As children we would look forward to special days such as Christmas, Birthdays and Easter. Why? Because we would be getting something on that special day … a present or some Easter Eggs … and a little bit of fuss. There must have been some sort of excitement and joy in the hearts of those Jews and converts to Judaism as they waited throughout the week for the next “sermon” from Paul and Barnabas. Well, the Sabbath arrived, but what should have been spiritual joy turned into spiritual disaster! Take up and read:
Ac 13:44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying. 46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’’” 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. 49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
1) A packed out facility.
Ac 13:44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
The evangelism and advertising done by those Jews and converts to Judaism, brought about a great crowd from many in the city. There would have been mediocre Jews, some considering converting and pagans who had been stimulated spiritually through the words of those bringing the invitation to hear the missionaries. Here we find a reminder to pray for our pastor regularly as he prepares messages for us. Then pray about whom we can invite to Church. Most will decline the invitation but eventually some will come. Pray for their salvation for the chief end of every worship gathering is …
(a) The worship and adoration of God.
(b) The edification of the saints.
(c) The salvation of the lost.
2) The jealousy of the Jews. Why would these Jews be so jealous because their synagogue was filled to capacity? Surely they ought to have been delighted. Their problem was that the crowds were not Jews. They were Gentiles! They were not even converts to Judaism … they were what was called “dogs” … meaning “unspiritual” or “unclean”. Unless the “dogs” converted to Judaism, Jews were taught to avoid them. Right here there is hypocrisy because these Jews were not in Judea or Jerusalem. They were in a Gentile City! They were amongst the so called “dogs”. They did business with them, lived next door to them and rubbed shoulders with them in the market place. But more significant … to Abraham God said:
Ge 12:3 and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.
Their duty as Jews was to reach the world revealing the true God to them. Instead, they withheld God from the Gentiles … the unclean, unspiritual dogs. We need to be especially cautious that we do not banish people from the Church for a few reasons.
(i) It is God’s house and not ours. We might have planted it, finance it and run it but it is God’s. He wants the world reached so we may not restrict who comes into the Church and who is refused entry.
(ii) Jesus has mandated us to reach the world.
(iii) In heaven (the true Church) there shall be people from every nation, people, tribe and language.
(iv) If we block people from entry we are the ones acting as judge banishing them to hell because we refuse they hear the Gospel.
3) Not only were the Jew jealous, they … talked abusively against what Paul was saying. This is what jealousy does … aggressively denouncing the message the missionaries spoke. The word “abusively” relates to blasphemy. They were preaching about Jesus the Messiah who is God Incarnate … implying their blasphemy was directed against God Himself. The very one they feared speaking against they were speaking against. Paul had already explained to them in his sermon the previous Sabbath Day that this Jesus is the promised Messiah, the one who would come from the line of king David and sit and reign on his throne forever.
They must have understood who was preached about because they invited the missionaries to return the following week. The problem was, they could not attract Gentiles to convert to Judaism in large numbers, yet the missionaries pulled the crowds in great numbers. Jealousy causes the worse to come out of people. Today, this remains true. Some will denounce true Bible preachers and their Church’s growth, not because of what is taught but because of growth. Some might even venture to say that such preachers are using ungodly or un-Biblical methods to draw the crowds. They might even reach blasphemy in their criticism.
Let’s be clear here … there are those against whom such criticism is genuine! I am not referring to those who expound the Bible correctly. I am referring to those prosperity preachers, liberal preachers, political preachers, entertaining preachers and to those who have a gospel that is decidedly different from the Gospel the Bible provides us with. We must understand this correctly … Church growth because of solid, reformed and evangelical teaching must not be condemned or result in jealousy by those who also preach the Word faithfully, yet see no growth. It would jealousy leading to blasphemy to do so. But those who are not preaching the truth need to be exposed for what they are because many souls pass through their hands seeking experience, wealth, healings or miracles and not the comfort the Spirit brings to the soul through salvation through Jesus’ shed Blood alone.
This missionary visit was important as we shall see tomorrow, but for today, let us remember that it is far better to please God through preaching the truth to draw people from all nations, tribes, language, cultures and religions to Jesus, irrespective of the demographic composition of the Church, because heaven is open to all who shall believe, repent and be saved.
O God our Father, as we seek that You purify Your Church, we seek You purify us from all motives and intentions that might carry prejudice and discrimination. We know heaven door is open to all who shall enter through Jesus alone, by faith, because of Your abounding grace. Amen.