THE WORD OF THIS SALVATION
October 7, 2007 AM
Sermon Outline
ACTS 13:26
INTRO: Antioch of Pisidia was a very Roman city in the general area of Galatia. The 13th chapter of Acts is devoted to almost entirely to the visit of Paul and his company to that city. There was a synagogue of the Jews there, and on the sabbath day the little company of "missionaries" went to the synagogue "and sat down" (13:14). After the "reading of the law and the prophets" the rulers of the synagogue invited the missionary company to speak to the people in attendance there. It was in this address that apostle Paul referred to "the word of this salvation" (13:26). Here is another of those expressions in scripture describing the word of God. I'd like us to look, though, at what he says about the word of this salvation.
- THE MAIN POINTS OF HIS ADDRESS LEADING TO OUR EXPRESSION
- 13:17 He refers to Israel in Egypt
- by implication, then, he takes the hearers to Abraham
- remember Gen 15:13-16 and God's promise to Abraham
- even further back to Gen 12:1-3 and God's earliest promises - so, Paul is setting the stage to ultimately speak of Jesus Christ
- 13:18 He refers to the 40 years of wilderness wandering
- 13:19 He refers to the conquest of Canaan
- 13:20 He refers to the period of the Judges ... and Samuel
- 13:21 He refers to the people's desire for a king ... and to Saul
- 13:22,23 He refers to David ... and to David's seed, Jesus
- he notes that God "removed" Saul ... 1 Sam 13:13,14 (disobedience)
- he speaks of David as a man who "shall fulfil all my will" & 1 Sam 13:14
- of David's seed, in keeping with His promise, raised up to Israel a Saviour, Jesus - Isa 9:6,7
- 13:24,25 - He refers to John the Baptist
- he notes that John had preached a message of repentance to Israel
- keep in mind that John had been a decidedly impressive figure
- but Paul reminds all that John was not the Messiah and that he spoke of one coming after him "whose shoes...I am not worthy to loose"
- It is at this point that Paul refers to "the word of this salvation"
- 13:17 He refers to Israel in Egypt
- HOW DOES PAUL EXPLAIN "THE WORD OF THIS SALVATION"?
- 13:27,28 - He first speaks of Jesus' execution - unjust death
- the point? Heb 9:28 with 10:10-12 - a sacrifice for our sins
- 1 Pet 3:18a - "...the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God..."
- 13:29 - He then speaks of Jesus' burial
- Mt 27:57-60 - in midst of a horrible event is this loving act
- but there is something else here - Col 2:12 ... buried with Him
- 13:30,31 - hallelujah, He lives!
- everything about this salvation hinges on this wonderful fact & news
- notice, too, that Paul mentions the witnesses who had seen the risen Jesus - Acts 2:32
- 13:32-37 - Jesus, not David, is the fulfillment of God's promise
- v. 32 takes us back to Gen 13:3(cf. Gal 3:8)
- but vv. 33-35 Paul declares Jesus fulfillment of well known prophecies
- his proof? Jesus is raised, but David's decayed body is still entombed
- 13:27,28 - He first speaks of Jesus' execution - unjust death
- THE GOOD NEWS OF THE WORD OF THIS SALVATION?
- Because Jesus lives, forgiveness of sins can be preached
- sin, then and now, is the great human problem - alienation from God
- Jesus atoning death and His confirming resurrection answer the problem
- for a hopeless world it seems to me this would be the best possible news - forgiveness of the sins which have me on a course for hell
- This forgiveness was not possible under the law of Moses
- there were the constant offerings for sin ... the annual atonement day
- Heb 10:1-4 - their sins were ever before them!
- but notice Heb 10:15-18 - through Jesus there is real forgiveness ... and no more sacrifices for sin
- Acts 2:37,38 - the climax of a similar sermon
- there is a necessary human response to the word of this salvation
- that response is belief, repentance and baptism ... union with Jesus' death
- in Antioch of Pisidia it was the Gentiles who received the word of salvation positively - the Jews rejected it and persecuted the messenger!
- Because Jesus lives, forgiveness of sins can be preached
CLOSE: I wonder what you will do with the word of this salvation this morning?
Will you receive it with joy and be united into the death of Jesus in baptism? The forgiveness God is offering you through Jesus will change your course for eternity.
Cecil A. Hutson
07 October 2007