The
Speaker
Luke
the storyteller doesn't waste words or bore his readers by repeating
the same speeches over and over. Instead he gives us key speeches,
like this one, as an example of how Paul preached in the synagogue...
and it was Paul who was the preacher! Not Barnabas. In fact, Luke
has already started referring to “Paul and his companions.”
There's something very gracious
and lovely about
someone
like Barnabas who was prepared to step back and allow the younger
Christian, the less experienced and less proven one, flourish. There
is something lovely about having the honesty and humility to admit “I
don't have the gifts for this, but my younger brother has”.
Barnabas had that wonderful quality. Son of Encouragement.
The
Strategy:
Pisidian
Antioch in the middle of modern Turkey was not a huge place – but
it was a strategic place, on an important road. They
go to the Synagogue on the
Sabbath day;
as visitors and maybe with a reputation for knowing the Scripture,
maybe identified as Rabbis, they are asked if they have a word of
encouragement for the congregation. That is their cue to talk about
Jesus. The
strategy was to begin with their natural contacts. And note that it
became one of Paul's hallmarks, to do so.
The
Speech
Look
at the message Paul preaches in the Synagogue. Paul preached a
narrative sermon telling the story of God's people and then the story
of Jesus. There are two main themes Paul speaks about: firstly,
Jewish history; and secondly, Jesus himself. But why does he start
with the history of Israel? Why does he go back 1400 years, to
before Moses? He has two reasons:
Firstly,
Theological
Starting
with the history of the Nation identifies Jesus as Messiah, the
Coming King from David's family, the “Promised One” sent to
fulfil prophecy.
It's
as if there was a huge treasure chest of promises, that Israel waited
for God to open up. In that chest there are
- Freedom from oppression;
- Healing;
- justice,
- peace,
- the Spirit poured on all kinds of people;
- knowing God personally,
- the forgiveness of sins.
These
word Israel used for the contents of this treasure chest, is “The
Kingdom of God” or “the Kingdom of heaven”. The expected their
Messiah to bring this “Kingdom”.
Paul
refers to the work of John the Baptist, preaching “repentance”.
He is quite clear that it is sin that keeps that treasure chest
locked up. Preparing the way for Messiah to come, means turning from
your sin, from the wrong stuff inside you. Sin is the padlock that
keeps that treasure chest locked up, and its treasures, the Kingdom
beyond our reach.
And
then Paul talks about Jesus. By tying the Jesus story in as clearly
as he does with the story of Israel, Paul is saying “Jesus is the
One who brings the promised Kingdom, Jesus is Messiah”... He
announced the Kingdom. He demonstrated the Kingdom. By his death he
deals with the sin that keeps the Kingdom out of our reach. In his
resurrection, he proved that he is Messiah, showed that he is the
Victor, that sin is dealt with and the Kingdom is an open reality now
and for all eternity, for those who know Jesus. Jesus came and
lived, and died and rose again, so that you can enjoy what is in the
Treasure Chest... Or to put it another way, eh has two main things
to say about Jesus. Jesus brings the Kingdom, and Jesus deals with
our Sin. He is the Change-bringer and he is the sin-bearer.
That
is important. You may run into people who want to say “Jesus
was great, he was all about justice and peace and the Sermon on the
Mount; and Paul was rubbish, banging on about sin.” And you may
run into other people who want to say “The only thing that matters
about Jesus is that he was God the Son who died for our sins and rose
again.” Both of these views are wrong. Neither of them get Jesus
right. Neither of them properly understand Paul. You can't have the
Kingdom without the forgiveness of sins. And you can't have the
forgiveness of sins without repentance and the Kingdom of god. You
cant have what's inside the box, without using the key. And you have
to be a wee bit daft, to have the key and not open the box.
In
fact the gap between Jesus and Paul is a false one. Paul doesn't have
much to say about the Kingdom of God. But he does tell us
about Jesus the “Change-bringer” in different ways: “life in
the Spirit”, our riches in Christ, Jesus the Victor; the New
Creation, being the Church.
A
proper understanding of Jesus as Future bringer, gives a purpose and
a point to the forgiveness of our sins. The gospel is NOT that we
can have our sins forgiven so we get to Heaven. The Gospel is that
we have our sins forgiven so we can begin to live the life of he
Kingdom of God in the here and now and continue to live in it for all
eternity. The nature of the Kingdom, the reality of the reign of God,
is what we are saved for. We are saved because God so loved
the world. We are saved because God wants his world to live in his
peace; to know his presence.
Secondly,
Missional,
Paul
is making the point about the Kingdom as well as the Cross. But
there’s another reason why begins with history. He speaks as a Jew
who knows Israel’s history, to other Jews who shared that history.
He want to speak in a way that helps them turn to Jesus. He points
(v. 27 )out that “the people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not
recognize Jesus” and wants his hearers not to miss the boat. When
he spoke to Pagans in Athens, he took a different approach. There he
began with “an unknown God”, what God is like, where we fit into
the divine scheme of things. (Acts 17. 22ff, Luke's next record of
Paul's preaching.) Now the message is the same. Jesus is the
“Change-bringer” and the “Sin-bearer”. But the context is
different. The unchanging Good News is contextualized,
or presented differently to different contexts. Without
changing it, we need to communicate it in a way that resonates with
the culture we are talking to.
The
four Gospels are an example of contextualisation. Mark was written
first simply to tell the story to ordinary people. Matthew was
clearly written fro mainly Jewish Christians, in a church that was
just getting to grips with the idea that maybe the Gospel was for
gentiles too. Luke was written for non-Jewish listeners, to tell
them the story of Jesus and be able them to be part of this
developing Church. John is the result of deeper reflection, written
for thinking, culture-crossing people.
So,
what does the Gospel sound like in your context? How do you talk
about God? How do you talk about the mess the world is in? How do you
talk about God having a better plan? How do you talk about God as
the God of transformations? How do you talk about Jesus being change
bringer and the sin-bearer?
The
sequel
1.
The conversation continued both formally (v. 42) and informally (v.
43) Many who had been listening continued to hang around and were
encouraged to press in to discover God's grace for themselves. As
the team focussed on those who wanted to listen – the Gentiles –
they found ready listeners who were open to put their faith in Jesus.
2.
Conflict was caused. Jealousy, blindness to the truth, arguments,
abusive talk (v. 46), and before long, others manipulated into
causing trouble (v. 50). Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their
feet as a warning to those who were digging their heels in in
opposition to the Gospel. There will be conflict. There will be
opposition. The enemy will do what he can to prevent the Good News
from being preached, being received, and acted upon.
3.
Churches
were created
and encouraged. Paul and Barnabas moved on, to the next big city,
Iconium, look what they left behind. A group of Disciples who were
“filled with joy and with
the Holy Spirit.” (v 52) The Good news of the kingdom and the
Cross, of Jesus the Change bringer and sin bearer, results in men and
women becoming disciples, but it results in Kingdom communities of
faith being formed. What a wonderful thing to leave behind: a Church
full of joy and of the Holy Spirit!
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