Spring Services/Sermon in Minneapolis 23.04.2006

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in conclusion of our spring service, let us yet quieten and pause around that Word of God, which is one of the texts assigned for this Sunday, the first Sunday after Easter, and it is recorded for us in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 13, verses 32 through 43.

The words are heard as follows in Jesus' name. And we declare unto you glad tidings. How that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us, their children. In that he raised up Jesus again, as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. 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. Wherefore he saith also in another Psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption. But he whom God raised again saw no corruption.

He hath 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 are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the prophets. Behold you despisers and wander and perish. For I work a work in your days, a work which you have not done, and I will do it. And you shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. 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. Amen.

This is a speech by the Apostle Paul, which he kept in the city of Antioch. The Bible mentions two different things. The first is the city of Antioch. The other is the city of Antioch. The city of Antioch is the one in question here. It is the one in Asia Minor of that time, but in Turkey of today. The other Antioch that is mentioned in the Bible is just north of Israel. Would it be in the country of Syria? And it was one of the early centers of Christianity. It was there that the followers of Christ, the believers for the first time, began to be called Christians, those who follow Christ.

But now Paul is in a place where he is called, but now Paul is not in the Antioch of Syria, but he is on his first mission journey, which led him through the island of Cyprus, and then onto the southern shores of Asia Minor. And he is traveling with Barnabas and Mark. Soon after this, because of some disagreement, Mark then returns back home, and Paul continues with Barnabas.

It is a very dangerous journey in many different ways. In fact, Paul writes of it in another letter of his, when he is writing to the Corinthians, he says that how he was shipwrecked once or twice, how he was stoned, and how he was oppressed in many, many other ways. In journeys often in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by even, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness. How to be among false brethren. And so he traveled in weariness and in watchings often he was hungry and thirsty, and in fasting many times cold and naked.

So we can see that the mission journeys, the mission trips of Apostle Paul were always so evil. Oppression and persecution, hunger, cold and so on and so forth. But now when he reaches this city of Antioch, in Asia Minor, present day Turkey, it says that he went on the Sabbath day into the synagogue. The Jews were a minority, and he was never a minority at that time. But Paul, I'm sure hadn't really realized fully at that moment that he was a chosen vessel for the Gentiles. Attempted to bring the Gospel and preach the message unto his fellow countrymen, the Jews of which he was one.

So he goes into the synagogue, which is their place of gathering, their house of worship. It is not the temple. There is only one temple, which was in the city of Jerusalem. But wherever the Jews had spread, in diaspora, in those different communities and localities, they would erect their own meeting house, that they called a synagogue. And here they would have a more simplified version of a worship service than what was kept in the temple.

So typically on Sabbath morning, on Sunday morning, we could say there would be a reading of the Old Testament law, which the rabbis, the ordained person in that synagogue would read. And after this then was the reading of one of the historical books from the kings or the prophets. And this could be read by some other person. And at a certain point in time, then came the point of, or the opportunity for anyone, any male adult. Females weren't allowed. If they were allowed, they had to sit up on the balcony. So we have a better situation today when, even here, you see many young females on the front bench. In the synagogues, you would be relegated to the balcony, if even into the synagogue at all.

So at the time for the open word, any adult male could stand up and have the opportunity to speak. We remember Jesus in his home town or home village there in Nazareth, where he grew up. And according to custom, every Sabbath, whoever spoke, no matter who spoke, he went into the Sabbath to participate in the worship service.

So Luke records for us that on one Sabbath, when it came this point of time for open word, Jesus himself rose up and asked for one of the scrolls, which was from the book of the prophet Isaiah. He read it, that prophecy, which was of the coming Messiah, and then began to preach and expound on that book of Messiah, the book of the prophecy concerning the Messiah. And basically was saying, now the scripture is fulfilled. I am that person of whom the prophet was speaking.

Initially the listeners there in the synagogue were amazed by his speech, the power of his words. They were in awe. But then people realized that isn't he that bastard child, the son of Mary and Joseph, who was born out of wedlock? We know his father, he was only a carpenter by trade. He wasn't even learned in the law of Moses. They became so angry, they couldn't even remain in their seats. They stood up, they grabbed ahold of him, dragged him out from the synagogue, out of the city, to a high ridge that was perhaps 150 feet high. They were to cast him over the ridge. But it was not yet Jesus' time. He turned around and walked through the middle of the crowd, and not one hand was laid upon Jesus.

So now the Apostle Paul, likewise like Jesus, is here in a synagogue. And he takes this opportunity during this point of time in the program for free speech, and he begins to deliver a sermon. To Apostle Paul, as he writes to the Romans, that the gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation, has been revealed unto the Jews first, and then the Gentiles.

So literally, Apostle Paul was approaching his own fellow countrymen, the fellow Jews, to attempt to spread the gospel of God's kingdom unto them. This is only one of two of Paul's recorded sermons. In the Acts of the Apostles, it relates of several defense speeches before various rulers. But only are there two actual sermons of Paul recorded. This is the first one, and the second one was the one that he kept on Mars Hill in the city of Athens that we heard reference to earlier this afternoon.

This speech of Apostle Paul here in the city of Antioch is very familiar to, or similar to Peter's speech or sermon that he kept on the first Pentecost there in Jerusalem. And also is very similar to the speech or the sermon of Stephen that he kept, and for which reason he was then stoned to death.

It was a very long sermon that Apostle Paul kept in the synagogue that day. And the text chosen for this day is only a small selection of it. But earlier in the chapter, earlier on in the speech, it tells about how God dealt with Israel's history. Only speaking very selectively, taken a few highlights from here and there. Going from the time of Abraham all the way to the time of David.

And he is focusing on the sins of Israel and also on the failure of the people of Israel to be able to fulfill the demanding law of God. Apostle Paul also speaks about God and how he is a sovereign God. It is God who chose Abraham. Then leave your father's house and go into the land that I show you. And it is God who led the people out of the land of Egypt. And it is God who eventually brought them into the land of promise. It is God who provided the people judges or rulers during the early years and decades while they were in the land of Canaan, the land of promise.

And then the Apostle Paul goes on to tell about that moment of time when the people of Israel were dissatisfied with judges. When they looked at the countries around them and saw how they were ruled by judges and ruled by kings. And therefore began to lament unto God that give us a king like the nations around us.

And so finally God consented and he gave the people of Israel their first king, who was King Saul. The Bible says that King Saul was a head higher than ever. Higher than everyone else. Physically I'm sure he was taller than everyone else. But also I'm sure he considered himself a head taller than the other people, the rest of the nation.

So the people of Israel in disobedience asked for a king. And they got what they asked for. We remember how King Saul turned out to be a disobedient king. He lost his kingship. But above all he lost his eternal crown. That everlasting crown of glory. And died in unbelief.

So then God, it was God who gave the people a new king. And this is where the reference to Israel's history comes to an end. And the new king that God himself gave was King David.

We remember that Samuel came into the house of Jesse. And Jesse was the father of eight boys when heard of Samuel's mission that he was looking for a new king. The father Jesse brings in his oldest child, a boy who was handsome. He was wise. And he was the one that the father thought should be the chosen king. Samuel says, no. This is not the one.

So eventually all seven boys except the youngest one is brought before Samuel. And Samuel has to shake his head, no. This is not the chosen one. Finally the prophet has to ask, or the judge has to ask that, do you have any more sons? Jesse the father says, I have yet one more boy, the youngest. But he is only a shepherd boy. Samuel says, bring the boy in here.

When David arrives into the room, all of the people are commanded to stand up. And in a glorious festival, David is crowned to be the new king. This is not the person that the people of Israel wanted as their new king. But the Bible says, he was a man after God's own heart. This is the one that God had chosen.

And so then at that point in time in history, Samuel writes in one of his books that in him, David, I will set up an everlasting kingdom and he shall be an everlasting king. And this is about the point in time where our text then begins.

And we know that David was a mortal human being. And he died like everyone else. Just like all of us will one day die. And we declare unto you glad tidings how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God has fulfilled the same unto us, their children. In that he has raised up Jesus again. As it is written in the second Psalm. From Psalm 2. You are my son, and this day have I begotten me.

Here was a messianic promise of the coming Messiah. And basically it tells how the Son of God, Jesus Christ, will be incarnated one day. According to the discussion and the promise between God the Heavenly Father and the Son, Jesus Christ. There in eternity, before the world was created. The Father says, I, the Creator, will create the world. And you, Son, you will redeem mankind. The Father replies, that willingly I will do as you wish. For it is my joy to be among mankind.

And so this is what the Psalmist is referring to. That you are my beloved Son. And today I have begotten you. Referring to that moment when Jesus was born. As a small child, as a human being. There in the city of Bethlehem. And laid in a manger in the stable.

But then it not only tells about the birth, the physical birth of Jesus as a human being in this world. But then also refers to his death. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead. Now no more to return to corruption.

Jesus as an adult, young adult male, in his prophetical ministry, performed many miracles. And three times he raised individuals from the dead. Brought them from death back to life again. One was the daughter of Jairus. The second was the son of the widow of Nain. And the third was Lazarus. These people came back to life again. But later on in their life would yet die once more. Just like every other human being.

But Jesus Christ was different. We have just recently celebrated Good Friday and Easter. And have recalled how Jesus physically died upon the middle cross of Golgotha. He shouted his last words, Father, into your hands I give my life, or my spirit. And he slumped over and he died. He was physically dead. Physically dead.

But we know as we have been at funerals. And many of you here today have just returned from Managa where you attended the funeral of our sister Ova Kumpula. And if you would have gone to the grave site, perhaps some did. There during the committal one of the options of the minister or the pastor says, from dust thou art. Unto dust thou shalt return. Jesus Christ our Savior will raise you on the last day.

This will happen to every human being. From dust we have been created. And unto dust, again into dust, we will again return. This will happen to everyone. This will happen to everyone with the exception of Enoch who did not see death. Prophet Elijah who was taken from this world in a flaming chariot into heaven.

Jesus actually died. Was laid in a grave where he was for three days and three nights. As the Bible says, it wasn't three 24 hour days. But it was Good Friday, Saturday, and then Sunday. So on three different calendar days, not three 24 hour periods.

But on Easter Sunday morning when first of all the two Marys came to pay homage to anoint the body of Jesus with ointment, they noticed that the stone had been removed. The grave was empty. The body of Jesus was no longer there.

And so here our text says, as Paul delivers, says in his sermon that he delivered, and concerning God that he raised him up from the dead. Now no more to return to corruption. His body did not decay. It did not see corruption. It was under the power of death for that short period of time. But the grave could not hold him. Could not keep him.

So Paul later has to write that grave where is your sting. Death where is your victory. And so he quotes from the prophet Isaiah chapter 55. I will give you the sure mercies of David. And then he quotes from Psalms 16. Wherefore he says also in another Psalm, Thou shalt not suffer your holy one to see corruption.

Death could not contain him. He won the victory over sin, over death, and over the power of the enemy of souls. And so then it continues. For David after he had served his own generation by the will of God fell asleep. So David died. He fell asleep. And was laid with his fathers and he saw corruption. But he whom God raised again, he saw no corruption.

Last evening we had a very interesting presentation. Basically about forgiveness of sins, delivered and kept by our brother, Pete, one of the called ministers for this weekend. And the moderator of the discussion, Larry Anderson, asked, near the end of the discussion, that would there be some comments about forgiveness. I don't remember if you used to again ask me about forgiveness. Because doesn't me despise the belt. If there were any direct comments to that question.

But here, this issue or matter is one of Apostle Paul's areas of focus in his sermon, there in that synagogue in the city of Antioch. And Paul continues, Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.

This is the core. This is the essence. This is the constitution or this is, we could say, the foundation of God's kingdom. The kingdom of God is a kingdom. It is a kingdom of grace and it is a kingdom of the forgiveness of sins.

After Jesus rose from the grave on Easter morning, he appeared unto his own that were hidden in a room behind locked doors because of the fear of the Jews. And when he appeared unto them, I'm sure they were frightened and terrified, thinking that Jesus would come unto them waving a whip because in the garden of Gethsemane, several days earlier, when the captors came and captured Jesus, the Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled. When the shepherd is smitten, the sheep will scatter.

And so when the servants of the high priest laid hands on Jesus, every disciple, every follower of Jesus there in the garden, fled in every direction, I'm sure, into the darkness of the night. So I'm sure they were expecting that Jesus would come with perhaps flame coming out of his eyes, carrying a whip, that couldn't you even be with me and protect me and be at my side, even during those most difficult moments of my life.

And terrified also because of the fear of the Jews. And so I'm sure they were afraid of the threats from the people of that community, because they were followers of him. But when Jesus appeared, he came with glad tidings, with a good message. Be of good cheer. Peace be unto you. As my Father has sent me, so I send you.

So he did not rebuke them and chastise them. But no, he brought them comforting, uplifting, and a consoling message. My peace I give unto you. As my Father has sent me, so I send you.

Then he commissioned them. He authorized them. He gave unto them the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever sins that you forgive, they are also forgiven in heaven as well. And later he says, Go ye therefore into all of the world, preaching repentance and the forgiveness of sins.

So this is the essence of God's kingdom. A kingdom of grace and the kingdom of forgiveness of sins. And so then he says, And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Could we say that this was a complete reversal of all expectations? The Jews had based their hope of everlasting life and salvation because they were of God's chosen nation. They were of the seed of Abraham physically. Descendants of the first father in faith, Abraham.

But yet when Jesus appeared unto them, Jesus came unto his own, but his own received him not. And here the Apostle Paul talks about the law and the hope of the law of Moses. The law gives a promise that if the law is fulfilled on the basis of the fulfillment of the law, one would get to heaven. But that's a big if.

There is only one person who has ever lived on the face of this earth who has ever been able to fulfill the demanding law of Moses to the last letter. The one and only was Jesus Christ, God's only Son.

But then the Apostle Paul goes on to speak about the sins of Israel and their waywardness. But he also speaks of God's long suffering and his faithfulness to his promise. And he gives a message of grace. And this means it is not earned, it is not a deserved blessing. But it is the grace gift of God.

Here he says, And 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 is still in force and is valid yet today. And it has its purpose. It has its duty. It is to awaken one who is in the darkness of unbelief. To awaken such a person to the knowledge of their condition before God the Heavenly Father. And realize that they are but sinful human beings. They are sinners.

And then secondly that the law of Moses would be is a schoolmaster, a tutor to lead one unto Christ. Or in other words, the border of God's kingdom. But then the law of Moses does not belong to the believers. There is no such thing as the third use of the law. For Christ is the end of the law unto salvation for all who believe.

So Christ is the end of the law unto salvation for all who believe. And then, Beware therefore lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the prophets. Behold your God, you despisers and wander and perish. For I work a wonder in your days, a work which you shall in no wise believe, though a man declared unto you.

And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached unto them the next Sabbath day.

So Paul had been preaching in the synagogue, preaching unto the Jews on this typical Sabbath day. And apparently once the service was over, Gentiles, non-Jews who weren't allowed into the synagogue, heard about the sermon of Paul. And then beckoned him that why don't you come and preach likewise unto us the next Sunday, the next weekend.

And if we were to read this text a little bit further, it tells how the Jews there in that city, or was it the next city, became so angry with Apostle Paul that he was actually chased out of the synagogue and allowed to preach there no longer.

And then comes the fulfillment of that time when Paul becomes God's chosen vessel to be a missionary or a preacher unto the Gentiles. For when the Jews rejected him, then he turned unto the Gentiles. And the reception among the Gentiles was so great that it said that the cities in that area all emptied themselves and they all gathered around the hearing of God's holy word, that Apostle Paul, and I'm sure Barnabas who was with them, were preaching unto them.

And now when the congregation was broken up, or when the service came to an end, 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.

So we have now come to the conclusion of our spring services. Our spring services that I'm sure we have awaited for and now it seems like in a twinkling of an eye have come to their end.

Now we will, as happened there in the synagogue on that Sabbath day, will soon scatter from this gathering, go back to our places of watching and for each one of us a new week begins. We carry out our earthly calling where it is and whatever it is.

But we are left with this exhortation and this teaching as it was said here. That speaking to them persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. The grace of God is God's good favor or God's gift unto us. It is something that we have not earned, we have not deserved, but God gave it. It is available to us without money or without price. We have received it freely.

God so loved the world that he gave his only son, Christ Jesus, who prepared this gift of salvation for us. And he suffered and he died, was laid into the grave as we have mentioned, but he finished, completed, put a seal upon God's salvation. And God, his son, has the power of salvation work and salvation history when he rose from the grave conquering sin, death, and the power of the enemy of souls.

He rose for our righteousness' sake. He appeared to the disciples behind locked doors and he said, I am not a ghost, I am not a spirit. Give me some fish and some bread and some honey to eat. Saw him eating and his jaws were moving as he chewed on the bread and ate the honey.

He told Thomas that do not be in disbelief, but be a believer. Come and stick your fingers into the wounds that are in my hands, in my feet, and also in my side. Since you have seen Thomas, since you have seen me, you also believe.

And the Bible says that Jesus also appeared at one time to 500 simultaneously. Perhaps this was at the Mount of Olives, just before Jesus ascended into the glory of heaven. And he also appeared unto Paul, who was half-born, born out of due time, as it says, in the King James Version.

What does it mean to be half-born? Well, when Paul was on the way to the city of Damascus, he was stricken blind by a bright light. He fell down to the ground and he heard a voice coming out of heaven. He did not see the person, did not initially even recognize the voice, but it said, Saul. Saul, why do you persecute me? He was the resurrected Lord Jesus.

Paul, Saul was not yet a believer, but he was now awakened. And he was as if half-born, in the midst, in the middle of being born, like in a mother's birth canal. Later, led to the city of Damascus, where Ananias, the believer, laid his hands upon him and preached the gospel.

And so, when Jesus rose from the grave Easter morning, he finished weaving that cloak of righteousness. On Easter Sunday morning, he sewed that last thread into that garment of the righteousness of Christ. And this is that gift righteousness, that wedding garment, that makes us heaven acceptable.

As we sing in one song, My gracious God, how I rejoice, Thou gave a robe so pure, Acceptable in heaven's home, Toward which I sojourn here. Oh, how could I appear one day to stand before the throne, If this great grace and blessedness were not for me to own?

So, as the apostle Paul is telling the listeners of that time, they could be left in the grace of God. And so, the apostle Paul, when he is speaking to the elders of Ephesus, saying his farewell there in the city of Miletus, he says, I leave you in the grace of God, and in the care of my Lord.

And he says, I leave you in the grace of God, and in the care of my Lord of his word. And so this grace of God, as Paul writes to the Ephesians, by grace we are saved through faith, not of ourselves, not of works, lest any person should boast.

And so Psalm Oscar Heikki Yusuf writes in his farewell song, the grace of God will carry us until we reach our eternal home in heaven. And so we say that we get left in the care of God and in his word of grace.

There is power in the gospel of Christ. There is power in the grace of God. It lifts, it carries, and it will one day bring us to our heavenly home. Even now we can have our hearts warmed with this gospel of good tidings, that victory message of Easter. Jesus lives, and we live through him.

Even now he wishes to, through eyes of faith, show through his spirit his wounded hands, his wounded feet, that wound in his side. He is wishing to stretch those, outstretch those wounded hands toward you, one who may be tired, weary, even stumbling and tempted and tried on this journey of faith. He wishes to lift you up, gently carry you. He will carry you in his bosom, and he promises, I will lift, I will carry, and I will save.

Remain even now, believing sin's forgiven, in his name and precious blood, in Jesus' name, amen.

The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make his face to shine upon us and be gracious unto us. The Lord lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, amen.