The Greatest

 

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:7)

Love endures all things because of being protected in God’s hands and walking each day with Him. We can endure and grow because God gives us strength, and He encourages and teaches us through all things when we listen to and heed Him.

Because of the love of God for and in us, and the personal knowledge of His love, we can believe in God’s strength, encouragement, and faithfulness and not be dissuaded or discouraged. Belief in God is a gift He gives.

Because of God’s love, we can hope. We rest in that hope that God is faithful, He loves us, and He protects us, so we can continue to have faith in Him—hope in Him.

Because of God’s love for and in us and His faithfulness to Himself and His promises to us, we can endure all things. We can bravely, calmly, and patiently persevere.

Notice each of these actions are doable because of Who God is, what He’s done, and what He’s taught us. We cannot bear up, believe, hope, or endure without Him. We wouldn’t have God or the gifts He gives us to be able to do these things without God.

Today and in the the rest of your tomorrows, live in and live out this love that only God gives. You will be assured, comforted, encouraged, protected, strengthened, and taught, so your faith and hope in God grows. Then you can bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things and, by that, testify about God with your life. You will know in your heart, mind, and spirit that Love never fails. Three will remain—faith, hope, and love. The greatest of these is love (directly from God to you).

Receive Power

 

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

This power Christians receive, about which Jesus spoke and Luke wrote, is nothing they can manufacture for themselves. Notice the verb “will receive.” The power comes from the Holy Spirit (God). God gives it freely to Christians. This power is part of God’s power and provides believers with the ability to do what God tells them. God gives the ability to do what He commands. This power is part of God’s ability; He can do anything and everything.

With the power of God in them given by God Himself, what was Jesus’ command to His followers? Jesus said Christians are to be witnesses. Witnesses see and hear what God does and says. Witnesses can attest to God's actions and words. Their statements—testimonies—give credence and more power (more punch) so people are more inclined towards believing about God and believing in Jesus.

In Acts 1:8, Luke recorded when Jesus said the Holy Spirit will give Christians the power and ability to serve Jesus by testifying about Him. God expects and empowers believers to hear, see, obey, and then tell other people about Jesus. He compels them by the Holy Spirit, who lives within them, to tell other people. As Christians grow closer to God, it becomes harder to disobey God—His conviction through the Holy Spirit and power within them—and their love for Jesus. Love for God (Father, Son, and Spirit) compels Christians to obey, act, and say what Gods commands, compels, and empowers them to do with His ability.

Understanding that the command, compulsion, and power to obey comes from God makes it easier for the believer to tell whom and go to wherever He leads easier. Love for God makes it easier each day to go further from our safe space, from family, and from friends. That love for God and from Him makes it possible to go far to be a witness about God and the gospel. It helps believers realize no matter where they are, God is already there and always with them. Going far away is easier when your love for God is greater than your love for yourself, your dreams and plans, your parents, siblings, grandparents, and your friends. When God is your everything, He becomes closer to you than these people and things; He becomes mother, father, brother, sister, and friend in your heart. A Christian does not leave these behind but finds that love for God fulfills the love you need.

This means going to your city (Jerusalem), your state (Judea), your country (elsewhere in your country, like Samaria), and the world are easier because of your love for God and His for you. Going and telling is easier because God empowers you with His ability. Witnessing about God is easier because no doubt exists in your mind that God compels and sends you. Obeying is easier because God’s love in you causes you to love the people you have not yet met. God’s love in you gives you immeasurable concern for their spiritual eternity and their lostness—lack of salvation and lack of relationship with God.

Christians’ love for God and people is immense due to their relationship with God and belief in Jesus, making sharing the gospel a necessity. You will stretch yourself so that all people listen to testimony about Jesus. Your relationship with God fulfills you completely, so you lack nothing - family, friends, home, power, purpose, hope, and future. God fulfills each of these needs; He becomes your everything.

What excuse do you allow to keep you from a greater relationship with God, a relationship that comes from obeying Him by being filled with His power and ability?

What excuse do you give for not witnessing about Jesus to people?

God wants to be everything you need. Do not let a human excuse keep you from the abundance of God and from God. Believe and bear witness about Jesus.

Amazed

 

Introduction

So far, in this series on the Gospel of Mark, we learned about the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Mark explained Jesus is the Son of God and set forth to show this truth by His actions and words. Mark explained by retelling Peter’s teaching and preaching. He made people know about Jesus’ power and authority because He is the Son of God. This Jesus, Mark said, is the fulfillment of the prophecies of Isaiah and Malachi. Mark explained the messenger, who was to come before the Messiah to prepare the way of the Lord, had come and that man was John the Baptist.

With this introduction of John the Baptist, Mark taught about him. He was the cousin of Jesus. John the Baptist preached baptism for repentance and pointed to Jesus as the Son of God. John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River and, from then, as he said, his ministry decreased while Jesus’ increased. Mark told more about John the Baptist to introduce him to his readers/hearers. At Jesus’ baptism, the people surrounding the river heard the Father’s voice. They saw the Spirit descend upon Jesus like a dove. Both confirmed Jesus as the Son of God, as did Jesus’ opening heaven for the dove to descend upon Himself. This opening of the heavens was the first time it had ever happened. It will not occur again until Jesus returns from heaven in the last days.

Immediately after Jesus’ baptism, the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness. While there, Satan tempted Him three times during His forty days stay in the wilderness. Jesus prevailed over Satan by not sinning. He proved He had power greater than the prince of darkness. This power He gives to each person who believes in Him. When His time was complete in the wilderness, Jesus traveled to Galilee. The time of His arrival in Galilee was after Herod imprisoned John the Baptist for speaking against his marriage to his brother’s wife and divorcing his own wife to do it. While in Galilee, Jesus walked around the sea and called four fishermen to come and follow Him. He told them He would make them fishers of people.

In each part of Mark 1:1-20, God’s hand was clear in the circumstances. He had said when the time was right, He would send a Savior. The right time came, and Jesus entered humanity’s timeline. He came to earth to live as a man, be tempted, stay sinless, and die a sinner’s death. He was the perfect sacrifice for humanity when they trusted in Him as their Savior. When they believed, they would receive salvation from their sins and from eternal separation from God. In God’s timing, all things are manifested and done. Jesus fulfilled the plan God made from before the world’s foundation. With His entrance as a man, He brought God’s gospel (good news) that the Savior had come. Jesus fulfilled the prophecies then and would fulfill them completely/perfectly when He returns to earth the second time. This “now and not yet” scenario of salvation occurs many times in the Bible. Let’s continue our study to see even more how Jesus is God’s Son through His authority and power.

Amazed

They went into Capernaum; and immediately, on the Sabbath, Jesus entered the synagogue and began to teach. And they were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Mark 1:21-22 [NASB]

Teaching

When Jesus returned to Galilee after His wilderness experience, He began His ministry. He did this in two ways. The first part of His ministry began with calling men to follow Him. Mark said Jesus and the four fishermen then walked to Capernaum. Added to His authority to call men to be His disciples, Jesus would show His divine authority to more people.

Mark 1:21 tells the readers/hearers, Jesus immediately entered the synagogue on the Sabbath. When the Sabbath began, He walked to the synagogue as all devout Jews would. Notice Mark used one of His favorite adverbs again. With no delay, Jesus walked to where most Jews would be. He hastily trod to the synagogue to tell them the prophecies are fulfilled. Mark said this when he wrote Jesus began to teach.

Why was it important for Jesus to go to Capernaum? Let’s understand what Capernaum was. It was a town/village on the northwestern side of the Sea of Galilee. Capernaum had good soil for agriculture and the large sea for fishing. That made them economically secure. A well-traveled highway connected Damascus and Galilee. Because of this, many cultures influenced the people of Capernaum. A lot of Gentiles lived within the town/village. Capernaum housed the Roman client-king, Herod, and the customs house. Several scholars believe it contained a Roman garrison for the soldiers. Capernaum became a second home for Jesus, his home-away-from-home. Within this town/village, people worshiped various gods/idols. This influenced the Jews to appease idols instead of Yahweh.

To these Jews, Jesus immediately traveled to tell them the prophecies foretold about the Messiah are fulfilled. He told them the good news of God’s gift of salvation given through the Messiah. Did Jesus wait for the scribes of that synagogue to nod to Him to tell Him it was His turn to speak? Did they even know Jesus? Only the people at the time know. Mark did not record this. What he recorded was “Jesus began to teach.” This sentence is past continuous tense, a past action that has no definite ending. That exactly illustrates the “now and not yet” scenario. Jesus came then but did not die. He still lives and still fulfills the prophecies about Him, providing salvation for all people who believe in Him. The necessity for salvation remains until God sets up the new heaven, new earth, and new Jerusalem after Jesus resurrects His believers. Jesus taught, and the people responded.

Mark wrote that the people “were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (vs. 22). The Greek word Mark used we translate as amazed means to be astonished, dumbfounded, and gladly amazed with wonder. Jesus’ teaching, coming from one who had not been trained in religious laws and traditions beyond what every male Jew received, came with clarity and power. He did not teach as the scribes did, who copied the books of Moses, the traditions, and laws repeatedly. These same scribes also taught the people in the synagogues what rabbis had taught. Their knowledge came from a man. These scribes merely passed down tradition. Jesus, on the other hand, spoke with power, authority, and conviction because He is the Son of God. At this, the people in the synagogue were amazed. Jesus, a Nazarene from a carpenter’s family, told them profound things about and from God. Their spirits quickened when they recognized this man to whom they were listening and caused them to act upon what He said. From His divine being, He gave power to the Scriptures. His teaching differed from the rabbis and scribes. His teaching did not depend on any other teaching. He taught them with authority-power and influence.

Casting out Demons

Just then, there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, “what business do you have with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who You are: the Holy One of God!” Mark 1:23-24 (NASB)

Notice Mark began this next section with “just then.” He used another phrase that meant “immediately.” After Jesus taught with authority and power, a man in the synagogue confronted Him. An unclean spirit, a demon, cried out (screamed) from this man. It recognized Jesus as everyone else did, Jesus of Nazareth. With greater understanding and acknowledgement, the demon proclaimed about Jesus. It confirmed Jesus is the Son of God. Even spirits know who Jesus is and this one proclaimed it aloud. This voice crying out to Jesus from the man spoke for many demons living in him. Mark used a second person plural tense pronoun in his sentence, “Have you come to destroy us?” These demons recognized Jesus as coming from Nazareth; He was a man. They recognized Jesus is the Holy One of God, too. These evil spirits disclosed Jesus as more than a carpenter’s son. They acknowledged and proclaimed He is the One God promised. They were the second to tell people about the Son of God. Recognizing Jesus is divine, the demons asked Him why He was disturbing them. The demons felt threatened, though Jesus had not spoken to them first. Light threatens and casts out darkness. The demons feared they must find another home. Yet, He came to release the captives. This man was captive to these demons. Jesus came to release all people from captivity—to sins, to evil beings, etc. These demons realized what would happen.

And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of Him!” After throwing him into convulsions and crying out with a loud voice, the unclean spirit came out of him. And they were all amazed, so they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding region of Galilee. Mark 1:25-28 (NASB)

What was Jesus’ reaction to the demons? As he continued recording, Mark wrote Jesus rebuked them. Jesus commanded them, “Be quiet and come out of him!” These demons feared Jesus and recognized His authority and power. Jesus exhorted them not to speak about Him to people. Remember, God had said in the right time He would send a Savior (Isaiah 49:8 & Romans 5:6). Jesus said in the synagogue, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15). He had not yet announced He is the Son of God. In the right time (at just the right time), Jesus would tell He is God’s Son, the One who came to save humanity from their sins. That time was not then in the synagogue.

Next, Jesus commanded the demons, “Come out of him!” The demons recognized who He was addressing. With no surprise, they expected this to happen. Did the demons remove themselves peacefully from the man? Would you obey Jesus’ commands without an excuse for not doing as He says? These demons threw the man down on the ground in convulsions and shrieked loudly. People realized this man was demon-possessed before this day. They had not yet experienced the control and power these demons exerted over him. When Jesus commanded them to leave the man, they loudly and visually left. They recognized, if they did not leave, Jesus would use His great power to expel them. These demons recognized without being told how powerful Jesus is. Jesus did not have to expel them by force. The demons recognized Jesus’ authority and vacated, but they exited like a child’s tantrum.

The demons recognized Jesus’ authority and power. People heard Jesus teach and recognized His authority and power. With the demons’ expulsion, Mark recorded the people “were all amazed.” The people wondered who Jesus was since He could expel demons and teach with authority and power. Questioningly, the people asked among themselves, “Who is this? A new teacher with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits to obey Him” (vs. 27). Jesus captured the people’s attention. The people who took note of Him were Jews-rabbis and scribes. How would you react if you saw someone cast out a demon? This occurrence was spectacular. People took note, but no one recognized Jesus as the Son of God. The time was not right. But it soon would be.

In verse twenty-eight, Mark wrote, “Immediately the news about Him (Jesus) spread everywhere into all the surrounding region of Galilee.” Amazed and astonished, the people immediately began telling others about Jesus. Jesus’ fame spread from there. Soon He would fill houses and mountainsides with people.

Application and Conclusion

The four men were commanded to come and follow Jesus. Amazing in itself. To the people, Jesus was known as a carpenter’s son. But they heard Him teach with authority in the synagogue on the Sabbath. They knew Jesus had not been trained to be a priest. He did not tell what another person taught. Jesus knew what God said and meant for Himself because He is part of the Triune Godhead of Father, Son, and Spirit. The demons recognized Jesus and His power and authority. In three ways, Jesus showed His authority — calling disciples, teaching, and casting out demons.

Mark does not tell of immediate believers in Jesus as the Son of God. As Jesus ministers, people followed Jesus. One day, though, Peter declared He is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16.) People did eventually believe. Even Jewish leaders like Nicodemus trusted in Jesus. The disciples believed in Jesus. With great trust, both the blind man, who received his sight, and the Roman centurion, whose daughter laid deathly ill, believed in Jesus because He healed. him and the Roman’s daughter. Many people trusted in Jesus for their salvation. Many millions did not and have not believed in Him, too.

What will it take to convince you of Jesus’ authority? Would you recognize Him if He commanded you to come and follow Him? What if you saw Jesus casting out a demon? What would it take for you to be amazed at Jesus and believe in Him as your Savior? What would you do to follow Jesus? Would you leave everything? Would you help the leper or blind man? Would you feed the beggar or let him bathe at your home? Once we trust in Jesus as the Son of God and as our Savior, our faith must grow and cause a change in our lives. Being a disciple of Jesus costs. Mark wrote about this in his gospel, too. Are you willing to pay the cost to be Jesus’ disciple? Jesus gives us that example. He gave up everything to be born as a human and die on the cross. His death separated Him from the Father momentarily, but it provided a way for believers to be cleansed from their sins and have victory over death.

Will you continue to turn away from Jesus?

He gave His all for us. 

Accept His gift of salvation and be willing to give your all for Him. The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. (Romans 6:23, [NASB])

For by grace, you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8 [NASB])

Follow

 

Introduction

In the first three Bible studies in this series on the Gospel of Mark, you learned about “the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). After this grand opening, Mark told the Roman Christians about the prophecies from God. God told Isaiah and Malachi to tell the Israelites these prophecies. The prophecies foretold the Messiah coming to the world. They spoke of “the voice of one calling out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord’” (Mark 1:2). Next, Mark told of Jesus’ baptism and God’s confirming and consecrating Him as His Son (Mark 1:9-11). Immediately after His baptism, Jesus walked into the wilderness with the Spirit. While there, He endured and overcame the temptations Satan put before Him (Mark 1:12-13). Each of these activities was a prelude to Jesus revealing the truth about Himself. He is the Son of God, the Messiah promised from the foundation of the world.

Mark immediately began telling of Jesus’ ministry. He relayed Jesus’ revelation of His authority and power. No one before Jesus ever had His authority and power. In rapid succession, Mark recorded for all readers/hearers about the definitive proof Jesus truly is the Son of God. After the Father’s proclamation, which was proof Jesus is His Son, other proof occurred in the early stages of Jesus’ Galilean ministry. These were the retelling of twelve encounters Jesus had with people. He healed people, cast out demons, taught, preached, prayed, called people to follow Him, and challenged the manmade religious laws of the time. Let’s study and understand what Mark tells people about Jesus through his gospel in Mark 1:14-20. Consider what Jesus’ command, “Follow Me,” means for you and the way you live.

Follow

Now, after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (1:14-15 [NASB])

Background

People may read Mark 1:14-20, then later just skim over these verses. They might tell themselves, “Oh, I know Jesus called people to follow Him, but I want to get to the meat of what Jesus did.” Before you can really grasp the things Jesus said and did, you must understand the background for His work. The opening sentence of Mark 1:14-20 says, “After John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God.” (NASB)

When did Jesus begin His ministry in Galilee? Mark tells us it started after John the Baptist was put in prison by Herod. Herod’s seduced his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias. Herod and Herodias both divorced their spouses so they could marry each other. When John said this marriage was adultery, Herod had him put in prison.

Where did Jesus go? Jesus walked from southern Judea to Galilee. Galilee was in the northern part of Israel. Jesus had been in the wilderness in the south. He had faced and defeated Satan and his temptations. Jesus had walked for days to get to Galilee. The region of Galilee was more heavily influenced by Greek and Roman culture than Judea. Herod was king their king. The Galilean economy was better than Judea’s. They had good agricultural land and a fishing industry. The Galileans were a wealthy, multi-god-loving, Roman and Greek-influenced, adulterous, and racially impure part of Israel. Jesus took the good news of God to them.

What did Jesus preach? Mark finished verse fourteen by writing, “Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of God.” From earlier study, we know the gospel is the good news. Good news of what? The good news of God, which He prepared from the foundation of the world, was that He sent a Savior. This Savior would die for the judgment people deserved for their sins. He would give believers in Him an eternal relationship with God in His kingdom. The gospel is the point of the whole Bible. People need a Savior to be in a close, personal relationship with God and glorify Him in their lives.

Good News

Mark said in verses fourteen through fifteen, “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” Jesus told the people who heard Him what had happened. He gave them two commands to make what He offered to them part of their lives.

When Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled,” He meant a passage of time had passed and a specific time about which Old Testament prophets foretold was occurring right then. For most people, they would wonder about what this fulfillment of time was and what the kingdom of God is. The time of waiting for the Messiah had ended. Why? Because that prophecy God gave the prophets had occurred. Jesus used a present continuous verb when He said, “the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is come.” That time the, Jesus said, is now and will continue. The time of the Messiah would be forevermore from the time Jesus spoke to people. Only the Messiah, the Son of God, could completely and perfectly fulfill and keep fulfilling the prophecies about the Messiah. These prophecies spoke about one who would come to take the judgment and stains of their sins away. No mortal person could do that. Only the triune God could remove sins written against each person and fulfill the judgment due to them because of their sins. Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecies about a Messiah, the Savior for each person who professes faith in Him.

When Jesus said, “kingdom of God is at hand,” He referred to a prophecy by Daniel. In Daniel 7:13 and 2:44, Daniel spoke of the Son’s everlasting dominion, glory, and kingdom. Daniel said it would come at a moment in time and continue forevermore. It would not pass away or be destroyed like idols that people create for themselves. This kingdom of God coming, which came at the revelation and ministry of Jesus, is another example of the “now and not yet” scenario that flows through the Christian faith. Just as we are saved now, but will only be perfected (totally sanctified) by Jesus when we enter His kingdom, so God’s kingdom came to earth when Jesus began His ministry on earth, but it will not be perfectly fulfilled until the day Jesus returns and creates a new heaven, new earth, and new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-5, 2 Peter 3:10-13, Isaiah 65:17-19 & 66:22). The time the prophecies foretold is fulfilled, Jesus said, and the kingdom of God is now. The Messiah has come, bringing the world into a new epoch of ushering in God’s kingdom and the Messiah.

With this statement about the kingdom of God, Jesus gave two commands. Without the explanation of what and why, the people were unlikely to understand the reason Jesus instructed them to repent and believe in the gospel. Jesus told the people who listened to Him to change their minds about how to live. Instead, live life differently and in obedience to the Spirit’s leading. The word “repent” includes confessing to God of old sinful ways. If Jesus did not teach about salvation from sins and death, His preaching would have been the same as John the Baptist’s. John preached baptism for repentance. Jesus, though, had the good news about something God had never done before, but had always planned to do at the right time. Jesus told them to repent and believe in the gospel of God. His instruction to “believe” made what He preached different from what God’s other messengers had preached. “Believe” in the Greek language of the New Testament means to be persuaded within oneself and by the Lord about Jesus being the Son of God and receiving the salvation He offers through His death that He died for each sinner. Belief. How hard can it be? For people of the world who spent their lives appeasing vengeful gods or seeking fulfillment for themselves, trusting in Jesus was/is hard. Still, for every person who seeks God, He said He would be found if people seek Him with their heart (Jeremiah 29:13, 2 Chronicles 15:2b, Psalm 9:10). The writer of Hebrews 11:6 summed up belief. He said, “And without faith, it is impossible to please Him (God), for the one who comes to God must recognize He exists, and that He proves to be the One who rewards those who seek Him.” The time has come. The prophecies are fulfilled. God’s kingdom is at hand. Jump at this opportunity to be forgiven, change the way you live, and profess faith in Jesus for salvation from the judgment of eternal punishment and separation from God. Repent and believe.

Calling

Jesus preached with authority about what only God could speak. He preached about eternal forgiveness and life with God. Jesus caught the attention of people with the power and authority of what He proclaimed. People would respond to His authority, a few would do so decisively, in Mark 1:16-20. These people who had never met Jesus before would instantly leave what they did, who they loved, and where they lived, forsaking everything, to respond to Jesus’ command.

Four fishermen, a lucrative trade in Galilee, a place where Judaism did not dominate the religious culture, saw and heard Jesus. First, though, Jesus saw them. As He walked around the Sea of Galilee, the body of water that fed many people and provided jobs, He saw fishermen. To Simon and Andrew, Jesus said, “Follow Me, and I will have you become fishers of people” (Mark 1:17). Jesus’ play on words changing fishermen to fishers of men/people probably caught their attention. His instruction to follow was an imperative/command and part of a conditional statement. He said, if you do this, I will do that. In the Greek Bible, the words of Jesus are, “Come! Follow Me.” Jesus called them to come to Him, be His disciples, and learn from Him. Mark said nothing about why the men readily put down their nets, got out of their boats, and followed Jesus. We could presume the authority with which Jesus preached in Galilee made people want to follow Him and see what happened. Another presumption could include the men left everything they owned and the people they loved because Jesus’ command to “come” was powerfully authoritative and they could not shrug off His command. The Greek word for “follow” includes this possibility. It means to be more than curious. Instead, heed your desire to follow Him, learn from Him, and come to trust in what He says. Come be Jesus’ disciples and learn from Him, so you will have faith in Him.

Jesus said more than just a three-word command. His command was a conditional clause. People might consider that trusting in Jesus and receiving salvation from sins was the “then” side of the clause. Many people live this way. They profess faith in Jesus, get baptized, then go about their merry way, living life no differently or minimally different from before they accepted Jesus as their Savior. But Jesus did not end His command with “come follow.” To be a disciple of Jesus, you will pay a cost. To be an active, submissive disciple of Jesus (a child of God), you will follow His leading and teaching, then go tell other people about Him. Jesus said this in His conditional clause. He said, “Follow Me, and I will have you become fishers of people.” Pay attention. Who will make them fishers of people? Jesus. People who have not repented, accepted Jesus as their Savior, and been trained by Him are unable to share the gospel. The training you receive from Jesus can come in various ways: sermons, Bible study, Sunday School, Bible college, and seminary. Each believer’s diligent learning from Jesus makes him/her able to obey Jesus’ Great Commission. He said in Matthew 28:18-20, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Jesus makes believers fishers of people. His disciples’ co-mission with Him by telling people about the gospel of God.

Notice in verse eighteen, Simeon and Andrew did not delay their following Jesus. Mark used his favorite adverb, immediately, here. He said, “Immediately, they left their nets and followed Him.” These men recognized the authoritative command and draw of Jesus. He called to their hearts, and they chose to follow Him. These fishermen did not delay in doing what Jesus commanded. Mark testified to this. These men immediately left their nets. They did not give reasons for delaying. These men did not say they had to support their families. They did not say they needed to pay off the loan on their boats, or they had to take care of their aging parents. Mark does not record any excuses, but says they immediately answered Jesus’ command to come and follow Him.

Jesus said this one more time that day. In verse nineteen, Mark wrote, “And going on a little farther, He (Jesus) saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother, John, who were also in the boat mending their nets.” Jesus saw four fishermen that day who would accept He is the Messiah and would follow Him to be trained and tell other people. Did Jesus save them because He saw their potential? No, Jesus does not call the trained only. He calls all sinners to come to Him, repent, and be saved. Are only strong Christians trained and called to make disciples? No, Jesus’ command to all believers is to go out to all the nations, tell the people about Him, make disciples, and baptize them. Mark records in verse twenty, James and John, like Simon and Andrew, “immediately” left their father, the boat, the hired men, and followed Him.

Application and Conclusion

Consider for a moment what might have occurred if Simeon, Andrew, James, and John had stayed in Galilee to fish. They might have been convinced following an unknown man would be irrational. These men might have seen a large haul of fish and been enticed by the potential of wealth in being fishermen. They might have gotten hurt. Satan will try anything to keep someone from professing faith in Jesus. In each of these scenarios, the worst-case scenario would be that these followers of Jesus would not know Him, the Son of God, personally, and they would have become lukewarm believers. Jesus compared lukewarm believers to sitting on a fence between two possibilities: God or self. He said when He returned and judgment occurred, God would separate the sheep from the goats. Anyone who is not a believer in actual living, is not truly a believer and will be counted as a goat, not one of the sheep of the Great Shepherd.

Jesus calls all people to come to Him. In John 6:37 & 40, He said,

“Everything that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me, I certainly will not cast out. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

God sought from the foundation of the world each person to be in a personal relationship with Him. He provided the way to make that possible. God provided salvation through Jesus, His Son, by His death and resurrection. He wants everyone to be saved from eternal judgment and death. God desires each person to live with Him in His kingdom when Jesus returns to earth from heaven. The questions for us to consider are:

1.     Will you recognize Jesus as the Son of God, the One sent to die for your sins so you can live with Him forever?

2.     Will you hear the call He makes to you follow Him?

3.     Will you, instead, choose not to do anything after your profession of faith in Jesus?

4.     Will you immediately follow Jesus or make excuses for why you cannot?

5.     Consider what might prevent you from obeying Jesus’ calling you. Do you consider He is unaware of those things? Let Jesus care for them. Instead, follow Him.

6.     What might occur if you stay where you are physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually? Would you have been convinced Jesus is just a construct of people’s minds? Satan will try anything to make you consider not to follow Jesus.

These and more are the costs of discipleship. What do you willingly give to God to be a follower, a disciple, of Jesus? God asks you to be willing to give them to Him. He may not require you to give them up to follow Him, but He asks you to be willing. Those are the costs of discipleship.

Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30 [NASB])

Escape

 

Therefore, let the one who thinks he stands watch out that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind.

God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:12-13 [NASB])

If you have ever read a Bible, listened to one being read, or heard people quote Scriptures, you have probably heard this verse or something akin to it. Most often, people will use part of it. What they say is, “God will not allow you to be tempted more than you can handle.” There is much more to these two verses Paul wrote than God’s benevolence to a person. These two verses speak almost exclusively about God.

Paul wrote to the Corinthian church in south-central Greece. The body of Christ, the church, there was experiencing problems within it. (Note: All churches will experience difficulties, temptations, and sin at least once.) Paul wrote to these Christians about the factions and divisions in the church caused by people falling to temptation. He wrote to tell them each member of the church must stand strong in their faith in Jesus to be a unified body of Christ that serves the members and the neighbors outside the church. A Christian’s freedom through Jesus Christ does not mean they are free to sin. Potentially, that would cause a brother or sister in faith to stumble because of his or her example.

To what were the temptations did the Corinthian Christians fall? Lust and craving what they did not have and but wanted. They were discontent with God and seeking only Him. The Corinthian Christians allowed these things and activities they desired to be their gods. These Christians worshiped false gods. Paul said the Corinthian believers wanted to gratify their evil desires and live immorally. By doing this, they caused factions and division in church and caused other believers to falter in the growth of their faith.

Next, Paul reminded these believers about the Israelites, God’s chosen people, and how they had a covenant with God through Moses. Repeatedly, the Israelites broke their covenant with God and sinned against Him. Paul helped the people recall what happened to the Israelites when they sinned. This, hopefully, would cause reflection amongst the Corinthian Christians and influence them to become mature followers of Christ. Paul wrote to the Corinthians because he cared for them. He did not want them to fall to temptation, but to stay in a growing faith-relationship with God.

With verses twelve and thirteen, Paul explained how Christians could avoid the snare of temptation, not be seduced to sin. In the New Living Translation of the Bible, Paul’s words in verse twelve say, “If you think you are standing strong, be careful (take action) not to fall.” Just when a Christian thinks he or she has conquered his or her temptations and cannot be tempted again, watch out because one is already in front of you. No one is outside the sphere of temptation. Paul’s word standing comes from the Greek word meaning being steadfast in mind and faith. It involves the mind, heart, and spirit. Indirectly, what Paul said involves action, too. Strong faith in and from God will keep Christians from acting out their desires that He does not approve. Paul meant, do not stop guarding yourself against Satan’s attacks. Put on the armor of God always. No person is strong every minute of his or her life. If that was the case, then Jesus would have had no reason to come to earth and die sinless of a sinner’s death. He died to take our place, so we would not have to die for the judgment of our sins. So, stand strong in your mind and faith and be careful not to fall. Consider the possibility of falling to temptation and being on guard, consider, and take heed (act) to avoid sinning. Living the life of a Christian in a fallen world is like being in a battle.

Paul continued with verse thirteen by telling the Corinthians how to avoid falling to temptation. He began by writing, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience.” Remember, in verse twelve, Paul mentioned one must be steadfast in faith and mind and act, so he or she does not fall to temptations. Fight temptations with your whole being–heart, soul, mind, and strength (body). With verse thirteen, Paul reminded them no temptations any Christian faces are different from what other people experience. Each Corinthian Christian (and us) faced what the other did, wallowing in pity and being the lord of their lives, or allowing God to be the only God of their lives. None of us is beyond being tempted by Satan. All people have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). Jesus came for this reason. He paid the penalty for each person’s sins by dying a criminal’s death, though He had not sinned. Jesus did not leave believers defenseless against temptation. He gave His Holy Spirit upon their belief in Him. Other Christians have faced the same temptation the Corinthians Christians faced and emerged victorious; therefore, each believer can overcome temptations. The Corinthian Christians were not defenseless; no one is. Take heart by remembering the people who walked through and defeated this same temptation. Remember, the ones who went before us, like the Israelites, who fell to temptations, reaped their reward of disciplining and judgment from God.

Even more than recognizing we must be strong and have faith, in both of which falter, we must recognize God and not wallow in self-pity. Paul wrote about God in verse thirteen. He said, “God is faithful.” In the middle of these two verses, Paul reminded the Christians of the most important part of fighting temptations. God is unlike humans who fail in their promises. He always keeps his promises. He abides by them. God’s faithfulness is a fundamental part of His being. He cannot lie or fail. What God says He will do will be done. Everything He promised in the past still holds true. He promised He would be found if we sought Him with all our hearts (Jeremiah 29:13). God will never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8 & Hebrews 13:5). Jesus said to His disciples He was going to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house (John 14:2). The Bible is filled with God’s promises to His people and to those who earnestly seek Him. God is always faithful to His children. Faithfulness is inherently part of God. Each believer must hold on to that truth as they battle temptation. They do not fight alone or with failing strength. God gives faith to believe in Him, that He will lead him or her to victory over that temptation.

The third statement Paul wrote in verse thirteen is, “He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.” (NLT) God is faithful and God is powerful. Omnipotence is part of who God is. Only He holds the universe in its correct alignment, so cataclysm does not occur and destroy all life. No person is more powerful than God. When fighting Satan’s forces as they strike out against you, a person needs superlative power, power beyond all imagining. The word power comes from the Greek word dunamis, from which the English word “dynamite gets its origin. Besides knowing this, we must recognize Paul did not tell the Corinthian Christians they will fight the temptations alone. God is with the person and will not allow it to be greater than the person can withstand. God knows that each temptation and trial grows a person stronger in their faith and trust in Him. He knows when it will be more than the person can stand up against because the person’s Christian growth has not grown that far. God also knows when a person needs to grow more and allows stretching through trials and temptations. In this verse, remember, God is and has the power (dunamis) to help a Christian get through temptations and to stop it completely, so His child is not overwhelmed. Note that God’s hand in all this. He is faithful. He has and gives His power. God controls how long a temptation/trial will last. Defeating temptation is all about being united with God in heart, mind, body, and soul.

The fourth and final part of verse thirteen states Paul told the Corinthians Christians, “When you are tempted, He (God) will show you a way out so that you can endure.” So, understand well, God won’t let a temptation go longer than you can stand with faith in Him and His power. He will show/give you a way out. He knows the map of the temptation and your desires and leads you, with His light, to green pastures (Psalm 23). Paul began this teaching and encouraging passage by telling the Christians to be careful and make sure they are standing strong against temptations. Look, see, and discern you face temptations and without God, you will not prevail. At the end of verse thirteen, Paul said, “When you are tempted, God will show you the way out and carry you away safely.”

Paul reminded the Corinthian Christians they will still face temptations like they did when they were not believers in Jesus. So, do not be surprised. Paul did not end with that fatalistic thought. He said God is faithful. He is faithful to His children and His promises. Paul continued by reminding the believers God is all-powerful. He can defeat the temptations Satan throws at them. God knows how far a Christian has grown spiritually and has the power to end the temptation at a specific point. The LORD is almighty and gives the strength His people need for the temptation/trial when they ask Him. Inherently, God is faithful, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and almighty. He knows what each person faces at any moment in time and desires to help him or her. Christians must do their part, too. Paul mentioned only two things Christians must do. He said believers must be steadfast in mind and spirit (vs. 12 a) and “be careful not to fall.” Christians must remember He is always with them, giving them His power and strength, and making a way for them to greener pastures (Psalm 23).

Being careful not to fall requires action. Believers in Jesus must act on the faith and trust they have in God. They act based on who God is, His promises, and what He has done and can do; He can do everything. The faith and actions of Christians are not baseless. Christians’ lack of faith can cause harm to themselves and their relationships with family, friends, God, and believers in the body of Christ. Paul addressed the Corinthians Christians because of their sins of living like non-Christians: visiting temple prostitutes, worshiping idols, cheating people out of money. In essence, they made their desires into their gods and did not follow the LORD God. Be aware when you sin, you cause disunity in the church, just as the Corinthian church experienced. You cause other believers to stumble. And you allow yourself to be led astray by Satan. When Christians live by God’s power against temptation, they gain more faith, grow more like Jesus, grow closer in relationship with God, grow stronger relationships with other people, strengthen the church to follow God more diligently, and bring God glory 1 Corinthians 10:31b).

Where do you stand in your relationship with God? Are you fighting temptations in your own weak strength and power? Or are you calling on almighty God to fight with you, give you faith, and show the way out of that situation. From this, your relationship with Him will grow and be an example of His faithfulness to someone who watched you conquer that temptation. Do not stop praying for strength to combat temptations. They will confront you every day.

 Whether then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 [NABS])

God is faithful, all-powerful (omnipotent), almighty, all-knowing (omniscient), and always-present (omnipresent). You face and endure nothing without His knowing, His light, His power, and His strength because He is always faithful to His promises to His children. Going through trials and temptations can be all about God or all about ourselves. You choose and that choice decides the outcome of the temptation. What you choose can and will affect other believers, your neighbors, and the church.

 

Since...

Romans 3:23 begins with the word “since” – “Since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, which God bestows.”  [AMP] This takes us to the previous verse. Verse 22 gives us the hope of God.

We all sin. Some people lie. Others steal or murder. Still others cheat themselves, other people, or God. Some people choose homosexual relationships while others beat their spouse. Some sins are more visible and people consider them worse sins.

We must realize no sin and sinner is worse than any other. We must realize God recognizes we are all sinners. The “since” of verse 23 leads us back to the previous two verses. God gives us hope as Paul stated it in Romans 3:21-22.

“Now the righteousness of God has been clearly revealed apart from the Law, though it I confirmed by the Law and the Prophets. This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe. There is no distinction.” [AMP]

All people sin and are sinners. No one is righteous because of his or her sin. All sins are equal to God; they are sin and separate us from Him. Period. Only by God’s forgiveness of us of our sins can we be made righteous. Jesus Christ died our death penalty for our sins so we can have God’s forgiveness of our sins.

All sins are the same; they separate us from Holy God.

Accept God’s righteousness through Jesus Christ.

Believe Jesus Christ is God’s Son and your Savior.

Confess your sins to God and be made righteous.

Don’t delay.

Enter God’s presence and live eternally with Him.

Oh God, we ask for Your mercy and forgiveness. Make us clean so we can be in Your presence.

God's Law as Tutor: A Galatians 3:19-29 Devotional

Focus verses 3:19, 24-25, & 29

19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 

24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 

29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.

I have heard people over the years ask why did God give the laws in the Old Testament if they were not to be followed forever? Why can’t keeping the Law provide salvation from our sins and guarantee us a place with God in heaven? Paul wrote on this specific thing in Galatians 3.

Why did God give the Law if He did not intend for them to give salvation to humankind and eternal life with God in heaven? In verse 19, Paul said God gave the His laws because of sin. Sin separates a person from God because God cannot be in the presence of sin. The laws of God provided temporary cleansing from the stain of sin so a person could be in God’s presence. However, it did not provide permanent and eternal cleansing and removal of sin and guilt. The Law was imperfect because they were a covenant between God who is faithful and perfect and humankind who is unfaithful and imperfect. Humanity could not always keep the laws of God; they were fallible and unfaithful. So the laws were not effective to cleanse a person from sin and guilt. For this purpose, God prepared a way from the beginning of time for humankind to be rid of their sin and guilt through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Since the purpose of the Law of God was not to provide salvation, what was its purpose? Verse 24 explains this. God gave His Law to lead people to Christ. By obeying the Law of God, people recognized their sinful selves and their inability to cleanse themselves perfectly and permanently from sin and guilt. They realized the futility of it. This kept people looking to God because they knew He is faithful and they were unfaithful. They looked to God’s perfection for the way to be closer to Him. God provided that way through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Before, the Law led us to God, but we could not stay permanently in His presence because of our sin. Christ’s death provided permanent cleansing from sin and guilt so we could stay in the presence of God and be in a continual relationship with Him. Through Jesus Christ, believers become children of God. When you have faith in Jesus Christ, you are descendents of and heirs with Abraham whose faith God said made him righteous.

You see, faith in Jesus Christ as the perfect Son of God who died to pay the penalty for our sins is what gives righteousness. Nothing we do, like keeping the laws of God, can make us clean enough to be in the presence of God. So nothing we can do earns our way into heaven. Abraham (Abram at that time) believed in God and His promise and God proclaimed Him righteous (Genesis 15:6). Faith in God through Jesus Christ, not works, is what makes a person righteous.

Whether you are from China or Argentina, of dark or light skin, from a religion of many gods or a Jew, when a person believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of God he or she becomes a child of God – cleansed and saved. That person becomes new in Christ. I do not know what your background is and do not need to know. God knows, and He still loves you. Right now, if you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died for your sin, accept Him as your Lord and Savior, and confess your sins, you can become a redeemed (cleansed) child of God, just as Abraham did. Exercising the faith God gives you makes you righteous, just as God declared Abraham righteous because of his faith in Him. If you gave your life to Jesus before but are far from God now, you have not lost your salvation. You can confess your sins to Him because He said, “He is faithful and just to forgive all sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

What will you choose today?

Believe in Jesus Christ, confess your sins, and allow Jesus to be Lord of your life. Renew your relationship with God through confession.

These have to be your choice because God gave you free will. He will not force Himself on you.

What do you choose?

A Light to the Nations

Bible Readings:

Isaiah 49:6b - “I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth."

 Acts 13:16-41 -

16 Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen:

17 "The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it.

18 "For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness.

19 "When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance -all of which took about four hundred and fifty years.

20 "After these things He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.

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 "After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, 'I HAVE FOUND DAVID the son of Jesse, A MAN AFTER MY HEART, who will do all My will.'

23 "From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus,

24 after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

25 "And while John was completing his course, he kept saying, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.'

26 "Brethren, sons of Abraham's family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent.

27 "For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him.

28 "And though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed.

29 "When they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb.

30 "But God raised Him from the dead;

31 and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people.

32 "And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers,

33 that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, 'YOU ARE MY SON ; TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU.'

34 "As for the fact that He raised Him up from the dead, no longer to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: 'I WILL GIVE YOU THE HOLY and SURE blessings OF DAVID.'

35 "Therefore He also says in another Psalm, 'YOU WILL NOT ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.'

36 "For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay;

37 but He whom God raised did not undergo decay.

38 "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,

39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.

40 "Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you:

41 'BEHOLD, YOU SCOFFERS, AND MARVEL, AND PERISH; FOR I AM ACCOMPLISHING A WORK IN YOUR DAYS, A WORK WHICH YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE, THOUGH SOMEONE SHOULD DESCRIBE IT TO YOU.' "

[NASB]

******

Before Acts 13, the disciples had commissioned Saul to go from the Promised Land to the dispersed Jews and Gentiles because whenever he spoke to Jews in Israel, the Jewish leaders agitated the crowds to hurt or arrest Saul. In Damascus and Jerusalem, the believers of Jesus secretly helped Saul to escape their cities. In Chapter 13, Paul traveled from Antioch of Syria, to Cyprus, and on to Galatia, to a town called Antioch of Pisidia, present day Turkey. Antioch of Pisidia was founded in around 2 AD and made a Roman city around 25 AD. Several of the members of the imperial household had served as magistrates there. This city was mostly Hellenistic, but the Romans had transplanted many Jews there for economic and political reasons. These are the people to whom Paul and Barnabas spoke. 

The city was not a temple city, but had enough Jews in it to call for a synagogue where the Jews and Gentile believers in Yahweh met for the reading of the Law (the first 5 books of our Bible written by Moses) and the Prophets. (Acts 13:15) The leaders of the synagogue heard of Paul when his name was Saul. They recognized his educational and rabbinical training. Saul’s presence in their synagogue honored them so they asked him to speak. Paul addressed them, “Men of Israel and you who fear God: listen.” Paul understood to whom he spoke, Jews as well as Gentiles. He knew how to speak to these God-reverencers. Paul motioned with his hand as many speakers do to quiet the crowd. He began with a command to listen – hear what I say and consider it. Paul was going to take them on a journey of the memory. 

He tells all the listeners, but appears to be speaking to the non-Jews. He said, “The God of this people Israel chose our fathers.” (vs. 17) God chose the Israelites to be His children. The Israelites did nothing to earn it, but God chose them on whom to show His lovingkindness and mercy. This God brought them out of Egypt, directed them through the wilderness, and gave them the Promised Land of which He has promised to Abraham. God gave them judges to guide them and gave them a King through Saul when they asked. Because King David was a “man after God’s own heart” (vs. 22), God promised that from his seed, a son would come who would set up God’s kingdom forever. (Acts 13:23; see 1 Chronicles 17:12, 22:10; 2 Samuel 7:13-14, 16; Isaiah 9:7, 49:6) Up to this point, Paul preached to them what the Jews knew. This had been a history lesson for them from the Law, Prophets, and historical chronicles. The Jews knew the prophets had foretold that a Savior would come from the line of David. Paul next began to weave the Old Testament (Law and Prophets) with what he understood to be true concerning the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  

Paul wove the Messiah who promised from the line of David to Jesus. He “proved” to the God-believers of Pisidian Antioch just as he did to the God-believers in Damascus, how Jesus was the promised Messiah from the line of David. In Acts 9:22, Luke said, “Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.” [NASB] This “proving” means knitting together. The Jews in Damascus were shocked because Saul, the persecutor of believers in Jesus, not only was preaching as a believer in Jesus, but he was proving with great prowess and persuasion that this man they recognized as Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Savior sent from Yahweh. Saul/Paul knitted the Scriptures the Jews had to the prophecies’ fulfillment by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Galilee. This is the same proving Paul taught in Pisidian Antioch. He drew in the believers of Yahweh in Pisidian Antioch with the reminder of God who had been with them in history and in the prophecies about the coming Messiah. Paul wove the God they acknowledged  with the current times. He knit in their minds their old history with Yahweh with the new present reality of Jesus as God’s Son. The Messiah of the Old Testament is the same Messiah of the New Testament, Jesus Christ. The Jews did not have to give up their history. They just had to add the rest of the story, the fulfillment of the prophecies. 

Paul continued with the rest of the story explaining how Jesus is the Messiah sent by God. Paul said in verse 23, “God has brought to Israel as Savior.” [NASB] Paul continued by showing how John the Baptist proclaimed a baptism by repentance to all the people of Israel. (vs. 24) He stated that John said he was not the Messiah and he was not worthy to tie the sandals of Him. Paul drew his sermon to a head by saying, “Brethren, sons of Abraham's family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent.” (vs. 26) This message of deliverance from our judgment has been sent. “Hear and attend,” he is telling everyone. The leaders in Jerusalem and in the synagogue who taught and studied Scriptures and should have known that Jesus was the Messiah are the ones who persecuted Him and put Him to death as the prophecies foretold. God fulfilled the prophecies through the Jews. (vs. 29) God raised Jesus from the dead. (vs. 30) He appeared with His disciples and it was these disciples who witnessed His resurrection. These disciples testify to His resurrection, to His life, works, and words. God fulfilled His promise in that He raised Jesus from the grave back to life. (vs. 33) 

Paul expounded on how the listeners could accept as certain that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah. He gave proof from Psalm 2:7, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you.” Paul said God fulfilled the promise to David that David’s seed would not end and his kingdom would reign forever. God fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would not see decay, would not decompose as stated in Psalm 16:10. Paul said that David, who was a man after God’s heart, had not experienced this. David’s body was laid to rest at his death and it decayed. The promised seed of David, Jesus, would not decay. God fulfilled that promise, too.  

Paul, from verse 38, spoke these things to them and showed them proof that Jesus was the promised Messiah. He brought his sermon to a climax. He said, “Therefore.” This means, since Jesus is the fulfillment of all God’s promises, hear and acknowledge this  – “Through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.” (Acts 13:38b-39 [NASB]) Before the coming of Jesus, you had to live up to the Law that Moses gave you and offer regular sacrifices to God for your sins. Those sacrifices were never enough to wipe your name off the guilty judgment list. Now, through God’s sacrificing of His Son, who is Jesus, you can have forgiveness for every one of your sins for now and forever. The sacrifice of Jesus was the perfect sacrifice and no other sacrifice will ever be needed again if you trust He is the Son of God. The Law of Moses was not perfect to remove your sins and errors forever, only for that one moment in time. Jesus has made permanent forgiveness available to you if you will acknowledge and trust Him. 

Paul included all his hearers in this message. He included hearers and readers for all of time in it. He said, “Through Him everyone who believes…” The Gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ is not just for the Jews, as so many thought. It was for Jew and Gentile. It was for all people. The God of the Israel through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus, included all people as children of God. We, each of us, are created in His image and made to be in a relationship with God from the beginning of creation. (See Genesis 1:27) Isaiah 49:6 states that the salvation provided through Jesus is for all the nations so that it may reach to the ends of the earth. Peter attested in 2 Peter 3:9, that God does not want any to perish but that all would come to repentance. John stated in John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” [NASB] Paul said in Romans 1:16, “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.” This Gospel of Jesus Christ, this good news, is for all people, Jew and Greek (non-Jew), slave and free, man and woman. (Galatians 3:28) We are all made one people in Jesus Christ. We are all forgiven by God through belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. We are all given eternal life through Jesus Christ. 

Paul concluded his sermon with a warning. “Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you.” After this remembrance of who God has been for them and telling and convincing them of who Jesus was, Paul included a warning in case anyone considered dismissing what he said. His warning came from the Prophets, the people whom the Jews esteemed. This prophecy came from Habakkuk. Habakkuk 1:5 states, “Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days - You would not believe if you were told.” Paul reminded them that this prophecy was not God speaking only in that time, but it was applicable at all times. God was being more explicit than that though. Paul said this prophecy was for their time as well. God was doing something then. God was proclaiming who Jesus really was. It was so astonishing and wonderful, you might be inclined to not believe, but do not disbelieve. Believe! Observe; this Gospel is true and wonderful.

This is the first recorded sermon by Paul. He had been a staunch Jew who persecuted Jesus’ followers. He came to trust in Jesus after his encounter with Him on the road to Damascus. Paul learned the Law and Prophets by memory. Yet, Jesus broke into his reality and explained who He is, the Son of God, the awaited Messiah. Paul spent a long time with God after his first visit to Damascus. During that time, God “proved” to him who Jesus was. He “proved” that Jesus is the Son of God, the promised Messiah. God knit together the Law and Prophets with the fact of Jesus Christ being His promised Messiah. After proving this, Paul journeyed with Christ through the rest of his life. He spent his life telling every person he met that Jesus is the Son of God. Paul said, “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.” (vv. 38-39)  

This same message is true now. Jesus is the Son of God. Through Him, you can have forgiveness of your sins when you believe He is the Son of God “who takes away the sins of the world.” (John 1:29 [NASB]) Through Jesus, you can have eternal life with God in heaven. Trust Jesus is God’s Son and your sins are forgiven. Jesus is our salvation. Jesus is the Savior for the entire world not just for some, but for everyone.