Sermon For August 13, 2000
HEBREW TESTAMENT: A Light for the Gentiles ~ Acts 13:44-52
I’m not sure that I am a young enough man for all of this missionary work. We’ve been traveling for days now, sailing, walking up hillsides. It seems that it has been years, but I know that the work is only just begun. There are times when I’m not sure that I have the energy for it. I’m going by the name Paul now. Saul was how I was known throughout all of my growing up, through my early years, working in support of the faith of my fathers. Now that my life has changed, now that I am a follower of The Way, now that I believe in my Lord, Jesus Christ, I have taken on a new name. So it is, that I am known as Paul.
We left the area of Jerusalem, sailed across the Mediterranean to the land that some call Turkey, and began to preach in the cities, bringing people the good news of God’s love, the good news of forgiveness of sins in Jesus the Christ.
We have hiked over mountains, not like the mountains to the East here, but mountains sparse and rocky. The sky is as blue as you could ask for. The sun shining bright each day, so that we must take care to have enough water for our journey. Can you imagine what it is like? To walk days and days through the rocky ground, and finally arrive at Pisidia, the Roman city. Some call it by its ancient name of Antioch, Antioch of Pisidia. We arrived here to find the Roman columns and the baths and the roads paved, shopkeepers hawking their wares. Excitement everywhere. Almost as if heaven were plunked down in the mountains. It was good to finally wash from our travels, to have a chance to rest and to take in all of the sights and the sounds of people living, and growing, and breathing, and loving.
On the Sabbath, as was our custom, we went to the Synagogue. We listened to the words of the prophets. Then the leader of worship said, “Is there anyone who would like to say anything?” I’m not sure if he knew that I was there and ready to go. “Would anyone like to say anything?” I stood up and I said, “My friends, my brothers and sisters, I, too, am a fellow Jew. I want to remind you of who we are. Of how far we have come. Remember when our people were in bondage in Egypt? Our Lord God held out a hand and brought us up out of bondage. We wandered in the desert for some forty years, before God struck down the seven nations of Canaan and gave to us, his “chosen,” the Promised Land. The people lived there in comfort and prosperity. God gave us judges to rule over us, until the time came when the people asked for a king, and God gave Saul to us. Then replaced him with David, the shepherd boy who played the harp. It is from David that God made a promise, that the Savior, the Messiah would come forth. For all of these years we have waited for that special messenger. The years went by, years of exile and oppression and always, always, we have waited. I tell you all of this so that you might know the words that I speak to you are true. John recognized him first. There were many who thought perhaps John was the Messiah, for he was offering a baptism for repentance of sins, but John said, “No, it is not me. There is one yet to come. One whose sandals I am unworthy to untie.” It was John’s own cousin, Jesus. When Jesus arrived he began to speak the words of truth, the words of God’s love for all people. He showed us that the laws of Moses were only the beginning, preparing us for this understanding of God’s love for all. There were many of our brothers and sisters who did not like his words. They studied the Scriptures, day upon day upon day. Studied the scriptures about God’s love and the Messiah who was to come. They were so busy with their noses in their Scrolls, that when the Messiah arrived they did not recognize him. Even more, they fulfilled the very scriptures they studied, when they condemned him. They went to Pilate and they called for Jesus’ death, fulfilling the very words they had read. He was put to death on a cross. A criminal’s death. But he came back to life. God’s power over death was demonstrated, when Jesus appeared to many of us who are now witnesses to all of you. Jesus appeared, last of all, to one untimely born, to me, on the road to Damascus. I was planning to arrest members of the Christian sect. Jesus spoke to me and said, “Saul, why do you persecute me?” So, now I stand before you to declare to you the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ, the love of God for all people. Friends, this is the day that we have been waiting for. This is the One that God had promised us.”
When I finished speaking, the congregation was excited. They begged for more, but I told them that was enough for this day. They asked us to come again, a week later for the Sabbath, and we agreed. The congregation was excited, but not everyone in town. When the leaders heard of our words, when they listened to the talking of those who had been seated in the synagogue, they began to be afraid. They were afraid for their way of life. They were afraid that they were losing their authority and power. They were afraid because of the newness of it all. Even though they had hoped, just as we had, they were afraid to see their hopes come true. They began to speak against us. They were not strong and powerful for nothing. They were politically wise, and they talked to the rich women of the city. Talked to them that they might exert influence upon their husbands. They turned many of the people against us so that when we arrived in the synagogue again, the crowd was sprinkled with those who were ready to contradict our words. They shouted out, calling us blasphemers. Finally they turned the whole crowd against us. They drove us to the edge of the city; I turned and spoke to them one last time. “Have it your way, then. Have it your way. God called on us to speak the word to you first of all because of the promise he made, but you are unwilling to hear. You have made your own decision then. You have turned your backs on God’s Savior. We will take God’s word out to those who are ready to hear it. To the Gentiles, to the non-Jews, for God does not just offer love and forgiveness to you, the seed of Abraham and Sarah. God’s love is for all people. If you are unwilling to receive it freely, there will be others happy.” The Gentiles, who heard my words, were filled with the Holy Spirit and their joy poured over. The others continued in their anger, and Barnabas and the others and I all shook the dust from our feet and turned our backs and left for Iconium. There we continued to preach the word of God, strengthened by the Holy Spirit. I pray that in the many travels ahead, that God’s Holy Spirit might not only strengthen my heart and my tongue, but my legs as well.