Paul Turns to the Gentiles (Acts 13:42–52), Persistently Sharing the Gospel

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Paul Turns to the Gentiles (Acts 13:42–52), Persistently Sharing the Gospel

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, Oh on: Sunday, May 18, 2025

We have been preaching our way through the Book of Acts. As we walk through Acts, we see God’s mighty works of the Holy Spirit. Today, we will continue to see God’s work. The Book of Acts has been called the Acts of the Holy Spirit. It is the first church history book.

Acts is about the spread of the Gospel, and the Gospel is eternal life. Listen to what I once read:

THE TREE TRUNK THAT TRUMPETED LIFE AND TRUMPED DEATH By Pastor Rick Sams

  The most popular tourist attraction in Herfordshire County, England is a graveyard. People come from all over the world to see a grave of a woman buried over 200 years ago.

  Lady Anne Grimston was a proud, wealthy, and obstinate woman who lived for this life alone.

  Toward the end friends tried to encourage her to think about what comes after we breathe our last. She would not. She believed there was nothing beyond: “It is as unlikely that I shall continue to live as that a tree will grow out of my body.”     

  She went so far as to make a challenge to Heaven, saying: “If, indeed, there is life hereafter, trees will render asunder my tomb.” 

  Lady Anne Grimston died, was buried, and forgotten. But not quite. After many years the thick marble slab over her grave was found ajar. The builders put it back and forgot her again. 

  But once more the marble slab tilted to one side, and in the middle was a crack, with a tiny bunch of leaves bursting through. The crack was sealed with cement and the slab returned to its original spot. A few years later the marble was again lifted up, the crack opened wider than before, and the trunk of a tree emerged from the opening.

  Workmen repaired the increasingly crumbling tomb and installed iron rails and rods to hold everything together. But the young tree would not be tied down. It kept making its way, breaking the masonry, destroying the walls of the tomb, and tearing the heavy iron railings out of the ground. 
  Today, growing right from the heart of Lady Anne Grimston’s grave in St. Peter’s churchyard is one of the largest trees in England. Because of that tree the site is a mass of twisted metal and crushed marble.
  For over 200 years an old tree trunk has trumpeted: “life trumps death.”[1]

Jesus is eternal life so it is critical that we are persistently giving people Jesus.

As I teach you this passage, notice Paul’s persistence to preach the Gospel.

My theme today is:

Paul turns to the gentiles (Acts 13:42–52), persistently sharing the gospel.

Persistence is important:

Swindoll reminds us:

I’m sure Anne Mansfield Sullivan had a host of folks telling her that the blind, 7-year-old brat wasn’t worth it. But Anne persisted—in spite of temper tantrums, physical abuse, mealtime madness, and even thankless parents. In her heart she knew it was worth all the pain. Was it ever! Within two years her pupil, Helen Keller, was able to read and write in braille. She ultimately graduated cum laude from Radcliffe College (where Miss Sullivan had “spelled” each lecture into her hand), and Helen Keller devoted the rest of her life to aiding the deaf and the blind.[2]

  1. Context:
    1. The previous section was Paul preaching in the synagogue.
    2. The whole section is Paul’s sermon.
    3. Paul preached on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
  2. The people want to hear more (Acts 13:42-43).
    1. Acts 13:42-43: 42 As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. 43 And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
    2. They want to hear more.
    3. Verse 43 tells us that many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas.
    4. These would be proselytes to Judaism.
    5. These are full converts to Judaism who had been circumcised.[3]
    6. Paul and Barnabas urged them to continue in the grace of God.
    7. I like what MacArthur writes: With such encouragement, Paul and Barnabas hoped to prevent those who were intellectually convinced of the truths of the gospel, yet had stopped short of saving faith, from reverting to legalism rather than embracing Christ completely.[4]
    8. Do we pray the same way? Do we think the same way? Do we realize that we must pray fervently that we and loved ones stay close to the Lord.
    9. There is another application from this passage. They wanted to hear more. In verse 42 they asked to hear more the next Sabbath.
    10. Are we eager to hear more of the Word of God?
    11. There is a danger that we get used to these great truths from the Scripture. I believe we must pray fervently that God continues to speak to us through His Word.
  3. The reaction (Acts 13:44-52):
    1. Look at verse 44: 44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
    2. Notice what they gathered for, they wanted to hear more of the Word of the Lord.
    3. It says almost “the whole city” gathered. This is probably some hyperbole, but it still communicates that the Gospel is making a great impact.
    4. ESV SB: Since the population of Antioch was mainly Gentile, almost the whole city indicates that the majority who showed up were Gentiles.[5]
    5. But notice verse 45: 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him.
    6. Now, we have a problem.
    7. Now, there is resistance.
    8. The Jewish people did not like the message Paul was sharing.
    9. Remember that most of those showing up were likely gentiles.
    10. This may have had something to do with the issues.
    11. I like what one source adds: When famous speakers (e.g., Dio Chrysostom) would come to town, much of the town would go to hear him. Word spreads quickly about the new speaker at the synagogue in Antioch, and Paul, probably originally more comfortable giving expositions of Scripture than public speeches in the Greek style, is billed as a rhetorician or philosopher.[6]
    12. Notice the Jewish response. They started to contradict what was spoken by Paul. They started to revile him.
    13. They likely were reviling what was spoken and not Paul himself.[7]
    14. Notice the passage says the Jews saw the crowds and were filled with jealousy.
    15. It seems that this was not as much about the message but their jealousy. The Jewish response was rooted in the sin of jealousy.
    16. How do we pray and prepare so that we do not get jealous? Do we evaluate a message based on whether it is true or false? Or, do we let jealousy fill our hearts?
  4. Paul and Barnabas respond:
    1. Look at the next few verses:
    2. 46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,
    3. “ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
    4. that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”
    5. Paul and Barnabas did not change their message.
    6. It is easy to try to adapt the message based on what people want to hear.
    7. We can’t do that with the Gospel.
    8. We can’t change the gospel.
    9. Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly.
    10. They said it was necessary to take the gospel to them first.
    11. Paul cites Isa. 49:6 in verse 47.
    12. God offered the plan of salvation to the Jews first (Mt 10:5, 6; 15:24; Lk 24:47; Ro 1:16).[8]
    13. Paul says that they thrust it aside. They thrust the Gospel message aside.
    14. They are judging themselves unworthy of eternal life.
    15. Then, verse 47, Paul is quoting Isaiah. They are a light to the gentiles.
    16. Salvation shall be brought to the ends of the earth.
  5. The gentiles rejoice (verse 48)!
    1. 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
    2. Verse 48 is like an interlude.
    3. This verse shows the gentile response.
    4. They rejoice.
    5. Do we rejoice that we have the Word of the Lord?
    6. There is an interesting phrase at the end of verse 48: and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
    7. That word “appointed” trips us up. But notice the end of Acts 14:1: spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.
    8. So, verse 48 reads that those appointed were saved. But a few verses later, they “spoke in such a way…”
    9. To me, these verses communicate God’s sovereignty and free will.
    10. There is a mystery between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility, and I cannot explain it.
    11. God has chosen people for salvation. Yet, we have free will involved, and we are responsible for communicating the message and receiving Him as Lord and Savior.
  6. Then what happens (verses 49-52)?
    1. 49 And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
    2. The Word of the Lord continues to spread.
    3. When it says this, it means the gospel. “Word of the Lord” means “the Gospel.”
    4. Notice the Gospel is spreading throughout the whole region.
    5. But verse 50 shows that they still have problems.
    6. The Jews incite “devout” women. These women are devoted and have high standing.
    7. Paul and Barnabas are persecuted and driven from the city.
    8. But Paul and Barnabas shake the dust off their feet and continue.
    9. Many Jewish people on returning to the Holy Land would shake the dust of a pagan land from their feet; because the temple was considered holier than the rest of Israel, they would also shake the dust from their feet when they entered the temple. Paul and Barnabas probably imply that those who reject their message are pagan and stand under God’s judgment. Jesus had commanded his disciples to follow this practice even in Jewish Palestine (Lk 10:10–12).[9]
    10. But look at verse 52: The disciples are filled with joy from the Holy Spirit.
    11. That is powerful.
    12. They have seen the gospel spread, but they are persecuted. They have joy. They are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Swindoll:

When Paul was rejected, he didn’t quit. As my good friend and wise mentor, Howie Hendricks, often says, “Where there’s light, there are bugs!” The brighter Paul’s light, the more the bugs. And in that situation, those bugs had stingers filled with poison.

What grit! Paul didn’t back down an inch in his response to open rejection. The result? Not surprisingly, the Gentiles in the crowd rejoiced in the good news he had for them. How exciting! What started as a smoldering ember of religious curiosity burst into flames of faith.

Why were Paul and Barnabas able to persevere? Neither man set his affections on temporal things. What discipline. If you want to get caught in the net of disillusionment, allow yourself to get tangled in the tangibles. You’ll not only run shy of courage, you’ll sink like a rock in a country pond. Why? Because others’ opinions will start to mean everything. When you allow their responses to be the ballast, then their applause becomes essential to keep you afloat, and their assaults drag you straight to the bottom. That formula for failure can be found in all people-pleasing ministries. You’re doomed to disillusionment if you don’t focus on the eternal.

Lee lacocca, not long after leaving the automobile business, said, “Here I am in the twilight years of my life still wondering what it’s all about. I can tell you this: fame and fortune is for the birds.”

You may be one who lives your life pursuing fame and fortune, depending on the applause of others. Bad plan. To begin with, fortune has shallow roots. The winds of adversity can quickly blow it all away. “Riches certainly make themselves wings,” writes Solomon, “they fly away as an eagle toward heaven” (Proverbs 23:5 KJV). And fame is as fickle as the last response from the crowd. Learn a dual lesson from this fine man who had wisdom far beyond most of us. When you’re praised and applauded, don’t pay any attention. And when you’re rejected and abused, don’t quit. It wasn’t human opinion that called you into the work you’re doing. So don’t let human responses or criticisms get you sidetracked. Keep going.

Don’t get tangled in the tangibles![10]

 

Pray

[1] (SOURCE:http://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/h010rp.LadyGrimston_Galitzin.html

[2] Excerpt taken from Come before Winter and Share My Hope by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 1985, 1988, 1994 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Accessed on 04.14.2025: https://insight.org/resources/daily-devotional/individual/persistence-part-one1

[3] John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Ac 13:43.

[4] John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Ac 13:43.

[5] Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2112.

[6] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Ac 13:44.

[7] See NET Bible note

[8] John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Ac 13:46.

[9] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Ac 13:51–52.

[10] Taken from Great Days with the Great Lives by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2005 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson. www.thomasnelson.com

Accessed on 04.14.2025: https://www.insight.org/resources/daily-devotional/individual/tangled-in-the-tangibles1

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