If you will, open your Bible
with me today to the book of Acts chapter 13. The title of the message today is
Ordained to Eternal Life. Acts chapter 13, beginning in
verse 46 through 49. 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 you put it from you
and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn
to the Gentiles. Or so hath the Lord commanded
us, saying, I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles, that
thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. 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. And the word of the Lord was
published throughout all the region. I have two truths that
I want to concentrate on from this passage of scripture this
morning. First, a pivotal point in the
history of the New Testament church. I want us to think about
that, first of all. A pivotal point in the history
of the New Testament church. Notice in verse 46, the apostles'
words, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. What am I calling a pivotal point
in the history of the New Testament Church? Well, if you're familiar
with the Word of God at all, you know that from the time of
Abraham, when God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees and
made a covenant with him, and then renewed that covenant with
his son Isaac, and then with his Isaac's son Jacob, the same
covenant that most of the people that God revealed his saving
grace to were descendants of Abraham. There were no doubt
a few exceptions through the Old Testament period. When the
Lord Jesus Christ came into this world, According to the Apostle
Paul in Romans chapter 15 and verse 8, he was a minister to
the Jews. He was a minister to the seed
of Abraham, to the natural seed of Abraham. Let me read that
verse from Romans 15 and verse 8. Now I say that Jesus Christ
was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God. to confirm
the promises made unto the fathers. You know, the mark of circumcision,
that was what identified the physical descendants of Abraham. When God made that covenant with
Abraham, he gave him that sign of the covenant, circumcision. And Paul tells us that the Lord
Jesus Christ He was a minister of the circumcision. In other
words, he preached primarily, if not exclusively, to Jews,
to the natural seed of Abraham. He was a minister of the circumcision. He exercised his office as prophet. We know the Lord Jesus Christ,
he's the one mediator between God and man. And as mediator,
he is prophet, priest, and king. And he exercised his office as
prophet when he came into this world to the Jewish people, that
is, to the circumcision, to those who were the natural descendants
of Abraham. One day, a Gentile woman came
to him, a Syrophoenician woman, and she had a great need. Her
daughter was grievously. afflicted by the devil. And the Lord Jesus Christ told
her, I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of
Israel. Now that woman, that lady was
a Gentile and the Lord had come to minister unto the circumcision,
but she did have her need met when she took her place. Remember,
He said, it's not right to take the bread of the children and
cast it to the dogs. And she said, truth, Lord, you're
absolutely right. But I'm one of your dogs. I'm
one of your dogs. And so the Lord met her need. And she was a Gentile. And she's
one of two persons that the Lord Jesus Christ commended for great
faith. for great faith, this woman,
and also a centurion. But he told her at the beginning,
I'm not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
And the first time that he sent out his disciples, his apostles
to preach, he commanded them, go not, go not into the way of
the Gentiles and into any city of the Samaritans, enter you
not. but go rather to the lost sheep
of the house of Israel. In other words, he commissioned
his apostles the first time and all of them, all of the 12 apostles,
they were all natural descendants of Abraham. It was after his
resurrection that he told them that when the Holy Spirit was
poured out upon them, They were to tarry in Jerusalem after he
ascended. They were to tarry in Jerusalem
unto the day of Pentecost, and he, the Lord Jesus Christ, seated
at the Father's right hand, he would pour out his spirit upon
them, and they should be witness unto him in Jerusalem, Judea,
Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And we see
that worked out in the book of Acts. In the first few chapters,
beginning with chapter two, that's when God the Holy Spirit was
poured out. And some people say, well, how
can the Spirit be poured out if he's a person? Well, that's
not to be taken literally. We know that. Liquid is poured. He is a person. He's the third
person in the Trinity. He's equal with the Father and
with the Son. But by being poured out, it just
shows a great effusion of the Holy Spirit now from the day
of Pentecost during this time, this dispensation, which we call
the New Testament dispensation. And we see that worked out, what
he told his disciples. They would be witnesses unto
him first in Jerusalem. And on the day of Pentecost,
God saved 3,000 souls. That was Jerusalem. They were
from all over the world, that's true, but they were mainly Jews
or Jewish proselytes, for sure. And they were in Jerusalem, and
that's where the gospel was preached first and they witnessed unto
Christ. And then in Acts chapter 8, and
this is interesting. All the scripture's interesting,
isn't it? But this is interesting. It was because of Saul of Tarsus,
the one who spoke these words in our text this morning. In
Acts chapter 8, in verse 1, it was because of Saul of Tarsus
that the persecution came upon the believers in Jerusalem, and
they were scattered through Judea. And everywhere they went, they
went gossiping, preaching the gospel. And then, of course,
we know in Acts chapter 8 also, Philip took the gospel down to
Samaria. That was the third place. And
he also preached the gospel to that eunuch, that Ethiopian eunuch. And Peter, in Acts chapter 10,
took the gospel to the house of Cornelius, and he said, later
in Acts chapter 15, that God had chosen by his mouth, Peter
that is, by his mouth, that the Gentiles would hear the gospel
first. You look at the book of Acts,
it's a brief history, very brief history of the New Testament
church, the first few years. And you see, Peter, if I might
use this terminology, he was the main character in the first
part. But from Acts chapter 13, we
see it's all about Paul. He becomes the main, the leading
character, the historical character in the book of Acts. And the
gospel from this point on, I say this was a pivotal point. in the history of the New Testament
church. Paul wrote the letter of Romans
to the church at Rome at first, to you and I, of course, but
at first to the church at Rome, which was made up primarily of
Gentile believers. And in Romans chapter 11, he
says this about God. He says, by God calling the Gentiles,
saving most of those who are saved from the Gentile nations,
and the Jews being somewhat passed over now, he said, you see both
the severity of God and the goodness of God. the goodness of God and
that God sends the gospel out to the Gentiles and saves his
elect people from the Gentiles. The severity, you see the severity
of God upon the nation of Israel, those he calls the natural branches. But he makes this point, the
natural branches were broken off, not Arbitrarily, they were
broken off because of their unbelief. And that's what we see here in
verse 46, because of their unbelief. Paul and Barnabas waxed bold
and said it was necessary that the word of God should first
He said, for I'm not ashamed of the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation unto everyone
that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentiles, for
therein is the righteousness of God revealed. The gospel had
mainly been preached to the natural descendants of Abraham. God had
taken his his people out of the descendants of Abraham, mostly,
until this point. I say this is a pivotal point
in the history of the New Testament church, because from this point
on, it seems like everything just reversed. Now, most of those
who have been saved are from the Gentile nations, and very
few are called from the natural descendants of Abraham. There
used to be a radio program. This was before television became
so popular. Some of you can't imagine that
there actually was a time when we didn't have TV. But if you
heard any preaching on media, as they call it today, you listen
to it on the radio. And I remember there was a preacher
on the radio and his His program was called the Christian Jew,
and he was a great preacher of the gospel. But he was one of
few, one of few, because mainly Gentiles have been saved since
that day. Notice, he told them, you judge
yourselves unworthy of everlasting life. Look at that in that text
again, verse 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 you put it from you
and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn
to the Gentiles. Now you know this, if you're
saved here this morning, You know what I'm about to say is
true. No one is worthy of everlasting
life. No one. Everlasting life is a
gift, a gift of God, and it is a gift of grace. No one, no fallen son of Adam, is worthy
of everlasting life. What does Paul then mean when
he tells them, saying that you judge yourselves unworthy of
everlasting life? Paul had preached the gospel
to them the week before, the Sabbath before, and they rejected
the gospel. That's very clear. They rejected
the gospel and in rejecting the gospel in effect, they judged
themselves unworthy of eternal life. And I would say the same
thing to every person here and every person in the world. If
you refuse to hear the gospel, if you just say, I don't want
any of that, I don't believe that stuff. You can believe it
if you want to. I don't believe it. You just
reject the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and you, in effect,
judge yourself unworthy of eternal life. Because eternal life comes
by believing the gospel. And how can a person believe
the gospel if he rejects the gospel? You know, there's many ways of
rejecting the gospel. People just think, well, it's,
you know, it's just so commonplace. It's old hat, you know, I've
heard that, I've heard that story forever. Aren't you thankful? Aren't you
thankful if you know the truth that you've heard the gospel
forever? There's a lot of people in this world who's never heard
it once. And they're not going to be saved if they don't hear
the gospel. How then shall they believe in
him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without
a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent as
it is written? How beautiful are the feet upon
the mountains are them that bring glad tidings of great joy. That's the message of Christ,
the message of salvation. They judged themselves unworthy
of eternal life because they rejected the gospel. They rejected hearing the gospel
that Paul and Barnabas had brought there to Antioch. A pivotal point, a pivotal point
in the history of the New Testament church, and the New Testament
church until today, It is made up mostly of Gentile believers. Now we, us Americans, we know
we're Heinz 57 for the most part. Some people, you know, your nationality. I know that some people, well,
I was Irish or I was French or, well, I don't know all the mixture
that's in my blood. I'll just be honest with you,
but I believe I'm a Gentile. And I would think most of us
here today are Gentiles. And most of God's people that
he has saved since that day, since that time, have been Gentiles
and added unto the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many people
believe there's a day coming when there will be a great number
of the Jews who will be saved. Would do God this truth. I hope
that's so, don't you? Oh, wouldn't that be wonderful
to hear that many of Abraham's natural descendants have come
by the grace of God to see that Jesus Christ is the Messiah,
the one who was the seed, is the seed of Abraham rather, in
whom all the nations of the earth are blessed. Now the second truth,
a comforting truth about God's saving grace. That's my second
point, a comforting truth about God's saving grace. Verse 48,
as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. Now you know that's
a verse of scripture that free will believers hate. If they
could, they'd take it out of the Bible. They've tried every
way they could, can rather, to turn it around and cause it to
say as many as believe were ordained to eternal life. But no, the
scripture still says, inspired word of God still proclaims as
many as were ordained to eternal life believed. A comforting truth. Listen to some of Charles Spurgeon's
comments on this verse. Is it wrong for God to give grace? Surely no one would say no. Is
it wrong for God to give grace? If it is right for him to give
it, is it wrong for him to purpose to give it? Would you have him give it by
accident? If it is right for Him to purpose
to give grace today, it was right for Him to purpose it before
today. And since He changes not from
eternity, as many as were ordained to eternal life believe. You
might say, well, preacher, why do you call that a comforting
truth? I think I qualified that. It
is a comforting truth to everyone that believeth. Do you see what I'm saying? It's
a comforting truth to everyone that believes in the Lord Jesus
Christ for this reason. If you believe in him today,
you know it is because you were ordained to eternal life. That
is, God has loved you from eternity. His love for you is an eternal
love. It's a comforting truth. If you
believe in him, now if you're an unbeliever, I can see why
you might be a little concerned about this. But believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and you will then know.
that you were ordained, that God purposed your salvation from
before the foundation of the world. You were chosen in Christ,
not because you are holy, but to be holy, the scripture says
in Ephesians chapter one. What is it that we are to believe?
We are to believe the gospel. Now I want you to look with me
and I'll I'm not going to take a lot of time, but I'm going
to point out some things in Paul's sermon, or his message, which
these people had heard the week before. This was the gospel that
Paul preached. His message, it actually begins
in verse 16, Acts chapter 13 and verse 16. Then Paul stood
up. and beckoning with his hand said,
this is where his message begins and it ends in verse 41. Behold, you despisers and wander
and perish, for I work a work in your days, a work which you
shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. And
he is there quoting a verse an Old Testament prophecy. Now let
me point out these few things in Paul's sermon. First of all,
and this is so important, I know you know this, but it's so important. Paul's message was about a person. The gospel is not a plan. The gospel is a person. He said, I am the resurrection
and the life. Paul's message was about a person. Notice in verses 22 and 23. And
Paul goes through the history of the nation of Israel as he's
speaking to this congregation, mainly of Jews. There were some
proselytes here. but mainly of Jews. And he comes
to this point when David became king, of this man's seed, verse
22 rather, and when he had removed him, that is Saul, 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 fulfill all my will. of this man's seed,
of David's seed. In other words, he's a son of
David. He's of the tribe of Judah. Of
this man's seed hath God, according to his promise, raised unto Israel
a Savior, Jesus. Remember what the angels told
those shepherds the night the Lord Jesus Christ was born in
this world? Unto you a Savior is born. That should thrill you. It does
me. Unto you a Savior is born. If I need anything, and I do,
I need a Savior. I need a Savior because I'm a
sinner. Jesus, unto you, unto Israel
a Savior. God has fulfilled his promise,
raised unto Israel a Savior, Jesus. He goes on to say that
John the Baptist testified that he was a man, but he was a man
different from all other men. In fact, in verse 25, John said,
I'm not even worthy. Look at that. I'm not worthy
to lose his shoe. Do you know what the Lord Jesus
Christ said about this man, John the Baptist? Of those born of
woman, there's none greater. And yet, what does he say about
Christ? He said, I'm not worthy to get
down in the dirt and unloose this shoelatchet. This person that Paul preached,
this seed of David, is the Son of God. The Son of God. If you look, turn over a few
pages to Romans chapter 1, verse 1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,
called to be an apostle separated unto the gospel of God. which
he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures
concerning his son. The gospel is a person, the gospel
concerns his son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Now notice he was made
of the seed of David according to the flesh. And he was declared,
he was not made to be the son of God, he's the eternal son
of God, but he was declared to be the son of God with power
according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead. So Paul's message was, first
of all, about a person, but a person unlike all other persons, the
God-man, the one mediator between God and men. The second thing about Paul's
message was about the death of this person. Notice in verse
27. For they that dwell in 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. And though they found no
cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be
slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him,
they took him down from the tree and laid him in a sepulchre. Paul's message was about the
death of this person, this person unlike all others. And his death
fulfilled the words of the prophets. Hundreds, maybe some thousands
of years before the Lord Jesus Christ came into this world,
before he died, the prophets The prophecies, the promises
all spoke of him so that when he came, there could be no mistake. This is he. This is the one who's
been promised the seed of the woman. This is Abraham's seed
in whom all the earth shall be blessed. This is the one whose feet and
hands will be pierced. This is the one who will be crucified
or numbered with transgressors, crucified between two thieves. This is the one of whom not a
bone of his body will be broken. This is the one who would be
sold for 30 pieces of silver. This is the one. I mean, we could
just go on and on, these promises, these prophecies. Praise God,
this is the one. This is the one who died. He didn't die for himself. He
had no sin of his own. We like to think of Christ as
our savior, yes, but we love to think of him also as our redeemer. Because as our Redeemer, it speaks
of His blood, doesn't it? His shedding of blood, His pain,
paying the payment for our sins. And then Paul's message was about
the resurrection of this person. Notice in verse 30 and 31. His
enemies thought, we've got Him now. We've conquered Him now. Oh no, no, no. The prince of
life, he who is life and who gives life to all who have life, the grave cannot keep him. The
bars cannot hold him. Notice that in verse 30. but
God raised him from the dead. And he was saying of many, he
was saying many days of them, which came up with him from Galilee
to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. And then his
message was about the sure mercies of David. And I'm just going
to save that for another message. The sure mercies of David, you
know, the name David, And that's my name, and probably I'm an
exception. But the name actually means beloved. Did you know that, David? That's
what your name means, beloved. But this, the Lord Jesus Christ,
this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. These sure
mercies of David, it's not talking about King David. He's talking
about the Lord Jesus Christ, David's greater son. And those
mercies are the mercies of the everlasting covenant. And they're
sure because he's the surety of that covenant. Now, let me
finish. Let me finish Paul's message
in verses 38 and 39. Paul's message was about believing
in this person. And listen to me, friend. believing
in this person and having all your sins forgiven. My sins, not in part, but the
whole was nailed to the cross. And praise God, I bear them no
more. It is well with my soul. Verses 38 and 39, Be it known
unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man
is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. And by him all that
believe, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. By him
all that believe. are justified from all things
from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. The law
of Moses, the law of God condemns, but the Lord Jesus Christ, he
justifies, he saves all them that believe. Isn't that a comforting
truth? As many as were ordained to eternal
life believed. Do you believe in Christ today?
Do you believe the gospel? Do you? If you do, you will confess
that. Follow him in baptism. Live for him. You see, when a
person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ God, the Holy Spirit comes
to live within, doesn't he? He comes to live in our heart.
Christ in you, the hope of glory, gives us a new nature, and that
new nature loves the things of God. May the Lord bless His word to
all of us here today. Maybe there's someone here who's never confessed that you
believe. Maybe you could do that soon,
I hope so, I pray so. I believe that. I believe in
Christ. I believe He's the Son of God. I believe that He's the
Savior of sinners. And I trust Him. I look to Him. And I want to follow Him. I want
to live for Him. I want to give myself to Him,
lock, stock, and barrel. What a blessing. What a blessing.
Number 227, we'll sing this hymn.