ACTS LESSON 29

    We will continue this in Acts 13:36 "For David, after he had
served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was
laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:"

    We discussed in the last lesson, how Jesus saw no corruption,
because his body rose from the tomb on the third day.  The decaying
process begins on the fourth day.  The prophecy in Psalms 16 had meant
that Jesus' body would not decay; it did not mean David's body.
David's body had lain in the grave many years, when Paul spoke these
words.  His body had decayed.

    Acts 13:37 "But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption."

Jesus Christ's body did not decay.  It was raised on the third day.

    Acts 13:38  "Be it known unto you therefore, men [and] brethren,
that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:"

    Paul speaks of Jesus as man here, because this is what the people
saw.  They could not comprehend at this time that Jesus was, in fact,
(God the Word) in the flesh of a man.  Paul gets to the most important
part here.  Through Jesus is the only way to get forgiveness for your
sins.

    Acts 13:39 "And by him all that believe are justified from all
things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses."

    Justified means just as if I had never sinned.  Every person who
believes is just as if they had never sinned.  What a promise!  The
law of Moses was our schoolmaster (Gal. 3) to make us see our need for
a Saviour.  All of the washings and the animal sacrifices could only
cover sin, not do away with sin.  The blood of Jesus does away with
our sin, if we are a Christian.

    Acts 13:40 "Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is
spoken of in the prophets;"

    Here, again, we see a warning to hold fast to what you have.  The
authorities will not like it, and will come against God's people just
as the prophets have predicted.

    Acts 13:41 "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I
work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe,
though a man declare it unto you."

    Paul is warning them, that if they sit around and just wonder
without receiving this message that he has brought them of salvation
through Jesus Christ, they will perish.  These Jews, Paul knows, will
not believe.  Even though Paul was one of them (Pharisee), he has
changed and is trying to get them to change.  They won't change and
accept Jesus as Messiah.

    Acts 13:42 "And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the
Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next
sabbath."

    These Jews are like so many Christians today in different
denominations.  They are head strong (they can't be bothered with the
facts).  They have already made up their minds.  They do not intend to
change.  Most of this type of dogmatic belief is based on some
denomination's doctrine, rather than on the Word of God.  Gentiles, in
this case above, have no preconceived ideas and are willing to listen
to the Word of God.  They not only want to listen, they ask Paul to
preach to them.

    Acts 13:43 "Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the
Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who,
speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God."

    We see that Paul and Barnabas' teachings were not in vain.  Many
of the Jews believed and accepted the gift of grace through Jesus
Christ.  We see that the Jews and proselytes (newcomers) wanted to
hear more and followed Paul and Barnabas to the place they were
staying and heard even more.  At any rate, they believed and accepted
Jesus as Saviour.

    Acts 13:44  "And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city
together to hear the word of God."

    The word has spread by the people who heard before, and now they
have come in great numbers to hear the Word of God.

    Acts 13:45 "But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled
with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul,
contradicting and blaspheming."

    This is nothing more than religious jealousy.  These leaders of
the Jews suddenly realize they are losing their following.  They come
out against Paul and Barnabas and what they are teaching.  These Jews
had worshipped a certain way all of their lives, and they were not
about to go to this new way.

    Acts 13:46 "Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was
necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you:
but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of
everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles."

    You see, every person on earth is a free agent.  We either choose
the Lord Jesus Christ and everlasting life, or we refuse the Lord and
death reigns.  We judge ourselves, as the Scripture above says.  There
really is no need wasting God's time on those who will not listen and
accept the good news of the gospel.  Paul has done the only thing he
could do, and that is to turn to someone interested in receiving
eternal life.  The Gentiles are not only wanting Jesus as Saviour, but
they are eager to receive Life in Him.

    Acts 13:47 "For so hath the Lord commanded us, [saying], I have
set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for
salvation unto the ends of the earth."

    Paul is now no longer limited to carry the message to just the few
Jewish villages, but is told of the Lord to spread it everywhere to
whosoever will.  Paul's journeys really begin now.  Paul and Barnabas
will be set free to minister wherever they go, regardless of the
nationality of the people.  Paul's missionary endeavors are to the
Gentile nations everywhere.  Paul was a Pharisee and this was hard for
him, but he will do what God sends him to do.

    Acts 13:48 "And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and
glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to
eternal life believed."

    God had foreknowledge of all who would believe.  The Gentiles
received Jesus as Saviour gladly.  They had been thought of as heathen
before, not even being offered the God of the universe.

    Acts 13:49 "And the word of the Lord was published throughout all
the region."

    Have you ever seen a new Christian talking about their Lord?
There is no way you can hush them up.  Verse 49 is, perhaps, the most
understated Scripture.  I am sure it went like wildfire and soon
everyone knew of Jesus.

    Acts 13:50 "But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable
women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against
Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts."

    We see, here, that jealousy of this great move of God has caused a
stir among the religious people of the day.  These Jews wanted to be
rid of Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town.

    Acts 13:51 "But they shook off the dust of their feet against
them, and came unto Iconium."

    To shake the dust of the feet off is like speaking a terrible
punishment on them from God.  In other words Paul and Barnabas are
saying, I won't have any more to do with these Jewish people here,
they are evil, let God take care of them.  This Iconium was Asia.
Many believe Paul visited here three or more times.

    Acts 13:52 "And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the
Holy Ghost."

    It seems whenever the disciples had a bad time somewhere, God
poured out the Holy Ghost on them all over again and they were filled
with joy.



                           Acts 29 Questions


1.  What is meant by David seeing corruption?
2.  On what day does the body begin to decay after burial?
3.  Verse 37 says, who raised Jesus?
4.  Who was Paul speaking to in verse 38?
5.  Through whom was salvation preached?
6.  Who are justified in Jesus?
7.  Could the law of Moses justify you?
8.  What does justified mean?
9.  What was the law to us, really?
10. What was the difference in what the shed blood of Jesus Christ
    could do for us and the shed blood of the sacrificial animals?
11. Verse 41 says, that those who wonder and yet do not believe,_____.
12. What religious connection did Saul (Paul) have before becoming a
    Christian?
13. What did the Gentiles ask Paul after the Jews left?
14. When the congregation broke up, many __________ and ____________
    followed Paul and Barnabas.
15. What did Paul persuade them to do?
16. Verse 44 says next sabbath nearly the whole city came together.
    Why did they come?
17. When the Jews saw the multitude, they were filled with what?
18. When Paul and Barnabas were filled with boldness, what did they
    say?
19. Who had judged these Jews?
20. Who had the Lord sent Paul to?
21. Where was he to preach?
22. When the Gentiles heard this, what did they do?
23. How does the author think the Word got published throughout the
    area?
24. Who did the Jews stir up to persecute Paul and Barnabas?
25. What did they do that showed they were through with these Jews?
26. Where did Paul go?
27. What happened to the disciples?


                                 Notes