I am thankful for these sermons that are recorded in
the scripture. Peter on the day of Pentecost,
Stephen in Acts chapter 7, Paul here in Acts chapter 13. I love his sermon on Mars Hill
in Acts chapter 17. And if we want to learn how the
apostles communicated the gospel, we ought to look at these sermons
carefully and see how they preached the gospel. Now, Paul is giving the conclusion
of this message in Acts chapter 13. Every message ought to be
brought to a conclusion, something we can get hold of. And when
Paul is closing this message, and I could dare say this is
the culmination, this is the crescendo, this is the apex of
this message, this is what everything was leading up to, this statement. Verse 38, be it known unto you,
therefore, Now that word is so important because of all of I've
said up to this point. Therefore, be it known unto you,
men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you
the forgiveness of sins. And by him, I love the way he
says by him. He doesn't say all that believe
are justified from all things. He said by him, all that believe. Even when he's talking about
the faith that they're called upon to exercise, he says it's
by him. If you believe, it's by him. And don't you know that so? I'm
so thankful for the carefulness with which Paul presents the
gospel by him. All that believe are justified from all things which you could
not be justified by the law of Moses. Now, I've entitled this
message, The Therefore of Forgiveness. Now beginning in verses 16 and
17, he began this message, and like I said, this is Paul's conclusion
to this message. He says, through this man, through
this man, the God man, in him, by him, for him, through him, by this man, through this man
is preached unto you. is declared unto you, is announced
unto you the forgiveness of sins. Now, he doesn't say forgiveness
is offered unto you. You know, I hear preachers say
that a lot. God offers you the forgiveness
of sins. Now, he does no such thing. And I don't want to be cross in saying this, but that
is really stupid to speak of forgiveness in that light. God
offers you the forgiveness of sins. You know, that's just wrong. It denies what forgiveness is
in the first place. It makes forgiveness dependent
not upon the one who forgives, but upon you. And there's something I think
exceedingly offensive about somebody thinking they can accept or reject
his forgiveness. It's not up for your acceptance.
It's not up for your rejection. Me and you are totally dependent
upon him to forgive us. And if he forgives you, you're
forgiven. It's not a matter of you accepting
it. If he forgives you, you are forgiven. And the only way you're
to look upon your sins is as forgiven sins. And not only forgiven sins, you're
justified. Not simply forgiven, better than
that. Better than that. By him all the believe are justified. You know what that means? That means you have never sinned
in God's sight. I want you to think about that.
If you're justified, you personally have never sinned in God's sight. That's what justification is.
It doesn't mean you're guilty, but you're legally counted justified. Oh, that didn't do me any good
or any sinner any good. It means you stand before God
sinless, without guilt, having never sinned. If you're justified,
there's a record in heaven that says he or she has never sinned. Isn't that glorious? by him, through this man, has
preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. Now my and your greatest
need is the forgiveness of sins. If we don't have the forgiveness
of sins, we will be in hell. Now that's
a sobering, scary thought, but it's so. If we do not have the
forgiveness of sins, If our sins are not forgiven by God himself,
we will go to hell. Look in verse 26 of this chapter. Let's see what led up to this
statement. Men and brethren, and I love
the way Paul addresses these peoples, men and brethren. Men,
fellow men, Brethren, if I don't get you in Christ, I'll get you
in Adam. We're brothers. We really are,
we're brothers. I like hearing people outside,
even the church, say, so hey, brother. You know, we're brothers
in Adam. I mean, every one of us. We all
come out of the same stalk. And we love men, don't we? These are fellow men. Men and
brethren. speak like that. I want to preach
like that. I want to preach to men and brethren,
people I desire to come to know the living God. I want everybody
to know that their best interest is my heart when I'm preaching
to them. And that's the way Paul preaches men and brethren. He treated these people with
respect. Now it's never right. I don't
care who it is. I don't care who it is. It's
never right to treat anyone disrespectfully. May God give us the grace to
have this attitude that Paul had in preaching this message. Now he goes on and gets pretty
strong and gets kind of sarcastic at the end of the message. There's
a place for sarcasm in preaching, as we'll see when Paul concludes
this message. But he desires the salvation
of these men. Men and brethren, children of
the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God to you,
to you is the word of this salvation sent. Four, now he gives us three
things in these next two or three verses. Four, they that dwell
at Jerusalem and the rulers because they knew him not. Now here's
the problem with the natural man. He didn't know God. He doesn't
know Christ. Oh, he has his own conceptions
and he's concocted a God that he feels comfortable with. But
no natural man knows God. They're ignorant of him. When
you go to work tomorrow, you're going to be around people who
are ignorant of the living God. They don't know him. And look
what he says next. Do they dwell at Jerusalem and
the rulers because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of
the prophets which are read every Sabbath day? They don't know
the scriptures. They may have committed Psalm 119 to memory. They may be able to quote all
the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, but they know not the scriptures. I think of when the Lord said
to the Pharisees, have you never read? You know, he said that
quite often. Have you never read? He knew
they had. Have you never read? You obviously don't know what
it means. And he said, you do therefore
err, not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. Now, these
people didn't know God. They didn't know the scriptures.
And you know what they did? They fulfilled them. They didn't
know what they were doing, but everything that they did had
already been determined by God. And these men were fulfilling
the scriptures, everything they did. And I tell you what, that's
a good way to preach. You're fulfilling the scriptures.
You're in God's sovereign hand. Everything you do is the fulfillment
of scriptures. Now look what they did. They have fulfilled them in condemning
him and though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired
they Pilate that he should be slain. Now here's what every
man is guilty of, desiring his death. Now hold on, your sin's bad,
my sin's bad. but it goes a whole lot further
than something you have done. It's what you are. You're somebody
who desires the death. That's the way we all are by
nature. Every one of us have desired the death of God's son. Now, if somebody desires your
child's death, how are you gonna view it? Not very positively,
are you? Now, this is the way every natural
man has been. We will not have this man reign
over us. They actually desired his death. Now, the carnal mind is what? Enmity against God. Every child that's born into
this world is born with a natural aversion toward and hatred of
the living God. The carnal mind, that's the mind
you and I were born with, is enmity against God. It's not
subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Now though they
found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that
he should be slain And I love this verse of Scripture. And
when they had fulfilled all that was written of him. Now don't
miss this. God's absolute sovereignty in
all things. Everything they did was nothing
more than the fulfillment of that which was written. God is sovereign over all. including the wicked actions
of men. God is sovereign over all or
he's not sovereign at all. There is no in between. Him being
delivered by the determinant counsel and foreknowledge of
God, you have taken and with wicked hands have crucified and
slain. of a truth against thy holy child Jesus whom thou hast
anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and
the people of Israel were gathered together to do whatsoever thy
hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. Oh, I love
it that way. Our God is in the heavens. He
hath done, not he will do, he hath done. Everything that he
does, he hath done. He hath pleased, he doeth according
to his will in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants
of the earth. And none can say his hand or
say unto him, what doest thou? These men were doing nothing
more than fulfilling what God had purposed for them to do.
Now, if in my preaching, this God is not presented, I'm not
preaching the gospel. anything less is a false God. Not just a mistake in theology,
a false God, an idol, one who is non-existent. And when they
had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from
the tree and laid him in a sepulcher. But But, aren't you thankful for
the buts of scripture? But Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. But God, who is rich in mercy
for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. But
God raised him from the dead. Now he really died. That becomes
more mysterious to me the older I get. The God-man died. Somebody says, how could the
God-man die? I don't know, but he did. He did. He died. They took him down dead, and
he was laid in a sepulcher. And he lay there for three days. What happened during those days,
I have no idea. But I know this, he died. And
I know why he died. I know exactly why he died. He
died because the wages of sin is death. Somehow God took my
sin and made it to be his sin. Another thing that is just so
mysterious, it's something we believe but we don't understand
how God did it. But God does that. God does that. He took
my sin and he made it the sin of the Lord Jesus Christ. The
Lord actually became guilty of the commission of that sin. The wages of sin is death. He
died because he's guilty. If he weren't guilty, he wouldn't
die. Amen? God's just. If he weren't guilty, he wouldn't
die. And he died because it was God's purpose. He's the lamb
slain from the very foundation of the world. but God raised
him from the dead. He really did die as a sin-bearing
substitute and he put that sin away. And God raised him from
the dead. You know why? The justice of
God demanded it because all that sin he paid for, he put away,
it's gone. It's not fair. When God says
there's sins and iniquities, I'll remember no more. It's because
there's nothing there to remember. It's not just covered up to be
brought up again at a later date. There is none there. That is why God raised him from
the dead. He was completely satisfied with
what he did. Let's go on reading. And he was seen many days, 40
days to be exact, of them which came up with him from Galilee
to Jerusalem, who were his witnesses unto the people. He was seen
one time by 500 brethren at once. 500 eyewitnesses is what Paul
tells us in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. And we declare unto you glad
tidings. Now, the gospel is glad tidings. It's good news to those who believe. Now, not everybody's gonna consider
it glad tidings, I realize that. If you're hoping in your works,
it's not good news. It cuts off what you're hoping
in. But if you believe the gospel, it comes to you as glad tidings. You are so thankful that salvation
is utterly accomplished by what He did. We declare unto you,
glad tidings have of the promise which was made unto the fathers.
The first one is the seed of woman shall bruise, crush the
serpent's head. You'll bruise his heel, but he'll
crush your head. the promise of the Messiah coming
through Abraham, the son of David, the promise made to the fathers.
What happened? God hath fulfilled the same,
verse 33. God hath fulfilled the same unto
us, their children, and that he hath raised up Jesus again. As it is also written in the
second Psalm, everything is always backed up with the Old Testament
scriptures. It's also written in the second Psalm, thou art my son this day. Now, this was written a thousand
years before it took place. I've made reference to this quite
often because it's coming up so much. This day have I begotten
thee? That's talking about the begetting,
the giving of life to the Lord Jesus Christ. It's an eternal
begetting. He was the only begotten Son
before time began. And this begetting is not an
event. It's a fact that declares the
character of God. This day, it's always in the
present. With God, everything's in the
present. This day have I begotten thee. And every attribute of
God is magnified and glorified in the resurrection, the begetting
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, in any true preaching, if
we would follow the preaching of the apostles, we'd make much
of the resurrection, wouldn't we? Witnesses of the resurrection
and what he accomplished by the resurrection. Thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thy heart that
God hath raised him from the dead. Thou shalt be saved. This is the stuff of faith, this
thing of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul gives
us some more thoughts on the resurrection, verse 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. Now, I'm gonna preach a message,
Lord, well on that next week, the sure mercies of David, but
it's the holy things of David. They're sure. They're holy. This is a holy gospel that magnifies
the holiness of God. I will give you the sure. Why
are they sure? Because Christ was raised from
the dead. That's why they're sure. Don't just say, well, I'm
just taking it. I hope they are. No, they are
because he raised Christ from the dead. Verse 35, wherefore he saith
also in another psalm, thou shalt not suffer the holy one to see
corruption. The Lord never went through the
process of decay. The moment I die, I'm going to
begin the process of decay. Why? Because I'd never satisfied
God in and of myself. The reason hell is eternal is
because there's no satisfaction to God. God doesn't get any satisfaction
from your death. It's not enough to pay the debt.
We deserve eternal banishment from his presence, but it's not
enough to satisfy him. But Jesus Christ, when he died,
God was satisfied. Completely, perfectly satisfied. That's why I never saw corruption.
That's why I never went through the process of decay. God was
satisfied, infinitely satisfied with what he did. He's not looking
for anything else. He's not looking for anything
else out of you. And do you hear that? He's not looking for anything
else. He's satisfied. Are you satisfied? Now, if you're looking to your
works, you know what that means? That means you're not satisfied. You're
only satisfied when you look to him alone. You're satisfied
with what he did, who he is. Now look what it says about David.
Verse 36, for David, after that he served his own generation. You see, when David said, thou
shalt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption, he wasn't
talking about himself. He knew who the holy one is, the Lord
Jesus Christ. And he said, for David, after
he'd served his own generation, by the will of God, fell on to
sleep and was laid under his father's and saw corruption. Now David has been dead 3,000
years and a pile of dirt, nothing more. Whatever minerals men are
made of, that's all he is, nothing but a pile of dirt. From dust
thou art and to dust thou shalt return. David is a pile of dirt. But he whom God raised again
saw no corruption. Why? Once again, complete satisfaction. You know, this is what Paul is
emphasizing to us in this message, the complete satisfaction God
has with what Christ did. Now that's where this truth comes
from. In him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily and you are, what's the rest of the word?
Complete. You lack nothing. God, right
now and eternally, is completely satisfied with you. Now we only
know that by faith, I realize that, but I believe that. God
is satisfied with everybody for whom Christ died. Now if he's
satisfied, don't be trying to bring something to him that where
the offering of these or where the remission of these is. There's
no more offering for sin. Don't you try to bring anything.
Be satisfied with what Christ did. Don't bring a thing. To
do so is an insult to the divine majesty. It's an insult to Christ
concerning what he did. Be satisfied, but nothing, but
nothing. Be satisfied with what he did. Now, verse 38, here's the conclusion. Be it known unto you. Know this. Understand this. Grasp this. Believe this. Rejoice in this. Glory in this. Be it known unto you, therefore,
men and brethren, that through this man, through who he is,
through what he accomplished, through this man, not because
you're sorry, not because you asked for forgiveness, not because
you gave Jesus your heart, not because of anything like that,
through this man. is declared unto you, not as
offered to you. Like I said, I despise the very
thought. I hear people talk about the
free offer of the gospel. I hate that kind of language.
Forgiveness is not an offer. It's a declaration. Well, how
can you Preach the gospel to everybody if you can. Offer them
forgiveness. It's easy. Believe on Christ
and you'll be saved. That just negates all that. If you come to Christ, if you
believe on Christ, you'll find mercy. You'll be saved. I can
say that to all men everywhere. Open the doors as wide as they
can be. If you come to Christ, you'll
have mercy. But forgiveness is not an offer. Forgiveness is
a declaration unto you through this man is preached, is declared
unto you the forgiveness of sins. Now, the greatest need you and
I have is the forgiveness of sins. I will spend eternity in
heaven if my sins are forgiven. And if my sins are not forgiven,
it would be better for me to have never been born. through
this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. Verse
39, and by him, by him, I love that, not just all that believe,
but by him, all that believe are justified from all things
from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. Now, if you believe, It's by
him, and if you're justified, it's by him. Now listen to this
scripture and pretend like, I know you've heard this, but pretend
like you've never heard this before. Just act like this is
the first time you've ever heard this verse of scripture. Romans
chapter four, verse five. To him that worketh not, but believeth. on him that justifieth
the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Now this I
am sure, if you're working, you're not believing. And if you're
believing, you're not working. It really is that simple. to
him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly. If you believe, you're somebody
who has been justified. Justified from all things. Don't miss that. From all things. In every respect, you can't take
this too far. In all things before God, all
who believe are justified without guilt, without sin before God
from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. And the reason for forgiveness,
the reason for forgiveness is justification. You see, you're justified. And
then God says, I'm going to forgive their sins. That's the way that
works. You're justified. And God says,
all sins are forgiven. That couldn't happen without
justification. It would be a denial of God's attribute of justice
if he could just forgive your sin without justice being satisfied. I think of In our courts, if
a judge just decided arbitrarily to forgive somebody when they
were guilty of crime, what would happen to them? They'd be an
unjust judge, and we'd get rid of them. We wouldn't want anything
like that, and you don't want God like that. God is absolutely
just, and he is just. He's faithful and just to forgive
our sins. First John 1.9. If we confess
our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins. and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Look what he says, from which
you could not be justified by the law of Moses. Paul said in Romans 8, 3 and
4, as a matter of fact, turn with me there, Romans 8, Verse three, for what the law,
now what's meant by the law, the Ten Commandments, certainly,
the ceremonial law, certainly, all the ceremonies, the feast
days, the civil law, you can't separate God's law. You can't
say, well, this part is still intact, but that part is not.
No, God's law is one. It's never separated in the scriptures.
I've heard people say, well, the moral laws, I mean, the ceremonial
law is done away, and the civil law is done away, but not the
Ten Commandments. Well, if that's the case, then
you're in trouble. And the ceremonial law is in
the moral law, the law of the Sabbath, to let us know it can't
be separated. That's the reason the Lord put
that ceremonial law in the law of Moses. You can't separate
the law. for what the law could not do,
in that it was weak through the flesh. Now you know what the
problem with the law is? Me. I can't keep it. That's the problem with the law.
The law is holy and just and good, but I can't keep it. For what the law could not do
in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son
in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in
the flesh that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled
in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Now understand this, walking after the Spirit is looking to
Christ. Walking after the flesh is looking to something in the
flesh. It's that simple. Walking in the spirit is looking
to Christ. Walking in the flesh is looking
to something in the flesh to contribute to your salvation.
Paul said, we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit,
rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. And back to our text in Acts
13, let's close it up. Paul ends this in verse 40 with
a beware. Beware, therefore, lest that
come upon you which was spoken of in the prophets. He quotes
a passage from Habakkuk. Behold, ye despisers. You that
scoff at the gospel. Now, can you imagine somebody
hearing this message and saying, who needs it? They scoff at it,
and they disdain it, and they think, big deal. Scoffers, despisers. He says, behold ye despisers,
and wonder and perish, for I work a work in your days, this great
work of justification, a work which you shall in no wise believe. though a man declared unto you.
You're gonna hear this message and you're not gonna believe
it. And when the Jews were gone out
of the synagogue, the Gentiles, I love this, the Gentiles besought
that these words, these very words which we've heard today
might be preached to them the next Sabbath. We wanna hear this
message again. The repetition of the gospel. You know, I wanna hear these
words again, too, don't you? I wanna hear them over and over and over. Now, when the congregation was
broken up, many of the Jews and the religious proselytes followed
Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue
in the grace of God. And this would be a summary of
everything that was said in this message, the grace of God. Let's pray. Lord, how we thank you for the
satisfaction of thy dear son. Lord, we know that you're infinitely
satisfied with what he did. And Lord, we are so satisfied
with what he did. We are so satisfied to be saved
by him. We are so satisfied with your
gospel. Lord, we won't be completely
satisfied till we no longer sin. But you said that in your word
when David said, I'll be satisfied when I awaken thy likeness. But
Lord, how satisfied we are with him and to be saved by him. Bless this message for Christ's
sake. In his name we pray. Amen. Mitch,
can you