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Village of Soglio Hiking in the Swiss Alps - John 6:3    And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Acts 13 - Paul's First Major Speech

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Perhaps pay attention to these verses, where Saul/Paul is making his first major speech, or presentation of the gospel. Is there a model here for how we should share our faith and the gospel message?


Check out this link to my earlier posts on the speeches in the Book of Acts. Do you see any common themes?

Key Topics of my Blog


Act 13:16  Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.


Act 13:17  The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.

Act 13:18  And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.

Act 13:19  And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.

Act 13:20  And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

Act 13:21  And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

Act 13:22  And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

Act 13:23  Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:

Act 13:24  When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

Act 13:25  And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.

Act 13:26  Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.

Act 13:27  For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.

Act 13:28  And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.

Act 13:29  And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.


It might be worth your time to review 1 Corinthians 15 which expands on this important subject.


Act 13:30  But God raised him from the dead:

Act 13:31  And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

Act 13:32  And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,

Act 13:33  God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

Act 13:34  And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.

Act 13:35  Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Act 13:36  For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

Act 13:37  But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

Act 13:38  Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

Act 13:39  And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Act 13:40  Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;

Act 13:41  Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.


Jesus had once taught this in a parable which ends with...

Luk 16:29  Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

Luk 16:30  And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

Luk 16:31  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.


Act 13:42  And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.


Act 13:43  Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.


Act 13:44  And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.


Act 13:45  But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.


Act 13:46  Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

Act 13:47  For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

Act 13:48  And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.


Gill writes:

and as many as were ordained unto eternal life believed; faith is not the cause, or condition of the decree of eternal life, but a means fixed in it, and is a fruit and effect of it, and what certainly follows upon it, as in these persons: some would have the words rendered, "as many as were disposed unto eternal life believed"; which is not countenanced by the ancient versions. The Arabic renders it as we do, and the Syriac thus, "as many as were put, or appointed unto eternal life"; and the Vulgate Latin version, "as many as were pre-ordained". Moreover, the phrase of being "disposed unto", or "for eternal life", is a very unusual, if not a very improper, and an inaccurate one;


it follows then, that their faith did not arise from previous dispositions to eternal life, but was the fruit and effect of divine ordination unto it; and the word here used, in various places in this book, signifies determination and appointment, and not disposition of mind; see Act 15:2 The phrase is the same with that used by the Jews, דאתקנו לחיי עולם, "who are ordained to eternal life" (y); and עלמא כל דכתיב לחיי, "everyone that is written to eternal life"; (z) i.e. in the book of life; and designs no other than predestination or election, which is God's act, and is an eternal one; is sovereign, irrespective, and unconditional; relates to particular persons, and is sure and certain in its effect: it is an ordination, not to an office, nor to the means of grace, but to grace and glory itself; to a life of grace which is eternal, and to a life of glory which is for ever; and which is a pure gift of God, is in the hands of Christ, and to which his righteousness gives a title: and ordination to it shows it to be a blessing of an early date; and the great love of God to the persons ordained to it; and the certainty of enjoying it.


Act 13:49  And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.


Act 13:50  But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

Act 13:51  But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.

Act 13:52  And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

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