INTERTWINING of ACTS GALATIANS ACTS 13 TODAYS SCRIPTURE

INTER-TWINING of ACTS & GALATIANS ACTS 13 – TODAY’S SCRIPTURE & THEMES -GOD draws SAUL/PAUL more fully into GOD’S STORY -GOD’S GREAT HISTORY-STORY GOES ON -JESUS IS GOD’S WONDERFUL NEXT CHAPTER - GOD’S DIVERSITY & GOD’S ONENESS -YOU are INVITED more fully into GOD’S STORY TOO -DON’T MISS IT

Prep for the 1 st “Journey” Sermon (1) -Saul ends up ISOLATED - 10 years mostly in Tarsus (Acts 9 -11) -Antioch – Empire’s 3 rd largest city and a colony – becomes the site of 1 st truly multi-cultural church (Acts 11 -13). A Roman “BRIDGE” city from West to East -Barnabas decides knows whose help he needs – SAUL of Tarsus – Acts 11

Prep for the 1 st “Journey” Sermon (2) -Together – Barnabas and Saul carry a large financial gift from Antioch to Jerusalem during a major famine – Acts 11 -ANTIOCH is becoming the “BRIDGE” Church (Acts 11 -13) - A multi-cultural and multi-ethnic Leadership Team is formed in Antioch (Acts 13: 1 -3). - GOD’S DIVERSITY in JESUS!

PREP - Acts 13: 1 -3 1 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. ” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

Prep for the 1 st “Journey” Sermon (3) THE LEADERSHIP TEAM – COMPOSITION (a) • Barnabas – a Jew from Cyprus (4: 36) which was very Hellenized and Romanized. Still uses his Jewish name. • Simeon - who is called “Niger” – “Blacky” a Latin nickname. Uses both his Jewish name, and his Roman/Latin nickname which probably describes his skin color “Blacky. ” • Lucius – uses his Latin (Roman) name - is from Cyrene which has usually been located in Africa - probably also black African (and perhaps a Roman citizen? )

Prep for the 1 st “Journey” Sermon (4) THE LEADERSHIP TEAM – COMPOSITION (b) • Manaen who was raised in the extended household of a very wealthy and powerful half Arab, half Jewish, culturally Roman family – “the Herods” • Saul – still at this point using his Jewish name – a privileged Roman citizen - a former Pharisee from a fairly well off, educated, strongly Jewish family who lived in a city that was partially Roman and partially middle eastern Gentile.

Prep for the 1 st “Journey” Sermon (5) THE LEADERSHIP TEAM – MEETINGS – Acts 13 - Send money to Jerusalem (Acts 11) - worship, fast and pray - Respond to prophetic input of Holy Spirit & “laid hands” - Send Barnabas and Saul off to other Roman cities to preach - Barnabas home of Cyprus (Shaul becomes Paulus) - Then Psidian Antioch in Roman Province of Galatia GOD’S ONENESS in JESUS

NOW – PAUL’S 1 st “JOURNEY” Sermon Acts 13: 16 -41 • Will it be a diverse philosophical theology? • Will it be complicated? People often think Paul is. • NO – it will be simple and straightforward – GOD’S ONENESS: o. The Meaning of Human History is GOD’S STORY in Action o. Summarizing that Story as God moves toward Jesus o. You are Invited to be a part of GOD’S GREAT HISTORY! o. Don’t Miss it!

Acts 13: 15 -41 – Summary (Luke) of a Summary (Paul) which I (Ron) will now Summarize! 15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak. ” Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me!. . . 26 Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God–fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. ” - GOD’S ONENESS & GOD’S DIVERSITY – ALL invited to ONE STORY!

SUMMARIZING GOD’S HISTORY/STORY SAUL’S 1 st JOURNEY SERMON (1) • THE GOD OF ISRAEL CHOSE our Jewish forefathers (Acts 13: 17 a) - GENESIS • & GOD SAVED/PROSPERED them “in Egypt” (Acts 13: 17 b) - GENESIS!!! • Then GOD SAVED THEM “from Egypt” (Acts 13: 17 c) - EXODUS

SUMMARIZING GOD’S HISTORY/STORY (2) • God took care of (and endured) them for 40 years IN THE WILDERNESS (Acts 13: 18) – LEVITICUS & NUMBERS & DEUTERONOMY • God gave them the land of Canaan as our Inheritance from God (Acts 13: 19) - JOSHUA • God gave them “Judges” (Acts 13: 20) – JUDGES & RUTH

SUMMARIZING GOD’S HISTORY/STORY (3) • God gave them a “King” Shaul (Saul) because they demanded one (Acts 13: 21) – 1 SAMUEL • God removed that king and gave them King David who was more faithful to God (Acts 13: 22) – 1 & 2 SAMUEL

SUMMARIZING GOD’S HISTORY/STORY (4) • God promised David that he would send a Savior for Israel from David’s descendants – (Acts 13: 23 a) - REST OF THE OT • God kept this promise in JESUS in our time– (Acts 13: 23 b) – 4 GOSPELS • God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus in our time (Acts 13: 24 -25) – 4 GOSPELS

SUMMARIZING GOD’S HISTORY/STORY (5) • Brothers: Jews or God fearing Gentiles – God’s gift of Salvation through Jesus is for you (Acts 13: 26) – ACTS & rest of NT including “GALATIANS” • It is True – many of our Jewish leaders (my friends & me) ignored the prophets that they read every week in our worship services – and ARE MISSING WHAT GOD IS DOING, and fulfilled those prophecies by encouraging the Romans to execute JESUS (Acts 13: 27 -29) - 4 GOSPELS

SUMMARIZING GOD’S HISTORY/STORY (6) • BUT GOD – raised Jesus from death – many of his followers saw him (Acts 13: 30 -31) – 4 GOSPELS, ACTS, 1 CORINTHIANS, 1 JOHN, etc. • AND GOD – has enthroned Jesus over history just as God promised in the OT – Psalm 2 “You are my Son…rule the nations” - for example. (Acts 13: 32 -37) – entire NT

SUMMARIZING GOD’S HISTORY/STORY (7) • GOD INVITES YOU TO JOIN GOD’S GREAT HISTORY/STORY and OFFERS YOU: o FORGIVENESS FOR SINS o SALVATION (rescue and wholeness) o a RIGHT-RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD (justified) that goes beyond what God offered in the Torah - in the areas the Torah was never able to offer it (Acts 13: 38 -39) – ENTIRE NT

SUMMARIZING GOD’S HISTORY/STORY (8) • BE SURE YOU DON’T MISS OUT! (Acts 13: 40 -41) – ENTIRE NT

COMMUNION INVITATION (1) • All who wish to draw closer to Jesus are welcome to Jesus’ Table – as both Acts and Galatians proclaim • YOU are invited to GOD’S GIFTS of FORGIVENESS, SALVATION, and a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with GOD through JESUS • You Do NOT WANT TO MISS these Gifts God offers through JESUS

COMMUNION INVITATION (2) • Let’s pray that New Covenant Fellowship, and each of us personally, will be God’s Story and God’s Bridge in our time • Let’s unashamedly go out to be a part of the story God is writing in human history