God’s Choice of the Gentiles
Acts 13:42-52
November 4, 2012
One of the things we often hear in regard to the nation of Israel
Is that they are “God’s Chosen People”
In fact we even read last week as we looked at Paul’s sermon:
Acts 13:17 “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.”
And it is really not surprising to us any time
We refer to Israel as God’s chosen people.
That is a term that we have grown to be familiar with.
However, what has become a somewhat shocking truth
Is to realize that God still operates the very same way today.
It is amazing to me that people can readily admit that God chose Israel
And then balk at the fact that God still chooses men and women today.
And yet Jesus clearly taught us:
John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”
He even told His disciples:
John 15:16 “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”
Now granted many would read that verse and say, “Well Jesus chose them to be His disciples, but their salvation was their free choice.”
And this notion exists today.
If I were to ask you if you want to be a preacher, or a missionary, or a worship leader, almost everyone throughout the Baptist world would say, “Well God must call you to do that. You don’t just choose it for yourself.”
People recognize that God must call to the ministry,
But dismiss the fact that God must also call for men to be saved.
God is sovereign, and He is sovereign over salvation.
• He was the One who chose Israel.
• He was the One who chose the disciples.
• He is the One who chooses believers even today.
Ephesians 1:3-6 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”
And I remind you of this point heading into our text tonight
Because I want you to see a very specific incident
That reveals that Israel is not the only people God ever chose.
We readily admit that God chose Israel, and then many stop short of saying God chose Gentiles as well, but He did.
As I told you last week, God is working to save Gentiles.
The Cornelius encounter proved that.
Neither Peter, nor Cornelius had any real interest in the other,
But God orchestrated that meeting in order to pour His Spirit out upon Gentiles.
But even after that event,
We did not see the church get too enthused about saving Gentiles.
• They went out and preached to Jews only.
• Even the church in Antioch, when they sent out Paul and Barnabas saw them
go only to the synagogues to preach.
But God had a different plan in mind.
Now, I know that the sovereignty issue can be tough to swallow.
In fact, TURN TO: ROMANS 9:10-18
This may be one of the most difficult truths to swallow in Scripture.
You are aware in this passage that Paul is dealing with Israel and God’s plan for them.
By the time we get to chapter 11, we will see Israel returning to God,
But chapter 9 is all about their rejection of God and His rejection of them.
And what we learn is that Israel’s rejection
Was according to the sovereign choice of God.
And to prove that Paul started with a little illustration from their history where God had done this sort of thing before.
(VERSES 10-13)
• It wasn’t Jacob and Esau who chose first, God did.
• The sovereign God set the order.
• The sovereign God made the choice.
And what is man’s initial response to this?
(VERSE 14)
And verses 15 & 16 explain why God is not unjust in doing this.
God is not unjust because neither Jacob nor Esau
Deserved deliverance to begin with.
It wasn’t unjust that God hated Esau.
(God was well within His holy prerogative to do that)
It was merciful that God loved Jacob.
And then Paul gives another example
(VERSES 17-18)
God does in fact choose who is saved.
You can argue if you want, but you will be arguing with Scripture.
Now I say that because I want to take us back now to Acts 13
And reinforce this truth.
Namely that Israel isn’t the only people God ever chose.
In fact the reason Gentiles are saved is because God also chose them.
There are 3 things I want you to see tonight.
#1 THE RESPONSE, IN SPITE OF TIME
Acts 13:42-43
Hopefully you remember what transpired in the previous verses.
• Traveled to Pisidian Antioch and entered the synagogue
• God opened a door for Paul to preach
• Paul preached an encouraging and uplifting sermon (mercy and patience of God)
We saw God’s Providence
• To choose Israel,
• To multiply Israel,
• To deliver Israel from Egypt,
• To tolerate Israel in the wilderness,
• To settle Israel in the promised land.
We saw God’s Deliverance
• To give Judges over and over,
• To give a king,
• To then give King David,
• To eventually give the King of Kings; the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
God was continually merciful and patient with disobedient Israel.
And even when Israel killed God’s Messiah,
God gave a second chance by raising Him from the dead,
And by sending Paul to preach about it.
And then Paul’s sermon ended in verses 40-41 with him saying:
Acts 13:40-41 “Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you: ‘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.'”
Paul revealed the mercy of God and then gave a heart-felt appeal to Israel
That they would not reject it.
That was the sermon, now we get into the response.
And I have to tell you the response was good.
(42) “As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath.”
Now it’s one thing to have someone say, “Good sermon”,
It’s another thing to have them beg you to come
And preach the same sermon again next week.
These people were excited.
They loved what they heard, and not only did they want to hear it again,
But they also wanted all their friends to come hear it too.
And that is not all.
It didn’t stop at “begging”
In fact it didn’t really stop at all.
(43) “Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God.”
Some just refused to leave, wanting to hear more right now.
And Paul and Barnabas obliged them.
Paul’s main encouragement was that they “continue in the grace of God.”
This does not yet indicate that they were saved,
They will occur down in verse 48.
Rather Paul is here reinforcing his sermon.
He had just told them about the mercy and grace of God to continue to provide deliverance, most recently in Jesus.
And since they want to know more,
Paul tells them to “continue” in that grace.
In other words, run to Jesus and cling to Jesus
Paul had told them:
Acts 13:38-39 “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.”
That was grace, and Paul is encouraging them to grab it and cling to it.
But the beautiful point to be made
Is that these people love what they heard.
And it didn’t matter to them that church was supposed to be over.
It didn’t matter to them that the Cowboys were playing
(everyone knew they were going to lose)
They wanted to hear more of God’s word
And they wanted their friends to hear it as well.
BUT…
(Not everyone shared their enthusiasm)
Response, in spite of time
#2 REJECTION, IN SPITE OF TRUTH
Acts 13:44-47
And we are literally blown away by what we see take place here.
“The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord.”
It is quite clear that those who begged Paul to preach the message again,
Went out and did their job to make sure there were people there to hear it.
These people knew that what they had heard was the word of God
And they did everything they could
To make sure their friends and family and neighbors came to hear it.
(45) “But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming.”
Well apparently everyone wasn’t so enthused about the sermon.
We have some, who even though they knew this was a message from God
Decided to adamantly oppose it.
WHY?
“they were filled with jealousy”
They simply didn’t like the fact that Paul was now getting all the attention.
They didn’t like the fact that there was a new man with such popularity.
HOW?
“began contradicting the things spoken by Paul”
It was good old fashion debate.
And if we have learned anything from the present election season about debating, it is that you don’t have to tell the truth to debate.
And that is what these Jews were doing to Paul.
The aim and goal was to confuse.
HOW FAR DID THEY GO IN THEIR OPPOSITION?
“and were blaspheming”
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Matthew 12:31-32 “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. “Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.”
Jesus there says to clearly understand the message of the Holy Spirit
And then to reject it, is blasphemy.
It is to reject what you know to be true simply out of an obstinate heart.
And that is what these men were doing.
They “were blaspheming”
They knew Paul’s message was from God.
They knew God’s word supported what he said.
But at this moment they were concerned about truth,
They were concerned about fame.
And so they willingly opposed the truth
For the sake of winning the argument.
They blasphemed God.
And you will notice the Paul (just as he had done with Bar-Jesus)
Boldly opposes them.
(46-47) “Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. “For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.'”
Now Paul did recognize the necessity of starting with Israel.
“It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first”
• We know that God’s covenant was with Israel.
• God’s plan was to save Israel.
• God’s Messiah was sent to Israel.
And so it was necessary to start with them.
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.”
HOWEVER…
“since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.”
In other words, God had every intention of saving you.
God desired to see you repent.
But you won’t repent and so God is moving us toward the Gentiles.
And then Paul gives the Scriptural proof of such a move.
Quoting from Isaiah 49:6, Paul says:
“For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.’”
IN SHORT, THIS WAS ALL PART OF GOD’S PLAN.
From the days of Isaiah, God knew that He was going to save Gentiles.
In fact, let me read to you Isaiah 49:6
Isaiah 49:6 “He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
There the Lord is talking to the Messiah,
Saying it is too small to only save Israel,
I will also use You to save all the nations.
God had always planned to save Gentiles.
And now we see the method by which He would do it.
God would use the stubborn obstinance of Israel
To drive missionaries away from Israel and to the Gentiles.
This was all part of God’s plan.
Response, in spite of time Rejection, in spite of truth
#3 REJOICING, IN SPITE OF TROUBLE
Acts 13:48-52
“When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord…”
Now that is quite a contrast to Israel isn’t it?
One blasphemed it, one glorified it.
AND NOTICE:
“and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”
That is a statement of definite sovereign work.
And this isn’t new.
Remember Pentecost?
Acts 2:38-39 “Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
Peter knew that those who would be saved were
“as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
Look later to Corinth:
Acts 18:9-10 “And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”
“for I have many people in this city.”
There God knew that there were many who would be saved.
They weren’t saved yet, but God knew they would be,
And so He encouraged Paul to stay.
It is the same thing here.
“as many has had been appointed to eternal life believed.”
WHY DID THEY BELIEVE?
They had been “appointed to eternal life”
God directed them.
God chose them.
God predestined them.
This was not an accident, this was the sovereign plan of Holy God.
And the effect?
(49) “And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.”
They weren’t just believers, they were missionaries.
Charles Spurgeon “Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter.”
Well you certainly couldn’t call these people imposters.
They rejoiced in this truth and they began to spread it.
And this even in spite of opposition.
(50) “But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.”
The Jews had had enough of this message of Gentile salvation.
And they set out to stop it.
BUT THEY COULD NOT STOP IT
They couldn’t stop Paul
(51) “But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.”
They couldn’t stop the new believers
(52) “And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”
What God was doing, could not be stopped, God was saving the Gentiles.
And so when we look at this story in the book of Acts,
We see two very important truths.
1) JEWS WERE UNWORTHY OF ETERNAL LIFE
2) GENTILES WERE CHOSEN FOR ETERNAL LIFE
And here we see the sovereign plan of God unfolding yet again.
TURN TO: ROMANS 9:19-24
(We read through vs. 18 a moment ago)
People don’t like the thought that God can sovereignly choose one over another, but look at what Paul says here.
(VERSES 19-21)
And that is true isn’t it.
If God wants to do it, He certainly has the prerogative.
And then Paul begins to explain what God is up to.
(VERSES 22-24)
Many people look at sovereignty or election
Like we have this massive group of people out here
Who want to be saved, but God refuses to choose them,
And so they are lost against their will.
That is not so.
Verse 22 says that God “endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction”
God didn’t ignore them, God endured them.
Did we not read that very thing about Israel last week in Paul’s sermon?
Acts 13:18 “For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness.”
So don’t assume God is here rejecting those who want Him,
God has endured patiently those who didn’t.
NOW WHY WOULD GOD DO THAT?
(23-24) “And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.”
This links right back to the Pharaoh illustration a moment ago.
Look back up at verse 17.
God raised up Pharaoh in order to demonstrate His power against him.
(But it is not as though Pharaoh wanted God)
God simply took an adversary deserving of judgment,
But first delayed judgment and then brought him to power,
So that He could use him to demonstrate His power to Israel.
Now, go back to Israel.
It is not as though they wanted God, they obviously didn’t.
God simply let them hang around so that He could use them
To demonstrate His “glory” to those He had chosen for salvation.
And that is what was taking place here in Acts 13.
• God took Jews who had already hardened their heart,
• But instead of destroying them instantly,
• He allowed them to remain
• That He might use them later in order to show mercy to Gentiles.
That is why we call this
“The sovereign plan of God and God’s choice of the Gentiles.”
If you look at this as unfair, you are looking at it wrong.
Israel had every chance in the world to respond to God.
Romans 9:1-5 “I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.”
I think it is clear that they had every opportunity and rejected.
So God is certainly not guilty in rejecting now.
What we delight in is that God chose the Gentiles.
Do you realize that we as the church are now God’s chosen people?
1 Peter 2:9-10 “But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.”
We are all now the chosen people of God.
And all that began to be revealed here in Acts chapter 13.
God is moving His church in the direction of His will.
And as a Gentile, I certainly must rejoice
To see the great extent to which God has gone to save me.
