Acts 13:13-52

                        Viewed in relation to Jesus

            Most of us do not like to look foolish, and if someone were to say, “Hey, how about joining me in a great thing that many will think of as rubbish”, how would you respond?

The disciples and the people in the region were receiving just such an invitation.  Within this passage we are given some indications of invitations, along with their rejection or acceptance.  In the spaces below fill in the key words of each:

Invitation:                   Rejection:                    Acceptance:

(v.16)_________________   (v.27)________________     (v.32)________________

(v.24)_________________   (v.41)________________     (v.39)________________

(v.32)_________________   (v.41)________________     (v.44)________________

(v.43)_________________   (v.41)________________     (v.48)________________

(v.47)_________________   (v.46)________________     (v.48)________________

                                           (v.46)________________     (v.49)________________

                                           (v.50)________________     (v.52)________________

In this sermon of Paul’s, he gives a very brief review of some of God’s amazing acts from the time of the wilderness experience to the time of Jesus.  These all indicate God’s heart toward man, but are repeatedly met with man’s rejection and unfaithfulness.  

Yet, once Jesus is presented, forgiveness of sins is preached and people can be forgiven of things that even the law could not touch, for these were matters of the heart.   Paul gave the build-up to the Ultimate Solution, which both reveals and addresses the heart of man.

The lists of words you filled in, reveal the hearts of the people involved.  Which of the lists would you most often use to describe yourself?  Would others describe you in the same way?

God views the entirety of mankind in relation Jesus.  We have the choice to come under the cover of Jesus, to be viewed through the lens of His righteousness, or to stand on our own.  With the one, I may appear to be quite foolish, and with the other, by men’s standards, I may appear to be in control, intelligent, and worldly wise.  There will be a cost and an eternal outcome for each.  The real question is which price are we willing to pay?

Have we received and accepted a real love of the Truth?  It will be revealed in where we stand and what we do—in relation to Jesus.

Read and Pray:  Romans 1:16-17, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-17,                            

                            1 Corinthians 1:22-24, Psalm 15:13