Day 1150: A turning point - Acts 13 vs 42 - 52

42-43 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people urged them to continue this message on the next Sabbath. After the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God. 44-45 On the following Sabbath, nearly the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying.

46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But 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, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” 48-49 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord spread throughout that region.

50-52 The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district. So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:42-52 English Standard Version.

The event in Antioch Pisida was a turning point for the gospel! On the second Sabbath that Paul was there, nearly the 'whole city' turned up to hear the word of the Lord! On the previous Sabbath, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism had received the message which Paul and Barnabas brought. But now, Jews who'd not believed on Christ were filled with jealousy when they saw how many people wanted to hear more. So how did Paul respond? (vs 46 -47)

He quoted a verse from Isaiah Chapter forty-nine which was a prophecy Jews well understood as referring to Messiah. It says: “It is not enough for you to be my servant raising up the tribes of Jacob and restoring the protected ones of Israel - I will also make you a light for the nations, to be my salvation to the ends of the earth.” That verse showed that it had always been God's intention to save people from all nations. Abraham was promised that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed”, and that his offspring would be “as many as the stars at night”.

Sadly, many Jews had not seen that, and they rejected Paul's message. But when the gentiles heard they 'rejoiced and gave glory to God'. The Bible says that “all who were appointed for eternal life believed.” Writing to Christians years later, Paul said that God had “predestined believers for adoption to Himself, as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace.” (Ephesians 1:5) That's a truth that is difficult to grasp. But let no one who is unsaved say that it was because they were not elect. For what does Paul say of the Jews who rejected what he was telling them? (vs 46)

They rejected God's message of salvation, and did not consider themselves worthy of eternal life. They were doing what Jesus had told in a parable saying: “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited were not worthy.'” (Matthew 22:8) The onus was upon themselves – they could not blame God. Paul talks more about this in Romans Chapter 9, where he points out that God was pleased to save a people “not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles.” (Romans (9:24)

Paul and Barnabas had followed the instructions of Jesus to preach the gospel firstly to Jews. And, because they were 'run out of town' by religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city, they heeded Jesus words to 'shake the dust off their feet' as a testimony against them. (Mark 6:11) It marked a turning point for the gospel. They were now going to take it in earnest to the gentiles. And wherever it would be received, it would “fill the disciples with joy and with the Holy Spirit”