Acts 13:42-52 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Acts 13:42-52. Let’s go!
Acts 13:42-49 (NIV)
42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath.
43 When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'”
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.
On verses 42-49: Still in Pisidian Antioch, Paul and Barnabas are invited to come back and speak at the synagogue there. Practically the entire city shows up the next week to hear Paul and Barnabas preach. Jealous of all the attention Paul and Barnabas are getting, the Jewish leaders slander Paul and try to oppose the arguments he is making. In response, quoting from Isaiah 49:6, Paul and Barnabas announce that since the Jews in Pisidian Antioch have rejected their message, Paul and Barnabas will focus on reaching the Gentiles in Pisidian Antioch with the same message. (Don’t take Paul and Barnabas’ response in verses 46-47 to mean that from now on Paul and Barnabas would only focus on reaching the Gentiles. If that were the case, they would not, in the next city on their journey, go back to the synagogue to preach to both Jews and Gentiles, as described in the next chapter of Acts.)
What can we learn from this? You would think that Paul would be most effective reaching his own Jewish people. After all, Paul was the most passionate persecutor of Christians before he encountered Jesus in a powerful way and became a Christian minister. Of all people, you would think that the Jews would listen to Paul. Yet it turns out that Paul would experience greater receptivity to his message among non-Jewish people, Gentiles. It goes to show yet again in Acts that God works in ways that are different from what we would imagine or expect. It also suggests that no matter how passionate a preacher is, no matter how reasonable are the arguments a preacher makes, in the end it boils down to the degree of humility and willingness within the hearer’s heart.
Acts 13:50-52 (NIV)
50 But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.
51 So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.
52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
On verses 50-52: Repeatedly Paul and Barnabas faced rejection and persecution from those who did not like what they were doing. But Paul and Barnabas never gave up. In accordance with Jesus’ words in Luke 9:5, Paul and Barnabas simply shake the dust from their feet and move onto the next city.
Like Paul and Barnabas, when you face rejection or opposition while trying to do what God calls you to do, don’t sulk or get discouraged. Simply shake off the dust and move on. Focus your energies on those who will receive you. If you will persevere as a courageous and resilient ambassador of Jesus, you will find that while some seeds will land on bad soil, other seeds will surely land on good soil, bear fruit and result in a harvest that more than compensates for any seeds which fell on bad soil. So don’t stop trying to reach out and sow seeds in Jesus’ name. The harvest is awaiting us if we do not give up.
Father, thank You for the example of Paul and Barnabas, for their resilience and their refusal to give up. I pray I would be the same, allowing times of rejection not to ruin me but to refine me, and always looking to find new and better ways to reach the people You are leading me to reach. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
