Nathaniel R. Martin

Sermon Idea: God’s power to save is superior to powers and authorities in heaven and on earth. 

Introduction: Charles Wesley, the great Methodist hymn writer, penned these beautiful words shortly after his own conversion. 

Long my imprisoned spirit lay

Fast bound in sin and nature’s night 

Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—

I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;

My chains fell off, my heart was free, 

I rose, went forth, and followed thee 

This is the testimony of God’s powerful deliverance from the bondage of sin. The gospel comes to us as a quickening ray, so that we behold the glory of God in Jesus Christ, the chains of sin fall off, and our hearts become free to follow Jesus. 

In our text this morning, there are spiritually free men bound in chains and a spiritually bound man who is free and working as a jailer. There is also a young woman, in bondage to a demonic spirit, who is being used for the financial gain of wicked men. 

The overarching theme of this passage, which connects all these people, is God’s power. God’s power to save is superior to powers and authorities in heaven and on earth. 

Acts 16 is yet another reminder of the reign and rule of the ascended Lord Jesus Christ. He may be in heaven, but his rule knows no jurisdiction and his power has no rival. 

God’s power and the Lordship of Jesus Christ, as displayed in Acts 16, should be such an encouragement to us as we seek to share the gospel and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Our God is mighty to save, and the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. 

God’s power and the Lordship of Jesus Christ should also be an encouragement to you in your Christian life. The challenges that we face, the hardship we endure, the temptations that entice us, and the struggles that beset us are ultimately no match for God’s powerful working in us. 

This morning, I want to stir your heart to awe at God’s power to save. I want you to adore the risen Lord Jesus who lives, acts, and ministers in the life of the church today. 

As we do so, I hope that we’ll persevere in praying for the lost and the struggling, believing that God’s power to save is superior to every power in heaven and on earth. 

I am going to unapologetically spend the vast majority of my time on the conversion of the Philippian jailer, but we are going to see three truths as we do so: God’s power over demonic spirits, God’s power over earthly rulers, and God’s power over sin and spiritual bondage. 

I.) God’s power over demonic spirits (Acts 16:16-24)

What lands Paul and Silas in prison is an exorcism of a slave girl who was being used by her owners for their own financial gain. She was oppressed by a spirit of divination that produced pagan prophecy. 

16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. (Ac 16:16)

It is worth noting that the word for divination is πύθωνα, or Python, a term for the serpent associated with the Greek god Apollo. She has a serpent-spirit who speaks lies. The Spirit of Jesus who indwells the Apostle Paul will come to face the serpent-spirit oppressing this girl.

17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. (Ac 16:17–18)

At first reading, we may be puzzled as to why Paul is annoyed. She most certainly is saying more truth than she realizes, that every Christian reader can see. It will help us see that the term “most high god” was common even in pagan religions that worshipped many false gods. Zeus, for example, was called “most high god.”

Paul is not annoyed, only because her message is general enough to lead to misunderstanding. As Paul preached Jesus, the pagans listening to him may just assume Jesus fits in with the many other “most high gods” they already worshipped. 

Jesus, who is the truth, cannot allow the serpent, who is a liar, to speak for him or his messengers.  

What I want you to see here is the power of God to deliver this girl in the name of Jesus. The power displayed here is the same power that will free Paul and Silas from prison and save the Philippian jailer. 

Paul…said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. (Acts 16:18) 

There is no doubt about who will prevail when the Spirit of Jesus faces the spirit of the serpent. This has greater application for our Christian life than you may realize. 

The Bible tells us that the battles we fight in our Christian lives are not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Eph 6:12)

We are not living our Christian life in a land of neutrality, but in the territory once ruled by the devil and not conquered by Jesus Christ. When you face the fear of spiritual darkness, the temptation to sin, or anxiety about the reality of spiritual forces, remember this—the power of Christ knows no rival, and the enemy that stands against us is a defeated enemy. He has been detrhoned by the work of Jesus on the cross. 

Paul tells us that on the cross, Jesus disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. (Col 2:14–15)

Be aware of the spiritual enemies we still face, but do not fear them. There is no darkness that the light of Christ cannot pierce. Every power in heaven and on earth will bow to the name of Jesus Christ. 

One of my favorite verses in any hymn comes from Martin Luther’s A Mighty Fortress is Our God. 

The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo! His doom is sure.
One little word shall fell him

I love this verse, becasue we sing of how Satan’s demise is certain. Our enemy is defeated, so that he falls at just one word. The power of God in Jesus Christ knows no rival friend, and that should be a great encouragement to you as you endure your own spiritual battles. 

It is this act that leads to Paul and Silas’ imprisonment. These pagan slave owners retaliate against Paul because this girl’s salvation hurts their pockets. They stir up the crowd, attack Paul and Silas, and then imprison them. Look with me, beginning in verse 20. For our purposes, I want you to focus on 23. 

20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. (Ac 16:20–23)

Pay special note to the instructions they give to the jailer, “…ordering the jailer to keep them safely.”

The power of God was superior to the demonic spirit oppressing a young slave girl; next, the power of God will prove superior to the earthly authority of Rome. Look with me at starting in verse 25.  

II.) God’s power over earthly rulers (Acts 16:25-28)

The power of God is superior to the earthly powers of Rome, even before anything miraculous happens in the jail. Paul and Silas’ reaction to suffering and difficult circumstances could not be more different from that of the pagan Romans who imprisoned them. 

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, (Ac 16:25)

I absolutely love this account because it exemplifies the type of Christian spirituality that anchors our souls and perseverance in the faith. In the midst of unjust treatment, Paul and Silas don’t cuss, yell, or complain, but they pray and sing hymns to God. 

Christians who suffer well are a powerful witness to a lost and dying world. As they prayed and sang, the prisoners listened. Isn’t that such an interesting detail to include? Of course, if the other prisoners could hear, the jailer could too. 

Charles Spurgeon said, “The jailer at Philippi had never held the likes of these before, and the jailer could not make them out. He went to bed that night with many thoughts of a new character. Who were these men? Who was this Jesus of whom they spoke?” 

Paul and Silas have put no hindrance before the Jailer’s feet. If he stumbles, it will only be over the cross. The way we respond to the difficult and frustrating circumstances in our lives can either help or hurt gospel opportunities. 

For the Christian, frustrating circumstances are opportunities to display faith in Christ. 

For the Christian, chaos is an opportunity to display contentment in Christ. 

For the Christian, pain is an opportunity to display the satisfying pleasure of knowing Christ. 

Then, as we live this way, others around us may ask, “Who are these people? Who is this Jesus of whom they speak?

It is in the middle of their praying and singing that God displays his superior power over the earthly authorities of Rome. 

26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened (Ac 16:26)

This earthquake was not a natural event, but as is often the case in Scripture, it is a sign of God’s presence and power. 

The earthquake wakes up the jailer, who had been asleep, and what we read in verse 27 is jarring. 

27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. (Ac 16:27)

Remember that earlier in the verse, the jailer was tasked with keeping the prisoners safe. Failure to do this would have resulted in execution. When he wakes, he assumes that he has lost the prisoners. So, in an attempt to avoid the shame of being executed, he draws his sword to kill himself. 

I want to pause for a moment. We don’t live in a society in which the consequence for a shameful failure is execution. We do still live in a society with laws, justice, and consequences. Some consequences are grave, and others are minor.  

Even so, it is not only possible but sadly well documented that sinners and sufferers in this life can find their circumstances or consequences so overwhelming that they come to believe that taking their life is preferable. 

I want you to hear me. You may make mistakes, perhaps many of them. But you are not a mistake. You will fail and perhaps frequently, but you are not a failure. 

Your life will never be the sum of your worst sins. You are not the sum of your worst moments. 

There is no consequence you could face: loss of family, job, ministry, or even freedom that would make the ending of your life a good or preferable option. Christ and his cross can bear the most grievous of sins. He can meet you in your consequences. Life may be different, but it’ll be life and abundant life in Him. 

Don’t miss the kindness of God in bringing Paul and Silas close to this hurting man. Rather than fleeing and saving themselves, they call out to a broken and hurting sinner, “Don’t harm yourself.”

There will be people who don’t see themselves or the circumstances rightly. In those moments, we will need to draw near and speak up, so that perhaps, we might help desperate people live to see another day. 

God’s power is superior to powers in heaven and on earth. Now we’ll see that this power is superior to sin and spiritual bondage. Look with me at verse 29.

III.) God’s power over sin and spiritual bondage (Acts 16:29-34)

When the jailer hears their voices, he grabs a light and runs into the cell. He is rightly visibly shaken as he falls to his knees and asks them the most important question of his life. 

29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Ac 16:29–30)

That is one question all of us should be able to answer. What would you say if someone asked you what they must do to be saved? 

Paul and Silas answer confidenelty and clearly, 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.”

Notice two things about this. First, Jesus is at the center of their answer, and for good reason. Jesus is the only name under heaven through which anyone can be saved. Jesus is the only answer! Second, though, notice that the text says they “spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.” 

They elaborated on the gospel and sought to be clear about who Jesus is, what he had done, and what the proper response should be. 

As we share the gospel, we want to offer much more than vague generalities. We want to be very clear as to who Jesus is, why he died on the cross, that he rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and that all who hear this message should repent and believe. We should be clear that it is urgent, a matter of eternal consequence, of life and of death. 

The power of God is seen through the power of the gospel. This desperate man in spiritual bondage is freed through faith in Jesus. 

What does the jailer do in response to his new faith? It is threefold: Christian baptism, Christian service, and Christian joy. 

 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God (Ac 16:32–34)

Like all the conversion stories in Acts, baptism follows faith in Christ. Baptism is the public profession of faith in Jesus, representing one’s union with Jesus and incorporation into the body of Christ, the church. It is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

Salvation has transformed the anxious jailer into someone who exudes joy because of his new faith. Being right with God leads ton rejoicing in God. 

God’s power in salvation has turned enemies into friends and brothers. The jailer professes faith in Christ through baptism and provides Paul and Silas with shelter, food, and care for their wounds. 

God’s power to save is superior to powers and authorities in heaven and on earth. 

Conclude with a brief note on verses 35-40, emphasizing God’s kindness and provision: Roman citizenship, Silas, and Lydia. 

Sermon Idea: God providentially ordains the means and the ends of salvation, so we should share the gospel, trusting God to powerfully work according to his will. 

Introduction: In a really helpful book, Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus, J. Mack Stiles says that in a culture of evangelism, 

“…people who love Jesus work together as instruments in the grand symphony of God’s work. We don’t always know what the next piece will be—the Holy Spirit orchestrates that. But if we are focused on him and his direction, we get to be part of his work in people’s lives.”

In our text this morning, the Holy Spirit will orchestrate what comes next in Paul’s missionary journey. Paul is focused on Him and his direction, and in doing so, God graciously allows Paul to be part of what God is doing in the lives of Lydia and her family. 

If Acts has taught us anything, it is that Jesus Christ, who died and rose again, lives and reigns in heaven. The gospel advances, and the church is built not by the giftedness of the apostles or the plans they put in place, but by great acts of Jesus Christ through his Holy Spirit. 

This is true down to the intricate details. The mundane and ordinary parts of Paul’s life are orchestrated by the Spirit. The result of the Spirit’s orchestration is the conversion of Lydia. It wasn’t just the end that God sovereignly ruled over—Lydia’s salvation—but the means, Paul’s schedule, travel, and gospel preaching in Philippi. 

God providentially ordains the means and the ends of salvation, so we should share the gospel, trusting God to powerfully work according to his will. 

The Lord Jesus, who orchestrated the ministry of Paul by his Spirit, is at work in our lives and in the life of our church. He is always doing more than we can realize in any given moment, and we can trust that even the ordinary and mundane details are being orchestrated for the glory of God and the good of his people. 

We’ll walk through this passage together by following three movements in the text: God’s providential leading, God’s gospel appointment, and God’s gracious salvation. 

I.) God’s providential leading (Acts 16:6-10) 

The providential hand of God is at work long before Paul meets Lydia. In two curious expressions, we learn that God brings Paul’s will into submission to his own will. We read words like “forbid” in verse 6 and phrases like “did not allow” in verse 7. As the narrative unfolds, Luke communicates God’s leading as the unified will of God, the Holy Trinity. All three persons of the Trinity are mentioned. 

having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia (Ac 16:6)

…but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. (Ac 16:7)

God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Ac 16:10)

Why did God forbid Paul and his team from preaching the gospel in these places? God’s priority at this time was elsewhere. In time, God will see the gospel advance into Asia and Bythinia (Acts 18:23; 19:1-10; 1 Peter 1:1), but now is not that time. God calls Paul to Macedonia. 

9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Ac 16:9–10)

We know nothing about who man is, but it doesn’t matter, or God would have given us details. The vision is not the point; it is just the means to a greater truth—the call of God. Paul and his friends are convinced this vision is the call of God to take the gospel to Macedonia. 

In our Christian lives and in our lives as a church, we need to be sensitive to the Spirit’s leading. It is possible to plan with the assumption that what first seems right to us is right before God. We can be logical and sensible. We can intend to do something very right and good, but it may simply be at the wrong time. 

That’s the case here. It wasn’t wrong to take the gospel into these regions. It was a logical and sensible plan, except for one fact. God’s timing and will was different. 

This can feel heavy in the realness of life. Our plans are made, our desires are strong, but we are disrupted and prevented from seeing those plans come to fruition. 

There will be numerous temptations when that happens. Some will be tempted to catastrophize, assuming the worst about their life. Others will be tempted to become disappointed and disillusioned with God. These are all symptoms of deeper problem: making our wills ultimate in our lives. 

If, though, we learn to follow our Lord Jesus, who before us perfectly submitted his will to the Father’s will, then God’s closed doors will not be seen as harm but as a grace for our good and his glory. 

Paul could not have known all that God was doing when he was called to Macedonia, but he was faithful to obey God’s call on his life. This leads to a gospel appointment that will have no little consequence for Paul’s church-planting efforts. 

II.) God’s gospel appointment (Acts 16:11-14) 

Paul and his companions arrive in Philippi after sailing for a few days. As before arriving, God’s at work in the details. What takes place here in Philippi is much more than coincidence and happenstance. It is a gospel appointment orchestrated by a sovereign God. What details support this? 

The first detail worth noting is that Paul comes upon a group of women on the Sabbath. This is interesting because Paul’s missionary strategy has been very consistent. On the Sabbath, he would go to the Jewish synagogue before ministering to the Gentiles. On this Sabbath day, though, he doesn’t go to a synagogue presumably becasue there is no synagogue there. Instead, he goes somewhere to pray and finds a group of women gathered. 

13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. (Ac 16:13)

The second detail worth noting is that Lydia is financially wealthy. It was a long and difficult process to dye purple goods. The little detail and the hospitality she extends to them in verse 15 all point to her being a person of means. If she were to become a follower of Jesus, it could be the start of a fruitful gospel partnership. In fact, that is exactly what happens. 

40 So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed. (Acts 16:40)

15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. (Php 4:15)

The founding member of the church in Philippi is a wealthy and generous woman who provides for the apostles’ needs and most certainly played a role in the church’s support of Paul’s missionary journey.

God is always doing more than we realize. He has doors of provision and care we would never expect. God cares for his people, and when he leads us to places we would not have chosen, we can trust he is working for our good and his glory. 

The good that God is working in these details is the salvation of Lydia. Let’s  look at verses 14-15

III.) God’s gracious salvation (Acts 16:14-15) 

Luke is really specific about how God saves Lydia: “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was being said by Paul.” Salvation in the Bible is always of the Lord. Lydia’s heart was opened; that is, the Spirit called her and gave her a new heart. She was given eyes to see and ears to hear the truth of the gospel preached by Paul. The conversion story of Lyidia is Soli Deo Gloria. 

This is what God does, in accordance with his own will, when the gospel is preached. He opens hearts, eyes, and ears. If you’re here this morning as a believer in Jesus Christ, it is because the Spirit of God opened your heart to hear the gospel and believe. 

5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Co 4:5–6)

We began this morning by saying that God ordains that he means to the end. Here we see that the means are simply the words Paul shares. God works through people, his messengers, and the words they speak.

We are not told what Paul said, but we don’t have to think too hard to figure it out. Paul is the man who goes on to say, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Cor. 2:2) 

Charles Haddon Spurgeon once mentioned that some in his day debated whether Paul preached at Lydia or simply had a conversation with her. Spurgeon said it didn’t matter because the subject would have been the same. 

“He had but one subject, and that was Christ; the Christ who had met him on the way to Damascus, and changed his heart; the Christ who was able to save’ the Christ who bled on the cross, to bring men to God, and cleanse them in his blood; the Christ in heaven, interceding for sinners; the Christ waiting to be gracious. Paul would not end his talk without saying, “Trust him: trust him. He that believeth in him hath eternal life. So, whether he preached or whether he talked was the same story of Jesus, and he was crucified.”

This was the message that Lydia heard and the Christ in whom she believed. The way in which Lydia professed faith in Jesus was by being baptized. She was immersed in the water, cleansed from her sin through the blood of Jesus, and was brought back up a new creation in Christ Jesus. 

Her obedience? Immediate. She welcomes them into her home—perhaps the very home where the church in Philippi would gather. 

Two reflections

1.) The message of evangelism 

Paul is an example of evangelism for us in verse 10, “God has called us to preach the gospel to them.”

When Paul spoke to Lydia, he no doubt shared the gospel explicitly with her. He told her about God’s promises being fulfilled in Jesus, the life and death of Jesus, his glorious resurrection, and ascension. 

Evangelism is not the sharing of any good advice or information. Our testimonies are beautiful, but sharing them is not the work of evangelism. Advice on life, finances, parenting, and marriage is good, but it is not the work of evangelism. The work of evangelism is the proclamation of the gospel with the aim of persuading hearers to repent and believe.

What is the gospel? 

The one true and living God is holy and the creator of everything, including you and me. We were created in God’s image to know him, worship him, and live with him in his kingdom. But we have sinned against God and have been banished from his good presence and kingdom. That’s what’s so wrong with the world. Our sinful rebellion against God has made all that was good wrong, and there is no way for us to make it right again. 

In God’s great love, he makes a way for everything to be made right. God becomes a man in Jesus Christ, who lives the life we were supposed to live, he died on the cross paying the penalty for our sins, and was raised from the dead, showing that God accepts Christ’s sacrifice for sin. Now forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God are given to all who turn from their sin and trust in Jesus. Jesus is the king, and we should give our allegiance to him. All who do will not only have their sins forgiven and be right with God, but will be given eternal life to live with God in his good kingdom forever. 

2.) The response to evangelism 

As we share the gospel, we need to be clear about how to respond to it. Paul must have instructed Lydia in professing faith in Christ and becoming a disciple of Jesus, since she was baptized. 

This is the clarity we must bring to our own gospel sharing. Like Peter on the day of Pentecost, we should be able to say with confidence to anyone who asks. 

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Ac 2:37–38)

God providentially ordains the means and the ends of salvation, so we should share the gospel, trusting God to powerfully work according to his will.

Sermon Idea: Gospel clarity and gospel unity are vital for the sake of gospel mission. 

Introduction: How important is church unity in Scripture? What are the powerful effects of unity in the body of Christ? There are two passages that answer these questions and shed light on the importance of Acts 15 for the early church and its mission. 

The first passage is John 17, where Jesus prays for his disciples and also for those who would later believe in his name. He prays that the disciples would be one, or unified, and he does so for a particular reason. 

20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (Jn 17:20–21)

In case you’ve never thought about it, this is a clear Scriptural example of Jesus praying for you. How encouraging is that?! What I want you to see here is that Jesus prays for unity, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. A unified church is a testimony to the world that the gospel is true, real, and good. A lack of unity then would hurt the church’s gospel testimony. 

The second passage is from Ephesians 3:10-11, where Paul says that God created one people in Jesus Christ out of Jews and Gentiles, in accordance with God’s eternal plan to demonstrate God’s wisdom. 

10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord (Eph 3:10–11)

What is Paul saying here? The unity of the church is a living demonstration of the wisdom of God, putting the evil rulers and authorities in the heavenly places on notice that their way of division and hostility will not win the day. 

Unity seems to be a very important concept in the Scriptures, and I share those passages because they help us understand what is at stake in Acts 15. 

As we have seen since chapter 10, the gospel has been spreading to the ends of the earth, and Gentiles are being saved. They believe that Jesus is the Christ, receive the Holy Spirit, are baptized, and gathered into churches. The more Gentiles get saved, the more some begin to ask questions: must the Gentiles be circumcised, keep the food laws, etc? What does it mean for the Gentiles to be “saved,” and how are they saved? 

If the tension that arises in Acts 15 is not resolved, the gospel will be confused, the church’s testimony will be tainted, and the church’s mission will be compromised. 

In his excellent commentary on Acts, Patrick Schreiner writes, “The Jerusalem Council is not only about the church deciding theological disputes but about the mission of the triune God. A divided church is a missionless church.”

What I want us to see in Acts 15 is that gospel clarity and gospel unity are vital for the sake of gospel mission. To do that, we’ll see four themes in Acts 15: gospel confusion, gospel clarity, gospel unity, and gospel mission. 

I.) Gospel Confusion (Acts 15:1-7) 

The gospel confusion stems from some men from Judea who, as we learn in 24, are acting on their own and were not sent by the church in Jerusalem. Look at verse 1. 

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” (Acts 15:1)

This is no small disagreement. To make the Gentiles get circumcised according to the law is to subject them to the entirety of the law as a means of salvation. It is to say that salvation comes not through Jesus, but through one’s obedience to the law. 

Paul and Barnabas strongly object to this. Notice the language that is used in verse two. 

2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. (Ac 15:2)

Not every topic is worthy of drawing us into debate. Not every point of disagreement should cause us to break fellowship, but there are some essential truths that must never be compromised. The gospel of Jesus Christ is one of those essential truths. In fact, it is the essential truth of Scripture that has no rival in terms of importance. 

When Paul speaks of the gospel in 1 Corinthians, he calls it a matter of first importance. 

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved…3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Co 15:1–4)

What is the danger of being confused about the gospel? Perhaps we could save many things, but most fundamentally, we can say that the gospel confusion distorts how sinners can be made right with God and with one another. 

The particular confusion here risks minimizing the finished work of Jesus on the cross, so that Jesus simply is not enough to save. As Paul teaches us in Galatians 2:21, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. (Ga 2:21)

It is good and right that Paul and Barnabas would not allow these men to teach a false gospel. It is good and right for pastors and churches to be clear about the truth of the gospel and to refute any attempt to confuse the gospel. 

The need to preserve the gospel is more urgent than you may realize. It doesn’t take long for it to be lost. D.A. Carson has often been quoted as saying that it only takes three generations to lose the gospel. The first generation believes the gospel, the second generation assumes the gospel, and the third loses the gospel. 

The gospel, becasue it is of first importance, must never be assumed. It must always be believed, cherished, passed down, and preserved. One way we can do that as members of Waldo is to teach and be united in our confession of faith. Did you know there is an article in our confession dedicated to the way of salvation?

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the Mediatorial offices of the Son of God; who by the appointment of the Father freely took upon him our nature, yet without sin; honored the divine law by his personal obedience, and by his death made a full atonement for our sins; that having risen from the dead, he is now enthroned in heaven; and uniting in his wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfections, he is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all- sufficient Saviour. – New Hampshire Baptist Confession, Article IV: Of the Way of Salvation 

Although Paul and Barnabas debated with these false teachers, the church in Antioch wanted the church in Jerusalem to speak into the controversy, so they sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem. 

When they arrive in Jerusalem, they learn that this gospel confusion was believed by more than the small, select few who had visited Antioch. As they told the church in Jerusalem all that God had done, a group of believing Pharisees claimed the Gentiles had to obey the law of Moses. 

4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.” (Ac 15:4–5)

II.) Gospel Clarity (Acts 15:6-21) 

The debate continues until Peter steps forward, hoping to persuade the undecided with a recounting of his own experience. Do you remember when God gave Peter a vision in Acts 10, “Rise, Peter, kill and eat,” and then Peter traveled to the house of a Gentile named Cornelius and preached the gospel? That’s what Peter references in verses 7-9. Look with me there. 

7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith (Ac 15:7–9)

The strength of Peter’s point is that God is the subject of every point: 

God made a choice

God bore witness to them

God gave them (Gentiles) the Holy Spirit 

God made no distinction between Jew and Gentile

God cleaned their hearts by faith.  

These points are given to support the powerful gospel clarity that Peter provides in verses 10-11. 

10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” (Ac 15:10–11)

Gospel clarity comes when Peter says that both Jews and Gentiles are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus. This is the good news of the gospel—God saves us, not becasue of our works,  but becasue of the works of another: Jesus Christ.

Grace is God’s unmerited favor poured out on all who believe in Jesus through faith. To say that it is unmerited is to say that it is not earned or deserved. As sinners, we deserved judgment, but becasue Jesus took our judgment on the cross, what we receive is grace—the unmerited favor of God based solely on the finished work of Jesus Christ. This is the message repeated throughout the New Testament. 

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. (Ro 3:23–25)

16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. (Ga 2:16)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph 2:8–9)

And when, before the throne,

I stand in Him complete,

“Jesus died my soul to save,”

My lips shall still repeat

Peter first argues from his experience. That experience is true, but the best argument presented comes from the Scriptures. James steps forward and, with an open Bible, proves that Peter’s experience is consistent with God’s Word. He reads from the prophets, primarily from Amos 9:11-12. 

14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 “ ‘After this I will return, 

and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, 17 that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from of old.’ (Ac 15:14–18)

I don’t want to get lost in the weeds, as I am known to do, so I just want to briefly summarize how James is reading the prophets. 

The resurrection of Jesus and the sending of the Spirit at Pentecost are how God is restoring the tent of David. Israel is being restored in the sending of the Spirit and the spread of the gospel throughout Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. According to Amos, God will do this so that the Gentiles will be called by God’s name. 

James reads Amos 9 to prove that Gentiles being included in the people of God was God’s plan all along.

What solves this tension and silences those who have confused the gospel is God’s work to keep his promises as found in Holy Scripture. It is the Bible that confirms what they’re experiencing. The Bible is the authority over the experiences. 

Peter and James make a good case for why Gentiles can be part of the people of God. They are saved by grace through faith and do not need to submit to the law of Moses. 

What is important to see is that while the Gentiles do not have to become Jews, they can no longer be pagan idolaters. 

19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.” (Ac 15:19–21)

1. Abstain from things polluted by idols
2. Sexual immorality 
3. Things strangled from blood. 

The gospel is of grace, but that grace is the grace to change. It is right for the church to require repentance from the Gentiles. Pagan idolatry does not honor God and will hurt their fellowship with Jewish followers of Jesus.

It is right for us to call people who want to follow Jesus to repentance. The idolatry of hearts and our comfort with the sinful culture in which we live must be laid at the foot of Jesus, for we serve a new master— the one true and living God. 

 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (1 Th 1:8–10)

Now that the decision has been clarified, they send Paul and Barnabas back to Antioch to report the decision. 

III.) Gospel Unity (Acts 15:22-29) 

The first mark of unity we see is that it is not a select few in Jerusalem, but the whole church, that agrees that Gentiles are saved by faith. 

22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. (Ac 15:22)

This unity is reaffirmed by the letter, especially in verses 24-25. 

24 Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, 25 it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ac 15:24–26)

In verses 28-29, the requirements are listed again. 

What makes this decision and its relation to Acts so important is that it establishes unity in the gospel: they are saved by grace alone. Yet, it also implores the Gentiles to love the Jewish believers by abstaining from pagan practices that would be offensive to them and would harm their fellowship together. 

The Jews are going to practice the faith differently from the Gentiles, but they are to love and understand each other. They are united in the gospel of Christ, and so they can differ in the nonessentials. 

This unity doesn’t happen overnight. The New Testament letters bear witness to that, but in them all there is a call to gospel unity as the people of God.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Eph 4:1–3)

5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Ro 15:5–7) 

The result of the letter produces joy in the church and the continual spread of the gospel. 

IV.) Gospel Mission (Acts 15:30-35) 

30 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. 33 And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.  (Ac 15:30–35)

Gospel clarity and gospel unity are vital for the sake of gospel mission. Let’s imagine for a moment that this tension is not resolved. What happens? We don’t get the fruitfulness of the rest of Acts. This gospel clarity and unity fuel the evangelism, disciple-making, and church planting we see throughout the rest of the book.

(Share the gospel clearly and give an invitation)

Sermon Idea: Kingdom work is worthy of our sacrifice and suffering. 

Introduction: Not everything that we will do, nor every ambition we may have, will be worth the cost it may entail. Words like ‘sacrifice’ and ‘suffering’ are not appropriate for every endeavor. 

The simple truth I want to show you this morning is that kingdom work is worthy of our sacrifice and suffering. There is an intimate connection between life in Christ and sharing in suffering as we serve Christ and his church. 

When Paul was converted on the road to Damascus, the Lord told Ananias, For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” (Ac 9:16)

In Acts 14, Paul suffers as he serves Christ by being stoned so badly that he nearly dies. When he speaks to the disciples who care for him in Lystra, he encourages them to continue in the faith by saying, through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. (Ac 14:22) 

It is no wonder then that this theme is all over Paul’s letters. 

17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Ro 8:17)

29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, (Php 1:29)

5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven (2 Th 1:5–7)

Whatever sacrifice must be made, whatever suffering is endured, is part of God’s plan for his people who have been promised the kingdom of God by his grace. 

It is hard for so many of us to relate to this because we have sacrificed so little and suffered for the gospel so infrequently. What we ought to reflect on, though, is just how worthy our sacrifice of time, convenience, money, and comfort is as we serve Christ in our local church. The ministry that God has given us in this place with these people is work worthy of our time, efforts, and sacrifices. 

Acts 14 continues the account of Paul and Barnabas’ first missionary journey. When we last left them, they were shaking the dust of their feet in Pisidia because they were being persecuted. Despite this, Acts 13:52 reads, “And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.”

They now come into Iconium and Lystra, enduring more threats and suffering, but remaining steadfast in their service to the Lord. If we take one unit at a time, I think we can highlight the ministry of the Word, the glory of God, and the planning and strengthening of churches as kingdom work worthy of sacrifice and suffering. 

I.) The ministry of the Word is worthy of our sacrifice and suffering (Acts 14:1-7)

• Although Paul turns his primary attention to the Gentiles, he still preaches the gospel in the Jewish synagogue. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also the Greek (Romans 1:16)

• Belief is what happens initially; a great number of both Jews and Gentiles believed. This is what we want to see happen. It is what ministry is about: sinners coming to saving faith in Jesus Christ. 

• Ministry is never all success. It is a mixture of success and sorrow, fruit and even failure. Not long after, many are converted, the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles begin to work against their efforts. 

• As the Lord has done in this early and unique period of church history, signs and miracles are given to confirm the gospel message. It’s as if Jesus testifies to his own gospel, “…who bore witness to the word of his grace.”

• Even as they enter faithful ministry, they are not immune to persecution and opposition (vs. 5) 

• Even still, they continue to preach the gospel. 

II.) The glory of God is worthy of our sacrifice and suffering (Acts 14:8-18)

• Like Jesus and Peter before him, Paul heals a crippled man. 
• Paul and Barnabas are mistaken and gods (Zeus and Hermes) are exposing their idolatrous hearts and worship of idols. They go so far as to try to sacrifice both to them.
• Paul and Barnabas’ response is to grieve the idolatry of these people because they love the glory of God. These people are trapped in the worship of vain idols, so they are failing to worship the one true and living God. 
• In his classic book on missions, Let the Nations Be Glad, John Piper argues that missions exist because worship does not. 

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exist because worship does not. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.”

• Paul explains that the one true and living God has been revealed generally by his goodness and provision. This is called general revelation. It is a revelation of God that is sufficient to leave us without an excuse, but not sufficient to save us. For that, we need special revelation given to us in Jesus Christ and the Word of God— the gospel. 

• The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. (Ps 19:1–2)

• 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Ro 1:19–20)
• We are told that many who are listening to Paul are not persuaded and still seek to sacrifice to them. This is the challenge of ministry. Even our best efforts do not always yield the results we hope for. That said, the Lord seems to have done something during Paul’s time there, as disciples from Lystra are referenced in Acts 14:20, and Timothy is identified as a disciple from Lystra. God is always doing more than we realize in the moment.

III.) The planting and strengthening of churches is worthy of our sacrifice and suffering (Acts 14:19-28) 

• The first threat of stoning Paul was avoided. He now suffered a stoning so severe that he nearly died, “…they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.”
• It is remarkable, considering what Paul endured, that what he gives his attention to is not himself, but the health and well-being of these churches.  
• Disciplemaking, strengthening their souls, and encouraging them to continue in the faith: through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
• One of the key ways Paul strengthened these churches was by appointing elders. How important is the plurality of elders for healthy local churches? Very important. Given all that Paul has gone through it wouldn’t devote himself to trivial or nonessential things. The structure and governance of the local church are of vital importance to the church’s health. 
• Additional biblical support for the plurality of elders: 

When Paul addresses the church in Ephesus in Acts 20, he addresses the elders specifically:¹⁷ Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. (Ac 20:17) 

Here we see a plurality of pastoral leadership, “elders,” in one church: the church in Ephesus. 

When Paul writes to the church in Philippi, he addresses the saints and their leadership: overseers and deacons. To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons (Php 1:1) 

Remember, overseer is a synonym for elder and pastor. Here, we see a plurality of pastoral leadership, or “overseers,” in one church: the church in Philippi. 

The language of “overseer” may be unfamiliar to you, but it is merely a synonym for elder and pastor. In contemporary church practice, the word “pastor” has become the predominant title for church leaders who teach the Word of God and shepherd the church. In the New Testament, the predominant language for that office is “overseer” or “elder.” A simple survey of a few passages will show how these titles are used interchangeably.

¹⁷ Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. (Ac 20:17) ….²⁸ Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. (Ac 20:28)

⁵ This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— ⁶ if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. ⁷ For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. (Tt 1:5–7)

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: ² shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight(1 Pe 5:1–2)

What these verses make clear is that there is no distinction between the office of overseer and elder. They have the same qualifications, they perform the same functions, and possess the same authority. These are merely two different ways of describing one office in the church.

When Paul is instructing Titus about his ministry in Crete, he tells him to appoint elders in every town, ⁵ This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— (Tt 1:5)

James encourages the congregation to call upon the elders (plural) in the church (singular) to pray when sick,¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. (Jas 5:14)

What is clear from these passages is that the role of shepherding the church is too heavy and too important to be reserved for a single individual. The ministry of shepherding the congregation is to be a shared ministry between a plurality of qualified men who serve as elders in the local church. 

Although the Bible teaches that a plurality of elders with equal authority should lead the church, we can also recognize that those elders will have a variety of gifts and will serve the church in different ways. Paul recognizes this in 1 Timothy 5. 

¹⁷ Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. (1 Ti 5:17) 

• The pursuit of church health, of persuading a congregation to be great, aligned with Scripture, is a challenging but worthy task.  It is worth the sacrifice and suffering, the opposition, and the long teaching that is required.
• After returning to Antioch, they gather the church to report on what God has done through their efforts. A few passages give a clearer picture of the centrality of the local church in missions. They were sent out and thus accountable to those saints. In turn, they were part of all of Paul and Barnabas’ labors. 

Kingdom work is worthy of our sacrifice and suffering. 

What we see in Acts 14 is work that has eternal value. It is Kingdom work through which God builds the church of the Lord Jesus. To see sinners saved, disciples made, churches planted, and strengthened is what ministry is all about. This is what we are to prioritize and joyfully so, even though it will require sacrifice and invite suffering. 

Kingdom work is worthy of our sacrifice and suffering. 

Sermon Idea: God’s superior power is the church’s comforting assurance for its mission and ministry. 

Introduction: As many of you know, we recently had the privilege of hosting Paul Washer to inaugurate the Jack Russell sermons, and what a wonderful job he did. While he was here, he was gracious enough to sit with the pastoral staff over lunch to talk about life and ministry. The last question I asked him was what he was most encouraged by as he thought about the church, church planting, and efforts to fulfill the great commission. 

In response, he simply said, “You may think this answer cynical, but it’s not. What I am encouraged by is the superior power of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

His point was that, given the spiritual battle in which the church finds itself and the gravity of the task before us—the great commission—little can be made of our ideas, initiatives, and efforts, but much should be made about the superior power of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

As we think about making disciples in a lost and dying world, where sinful wickedness is rampant, errant religions blind many, and powers actively oppose the gospel of Jesus Christ, what comfort and assurances can our church have for our mission and ministry? 

The answer to the question lies in the superior power of God and our Lord Jesus Christ. 

We have said that the theme of Acts is about the continual reign of the risen Lord Jesus, who works by the Holy Spirit to spread the Word, build the church, and bear witness to the Kingdom of God. 

That’s what we have seen thus far in our study of Acts. The risen Jesus lives and reigns, and actively acts by his Spirit and through his Word. In Acts 13, Paul and Barnabas are about to set out on their first major missionary journey, and they immediately face darkness and opposition. 

God will demonstrate superior power by the presence of his Spirit, the preaching of his Word, and by his divine providence over salvation. 

Acts 13 serves as a reminder for us as we gather on the Lord’s Day and as we minister in various ways throughout the week. In the midst of ministries’ trials and difficulties, our God is still superior, and our Lord Jesus is a superior Savior. 

It also serves as a reminder for your individual Christian life. As you face temptation, fight sin, pursue change, and go through suffering, you worship a powerful God, have a superior Savior Jesus Christ, and are indwelt by the very presence and power of God, the Holy Spirit. 

God’s superior power is the church’s comforting assurance for its mission and ministry. The same holds true for your Christian life. 

Let’s keep these things in mind as we see from Acts 13…

1. The empowering presence of the Spirit 
2. The power of God’s Word preached
3. The Providence of God in Salvation

I.) The empowering presence of the Spirit (Acts 13:4-12) 

The work of the Holy Spirit in sending Paul and Barnabas is how Luke summarizes the beginning of their first missionary journey. The church in Antioch commissioned them, but it was the Holy Spirit, through the church, that sent them. As we will see in a few moments, believing in God’s call by His Spirit is valuable in persevering in ministry. 

4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. (Ac 13:4–5)

Now, notice that the primary missionary task that they commit themselves to is the proclamation of the Word of God. No matter where you go or where you do ministry, some things remain the same. As one recent book on mission states, “Wherever we send missionaries, the nature of God, man, sin, Christ, and ministry do not change….The power in ministry here and missions abroad is found, by the ordination of God in gospel preaching alone.”

We should expect things to go smoothly, right? Paul and Barnabas are sent by the Spirit, commissioned by a local church, and are preaching the Word of God. 

Any ministry worth doing will come with opposition. Paul and Barnabas face opposition right from the start. 

6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. (Ac 13:6–8)

So we have two men who are interested in the ministry of Paul and Barnabas, but for very different reasons. Sergius Paulus is a Gentile and, as Proconsul, is a governing official in the area. He wants to hear the Word of God. Bar-Jesus, also known as Elymas, is a magician and Jewish false prophet who, and listen to this, opposes Paul and Barnabas and seeks to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 

You can bet where good and faithful ministry is being done, the enemy will send troops to oppose that work. The gospel is too good and is too powerful a message for the enemy to leave the gospel to spread unopposed. This very well may be true in your own life. God may bring people close to you who seem to have receptive hearts to the gospel of grace, but you should not be surprised when you learn of opposing voices seeking their ear. 

Before we see how Paul responds and the power with which he does so, I want to ask you this. Would we know about Paul and Barnabas and their missionary efforts if, at the first sign of opposition, they took it as a sign to quit? “It’s hard, and we’re opposed. God must not be in it.” 

Beloved, difficulty and even opposition may not be a sign that you are outside of God’s will for you. It may not mean that you’re being called elsewhere. Difficulty and opposition may mean you’re exactly where God wants you, that you are doing meaningful ministry, and that you should persevere. 

How do we do that? How do we persevere in the face of opposition and in the midst of difficult circumstances? We remember that the Spirit who called you is the same Spirit who will empower and sustain you. 

The work of the Spirit is prominent in this chapter, with references to the Spirit bookending the chapter and a reference to the Spirit filling Paul in the middle. 

In verse 4, we read, “So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit…”

In verse 9, it says that Paul was “filled with the Holy Spirit…”

And lastly in verse 52, “And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.”

The superior power of God for ministry, our Christian life, marriage, and parenting is the power of the Holy Spirit. 

When faced with opposition, Paul did not respond in his own strength, but in the power of the Spirit who filled him. That is why he had the boldness to speak the truth to the false prophet. 

9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? (Ac 13:9–10)

When it comes to false teaching and errors of eternal consequence, we should follow the example of Jesus and Paul, not be afraid to rebuke them honestly. 

God’s superior power over those who oppose him is seen also in the blinding of the false prophet and the salvation of Sergius Paulus. 

11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. (Ac 13:11–12)

The conversion of Sergius, a high-profile Gentile, is a sign of things to come. Paul and Barnabas will soon turn their attention to the Gentiles and will bear much fruit as they do so. 

The empowering presence of the Spirit is what is needed for any servant of the Lord, pastor, missionary, or otherwise. This is how we should pray for one another, especially those tasked with shepherding the flock and ministering the Word of God. Pray that we would be filled with the Spirit and empowered by him for this important task. 

Why not pray for your spouse, children, and friends to be empowered by the Spirit as they seek to be faithful on their own Christian walks? 

As Paul and Barnabas continue their missionary journey, we also see the power of God’s Word as it is preached. Look with me beginning in verse 13. 

II.) The power of God’s Word preached (Acts 13:13-43) 

Paul and Barnabas continue on, but their other companion returns to Jerusalem. As we’ll see later in Acts, Paul was hurt by his leaving and became hesitant to take him on any more mission trips. Early in his ministry, Paul had a trusted companion leave him

After arriving in Antioch in Pisidia, they visited the local synagogue and invited Paul and Barnabas to speak a word of encouragement. What follows is a robust and model sermon that echoes much of what Peter preached in Acts 2. One of the reasons we have this sermon recorded, I think, is for us to see the continuity between Peter’s gospel preaching and Paul’s. 

To make this large section of Scripture easier for us, I want to give you the outline of Paul’s sermon, and then we’ll focus on the verses that most support Paul’s point. 

Paul’s primary point is that Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the long-awaited Messiah in fulfillment of the Scriptures, who, although he was rejected and crucified, has been raised from the dead.  It is now through this man, this risen Lord Jesus, in whom forgiveness of sins can be found. 

He first reminds those listening that God elected Israel to be his people and delivered them out of Egypt. He then makes mention of their forty years wandering in the wilderness before they entered the promised land. He reminds them of the time of the judges and of Samuel’s prophetic calling. 

All of this is background for Paul’s mention of God’s rejection of Saul as King and the covenant God made with King David. 

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. (Ac 13:21–23)

Everything else Paul says in this sermon is rooted in this point: the plan of God through his people, Israel, is to provide a promised Savior, who is Jesus the Christ. 

God provided John the Baptist to prepare the way of the Lord, but Israel still rejected Jesus. They rejected him to the point of putting him to death on a cross, but all of this was in fulfillment of the Scripture and God’s sovereign will. 

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. (Ac 13:27–29)

What Paul does next is theologically interpret the resurrection of Jesus by weaving together numerous Old Testament passages: Psalm 2:7, Isaiah 55:3, and Psalm 16:10. 

All of this is to show that the death of Jesus was the fulfillment of God’s plan, and the resurrection of Jesus was in fulfillment of the Scripture. 

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, 33 this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written… (Ac 13:30–33)

Jesus is the begotten Son of the Father (Psalm 2:7) who receives all the blessings and promises of David as the resurrected king (Isaiah 55:3), becasue as the Holy One, Jesus could not remain in the grave (Psalm 16:10). 

The climax of Paul’s sermon is his call to respond to this gospel message about God’s salvation through the crucified and risen Lord Jesus. Look at verse 38. 

38 Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses (Ac 13:38–39)

Here is the call! All who believe in Jesus are forgiven of their sins and freed (justified) from everything which the law of Moses could not free us from. Through faith in Jesus, we are justified, declared right before God, which could never have been achieved by our own works of righteousness. 

The invitation is then followed by a warning not to be like the scoffers in Habakuk’s day who would not believe the great work God would do in their midst. 

This Christ-centered, biblically saturated preaching is the means through which God calls people to saving faith in Jesus Christ. One of the great assurances we can have in ministry is that the superior power of God works through the preaching of the Word. 

When Paul speaks of the salvation of the church in Thessalonica, he describes it as a call through the gospel. 

God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. (2 Th 2:13–15)

As Paul reflects on the gospel in Romans, he says it is the power of God for salvation. 

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Ro 1:16)

No doubt, this is why Paul was determined to only preach Jesus Christ and him crucified. (1 Cor. 2:2)

Beloved, as we gather on the Lord’s Day and regularly for ministry, let’s remember the superior power of God in the Word of God. It is the Word and the gospel revealed there that God uses to change dead hearts, sanctify the saints, and make us more like Jesus Christ.

This seems to be what has happened to some of those following Paul and Barnabas. That is why Paul can urge them to “continue in the grace of God.” (Acts 13:43) 

Friends, let us use the means that God has promised his superior power. May we be a Bible-saturated, gospel-centered, Christ-exalting people who make disciples who come to love the glory of Jesus Christ as it radiates on every page of Holy Scripture. 

In his final address to the Pastor’s College in London, Charles Haddon Spurgeon spoke of the Bible’s power and why sermons should be full of the Bible.

“Sermons should be full of Bible; sweetened, strengthened, sanctified with Bible essence. The kind of sermons that people need to hear are outgrowths of Scripture. If they do not love to hear them, there is all the more reason they should be preaced to them. The gospel has the singular faculty of creating a taste for itself. Bible hearers, when the hear indeed, come to be Bible lovers.”  

God’s superior power is the church’s comforting assurance for its mission and ministry. That is evident in the empowering presence of the Spirit, as well as the power of God’s Word preached. We can now turn to our last encouragement, the providence of God in salvation. 

Let’s look at the text beginning in verse 46.

III.) The providence of God in salvation (Acts 13:44-52)

46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, 

                  “ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, 

      that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ” 

48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed (Ac 13:44–48)

As Paul teaches the Word, he explains why the gospel was preached first in Jewish synagogues. Israel was meant to be a light for the nations. May rejected Jesus as the Christ, although some did not. 

What I want to show you as we conclude is that God’s providential grace in salvation is a balm of comfort to anyone in ministry. Listen to verse 48, “and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.” (Acts 13:48) 

This is as clear a statement about God’s electing grace and predestination in salvation as you’ll find in the New Testament. Those who believed were those whom God had appointed to eternal life. Their faith was the evidence of their election. 

Paul says something very similar about the church in Thessalonica.

4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. (1 Th 1:4–5)

Why am I saying that that is a balm and comfort for ministry? How is God’s superior power through providence over salvation an assurance for its mission and ministry? 

It teaches us that salvation is from the Lord, that his people will be called through the gospel, that we are responsible only for sharing the gospel, not for saving people through it, and that God will protect forever those who are his. 

25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one. (Jn 10:25–30)

(Use John 10:25-30 to share the gospel clearly and call for a response to repent and believe)

Sermon Idea: God fulfills the great commission through local churches with godly leaders who worship the Lord, are led by the Spirit, and send their best on mission. 

Introduction: Every time Kelsey and I have the privilege of serving as messengers at the SBC annual meeting, we eagerly anticipate the sending ceremony, where new missionaries are commissioned. We eagerly listen to their stories, their destinations, and their tasks. It’s a moving celebration and time of prayer that can’t help but affect you as you watch. 

A part of this commissioning ceremony always stands out in my mind. It is the easiest to overlook, but of fundamental importance. As each missionary is presented, they are identified as being sent by a local church. Kelsey and I rejoiced at so many local churches we recognized sending missionaries. I find this so moving because it reminds me that God has given the great commission to his church. Organizations may assist and partner with local churches, but they are never to compete with or replace God’s ordained agent for fulfilling the great commission, the local church.

We first learned of the church in Antioch in Acts 11:19-30. It was this congregation that had as part of its membership both Jews and Gentiles. It wasn’t long before that local church in Antioch partnered and supported the church in Jerusalem by sending financial aid during a famine (Acts 11:30). Very early, they possessed what we might call kingdom-mindedness. They pursue the good of other local congregations. 

In our text this morning, the church in Antioch becomes the first local church to send out missionaries to plant more biblical churches. The local church is God’s means and method for fulfilling the great commission. 

Aaron Menikoff & Harshit Singh write in their book, Prioritizing Missions in the Church, that churches are the origin and end of missions. 

“….churches are both the origin and the end of missions. They are the origin in that churches send missionaries—missions originate in the local church. Churches are the end in that the goal of missions is faithful, healthy churches.”

If we seek to emulate the missiological method of the Apostle Paul, Barnabas, and the church in Antioch, we need to recognize that the church’s mission isn’t to go out and make individual followers of Jesus. The local church fulfills the Great Commission by making disciples and gathering them into local churches.

The Book of Acts provides excellent examples of this. 

In Act 11, the gospel reaches Antioch, and we read in verse 21, “…a great number who believed turned to the Lord.” 

When word reached the church in Jerusalem of what was happening in Antioch, they sent Barnabas to minister to the new believers. Along the way, he grabbed Paul, and we read in verse 26, “For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people.” 

The great number saved is now described as an assembly, a congregation, i.e., a church.

In Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas preach the gospel in Derbe, and we read in 14:21that after they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch (Ac 14:21). So they preach and make disciples. But now listen to verse 23. 

²³ And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. (Ac 14:23)

The disciples were gathered together in churches, and part of Paul’s missionary work was to appoint elders (plural), that is, pastors, in every church. It wasn’t enough to gather Christians and call them a church. Paul provided them with structure and biblically faithful leadership to equip them for the work of the ministry. The work of the Great Commission is the planting, support, and strengthening of healthy, biblical churches. 

Beloved, we should not think of Waldo Baptist Church as an amusement in search of customers. We are not a business concerned only with financial interest. We are not a humanitarian organization. 

Waldo Baptist Church and every local church are outposts of the kingdom of heaven through which God works to raise up, support, and send workers to plant biblical, healthy churches. 

As we look at Acts 13:1-3 together now, let us reflect on our own congregation. Are we a church centered on the Great Commission? Do we believe that we exist to support and strengthen the efforts of biblical church planting?  

I want to highlight three major things about God’s work through the church in Antioch that I think are still applicable to us. God works through this local church’s leaders as they teach the Word of God, the church members as they worship and commune with God, and the church’s sending in obedience to God. 

God fulfills the great commission through…

I.) Local church leaders who teach the Word of God 

The identified leaders are called prophets and teachers.

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. (Ac 13:1–3)

We are given not only names, but also geographic details about each person. Although it is not the main point, it is worth noting that this list of leaders demonstrates considerable diversity. Saul and Barnabas are both Jews, but the former is a Pharisee, and the latter is a Jew who speaks Greek. Simeon, Lucius, and Manaen are all Gentiles. Lucius was from North Africa, and Simeon, called Niger, is Latin for “black.” Manaen was a lifelong friend of Herod and would have had an upper-class social standing. 

These men come from different places, speak with different accents, and are shaped by different cultures. Yet, they are united in Christ and the work of the Spirit as they teach the Word of God in their church. 

The men mentioned here are prophet-teachers, those who teach the Word empowered by the Spirit for the edification of the church. Antioch was a church given a solid biblical foundation from the very beginning. In Acts 11:26, we read, “For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people.”

We now read in Acts 13 that multiple prophet-teachers were instructing the church in Antioch in the truth of God’s Word. We are not given insight into exactly which texts they read and taught, but we know the church is worshipping, praying, and listening to the Spirit’s leading first and foremost because they’ve been people formed by God’s Word. Perhaps they reflected on passages like Isaiah 49:6 

I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Is 49:6)

Or perhaps they were often taught Isaiah 52:7. 

7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” (Is 52:7)

The church in Antioch was ready for obedience in this moment because of the instruction given to them from God’s Word and their humble reception of it. God had formed the saints in Antioch into a sacrificial, missions-centered local church by the teaching of his Word. 

The most common first step in any article, book, or talk about how to get local churches more involved in the Great Commission is to teach the Word faithfully. 

Our people should know that from beginning to end, the Bible is about God’s plan to redeem a people for himself through the death, burial, and resurrection of his Son. Our people ought to know that in the Bible, God’s will for the nations is made so clear: “…my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth,” the prophet Isaiah says. 

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Our people should get a glimpse of the glorious vision of Revelation 7:9.

9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Re 7:9–10)

Before churches become mission-centered, they are first bible-centered. Find me a church bored with and indifferent to the Bible, and I’ll show you a church bored with and indifferent to the nations. 

We need not only to believe the Bible, but also to trust in its sufficiency. What I mean is this: we go to Scripture to learn not only what we are to do, but how we are to do it. 

In preparation this week, I skimmed through Heartcry’s booklet explaining their mission and methodology. The second of their eleven core values for missions is the sufficiency of Scripture. Listen to this carefully. 

“In our desire to fulfill the Great Commission, we will employ those means (i.e., strategies and methodologies) that are clearly set forth in the Scriptures. The more we stray from the biblical standard and rely upon our own ingenuity or cleverness, the less we will see the power of God and the advancement of His kingdom. It is a contradiction to employ unbiblical means to propagate biblical truth. It is equally dangerous to employ means that are not warranted by the Scriptures to fulfill the very tasks that the Scriptures assign to us.”

Faithfulness as a church comes not only from confessing belief in the Bible, but also from submitting to it in how we do ministry. 

After noting the diverse group of prophet-teachers, the text shifts to the church’s corporate worship gathering. Look with me now at verse 2.

II.) Local church worship and communion with God 

It is as they are worshipping God in prayer and fasting that they are led by the Spirit to affirm the calling of God on Saul and Barnabas. 

2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Ac 13:2)

As we have seen numerous times in Acts, the great works of God and the fruitfulness of God’s people are preceded by worship, particularly prayer and fasting. It is their communion with God that leads to deeper communion, enabling them to discern the Spirit’s leading. 

A greater experience of God is possible through sincere biblical worship and a pleading with him in prayer. It may seem simple or overly obvious, but the practice of many churches suggests the opposite. Too often, we prize our ideas, initiatives, and plans over a patient and persistent commitment to prayer. 

One of the simplest ways to apply a passage like this is to prepare for corporate worship in prayer before the church gathers and then to spend much time in prayer together as we gather. One of the things we should do, it seems to me, if we often find ourselves dissatisfied with our corporate worship gatherings, is to ask whether the root of that dissatisfaction is what happens when you’re here or what’s not happening before you get here. 

If there is no preparation, expectation, prayer, or intercession, if there is no heart of thankfulness at the reality of meeting with God and with his people, it shouldn’t surprise you when your experience seems to lack. 

Beloved, God’s work through the saints of Waldo Baptist Church will come out of the overflow of our joyful communion with him. Let us gather, having prayed, asking God to meet us here, worship in awe of his presence at his invitation, and be attentive to his voice in his Word as he teaches us. If we do that, we’ll be prepared vessels ready to be used for the advancement of the gospel and building of Christ’s church. 

III.) Local church sending in obedience to God

In response to the Spirit’s leading, the congregation affirms and commissions Saul and Barnabas with the laying on of hands. Then they are sent out. 

3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. (Ac 13:3)

This is not an ordination, as perhaps you’ve seen done before. This is much more like a commissioning service. There are two things I want you to see about this. 

1. The whole congregation is present, affirming and sending Paul and Barnabas. One of the easiest ways to slowly cultivate a deeper love for missions is to do all you can to be a faithful, meaningful member of this local church. That may not make sense at first, but hopefully it will if you heed that encouragement. Prioritize members’ meetings and don’t miss them. Help us not be distracted by lesser things, but keep the mission at the forefront. If the local church is the method of fulfilling the Great Commission, then your membership in a local church is vitally required for your participation in the Great Commission. 

2. Pray that the Lord raises up godly, qualified saints for this work, and prepare your heart to send them out if it be the Lord’s will. The church at Antioch didn’t just send any warm body to the mission field. These brothers were missed in Antioch. They were leaders. They were beloved. A massive hole was left in their absence. Healthy churches often send their best to plant or strengthen churches. 

The local church is God’s means and method for fulfilling the great commission. I want to leave you with a final note and a question. 

The note is to bring home the centrality of the local church for missions. Paul and Barnabas eventually come back and give their report to their sending church. 

26 and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. 27 And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles (Ac 14:26–27)

What would make us care about this so much? If you’re here and you’re not a Christian, why would we care about sending missionaries and planting churches? 

We care because God has been gracious to us by forgiving our sin, reconciling us to himself, and giving us a people to belong to—the church. The mission God has given us is to make as many disciples as we can, baptizing them in the name of the triune God and teaching them all he commands us. 

End with a clear gospel proclamation and a call for a response.