Acts 13:42–52.
Envy and jealousy prevent Jews from accepting the gift. Paul calls them on their rejection and quotes Isaiah – a light to the gentiles is now on the move. Paul and Barnabas leave the torment behind, shaking the very dirt from their sandals, and carry on in joy.
13. Salvation is not a one time event – it means to live a changed life. To lean on and trust in the Lord daily and in all things. Grace is also the means to faith (Eph 2:8: it is by grace you have been saved through faith
14. (Challenge) a. Reject:
| Rom 2:8 | But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger |
b.
| Isa 49:6 | he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.” |
15. a The gentiles listened and were saved. The Jews did not and were not
b. Too often I obsess and it festers. I need to be better at shaking it off and letting it go. I love the analogy of shaking the dust from my feet – not bringing any part of their negativism along with me.
Conclusion:
Paul is not one to mince words. It is not accept the gift or don’t accept the gift. There is no neutral state in Paul’s message. You are either going forward or you are in reverse. There is no parking. You either accept the truth that Jesus is Lord or you have rejected it, calling it a lie.
Again – Paul cuts to the chase of the truth in a way that we are all to “wishy-washy” about today. We allow so many to take a neutral stance, at least in their eyes. “I’m not going to say you are lying in what you say about the gospel, but, while it may be true for you it is not necessarily true for me.” And, we let it go. In the words of the bible, that is the worst possible position to take. Either accept it or reject it, but don’t be luke warm. Why? Because it corrupts the truth. It chisels away, not in an attack on the truth, but like rain does, one drop at a time it wears away at the truth, not making it less true, but by creating a rule of tolerance where you are not allowed to speak the truth because it may not fit someone else’s belief system – no matter that their belief system is wrong and will land them in eternal damnation – we are too polite.
Paul was not polite.
The Notes are Good 