Paul’s First Missionary Journey (Acts 13:4–14:26)
c. A.D. 46–47
Barnabas and Paul first visited Barnabas’s home region of Cyprus before sailing to the 

southern region of Asia Minor. When they reached Perga in Pamphylia, John M

ark left the group and returned to Jerusalem. Making their way to Antioch (in Pisidia), Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe, Paul and Barnabas were driven out of each city by jealous Jewish religious leaders. Later they returned by the same route, strengthening the new churches as they went. From Attalia they set sail for their home in Antioch of Syria.

Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (2110). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

 

God Keeps His Promises

In verse 14 Paul and Barnabas arrive in Pisidian Antioch, and they quickly found themselves in headed to the synagogue.  After the reading from the Law, the synongue leader opens the floor for anyone to share an encouraging word.  Paul, who rarely seemed short on words, takes this opportunity to deliver a rousing sermon.

From verses 16 to 41 Paul systematically explains how Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament.  He explains how all of the scriptures up to this point and all that God did with the nation of Israel was leading up to Jesus.

God had promised a coming Messiah, and Jesus was the fulfillment of that promise.  

Many of the sermons in Acts follow this same pattern of explaining God's work throughout history was all leading to Jesus.

God's Greater Plan

God's declaration of his plan for the redemption of mankind started as early as Genesis 12.  Really Genesis 12:1-3 is an outline of the entire rest of the Bible.

GENESIS 12

1 The Lord had said to Abram,

“Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.  2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you;  I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

God makes three promises to Abraham and his descendents:

1. I will give you a great land (the land of Israel)
2. I will make you a great nation (peaking with David and Solomon)
3. All people will be blessed through you (Jesus' redemption on the cross)

GALATIANS 3

8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”

God had a plan all along, and God fulfills His promises.  Paul's sermon proclaims declares the way Jesus was the fulfillment of past promises.  

At the time, the Jews had been waiting so long for God to fulfill His promises that when God showed up, they missed it! 

• God told them what He was going to do.
• God did what He said He was going to do.
• God fulfilled His promises on His timetable.

They missed it!

 SEAN CHANDLER  |  Associate Pastor 

 Sean has been a part of the association of Hill Country Bible Churches for over twenty years. He received Christ as a youth while attending Hill Country Bible Church Austin. He attended Hill Country Bible Church NW from 1989 to 2002. At that time he began attending HCBC Pflugerville. He served as a student ministry intern there for two years. In 2008, Sean graduated from Columbia International University with a double major in Bible and Bible teaching. Sean married his wife, Jennifer, in 2006. Their first child, Liam, was born in 2012.

He blogs regularly at seanchandler.net.