Mission 1 begins - Acts 13

This is a sermon by Peter Birnie from the Riverside Church service on 20th October 2024.

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An audio recording of this sermon is available.

Acts 13 “Mission 1 begins – Light breaks out”

Intro

(Slide 1) One of the games our kids have always enjoyed playing is called “Hide and Seek in the dark”. All the curtains and blinds are shut, all the lights are turned off, and everyone but the seeker goes and hides as quietly as possible around the house in the pitch black. A lot of stumbling about and bumping into things is done. It is a fun game because it is done in the safety of our home. But in the darkness you do quickly lose track of what is there and what isn’t there. Things that are obvious in the light become confused in the darkness. Familiar routes suddenly seem to have bumps and twists in them. Things that are harmless in light are more sinister in the dark.

(Slide 2) But with one click of a switch everything is fine again. The light comes on and you can see clearly what was there all along. Normally in life this is great news – anyone trapped in a dark cave will be delighted to see light suddenly shine on them as the rescuers break through. A child nervous of going to sleep in the dark will be happy when they open their eyes and realise that once again morning has come. But sometimes the light coming on isn’t very welcome is it? A child stealing biscuits at midnight doesn’t want the kitchen light to click on. A car thief escaping the police car doesn’t want the searchlight to pick them out. Light overcomes darkness and should be brilliant news for everyone but there will always be some who want to remain in the dark.

(Slide 3) The gospel of Jesus Christ is light for the world. It is full of power to completely transform people and situations. In Acts 9 last week we saw that this was true for Saul of Tarsus, transformed by meeting Jesus from a tyrant of believers into a servant of the gospel. But that amazing transformation of 1 enemy of God is simply the prelude to the gospel transformation of billions of people across continents and millennia. As we go on mission 1 with Paul from Acts 13, my prayer is that we in CCR will believe that the gospel is the bright light this dark world needs, that we will be filled with zeal to talk about it with our loved ones and neighbours, that we won’t be put off because some people reject it and want to stay in darkness, that we will see clearly that Jesus was always God’s plan for the world and to know with conviction that nothing will stop the gospel light overcoming the dark.

                1) Gospel light impacts enemies (v1-12)

(Slide 4) In verses 1-12 we see that the gospel impacts enemies. Amazing gospel transformations have already been happening in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and further out (just as Jesus they would, Acts 1v8). Once Stephen was martyred in Acts 7 believers were persecuted and scattered out from Jerusalem and Judea but the result wasn’t the death of belief in Jesus but instead new churches springing up wherever they went (light beating darkness). Antioch was one of these and had become a bit of a base away from Jerusalem and it was where Saul and Barnabas were zealously teaching the gospel when a famine hit Judea.  

Barnabas and Saul (from now on will call Paul) took a gift from Antioch to the Jerusalem church to help them through it. And when they returned to the Antioch church, which had 3 other named leaders apart from Paul and Barnabas, God spoke to the church while they were worshipping and fasting and made it clear that Paul and Barnabas were to be set apart for “the work to which I have called them” (v2). This of course would have been a big sacrifice for the church but they obeyed and in v3 they commissioned them (laying on of hands) and sent them off on what we now know as missionary journey 1. These guys who had themselves been so transformed and gripped by the light of the gospel were now ready to take that light and shine it wherever God would have them go.

(Slide 5) So onto a boat to Cyprus the team with John Mark went and then off the boat and straight to the Jewish Synagogues in Salamis proclaiming the word of God. On from Salamis throughout the whole Island and in Paphos they meet what looks like a great opportunity but also a serious problem. There are 2 men who have an interest in what Paul and the team are doing. One of these men is seeking and wants to hear the word of God. Meet Sergius Paulus, the Pro-consul (local Roman representative in charge of the area), an intelligent man open to the gospel, ready to step into the light. Amazing. But perhaps it is this hunger for spiritual things that has led him to having Bar-Jesus (or Elymas) as one of his attendants. Where Sergius is attracted to the light, Elymas (false prophet and sorcerer – a terrible thing for a Jew to have attached to his name!) is desperate to stay in the darkness and to keep the Pro Consul in the darkness with him.

Paul and Barnabas have light to offer as they proclaim the simple gospel of Jesus Christ that even our children know so well in this church, but Elymas actively opposes them, deliberately trying to turn Sergius Paulus from the faith (v8). Think of the seriousness of what Elymas is doing here (Slide 6) – Paul has a message to give about the death and resurrection of Jesus that can see these men’s sins forgiven, that can bring them brand new spiritual life, that will mean they can stand  on the day of judgement confident that Jesus is their saviour, and that theirs is an eternity with God and his people in the new creation rather than as God’s enemy in Hell. And Elymas is doing everything in his power to prevent that message getting through, to stop the light streaming into Sergius Paulus’ life. This is evil trying to defeat good. Darkness trying to chase away the light.

We feel this acutely in our culture don’t we? The gospel is feared and avoided. It is harder and harder for Christians in the public sphere to share the simple message of Jesus that transforms lives and eternities. Have you felt it this week? The pressure to be quiet when what your loved ones need is for you to speak about the cross? Who will win in a battle between gospel light and evil’s darkness?

Paul says this in verse 11 “Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for  a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.” (Slide 7) Elymas wanted to stay in the darkness and so into darkness he goes – “immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.” (Hope maybe?)

And as for Sergius Paulus? “He believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.” (Slide 8) The gospel impacts enemies! One man is left in deeper darkness than before, one man is brought into the light for eternity. The gospel will be rejected by some, the gospel will save others. What impact has the gospel had on you? Have you heard it and rejected it and as a result you are left in even deeper darkness than before? Today, this morning, in God’s grace he is giving you another chance to step into the light and believe. Or perhaps already for lots of us our story is that the gospel has freed us from sin and unbelief. Wonderful – but do we actively expect it to impact on the people around you? We should! The gospel is light, the gospel impacts enemies.

                  2) Gospel light saves when nothing else can (v13-43)

In fact, the gospel is the only hope for everyone around us – gospel light saves when nothing else can (Slide 9). That is the topic of Paul’s brilliant sermon when the mission team move on from Cyprus, enter Asia minor (modern day Turkey), and hit the Synagogue at Pisidian Antioch (John Mark leaves – significant later). This is a big chunk of verses but in them what Paul is doing is pretty simple. He is doing 2 things (Slide 10), firstly showing his fellow Jews (whom he loves) that the gospel of Jesus Christ IS their story, that the light of the gospel hasn’t changed God’s plan at all, instead it simply has revealed what has always been there. Jesus has always been the plan. And secondly, not just that Jesus was promised, but that only Jesus can do what the law cannot do in dealing with sin and justifying sinners before God.   

So in v17-22 we get the account of Israel leaving Egypt and going to the promised land with the prophets and the judges and then the monarchy and King David (from the Torah and the histories). Then in v23-25 we get John the Baptist heralding the arrival of Jesus (implicit to this is the prophetic promises in Isaiah and Malachi). V26-31 is the account of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection followed by quotes from Psalms, Isaiah and Habbukuk (v32-43) to show that this death and resurrection of the promised one is exactly what all the scriptural authors were talking about. King David was a high point in Israel’s history but he is now in a tomb. Even the pinnacle of David’s reign was just pointing the way forward to the ultimate King who couldn’t be stopped even by death.

Paul is preaching with real authority from the whole of scripture to the Jewish people and these 2 points are key (Slide 11); i)Jesus was always the plan v32 and 33 summarise this; “We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.” And ii) Only Jesus can do what the law could never do and actually change sinful hearts, v 38 and 39 summarise this; “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.” The light of the gospel makes clear what was always a bit mysterious and foggy. Jesus, only Jesus, is the plan.  

(Slide 12) There is nothing more important or life-changing than this. Jesus is how people can be set free from sin. Jesus is how people can be justified before God. The law, like the rest of scripture, was there to lead people to Jesus not to do the work that only Jesus can do. The light of the gospel makes our condition both crystal clear and fearfully stark - Are you set free from the rule of sin in your life and the sentence of eternal death that sin brings with it? In Christ it is YES – YES we are set free, YES we can live for Jesus. Outside of Christ it is NO – without putting our faith in Jesus we are doomed to live in darkness and then face darkness forever under God’s righteous condemnation.  

               3) Gospel light defeats opposition by spreading (v44-52)

(Slide 13) I wonder how much you have experienced happiness and sadness being bound quite closely together in life? (Kids moving on, times of fellowship ending, sadness when an old Christian dies but happiness they are in glory etc). On mission with Paul, what we will see again and again is that sad situations somehow produce gospel joy and happiness as gospel light defeats opposition by simply spreading (Slide 14).   

It was sad that Elymas chose to stay in the darkness but through that Sergius Paulus came into the light. In verse 44-45 as crowds in the city gather to hear God’s word preached again, it is deeply, deeply sad to see the Jews filled with jealousy, contradicting the gospel of light and heaping abuse on Paul. But through this bitter sadness, a sadness Paul will struggle with and mourn over throughout his life, the light of the gospel is going to be shared with the Gentiles.

V46 is a hugely significant moment for us in CC Riverside! Paul loves the Jewish people and yet this is the moment when he declares that he and his team are turning to take the gospel to the Gentiles. Out of sadness deep joy and happiness comes as Paul realises Isaiah 49 is now his mission statement; “I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.” Paul himself is not that light, but he knows that because of the rejection of the Jews, his job is to bring the light of the gospel to the Gentiles. That is amazing news for us. There is suffering and sadness for those who will share the gospel, but there is also rejoicing and delight as new believers are made across the whole earth.

(Slide 15) And it is on that note I want to finish today – verse 48 should fill us with gospel excitement and zeal. “When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honoured the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed to eternal life believed.” God has people out there around us ready to hear the gospel and believe. People in your home. People who come to J Club and Primetime and the guest services and the Drop-In. People you work with, have coffee with and sit beside in the hairdressers and talk to at the football. Don’t be downcast when some reject the gospel (sadness and happiness are close companions), gospel light defeats opposition by spreading – it is like a really good pandemic that brings eternal blessing as people are infected by hearing the gospel of Jesus and putting their faith in him. Yes there is suffering ahead, yes there is rejection to face, but verse 52, as we participate with Paul in the mission to the world, we can, like the disciples, be filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.