Month: April 2026

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)