Real Life Community Church Richmond, KY
Real Life Community Church, is a church located in Richmond, Kentucky. Our fellowship is comprised of authentic followers of Jesus Christ who aim to glorify God in all that we do. We have a desire to reach our community, meeting both the physical and spiritual needs of those who are hurting.What to Expect in a Service Our Sunday Morning services include a time of dynamic, blended worship. We have a full praise band, consisting of real Christ-followers who are committed to worshiping God, not just through song, but in every area of their lives. Each service will include a relevant, Bible-based message, that will inspire and challenge those who hear it. Come casually or formally dressed… however you are most comfortable. We hope to see you soon!
Real Life Community Church Richmond, KY
Acts | Part 22 | The Art of Truly Listening to God's Word
Is there a difference between hearing God's Word and truly listening to it? This powerful message explores Acts 13:13-52, revealing how our engagement with Scripture determines its impact on our lives.
Pastor Chris begins by challenging us to examine our tendency to passively hear rather than actively listen, using Abraham Lincoln's wisdom that listening carefully trumps speaking eloquently. Through Paul's sermon at Antioch in Pisidia, we discover three crucial elements required for transformative listening: remembrance, recognition, and response.
When we remember that history has divine purpose—that God actively worked through Israel's story from the patriarchs through King David—we understand that events aren't random but divinely directed. Every moment in history points toward Jesus, giving our own stories profound meaning within God's redemptive narrative.
True listening also requires recognizing Jesus as the promised Messiah. Paul demonstrates how Christ fulfilled hundreds of detailed prophecies—an astronomical mathematical impossibility unless Jesus truly is who He claimed to be. The resurrection stands as the cornerstone of this truth, with eyewitness testimony that changed the course of history.
Most critically, genuine listening demands response. The gospel offers forgiveness that the law could never provide, but it also brings warning—you can love Christ and follow Him joyfully, or reject Him and face judgment, but neutrality is impossible. The contrasting reactions of Jews and Gentiles in Antioch demonstrate these stark alternatives.
This message strikes at the heart of superficial Christianity. Do we walk away from sermons nodding in agreement but unchanged? Or does our encounter with God's Word lead to transformation that lasts beyond Sunday morning? The gospel welcomes everyone—regardless of background, ethnicity, or past—but it requires more than passive acknowledgment.
Whether you're questioning faith or have heard sermons for decades, today is the day to truly listen. The eternal King invites your response. What will yours be?
Please remain standing in honor of the reading of the word.
Speaker 1:Acts, chapter 13, verse 13. Acts, chapter 13,. Verse 13 says Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga and Pamphylia and John left them and returned to Jerusalem. But they went on from Perga and came to Antioch and Pisidia, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them saying Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.
Speaker 1:So Paul stood up and motioning with his hands, and men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. This is the word of the Lord for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we come in the name of Jesus and we worship you. Thank you for your word, god. Our prayer is that we would indeed do as your word says, which is listen. Help us, god, to have ears to hear in Jesus' name. Amen. As you are seated today, just know that Pastor Chris is going to be preaching' name Amen. As you are seated today, just know that Pastor Chris is going to be preaching a much longer sermon. We just read the first three verses of it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're going to cover it through the end of the chapter, so hope you brought a sack lunch. Can I get a water somebody? I don't see one up here. You got one. All right, thank you, but how many drinks you take out of this? Okay, thank you. All right, let's dive in here.
Speaker 2:Has anyone ever stopped you in conversation, looked at you and asked the question are you listening to me? I want to ask that right now. Or stopped you in conversation, looked at you and asked the question are you listening to me? I want to ask that right now. Are you listening to me? Listen, men, if you are married, I can almost guarantee you that your wife asked you that sometime this week. Come on, where are my men at? Just be honest, right, we know that there is a massive difference between hearing audibly, which is passive, and listening, which is quite active. Abraham Lincoln was known to be an exceptional listener. During a debate, he would often pause to absorb the meaning not just the words, but the meaning of his opponent's words. It is Lincoln who said I'd rather be able to listen carefully than to speak eloquently.
Speaker 1:Now does that sound like?
Speaker 2:our presidential debates. I'm going to ask you a question. I wonder how many of you who come week after week and hear the preached word, how many of you truly listen Like I know you hear me, those of you who don't fall asleep but I want to ask are you listening? Because to listen means to internalize, it actually means to respond. Let me just give you an example. Last week, pastor Ben preached a great message in which he admonished us to rid ourselves of any influences media, music, movies, whatever it might be, people who might, those influences who would draw us away from Christ rather than to Christ. So I just ask you that's a good message, right? How many of you did something about it? How many of you actually this week about it? How many of you actually this week cut something out of your life that was leading you away from Christ? Two weeks ago I preached on fasting. You don't have to raise your hand because I probably know the answer to this. How many of you have fasted over the last two weeks?
Speaker 2:The week before, I preached on the power of intercessory prayer, in which I begged you to come those of you who don't already attend to attend our Wednesday night prayer meetings, but the crowd hasn't changed. You see, we often hear, but do we listen to the word of God? Now, I'm not here to chastise you, because we all have this proclivity to merely hear and not really listen. I mean, sometimes, when I preach, I hear myself speaking and then I think mid-sermon, I should really try this out. My aim today is simply to raise our awareness of our tendency not to listen and that when we leave this place, and even today, with the message that we would be better listeners to, especially to god's word, why does it matter? Like like, if what I'm preaching from today is not authoritative, if it is not the unchanging, infallible word of God, then just here, listen if you want to. But I believe that, in fact, the Bible is the word of God, which means we ought to listen intently, because to do so or not to do so is of eternal consequence. Are you with me? Are you listening? All right? Well, we see this distinction between hearing and listening in our text today.
Speaker 2:Before I get there, I just want to quickly paint the scene as to what's going on here. So, as they continue on their first missionary journey, paul and Barnabas arrive in this city north of where they had been in Cyprus. It's called Antioch-Pasidia. Now, this is not the same Antioch that they came from, where their home church is, that would be Antioch-Syria. So in Antioch-Pasidia, when they arrive, they begin their ministry, which would become their custom in the synagogue, to the Jews, because Paul says in Romans 1, 16, that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe, first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles. So they would start ministering to the Jews and then move on to the Gentiles. Now I want to point you to verse 15. It says after the reading so this is a Sabbath day service. They're attending in the synagogue, and after the reading from the law and prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them saying the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them saying brothers, paul and Barnabas, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.
Speaker 2:Have you ever wondered what a typical Sabbath day service looked like in the first century? Well, we know that, generally speaking, the services would begin with a Shema. I got Don's attention right. Services would begin with a Shema. I got Don's attention right. It's a reciting of Deuteronomy 6, 4, and 5, and I think we have it on the screen and I'd like us to say this together Ready Hear, o Israel, the Lord, our God. The Lord is one. You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Now there would generally be a call and response, much like we do here. So don't knock that. All right, but after the Shema there would be other prayers offered to God. Finally, they would read from the Old Testament the law and the prophets is a way of talking about the entirety of the Old Testament.
Speaker 2:Okay, after the reading of the scriptures, somebody would get up and they would give what's called a homily or an exposition, a teaching on what was read. Now here's what's so interesting. This sounds familiar so far. Right, read. Now. Here's what's so interesting. This sounds familiar so far. Right, call to worship, prayers, music, reading of the word and preaching. But watch this. Did you get what they asked? Look at verse 15 again. The scripture's been read.
Speaker 2:And the synagogue leaders say brothers Paul and Barnabas, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it. Do you get what's happening? This sounds really strange to us. The scripture has been read. Could you imagine today if we had a visiting pastor unannounced. And I see they're here and Ben gets up and reads the scripture and I come up and instead of preaching I say, hey, pastor, so-and-so, it's good to see you Could? Ben gets up and reads the scripture and I come up and instead of preaching I say, hey, pastor, so-and-so, it's good to see you. Could you stand up and tell us what that scripture means? That would be strange and a bit nerve-wracking for the preacher, but that was very customary in the first century.
Speaker 2:And so Paul and Barnabas, they, they take the invitation and I want you to look at this key verse in it's, verse 16. And it says so Paul stood up and motioning with his hands. I need to do this right. I don't know what motion he made, but he said men of Israel, that would be the Jews and you who fear God, which would be Gentile converts who were present, and listen to what he says. What's he telling them to do? Listen, listen.
Speaker 2:Now, that word in the Greek translated, listen in the transliterated form, is akuo, and it literally means to go beyond hearing and to consider what is being said, to internalize what's being said. So, before you know, paul has heard the scriptures, read, scriptures that the people were so familiar with, and sometimes, when you're overly familiar with something, you kind of check out. But Paul listens to him, he claps, he gets her attention, holds his hand up and says, hey, I'm about to share something worth listening to. What's he share? He shares the gospel. I mean, no, the gospel is worth listening to intently. And so, through our text, I just want to simply point out today three requisites for listening to God's word. Here they are. Here's an overview. Number one listening requires remembrance, listening requires recognition and listening requires response, particularly when it comes to the gospel, but the whole of God's word as well.
Speaker 2:So number one listening requires remembering and here's what we need to remember the purpose of history. Listening requires remembering the purpose of history, or that history has a purpose. You know, one of the biggest questions that people have today and it's a timeless question that's been asked throughout the centuries is simply this Is there a purpose to history? Are events that happen in this life, are they random acts, a series of sunrises and sunsets that mean nothing, or is there a divine intention behind what's happening? Well, paul anticipates that question here before he shares the gospel, and he would say to israel, as he reminds them of their well-known story your story didn't just happen, nor did you make it happen. There's a sovereign God behind your history, and history is moving towards something. So let's dive into this, and I want you to see, in verses 17 through 22, how much Paul talks about God being the agent of Israel's story. Here we go the God of this people, israel, chose our fathers. So this is God choosing the patriarchs, and he, god, made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt and, with uplifted arm, he led them out of it, and for about 40 years he I love this put up with them in the wilderness, and for about 40 years. He I love this put up with them in the wilderness and after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. All this took about 450 years and after that he gave them judges, until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king and God gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for 40 years, and when he God had removed him, he God raised up David to be their king.
Speaker 2:Israel did not just become a people. Their story did not just happen. God chose the patriarchs Abraham, isaac and Jacob and he made them a great nation of number and of influence. He brought them to Egypt and when the new Pharaoh was threatened by Israel and enslaved them for some 400 years, israel had no hope of escaping in and of themselves. But God, god stepped in. He delivered them by the hand of Moses. He parted the Red Sea, took them out through the wilderness and onto the promised land. And how did Israel respond? In the wilderness, they grumbled and they complained. And they looked back to Egypt and thought, oh, if we could just go back. They forgot how bad it was and how good they have it now. And they complained and they were unfaithful.
Speaker 2:And I love what he says here. God put up with you for 40 years. Anybody thankful God puts up with you, amen. God gave them the land by conquering the peoples that occupied it, armies much stronger than Israel. Then God graciously gave the people judges to rule over them, the last of which was Samuel. And then the people wanted a king. Hey, we want to be like other nations, we want a king. So God gave them a man by the name of Saul, who was a dud. And so God graciously gave them David, who, though he was a very flawed man, was a man after God's own heart and intent on doing the Lord's will.
Speaker 2:So what's Paul saying here? Look at me. History isn't meaningless. It's not just a collection of random events. God, the divine and sovereign being, is always working. The Epicureans of the ancient world believed that God. Maybe there was some God that created the world, but then just kind of left it and is uninterested in what's going on. That's not the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible is living and working every day. It's in him we live and we move and we have our being, amen. So here's the thing what is God's purposes. What was his purpose in calling and blessing and sustaining Israel? Well, do you remember, when you go back to the very beginning of the Bible, who created the world? Okay, thank you, god created the world. I thought, man, we need to go back to ABCs here All right.
Speaker 2:God created the heavens and the earth. You are not listening, church, come on. I hope that's the problem and it's not that you don't know the answer to that question. All right, so God created the heavens and the earth. Well, god created the world to be, as it were, a cosmic temple which is an overlapping of heaven and earth. Remember he dwelt in the garden with Adam and Eve. Remember what happened? That was page one. It was blissful, this kind of utopia, until on page three, humans messing up, adam and Eve sin, and it brings corruption and decay upon the earth, the world, a curse upon the earth and upon humankind. And the most, the greatest tragedy is that it put a separation between God and humans created in His image. But here's what I love God didn't abandon the project.
Speaker 2:The story of the Bible is not a story that we were bad and we're going to hell, so now we've got to go to heaven. The story of the Bible is this God created the world and it was great and he wanted to dwell with his people in the world, but we messed it up. So God, through his redemptive plan, through Jesus, he has made a way for us to be brought back to God. And you go to the end of the story in Revelation, and it's not about his people going to heaven. It's about heaven coming to earth again. There's going to be beloved, a new and better Eden, bodies that are raised for those who know the Lord, with no sickness, no sin, perfect, no sorrow. And God's plan was to renew creation and to establish this eternal kingdom again on the earth. How would God bring about that kingdom? Well, 2 Samuel, 7, 12 and 13.
Speaker 2:Nathan, the prophet, is speaking to David. I want you to listen. He says to David when your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers in other words, you die I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body in other words, you die. I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, in other words, your lineage, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name and I will watch this, establish the throne of his kingdom forever. See, an eternal kingdom requires an eternal king.
Speaker 2:David's rule was temporary, solomon's rule temporary. Every king human king's rule temporary. But God promised there's coming a king who will not die, that will live forever, and of his rule there will be no end. So that's the promise to the listeners. And then he gives them great news Verse 23. Of this man's, david's, offspring, god has done it. He has brought to Israel a Savior, jesus, as he promised Beloved.
Speaker 2:Jesus is the promised king, which means this Jesus is the point of history and Jesus is the culmination or the fulfillment of history. What we say all the time, it's all about Jesus. That's not a trivial statement, it is biblical truth. History has meaning and that meaning is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Speaker 2:Now see, this is important for you, because your view on history has massive implications for the way in which you live. You know, if history in fact is random and meaningless, why care about anything? Live it up, chase every hedonistic passion that your little heart desires. Why live by any moral code?
Speaker 2:Last year I finished Dostoevsky's novel the Brothers Karamazov. Anybody else read that Highly recommend it. It's not easy to read though, is it? But in the book, the atheist brother Ivan says this. He says if there is no God, then everything is permitted. That's true, right, martin Luther King?
Speaker 2:When he was in prison, he basically appealed to God's word. If there is no God, he argued, do what you will to us, our race, because there's no transcendent law to draw from to say that slavery is wrong. But Luther believed in a God who transcends us and his moral code. So here's the thing If God is not real and if history is random, live it up how you want, live your life how you want. But if he is real and if there is purpose in every day, then we would do well to listen to His Word. Amen. That means we don't just live how we want. It means that we don't come to church and then go out and live like the devil all week.
Speaker 2:If history is about Jesus and it points to Jesus, it is fulfilled in Jesus. That means church. If you want purpose and meaning and salvation and all of that, you ought to live for Jesus, amen. So listening requires recognition, excuse me. Number two listening requires or excuse me, it requires remembrance. And number two listening requires recognition.
Speaker 2:So Paul's audience, to whom he's speaking about this coming Messiah. They know God's promises, they're waiting for this great king, this great deliverer, they're expecting him. But they have a fair question, paul how do we know that Jesus is the Messiah, like we believe a Messiah is coming? How do you know it's Jesus? How can we be sure of that. And so Paul answers that question by showing that not only is Jesus a fulfillment of history, but he's a fulfillment of prophecy. History, but he's the fulfillment of prophecy. Paul begins quoting all kinds of prophecies from the Old Testament and shows how Jesus is the fulfillment of them. He begins in verse 24, before his coming, john this is John the Baptist had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel, and as John was finishing his course, he said what do you suppose that I am? I am not he. In other words, I'm not the Messiah. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals, of whose feet I am unworthy to untie.
Speaker 2:See, in announcing the arrival of the kingdom of God, you know, john the Baptist was fulfilling prophecies from Isaiah 40 in Malachi, chapter 3, which talked about a forerunner of the Messiah, the one who would come and prepare the way for Jesus. Paul moves from there to speak of Jesus' rejection and death. Look at verse 27,. For those who live in Jerusalem, and the rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. And though they found him, they found no guilt worthy of death. They asked Pilate to have him executed and when they had carried out all that was written of him see, none of this was accidental they took him down from the tree, the cross, and they laid him in a tomb. Another fair question that the Jews might have for Paul is this well, if Jesus is Messiah, why do our own religious leaders, by and large, reject Him and why do they hang Him on a bloody criminal cross and lay Him in a tomb? Well, what Paul does is he points them to several Old Testament scriptures that said His own are going to deny Him because they're blind of heart. Hearing they do not hear, and seeing. They do not see. You know, isaiah 53 talks about the suffering servant, this messianic figure who would come and he would be what despised and hated by men. It speaks of the one who would be pierced for our transgressions. What happened to to Jesus in the final moments of his life on the cross? His side was pierced, he was crushed by our iniquities and by his wounds. We are healed. Isaiah prophesied at the end of that chapter that this Messiah would be as a lamb led to the slaughter. Jesus is the Lamb of God, right? So here's the thing Paul's saying. Listen, you think Jesus is not the Messiah because your leaders rejected him. Actually, it's further proof that he's the Messiah, because hundreds of years ago the prophet said that when he comes, his own will deny him, hate him.
Speaker 2:Then paul builds to the climatic truth uh in in, uh, verses 30 and through 36. So he's been laid in the tomb of. Paul says the best news of all. But god raised him from the dead and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him, from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. And we bring you the good news. Paul says that what God promised to the fathers. This he has fulfilled to us, their children, by raising Jesus, as it is also written in the second song you are my son. Today I begotten you. And as for this fact that he raised him from the dead, as it is also written in the second song, you are my son. Today I begotten you. And as for this fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption. He has spoken in this way. I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David. Therefore, he says also in another song you will not let your holy one, the Messiah, see corruption. For David, after he had heard the purposes of God in his own generation, he died. He fell asleep and was laid with his fathers, and he saw corruption. But he, whom God raised up, did not see corruption. There was a promise there's eternal kings coming and he won't stay in the grave. And David thought oh well, maybe that's me or maybe it's my son. No, they all died, the kings from then on, until a king came, the son of God. And when he was died, he was raised from the dead, never to see corruption again. He's the eternal king.
Speaker 2:They might ask Paul, how do we know that? Like how do we know he was raised? Well, after stating that God raised Christ from the dead, paul said listen, there's a bunch of witnesses, of people that you know and love, who can attest to his physical. This isn't a spiritual, metaphorical resurrection beloved, this is a historical event. There are many, uh myriads of spiritual implications, but this happened historically. If jesus, paul said, is not raised bodily, we of all people are must to be pitied and we have hope in this life, only no hope for the life to come. But then he says but in fact christ has been raised, hallelujah.
Speaker 2:Paul says in first corinthians 15 that it's over 500 people, many of them still live. He, he said go talk to him. You don't believe me. Paul himself was one of those men. And you could say well, didn't. What if Paul made it up and the disciples made it up? Okay, let's play that out. That's stupid, all right. Here's, that's not a good solution, all right.
Speaker 2:Here's why Paul, you might remember, called Saul in the beginning of Acts. He really wasn't fond of Jesus, he hated him, he didn't believe him to be the Messiah and he hated anybody who would preach otherwise. As a matter of fact, it was Paul, in Acts, chapter 7, who was responsible for the first execution of a Christian, the first Christian martyr named Stephen. And then it was Paul who drove the Christians out of Jerusalem. And then, when they left Jerusalem, he asked for permission from his leaders to just go on this journey to round up Christians and bring them back, to have them arrested, and he wanted them gone. He hated Christians, he hated the thought of Jesus being the Messiah. But everything changed one day when he met him on the road to Damascus. He denied him for years, but then he met him and he said oh, this is undeniable, jesus is risen. And it changed everything.
Speaker 2:What if Paul made that up? Well, that encounter up? I don't think so, because Paul was pretty respected and had a pretty comfortable life before coming to Jesus. But now, because he's preaching the gospel and professing Christ, he would be snake-bitten, shipwrecked, stoned, whipped over and over and over, thrown into prison, left for dead and ultimately executed under Nero for the name of Jesus. That's when you go, hey guys, I was just joking. He's not the Messiah. But no, paul believed it, he loved it and he persevered to the end. So you have the evidence of eyewitnesses.
Speaker 2:But then Paul makes this claim. He said you know why you believe Jesus is the Messiah. You recognize that he's the Messiah? It's because he's the fulfillment of prophecy Not just history, but prophecy. So in verses 33 through 37, paul ends the section on the resurrection by drawing from prophecies found in Psalm 2, isaiah 44, and Psalm 16. And so Paul proclaims this to his people, that through his life, death, burial and resurrection, jesus has fulfilled it all. And he's saying recognize that he is in fact the Messiah.
Speaker 2:Now, people today, you know there are people who claim to believe in God, but they say you know, how do we know which God is right, like which religion gives us to God? How do we know that Jesus is, as he says, the only way to the Father? Well, christianity, you've heard me say many times, hinges on one thing Not unanswered prayers, not on mean church people, thank God. It doesn't hinge on the fact, the problem of evil and suffering in the world. It hinges on one thing and that is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Like I'm going with the guy who was raised from the dead, that's all I'm saying. Christ is raised, but do you know? Think about all the prophecies he fulfilled. Paul just lists a few.
Speaker 2:Listen, this is so cool the chances of someone fulfilling just a small number of prophecies is astronomically improbable. Do you know the odds of one person fulfilling just eight prophecies? Listen, it's about 1 in 100 quadrillion. That's 1 in 17 zeros. Well, jesus didn't just fulfill eight. He fulfilled hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds specific, detailed prophecies. If you're going to listen to the gospel truly, you must not only remember that history points to Jesus, but you must recognize that Jesus is the Messiah, the eternal King. But even that is not enough. Thirdly, you know you can listen and consider what's being said. You can hear the gospel, you can even go as far as say yeah, you know what I think Jesus is the Messiah.
Speaker 2:But the real question is, and what Paul's asking here of the crowd is what are you going to do about it? Because, true, listening to the gospel in a way that makes a difference in your life and leads to transformation. Watch this. Because, true, listening to the gospel in a way that makes a difference in your life and leads to transformation, watch this. It requires what Response? Requires response.
Speaker 2:Paul closes his sermon by giving a call to action. He starts with an invitation. Look at verse 38. Let it be known to you, therefore, brother. So why are you telling us this? Why are you telling us Jesus is here to you, therefore, brother? So why are you telling us this? Why are you telling us Jesus is here?
Speaker 2:Well, here's why he came, that through him, forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you and, by him, everyone who believes. They're free from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. Now, this is good. Do you know that the law of Moses, the Mosaic law, consisted of about what 613 commands? But the law couldn't save you. The word here is better translated instead of freed, it should be justified, made right with God, considered not guilty. The law could never free the people of their sin. It could not buy them forgiveness, it could not give them justification. You know, all the law could do, it could just reveal the depths of their wickedness, the depths of benevolence in their heart. That's all the Listen. Some people think well. Well, if I want to get to God, I've got to follow the rules. Good luck with that. All God's law. When you get in and you start reading God's commandments, it's like man. I just feel worse than I ever have.
Speaker 2:What Paul is saying is listen. Jesus came as the Messiah so that you could again be part of God's kingdom, which requires forgiveness. Because our sin, because of our sin, we are due the wrath of God, eternal judgment, but on the cross. This is why Jesus cried out my God, my God, why have you forsaken me In that moment? The worst and the physical pain was bearing God's wrath in our place, the punishment due to us. Jesus was forsaken in that moment, so that we don't have to be. That's the message of the cross and the resurrection. So that's the invitation Come, have your sins forgiven.
Speaker 2:But then there's a warning. Look at verse 40. Beware. Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the prophets should come about. Look, you scoffers, be astounded and do what Perish, for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells you. See, to grasp the good news, you've got to grasp the bad news Right In order to understand why Jesus' death and the forgiveness of sins is really good news. You've got to understand the depths of your own wickedness and your hopelessness without a Savior depths of your own wickedness and your hopelessness without a savior. And and paul is now warning these listeners he's saying listen, I'm going to warn you, you're hearing what I'm saying, you're contemplating what I'm saying, but if you don't respond in the right way, you will will perish. I'd like to talk about this today. But, beloved, we don't believe in universalism where everybody goes to heaven. Everything just works out in the end. Jesus is not a way to God, he is the way. So how did the people look at their initial reaction? Verse 42. As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told to them the next Sabbath. Hey, paul, barnabas, come back next week. We like you better than our normal preacher. That's not funny.
Speaker 2:And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism. They followed Paul and Barnabas. So he's out there, like we don't even want to wait until next week. Come on, just talk to us, we'll walk with you. And as they spoke to them, here's what Paul says to them, these people who are so excited. He urged them to continue in the grace of God. See, paul's listeners are astonished. They're in awe over Paul's words. They're excited for the next Sabbath. Man, I can't wait to church next Sunday. But Paul, he's careful to believe them. Here's what he says Listen, I know you're excited, but what matters is are you really transformed? Did the word really transform you? You better keep on keeping on. It's like sometimes, pastor Jerry, when kids go to youth camp and they come back, man, and they've been in services all week and I'm going to win the world for Jesus.
Speaker 2:And I'm, you know I'm going to live for Christ. You know you get back on a Friday Sunday. They're worshiping, hands up, singing, crying, and by next Sunday it's about all faith. But that's not just with students at youth camp. How many times has that happened to us? You know many people come to church and they hear me preach and they're struck to the heart. They go oh man, we can't wait to come back next Sunday and they cry their eyes out and say, oh Lord, this is it for me. It's a change. I heard what the preacher said, I heard your word and, oh Jesus, I want you and I lay aside everything else. And they're excited and they're touched and they're emotional Until they get out in the parking lot or they wake up the next morning and it's back to the same old, same old. So preachers like to be impressed when you walk out the door and high five and say good message, it spoke to me. It's going to cause a change in my life. My real question for you I'm happy you like the word, but my real question for you is how are you going to live tomorrow, in a year from now, in a decade from now See, my goal is not to tickle your ears and to give you some little motivational sermon that you can chew on for a week and then spit out. No, the Bible is meant to not just change you for today, it's meant to transform your life. Listening requires response. So that was their initial reaction. What about their ultimate response? We've got the response of the Jews and then the Gentiles. Look at verse 44. We'll look at the Jews' response.
Speaker 2:The next Sabbath, almost the whole city that's important gathered together to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowd, they were filled with jealousy what? And began to contradict what was spoken to Paul, reviling him Paul, come back next Saturday. Well, now we hate you. Get out of here, you know. 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 inside and watch this their responsibility, you judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life. Behold, we are turning to the Gentiles, for so the Lord has commanded us, saying I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.
Speaker 2:The Jews in the crowd likely include many of them that were there that previous Sabbath. They're going come on, paul, come back next week, preach brother. But all of a sudden they're jealous. Well, why are they jealous? Who are they jealous of? Well, the first time that Paul spoke on the Sabbath, remember, it was devout Jews and the only Gentiles who were there were Gentile converts, proselytes. But now the text says that almost the whole city gathered.
Speaker 2:Now this is a rolling province, this is the area of Galatia. Galatia is not a city, it's a province. It includes many towns. So this is not just you, are a Jewish Gentile converts here. Now you've got the pagan people, the smokers and the druggies and the prostitutes and the adulterers and the liars and the worshipers of false idols who have never shown interest in the God of heaven, the God of the Bible, the God of Israel. And all of a sudden, paul turns to them without saying you know, you got to start following the Jewish law, you got to go through this training. He just says listen, this gospel is for you, come to the table. Come to the table, no matter what you've done, no matter where you've been. It's for you. And here's the Jews, on the other hand, after striving to live for God, trying to follow 613 stinking commands, fasting and praying and giving of alms and attending services in the synagogue in tithing. Lord, we've done all this. They're pagans, they're vile and you're going to invite them into your kingdom. Like us, we don't want anything to do with this Messiah if he's going to welcome those people like that.
Speaker 2:You know there are people still today who are offended by the inclusivity of the gospel. If you feel that you are of a superior race or nation, you might be appalled that God would include somebody else. If you're of a particular political party, you might go. You know, I had no joke. I heard this ignorant pastor yell at his church and said if you're one of those demon Democrats, get out. Well, I've got news for you God loves the Republican and the Democrat. Yes, he does. And I've got better news for you Jesus is not a Republican, nor is he a Democrat, he's king. Sorry, I didn't mean to say that.
Speaker 2:If you think of yourself as a relatively good and moral person, you might take offense when the town center walks in and is just, with no questions, welcomed by the church and by Jesus. You know you might say well, I believe that Jesus accepts everybody who believes, receives everybody who believes and repents. But you know what? I think we should still worship in separate churches. Seriously, there are people who still today, if everybody does not look like them, they can't handle it. I've got news for you. If you don't want to worship with people of other colors and nationalities, you're probably not saved. And if you were, you'd hate heaven, because I've got news Heaven's not just going to be white, western people. The gospel is for every tribe and every tongue. Amen, I've said it over and over Red and yellow, black and white. They are precious in this sight. Amen, I've said it over and over Red and yellow, black and white. They are precious in this sight. Amen. All right, that's the Jews' response. I'm wearing myself out.
Speaker 2:What about the Gentiles? Verse 48. When the Gentiles heard this, jesus said listen, you've rejected it, but Jesus has sent us to the Gentiles, these pagans. Here's what they say. When they heard this, they just began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord and, as many were appointed to eternal life, believed. Think of this While the Jews are over, having a little pity party who have rejected Jesus, yeah, why would God let them in? The Gentiles don't care. If God be for me, who can be against me and they're over there. The Jews are mad and reviling Paul and Barnabas and they're just jumping up and down for joy, these Gentiles. So we have two extreme responses. You hear the gospel, you get to respond. The gospel demands a response.
Speaker 1:You can love.
Speaker 2:Jesus and follow him joyfully, or you can hate him and reject him in all that he stands for. What you can't do is be neutral, because the gospel demands a response and there's consequences for how you respond. Verse 48, when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the lord, and as many were appointed to what eternal life believed, and the word of the lord was spreading throughout the whole region. So here's the consequence of the reception of the gospel for these gentiles they're, they're happy now, they're joyful now, they're joyful now, but then they receive something else eternal life, eternal life, what every sane man and woman wants. Now some Christians believe that when Luke says that as many as were appointed to eternal life believed that, that means that you know what. God looked down amongst the crowd and said you know what? I'll take him, I'll take him, I'll take him, but these other ones, you know, just send them away. So God chooses some for salvation and doesn't choose others. And there's some great preachers who would believe that. But I don't think, if you read the context, that's what Luke is saying here at all. When you read the context, that's what Luke is saying here at all. When you consider the context what Luke is saying, it seems to me so evident. Luke is just reminding his readers, as these Gentiles are saved, that God has appointed the gospel to be a means of salvation, not just for the Jews that was never his plan but also for the Gentiles. Are you with me? That means beloved. If you're here today, if you're listening online, the gospel of salvation is for you. If you will respond to Christ, you get eternal life. Well, what happens if you reject?
Speaker 2:Verse 50, the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city. He stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district. And here's what Paul does in Barnabas, they shook off the dust from their feet against them and they went to Iconium. The disciples, they don't care, they're filled with joy in the Holy Spirit. You know what this is, this sign of shaking the dust off your feet, your pant leg. It's a sign of impending judgment.
Speaker 2:Verse 46, remember, paul makes it clear from the Old Testament and we see this in the New that there are radical consequences for not repenting and turning to Christ. You can live like you want. You can reject the light and you can reject God's law and His love and His salvation. You can make that choice, but it's going to cost you. It will cost you your life. You will face one day the wrath of God and you say well, how could a loving God send people to hell? How could a loving God pour out his wrath? Well, verse 46 says.
Speaker 2:Paul says, because they thrust aside the gospel, that they have judged themselves unworthy of eternal life. God is not unjust in sending anyone to hell. We all deserve it. Well, that's not fair. You want fair. We're all in hell. The most unfair, unjust act in history was when Jesus Christ, on a mountain called Calvary, got on a cross, the one who never sinned, the one who was beaten and mocked. And the crowd said to him listen, if you're really the son of God, if you're really king of the Jews, get down, you miracle worker. And Jesus hung there and he took it all.
Speaker 1:Though he could have called legions of angels.
Speaker 2:He did it for the glory of God and the love of his people. He died a horrible death and he was an innocent man who had never sinned. And if you reject that, if you do not repent, your damnation look at me is on you, it's not on God. In closing, if you're truly listening to the Word of God, you can love Christ. You can turn to Him, follow Him, or you can hate Him and turn away. The Gospel demands a response, and if you don't respond in one extreme or another, you haven't been listening, you don't believe what the Bible says.
Speaker 2:If you can just walk out and say, yeah, jesus is kind of neat, but you go out and you live like the devil. You haven't been listening. You can go out like the people in Jesus' day who hated the light because they loved their sin, the darkness. Go out and be like that. That's your choice. You can hate Him or you can love Him, but you can't be neutral. So if you're here today or you're listening online and you've never been converted and I say about every week hey, nominal Christians, those of you who play church, you may not even know it, you may be deceived Truly, come to Jesus. And every week I go home thinking they're not listening. Listen to me. Listen to me. Is that you, if so, or if you've never professed Christ, let today be today, because Hebrews 3 says today. If you hear, if so, or if you've never professed Christ, let today be today, because Hebrews 3 says today, if you hear his voice and I hope you have, do not harden your hearts.
Speaker 2:The Bible says today is the day of salvation. If you're a Christian and you're here and you are saved. I'm so happy that you've responded to the gospel like that. But I want you to. I want us all, you and me both. I want us to be better listeners to God's word. When we leave today, let's remember that God is involved in all that's happening in the world. Let's not lose hope, let's not lose heart when we watch the news. God's at work. God's at work. God's at work. And when we hear His Word. Let's not just be hearers, but let's be doers of the Word. May the Lord transform us from glory to glory as we truly listen to His Word.