Paul's Address At Antioch Of Pisidia
  1. INTRODUCTION:

    1. SCRIPTURE READING:

      2. Acts 13:13-43 = "Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, 
      if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it. And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness. And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot. And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And 
      as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose. Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. For they that dwell at Jerusalem,and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which 
      are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulcher. But God raised him from the dead: And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up 
      from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 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: But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Be it known unto you
      therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; 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. And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. 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.      "

    2. THE PLACE WAS IN ANTIOCH OF PISIDIA:
      1. A city of southern Asia Minor in Phrygia, situated just north of the territory of Pisidia.
      2. Antioch was an important first-century commercial center and an important center for the
        spread of the gospel. Founded by Seleucus Nicator (about 300 B. C.), it became a great
        center for commerce and was inhabited by many Jews.
      3. The apostle Paul preached in this city's synagogue and founded a church there during his
        first missionary journey [Acts 13:14-49].
      4. Antioch exerted great cultural and political influence over the surrounding area, so also it
        became a strong base from which to launch the church's missionary journeys 
        [Acts 13:42-49].
    3. THE ADDRESS IS IMPORTANT FOR TWO REASONS:
      1. It was Paul's first recorded address.
      2. It is the only evangelistic sermon delivered by him to the dispersed Jews that has been
        preserved, unless we include the address to the Jews in Rome [Acts 28:17-28].
    4. LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT PAUL SAID:

  2. DISCUSSION:

    1. THE PLACE OF IT
      1. A congregation of Jews for worship or religious study.
        1. The word synagogue comes from the Greek synagogue (literally, "a leading or
          bringing together"), which refers to any assembly or gathering of people for 
          secular or religious purposes.
        2. Eventually the term came to refer exclusively to an assembly of Jewish people.
        3. The synagogue was a place where local groups of Jews in cities and villages
          anywhere could gather for the reading and explanation of the Jewish sacred
          Scriptures and for prayer. The original emphasis was not on preaching but 
          instruction in the law of Moses.
        4. A synagogue could not be formed unless there were at least ten Jewish men in 
          the community.
      2. It being a synagogue means the hearers were only male Jews and Jewish proselytes.
      3. Those assembled believed in God, but they had not learned of Jesus.
    2. THE TIME OF THE ADDRESS:
      1. It was "on the Sabbath day" [Acts 13:14].
      2. Paul chose the Sabbath as it was the day of meet for the Jews.

        3. Colossians 2:14-16 = "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was 
        against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to 
        his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of 
        them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in 
        meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the 
        Sabbath days:        "

      3. The rulers of the synagogue gave Paul an opportunity to speak as was the custom of that
        day.

      Acts 13:15-16 = "And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the
      synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of
      exhortation for the people, say on. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand
      said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.      "

    3. THE ADDRESS PAUL GAVE: [Acts 13:16-41]

      4. Comment: If you compare Peter's sermon on Pentecost and Stephen's defense before the
      Sanhedrin with Paul's address here at Antioch, you will notice that they all follow the same line 
      of thought. Consider with me:

      1. The providential dealings of God with Israel, which culminated in the coming of the Savior.

        2. Acts 13:16-25 = "Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of
        Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. The God of this people of Israel 
        chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the 
        land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it. And about the 
        time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness. And when he 
        had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to 
        them by lot. And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four
        hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. And afterward they desired 
        a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of
        Benjamin, by the space of forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised 
        up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, 
        I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall 
        fulfil all my will. Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised 
        unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: When John had first preached before his coming 
        the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John fulfilled his
        course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there 
        cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.        "

        1. God chose and exalted a people [Acts 13:17]
        2. He delivered them from Egyptian bondage [Acts 13:17]
        3. He gave them a country [Acts 13:18-19]
        4. At their request He gave them a king [Acts 13:20]
        5. He removed Saul and raised up David [Acts 13:22]
        6. From David's seed came Jesus [Acts 13:23]
      2. Christ's death and resurrection, proved Him to be the Savior of the world [Acts 13:26-27].
        1. We have the testimony of John the Baptist [Acts 13:24-26]
        2. In accordance with the prophets, Jesus was crucified and buried.

          3. Acts 13:27-29 = "For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, 
          because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are 
          read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. 
          And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate 
          that he should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written 
          of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulcher          ."

        3. God raised Jesus from the dead and showed him alive.

          4. Acts 13:30-31 = "But God raised him from the dead: And he was seen 
          many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, 
          who are his witnesses unto the people.          "

        4. The resurrection of Jesus was a matter of prophecy.

        Acts 13:32-36 = "And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise 
        which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their
        children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the 
        second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as 
        concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to
        corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
        Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One
        to see corruption. 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:        "

      3. The proclamation of forgiveness by faith in Christ

        4. Acts 13:38-39 = "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that 
        through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all 
        that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by 
        the law of Moses.        "

        Note: This is a blessing which the law of Moses could not grant. Which Paul uses as a means of encouraging them to believe and gave heed to a warning from the prophets.

      4. Paul concluded his address with a warning.

    Acts 13:40-41 = "Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the 
    prophets; 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.    "

    Comment: By rejecting the gospel of Christ, they would involve themselves in guilt and doom.

  3. CONCLUSION:

    1. THE IMPRESSION THE ADDRESS MADE:

      2. Acts 13:42-43 = "And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles
      besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. 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      ."

      1. The hearers were so deeply impressed that they invited Paul to return.
      2. After the assembly dismissed, many followed Paul possibly out of admiration for them 
        and their message.
      3. Paul urges them to continue in the grace of God. [Acts13:43].
    2. WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED FROM THIS:
      1. That we, like Paul and Barnabus, should accept every opportunity to proclaim the gospel.
      2. That forgiveness of sins is a blessing which can be obtained only in Christ.
      3. That, if we reject the gospel, we open the door of eternal sorrow and doom.

II Thessalonians 1:7-9 = "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;"

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