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Bibles to the book of Acts. Acts 
chapter 13 for our meditation tonight prior to the supper. 
Acts chapter 13. The Apostle Paul is preaching 
in a synagogue in Pisidian Antioch. This is the first missionary 
journey. It's recorded in Acts 13 1 to 
14 28. and it was conducted in about the years AD 47 to 48, 
covered about 1400 miles. So Cyprus, and then the churches 
in Southern Galatia. So there were Pisidian Antioch, 
Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. The return to the church in Antioch 
is recorded in Acts 14, 27, and 28, where Paul and Barnabas reported 
all that God had done with them. As well, if you notice the end, 
or toward the end of chapter 12, we have one of Luke's several 
progress reports. Luke wrote the book of Acts along 
with the gospel according to Luke, and several times along 
the way, he gives us a progress report. So in Luke, I'm sorry, 
Acts 12, 24, it says, but the word of God grew and multiplied. We certainly see that in this 
first missionary journey when the apostle makes disciples and 
plants local churches. Our focus tonight will be on 
the application in the sermon, so specifically verses 38 to 
43, but I do want to begin reading in Acts 13 at verse 13, when 
they arrive in Antioch in Pisidia. Now, when Paul and his party 
set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia, and John, 
departing from them, returned to Jerusalem. But when they departed 
from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the 
synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. And after the reading 
of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent 
to them, saying, Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation 
for the people, say on. Then Paul stood up, motioning 
with his hands, said, Men of Israel, and you who fear God, 
listen. The God of this people, Israel, 
chose our fathers and exalted the people when they dwelt as 
strangers in the land of Egypt. And with an uplifted arm, he 
brought them out of it. Now for a time of about 40 years, 
he put up with their ways in the wilderness. And when he had 
destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he distributed 
their land to them by allotment. After that, he gave them judges 
for about 450 years, until Samuel the prophet. And afterward, they 
asked for a king. So God gave them Saul, the son 
of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for 40 years. And when 
he had removed him, he raised up for them David as king, to 
whom also he gave testimony and said, I have found David the 
son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all my 
will. From this man's seed, according to the promise, God raised up 
for Israel a Savior, Jesus, after John had first preached, before 
his coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 
And as John was finishing his course, he said, Who do you think 
I am? I am not he. But behold, there 
comes one after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy 
to loose. Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and 
those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation 
has been sent. For those who dwell in Jerusalem 
and their rulers, because they did not know him, nor even the 
voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, have 
fulfilled them in condemning him. And though they found no 
cause for death in him, they asked Pilate that he should be 
put to death. Now when they had fulfilled all 
that was written concerning him, they took him down from the tree 
and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead. 
He was seen for many days by those who came up with him from 
Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people. 
And we declare to you glad tidings, that promise which was made to 
the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us, their children, 
in that He has raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the 
second psalm, You are my Son, today I have begotten you. And 
that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, 
He has spoken thus, I will give you the sure mercies of David. 
Therefore, He also says in another psalm, You will not allow your 
Holy One to see corruption. For David, after he had served 
his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried 
with his fathers, and saw corruption. But he whom God raised up saw 
no corruption. Therefore, let it be known to 
you, brethren, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness 
of sins. And by him, everyone who believes 
is justified from all things from which you could not be justified 
by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, lest what 
has been spoken in the prophets come upon you. Behold, you despisers, 
marvel and perish, for I work a work in your days, a work which 
you will by no means believe, though one were to declare it 
to you." So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles 
begged that these words might be preached to them the next 
Sabbath. Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews 
and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking 
to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. On the next 
Sabbath, almost the whole city came together to hear the word 
of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled 
with envy and contradicting and blaspheming. They opposed the 
things spoken by Paul. And Paul and Barnabas grew bold 
and said, it was necessary that the word of God should be spoken 
to you first. But since you reject it and judge 
yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the 
Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded 
us, I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should 
be for salvation to 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 had been appointed to eternal life believed. And 
the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region. 
But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief 
men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and 
expelled them from their region. They shook off the dust from 
their feet against them and came to Iconium. And the disciples 
were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Amen. Let us 
pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank 
you for this wonderful section of Holy Scripture. We thank you 
for the blessed accomplishment you gave to the Apostle as he 
went about the various places in the Roman Empire to make disciples 
and to plant churches and to write letters to the churches. 
We thank you for that rich legacy. We thank you for the benefit 
it provides to the Church of Jesus Christ throughout the ages. 
And even now, give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts 
to receive this wonderful truth concerning forgiveness of sin. 
concerning the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 
All the Scripture says concerning justification is such an encouragement 
to our weary hearts. So even now, build us up in our 
most holy faith. Again, forgive us and cleanse 
us from all unrighteousness, and guide us by your Spirit. 
And we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, we would 
be here for several hours if we looked at the entirety of 
Paul's preaching here in Pisidian Antioch. So basically what happens 
in verses 13 to 15, as Paul's custom was, he'd go to the synagogue 
of the Jews. There you'd have a ready audience. 
You'd have people that were familiar with the Old Covenant scriptures. 
as well you had persons referred to in the book of Acts as God-fearers. They were typically Gentiles 
outside the covenant community, but nevertheless interested in 
Israel's God. So 13 to 15, that's precisely 
what happens. Notice at the end of verse 15, 
one of the rulers of the synagogue sent to them saying, men and 
brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, 
say on. Well, you throw that softball 
over the plate and the Apostle Paul is definitely gonna take 
a swing at it. Should not surprise us one bit 
that in verse 16, Paul stood up and motioning with his hand, 
said, and he preaches Jesus Christ. And the way that he does that 
is that he gives a brief sketch of Israel's history. He does 
this in a manner similar to Peter in Acts 3, and of course, Stephen 
in Acts chapter 7. It is the history of Israel where 
there was the promise of the Messiah. And so he shows that 
sort of progression. He speaks of David and then he 
says in verse 23, from this man's seed, according to the promise, 
God raised up for Israel a Savior, Jesus. And then he highlights 
that arrival of the Messiah, verses 23 to 25, and then he 
explains Israel's Messiah in verses 26 to 37. He shows that 
it was necessary, in accordance with Old Testament scriptures, 
that the Christ must suffer, the Christ must die, and the 
Christ must be raised again. And then he brings the sermon 
to a close with an exhortation to believe on Israel's Messiah. That's what we're looking at. 
specifically in verses 38 to 41. It would be good to sort 
of look at the rest of the chapter as well, but we're actually gonna 
conclude tonight at verse 43. So notice, with reference to 
his exhortation to believe on Israel's Messiah, he does two 
things here. First, we ought to appreciate 
the practical nature of his preaching, and then secondly, the redemptive 
focus of his preaching. So notice how he begins in verse 
38, "...therefore let it be known to you." He's not just passing 
on information. He's not just sketching Israel's 
history with a view to appreciating, cognitively, the Messiah, Jesus 
Christ. No, he brings it to its practical 
implication. Therefore, he doesn't just present 
Bible information as an end in itself. Now, certainly there's 
a place for the passing of or the transmission of Bible information, 
certainly to get more knowledge. We have Bible studies, we have 
lectures, we have sort of discussions and that kind of a means of pursuit. But when it comes to the preaching 
of God's Word, there is usually or there should be a therefore. 
There is an attempt by the preacher to present the data in such a 
way that the Holy Spirit comes and moves God's people to growth 
in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus. Or he moves 
those who are not God's people to consider their own sin, to 
consider their own place before a holy God, and to consider his 
blessed remedy and provision in the gospel of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. So certainly that's what Paul 
is doing here. He wants to speak to these Jews 
and God-fearers in this synagogue on the Sabbath day in such a 
way as to see them embrace the Savior by faith. Come to Him. believe on him and know the joy 
as it is to be in Christ alone. And so there is that practical 
emphasis in the gospel preaching of our brother Paul. J.A. Alexander 
says, it was not mere historical nor even doctrinal or exegetical 
instruction that the apostle here intended to communicate, 
but practical and experimental knowledge of the utmost moment 
as relating to the only method of salvation. and he uses something 
that is used previously in 2.14 and 4.10. Let it be known. Sort of functions the way we 
saw Jesus' words in verse 51 of John 8 this morning. Most 
assuredly, or amen, amen, pay attention to what I have to say 
to you because it's of eternal importance. Don't turn off your 
ears, don't resist, don't reject, don't check out, don't think 
about tomorrow's workday, but rather think about the truth 
as it is in Jesus Christ the Lord. That's the apostolic preaching 
of the cross. They don't go out and tell everybody, 
God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. The word 
love is never once used in the book of Acts. That doesn't mean 
there's no love. We see love amongst the people 
of God. We see God's love for His people. But the apostolic 
preaching of the cross was to make known Christ in His life, 
Christ in His death, Christ in His resurrection. And then the 
call by the apostles was to believe on Him. to repent from your sin, 
to come to Him for the salvation that He graciously provides in 
His gospel. So now notice, secondly, the 
redemptive focus in his preaching in 38b and 39. This is no be-a-better-you 
sort of nonsense. This isn't sort of self-help 
drivel. This isn't just to try to promote 
a better life for you now while you're in this present age. I'm 
just going to give you some nuggets. I'm going to give you some tidbits. 
I'm going to give you some helpful aspects of life so that you can 
function in a better way while you traverse God's globe. No, 
that's not it at all. He preaches the forgiveness of 
sins, and he preaches justification by faith alone. He preaches the 
most important message any man, woman, boy, or girl will ever 
hear. It is absolutely crucial that 
we understand and that we get our minds wrapped around this 
response to the gospel. So notice, his preaching of the 
forgiveness of sins in verse 38b. Therefore, let it be known 
to you, brethren, that through this man is preached to you the 
forgiveness of sins, the man of whom the law and the prophets 
were concerned, the man who was from the line of David, the man 
who was announced by John the Baptist, the man who was a perfect 
keeper of God's law, and one who died as a sacrifice and substitute 
on the cross, and the one who is raised again from the dead. 
It is through this man, and it's through this man alone. I can 
forgive you horizontally if you sin against me. But this man 
brings peace with God. This man brings justification. This man brings the conscience 
that we all so desperately long for. The best thing, or one of 
the best things, relative to the Christian message is the 
forgiveness of sins. It is having them blotted out. 
It is being washed in the precious blood of the Lamb. It is to know 
the joy of being found in Him. forgiven, and having a righteousness 
that avails with God. With reference to sin, we need 
to appreciate it's not just a little missing of the mark. We are dead 
in our trespasses and sins. We engage in sin like it's sport 
with reference to an athlete. We engage in sin constantly. The Bible tells us we're totally 
depraved. The Bible tells us we're totally 
unable. Now it doesn't use those precise languages theology tells 
us, but it shows us from Scripture that those truths are therein. 
We are messed up. We're not just a little bit off. 
We're not just a little bit lame. We're not just a little bit maimed. 
We're not just a little bit sick. We are absolutely dead spiritually 
before the triune God of heaven and earth. We need our sins forgiven. We need to be cleansed in the 
blood of the Lamb. And no accident, this was an 
emphasis in the apostolic preaching of the cross. Turn to Acts chapter 
two. Acts chapter two at verse 36. 
On the day of Pentecost, Peter preaches. He tells them that 
this outpouring of the spirit was in accordance with the prophecy 
of Joel. He says that the person and the work of the Lord Jesus 
Christ culminating in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension 
on high. He then highlights the fact that 
they were guilty. They were responsible. They were 
the ones that crucified the Lord of Glory, and that's what he 
says. He's addressing Jerusalem sinners, and in verse 36 he says, 
We can't escape that reality in the Bible. The man who doesn't 
know sin, the man who doesn't appreciate his problem, will 
never seek out the remedy. Jesus teaches the same thing 
in his earthly ministry. I did not come to call the righteous, 
but sinners to repentance. He's not suggesting there's a 
class of righteous people that sort of live out there in the 
Pacific somewhere, that I didn't come for them because they're 
already righteous. He's talking about the righteous 
in their own eyes. He's talking about the wise, the wise of this 
age. He's talking about the Pharisees 
and the scribes who fancied themselves as being spotless and pure and 
the sort of governors of the religion of Israel. We need to 
understand our sin. Don't let that bother you if 
you come to a church and the pastor or the preacher points 
out your sin, points us to the law of God to show us that transgression. Again, if we don't know the law, 
we won't know our sin, and we certainly won't see our need 
for the Savior. So Peter brings that to bear upon them, whom 
you crucified. And then verse 37, now when they 
heard this, they were caught to the heart and said to Peter 
and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall 
we do? Perhaps there aren't large audiences of people cut to the 
heart because we don't preach the law of God anymore. We don't 
preach against sin. We don't tell men why they need 
Jesus. We tell them they need Jesus 
so they can be complete or they can be happy or they can have 
a better life and all that sort of thing. We need to preach Jesus 
as the one in whom there is forgiveness and a righteousness that avails 
with God. Perhaps when we take that seriously, we might see 
the Spirit of God working in such a way that sinners are cut 
to the heart. that sinners might actually say, 
men and brethren, what shall we do? So what's Peter's response? 
Then Peter said to them, repent, let every one of you be baptized 
in the name of Jesus Christ, notice the next words, for the 
remission of sins. And you shall receive the gift 
of the Holy Spirit for the promises to you and to your children and 
to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call. 
The remission of sins, the forgiveness of sins. Turn over to chapter 
three, specifically at verse 19. Repent, therefore, and be 
converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times 
of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." Look at 
531. 531 says, "...God has exalted 
to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance 
to Israel and forgiveness of sins." Now, we rehearse these 
passages on the one hand to encourage the people of God to reflect 
once again on how good it is to be a believer, right? It's 
a good thing to have the sins forgiven, to have our transgressions 
dealt with, to have that iniquity washed. But I also rehearse this 
so that if you're an unbeliever, you'll see the nature of the 
redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ. You're a sinner. There happens to be one in the 
universe who has as definitionally part of his job to deal with 
sin. It's a most blessed and glorious 
proposition. You're a wretch, you're a monster, 
you're a ghoul, you're a sinner. That's actually a, an offense 
to monsters and ghouls. We're actually worse than monsters 
and ghouls. Monsters and ghouls do what monsters 
and ghouls are created to do. We are sinners. It's like that 
Uzzah scenario. I mentioned this on Wednesday 
night in the Bible study. Uzzah tries to steady the ox 
cart so that the Ark of the Covenant doesn't fall into the mud. Does 
he expect God's gonna say, good for you Uzzah, I'm glad you, 
you know, you're giving me a hand. No, God kills Uzzah. Why? Because 
the mud does what the mud does. If the Ark of the Covenant falls 
in that, you can clean it off. It's Uzzah that's got the problem. 
It's Uzzah that's defiled. It's Uzzah that's a sinner. So 
the forgiveness of sins is one of the chief boons of the Christian 
religion. It is a wonderful thing to have 
your sins forgiven. In Proverbs we read that whoever 
covers his transgressions will not prosper, but the one who 
confesses and forsakes it will find mercy. And this is what 
Paul is telling, or Peter, is telling the various sinners that 
he's speaking to. Notice in Acts chapter 10, with 
reference to the house of Cornelius, That Gentile, that sort of formal 
Gentile entrance into the covenant of grace made by God in light 
of Israel's Messiah. Look at how Peter finishes his 
sermon with reference to Cornelius and his household. So 1043, to 
him all the prophets witnessed that through his name, whoever 
believes in him will receive remission of sins. There is forgiveness 
to be had. The New Testament simply reiterates 
what we find all throughout the Old Testament. What does David 
say in Psalm 130? If you, Lord, should mark iniquities, 
O Lord, who could stand? That strict justice of God is 
unbending. It is inflexible. And the psalmist 
reflects upon that. If thou, Lord, shouldst mark 
iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? What's he saying? Because 
none of us are without sin. But he continues on and says, 
but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared. If you are not a believer in 
Jesus Christ tonight, come to Jesus Christ and believe. You 
will receive the forgiveness of sins. The man Christ Jesus 
lived for us. He died for us. He was raised 
again for us. Look at 2618. The Apostle Paul 
defending again or highlighting his conversion. And he's speaking 
before a grippa, a pagan, a non-covenant member. And he is speaking concerning 
his own conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice what he 
says in 26.18. Well, verse 17, I will deliver you from the Jewish 
people as well as from the Gentiles to whom I now send you. to open 
their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, 
and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness 
of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith 
in me." So this isn't a one-off in Pisidian Antioch. This isn't 
Paul sort of leaving the script and saying, you know what, I'm 
going to talk about forgiveness of sins here. This punctuated, 
this was part and parcel of the apostolic preaching of the cross. 
You have sinned against a holy God. You have opened yourself 
up to that liability, to his just wrath and curse and punishment, 
both in this life and that which is to come. But there is forgiveness 
with him that he may be feared. And that forgiveness comes as 
a result of this man, the apostle Paul sets before them, this man 
being the Lord Jesus Christ. Now notice he doesn't stop there. 
There is forgiveness to be sure, but notice he speaks concerning 
righteousness. Verse 39, and by him everyone 
who believes is justified from all things from which you could 
not be justified by the law of Moses. Now there's a lot to unpack 
here. In the first place, the Bible 
declares God's demand for perfection. You will search in vain for God 
saying, you know, do your best, try as good as you may, and so 
long as you're, you know, above a D or an F, then you can enter 
into heaven. You don't find that. The demand 
of God is on perpetual, exact, entire, personal obedience on 
the part of the sinner unto God. I remember R.C. Sproul asking 
the question one time. It was rhetorical, and he said, 
you know, if God ever said in his word, you were allotted one 
sin, he doesn't, obviously. But he says, if he did, how long 
ago did we use up that one sin? How long ago did we do that one 
sin? We are called to obey God. The Bible says that God demands 
perfection. The Bible declares as well fallen 
man's inability to perfectly obey God's law. If you're tracking, 
you're going to start to conclude that sounds like bad news. It 
is bad news. God demands perfection, and we 
are utterly imperfection. We are totally depraved. We are 
totally unable. We do not or cannot merit God's 
favor based on our works, based on our righteousness, based on 
our best efforts. The prophet Isaiah, on behalf 
of the people, says that our righteousnesses are like filthy 
rags in the sight of God. And in that particular context, 
he meant their religious observance, their religious performance, 
the things that they were actually doing that, at least to some 
external measure, fulfilled the demands of God's law. He doesn't 
say our adultery, our murder, our theft, our idolatry. He says our righteousnesses are 
like filthy rags. Our best deeds, the good that 
we actually do accomplish is like filthy rags in the sight 
of God. Again, if you're tracking, you're going to say, man, this 
is bad news. This isn't very encouraging. 
The Bible declares God's provision for forgiveness and righteousness 
in and through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. See, we 
often preach Christ and Him crucified, and well, we should. In many 
ways, that summarizes the entirety of the gospel. But we shouldn't 
neglect or forget His life of obedience. When Jesus lived those 
33 years, it wasn't simply in an exemplary manner. It wasn't 
simply a display of how good he was before God Most High. There was an end game in view. That righteousness that Christ 
accomplishes in those 33 years is the righteousness that God 
gives to us. The language of Scripture is 
He imputes it to us, and it is received by faith alone. So the 
demand for perfect righteousness is not obliterated. The demand 
for perfect righteousness is not suspended. The demand for 
perfect righteousness is not done away with. The demand for 
perfect righteousness is fulfilled by Christ himself, such that 
when the sinner, by God's grace, believes on Jesus, he's not only 
forgiven of his sin, which that in and of itself would be great, 
But that would simply transport us back to the Garden of Eden 
to stand probation before the tree of the knowledge of good 
and evil. We then have to effectively pursue righteousness in such 
a way as to win from God final salvation. But that's not all 
that's in justification. It's the forgiveness of sins 
and the imputation of Christ's righteousness to the believing 
sinner. This is why we rejoice in the 
gospel. This is why it's good news. This 
is why we get out of bed each day. This is why, even though 
we sin, we confess it to God, knowing that our sins are forgiven, 
knowing that we have that righteousness that ultimately avails with God. 
So the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all 
sin. The righteousness of Jesus Christ 
clothes us and fits us and prepares us to enter into heaven. It is 
a most blessed exchange. Our sin is heaped upon the Savior. The Savior's righteousness is 
heaped upon us. God made him who knew no sin 
to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God 
in him. That's 2 Corinthians 5, verse 
21. So the Bible declares God's provision 
of forgiveness and righteousness in the gospel of Christ. Turn 
to Romans 1. You see this emphasis in 16 and 
17. Romans 1, the thesis statement concerning Paul's great letter 
to the Romans. 1.16-17 For I am not ashamed 
of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation 
for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the 
Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith 
to faith, as it is written, The just shall live by faith. So, 
in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. 
That's not the perfection of God's righteousness, though that 
is revealed, the attribute of God's righteousness, the fact 
that God is right and that He is righteous. But I think what 
Paul's getting at in 117 is, for in it, for in the gospel, 
the righteousness of God, the righteousness that God demands 
and the righteousness that God provides. That's what the gospel 
delivers. It's the righteousness that God 
demands and the righteousness that God supplies in and through 
the work of his son. For in it, the righteousness 
of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the 
just shall live by faith. Turn as well to the book of Galatians. I'm sorry, Philippians. We'll 
get to Galatians in a few minutes. Philippians chapter 3. Again, 
just the argument that with justification, it does include the forgiveness 
of sins. Paul preaches that in 1338. But it also includes righteousness 
provided by God through Christ's life. through Christ's obedience. Paul expands on this in Romans 
chapter five, here we'll see it in just a moment, in Philippians 
chapter three, we'll get back to what Paul says in 1339 in 
a moment. But notice what Paul says in 
Philippians chapter three, verse seven, but what things were gained 
to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Now in the context, 
he's basically telling us what his sort of spiritual resume 
was. If there was ever a guy that could have got into heaven 
based on his own action, based on his own conduct, based on 
his own performance, Paul was the guy. In fact, look back for 
just a moment. Verse 2, beware of dogs, beware 
of evil workers, beware of the mutilation. Dogs here are not 
canines. They're not pit bulls. They're 
not those vicious dogs that are going to rip you. I don't want 
to get into the pit bull debate. I'm sure some are, oh, they're 
just innocent, wonderful dogs. OK. The dogs here are Judaizers. The dogs here are those who've 
come to the churches in southern Galatia, those churches I mentioned, 
that were part and parcel of Paul's ministry in this first 
missionary journey, and said faith in Christ is requisite, 
but so are the laws of Moses. So is circumcision. So is this 
sort of national identity being part of the Jewish people. So 
he says, beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the 
mutilation. For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the spirit, 
rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 
Now notice his resume. Though I also might have confidence 
in the flesh, if anyone else thinks he may have confidence 
in the flesh, I more so. Circumcised the eighth day of 
the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the 
Hebrews, concerning the law, a Pharisee, concerning zeal, 
persecuting the church, concerning the righteousness which is in 
the law, blameless. See what he's saying? If ever there was 
a candidate that could have been entered into heaven based on 
his Judaism, based on his compliance with the law, based on Torah, 
based on what was stipulated in terms of being a good Jew, 
Paul was that candidate. Paul was the guy. Should have 
been a Shueh. But that's when he says, but what things were 
gained to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed, 
I also count all things lost for the excellence of the knowledge 
of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss 
of all things and count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ. Now notice in verse nine, and 
be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from 
the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness, 
which is from God by faith. We need forgiveness, but we also 
need a righteousness. And this is provided by God through 
our Lord Jesus Christ. And for weary, needy sinners, 
this is the best news you're going to hear today. This is 
as good as it gets. You are a sinner. You stand in 
need of help and grace and mercy and love and kindness and forgiveness 
and righteousness. Christ provides that particular 
task. Look to Him in faith and you 
will have everlasting life. Believer, as you eat this bread 
and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. You proclaim that provision of 
both forgiveness and the righteousness by which you and I will enter 
in to the very presence of God Most High. So Paul in this sermon 
in Pisidian Antioch holds forth these twin blessings of justification. So that through this man is preached 
to you the forgiveness of sins and by him, everyone who believes 
is justified from all things from which you could not be justified 
by the law of Moses. It was simply impossible. The 
problem isn't owing to the law. The problem is owing to sinful 
man. The problem isn't that God's 
law is wondrous and glorious and beautiful and a perfect reflection 
of his will, but rather it's the fact that we're an Adam, 
that we're sinners, that we don't obey that law, that we don't 
do what that law says. Paul elsewhere in 1 Timothy 1 
at verse 8 says, we know that the law is good if one uses it 
lawfully. There is a proper use for the 
law of God in the life of the Christian. But that proper use 
is not trying to obey it in order to be saved. No, we obey it because 
by God's grace we have been saved. And so Paul is simply telling 
a bunch of Jews sitting in a synagogue in Pisidian Antioch that if you 
look to the law of Moses as your means for entrance into heaven, 
you are on a fool's errand. It is never going to happen. 
The only way, the only means, the only manner by which men 
are accepted is that provision of Jesus Christ in the gospel 
of our blessed Savior. In the language of Westminster 
Shorter Catechism, justification is an act of God's free grace 
wherein He pardoneth all our sins and accepteth us as righteous 
in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received 
by faith alone. And that's the instrumentality. 
And by him, everyone who noticed the scripture, everyone who believes 
is justified from all things from which you could not be justified 
by the law of Moses. This is an emphasis by Paul in 
Romans and in Galatians predominantly. but he speaks to the instrumentality 
of faith in other epistles as well. Our movement through the 
book of Ephesians, chapter 2, verses 8 to 10. Faith is, we're not saved because 
of faith, we're saved through our faith. Machen makes the observation, 
faith is not a meritorious work. The New Testament never says 
that a man is saved on account of his faith, but always that 
he is saved through his faith. Faith is the means which the 
Holy Spirit uses to apply to the individual soul the benefits 
of Christ's death. So it is by grace through faith 
in our Lord Jesus Christ that brings us into this sphere of 
peace with God. Look at Romans 5, specifically 
at verse 1. A beautiful, wonderful statement 
of that net effect of justification by faith alone. Therefore, having 
been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord 
Jesus Christ. Therefore, having been justified 
by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, brethren, if you've been 
at this for any amount of time, you'll know that peace is not 
always a warm, fuzzy feeling, is it? Well, I've got this warm, 
fuzzy feeling. That could be heartburn. You 
don't judge your religion based on the feelings or the emotions. There is a concreteness to this. There is a definiteness to this. Those who put all their eggs 
in the baskets of feelings are those people that are like this 
when it comes to the Christian life. Now brethren, as Luther 
said, feelings come and feelings go, but feelings aren't deceiving. 
My warrant is the Word of God. None else is worth believing. 
It is through faith in the Savior. And that faith does not make 
fireworks go off. That faith does not warm your 
heart to the very inner parts of your bowels. That faith doesn't 
set a halo over your head. That faith, rather, is objective. As Machen says, it is the means 
by which the Holy Spirit applies the benefits of Christ to that 
sinner. So don't judge it based on feelings. You know, people say, well, I 
believe the gospel, but nothing happened. What does that mean, 
nothing happened? What are you thinking is going 
to happen? You're going to grow another foot? Your hair is going 
to come back? Your eyes are going to get better? 
This isn't the health, wealth, prosperity gospel. You don't 
quantify it that way. There are times in the experience, 
in the lives of God's people, where they don't always feel 
like they're forgiven. They don't always feel like they're 
righteous. So it's in those times that they 
cleave to the Word of God. They white-knuckle the pages 
of Holy Scripture, and they don't let it go. They understand that 
this is, in fact, their lifeblood. This is the means by which they 
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the 
most freeing and most blessed and most wonderful thing in all 
the world. One man made this observation, 
and just so you know, I absolutely, positively disagree with this 
observation. He says, justification by faith 
alone is just paperwork in heaven. It does nothing to change your 
life. It simply changes your status or your standing in heaven 
before God. I'm sorry, but a change in status 
in heaven before God does everything to change your life. It causes 
you to say, my sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought, my 
sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross and I 
bear it no more. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord. 
Brethren, it's not just paperwork in heaven. Alstead said that 
the doctrine of justification by faith is that article upon 
which the church falls or stands. It's typically ascribed to Luther, 
but it was a theologian by the name of J.H. Alstead. The Scriptures 
are very clear at this point of justification by faith alone. 
That doesn't mean we eliminate the need for preaching on regeneration. 
Of course we preach on regeneration. Of course we preach the transforming 
work of the power of the Holy Spirit in us in a life of sanctification. But that's not what Paul is preaching 
in Pisidi and Antioch. He is preaching not the Spirit's 
work in us to transform us. He is preaching the Lord Jesus' 
work for us. The fact that when we, by grace, 
believe in Him, we are forgiven of our sins and we receive this 
righteousness by which we'll enter in to the very presence 
of God Most High. So when it comes to the Law of 
Moses, it's valuable. It is absolutely crucial. As 
long as we use it lawfully, But Paul tells them, by him, everyone 
who believes is justified from all things, which you could not 
be justified by the law of Moses. Again, it's a fool's error. If 
you hear the law of God, the gospel of God, and you conclude, 
well, you know, I'm going to try to go it on my own. I'm going 
to try to get to heaven on my own. I'm going to try to fulfill 
that righteousness in such a way that God will accept me. I love 
what Fisher says, if you desire to be justified before God, you 
must either bring to Him a perfect righteousness of your own and 
wholly renounce Christ, or else you must bring the perfect righteousness 
of Christ and wholly renounce your own. Take that advice, sinner! Be encouraged, saint! Listen 
to what he says. and wholly renounce your own." 
Fisher goes on, Christ Jesus will either be a whole Savior 
or no Savior. He will either save you alone 
or not save you at all. This is Paul's emphasis in a 
synagogue in Pisidi at Antioch to sinners that stood in need 
of God's saving grace. The accent does not fall on the 
transforming work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification, though 
that is inextricably connected to justification by faith alone. 
Don't leave here tonight saying, Butler denies regeneration. It 
doesn't think it's important. Butler denies sanctification. 
It doesn't think it's important. Butler's preaching Acts 13, and 
for the Apostle, When he comes to bring his sermon to bear upon 
these sinners, he preaches justification by faith alone in Jesus Christ 
for the salvation of sinners. Now notice how he ends. You know, 
Paul, just end there. It's a good high note. You don't 
have to be a negative Nelly, but he's going to be a negative 
Nelly. Look at what he says in verse 40. Beware, therefore. 
It's intriguing because this comes from the prophet Habakkuk. 
Habakkuk chapter 1, verse 5. Well, of course, Habakkuk is 
the famous prophet in 2.4. The just shall live by faith. So Habakkuk is the sort of prophet 
that asks questions of God. You know, you hear that sometimes. 
It's oftentimes associated with sort of a pseudo-Christian, pseudo-religious 
approach. Oh, sure, you can get angry at 
God, and you can question God. No, you can't. No, no, no, no, 
no. Don't do that. We're not supposed to get angry 
with God. We're not supposed to question God. Well, why this? Why this? Why this? Why this? 
But under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Habakkuk did 
ask a couple of questions. And Yahweh was very kind and 
gracious to answer him. Well, in that first series of 
questions, Habakkuk's basically just musing upon the condition 
going on in Israel at the time. And so this passage comes from 
Habakkuk 1.5. Beware, therefore, Paul says, 
lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you. Intriguing, 
Old Covenant prophets are still normative, still applicable, 
still useful in the New Covenant church, in the New Covenant preaching, 
in the apostolic preaching. We don't divide up the Bible 
and say, well, the Old Testament doesn't apply anymore. Paul takes 
this prophet and smacks him right dab in the middle of the synagogue 
and says, listen to what he has to say. Beware, therefore, lest 
what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you. Behold, you despisers, 
marvel and perish, for I work a work in your days, a work which 
you will by no means believe, though one were to declare it 
to you." The emphasis in Habakkuk 1.5 is on the judgment of God 
via Babylon upon Judah for her rebellion against God. They would 
know that passage, brethren. They're Jews in the synagogue 
in Pisidian Antioch. They weren't, well, I wonder 
what Habakkuk had to say. No, they knew their Old Testament. 
They knew these scriptures. And so when Paul appropriates 
that and brings it to bear upon them in light of his having preached 
to them justification by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, 
he brings that to bear upon them. One New Testament commentator 
on the book of Acts, he's a modern, he says this is the only occurrence 
of this term, the word despisers here in verse 41 in the New Testament. It refers to someone who despises 
or has contempt for something. Rejecting God's work in Christ 
puts one in this category. In other words, if you've heard 
this gospel, if you've heard this message, and you don't come 
to the Savior, then this warning is appropriate for you. Beware, 
therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon 
you. Brethren, I know we live in a 
town that acknowledges the absolute and complete sovereignty of God 
Most High. Our church acknowledges the complete 
and absolute sovereignty of God Most High. We have a confession 
of faith back there that will explain all of that to you. But 
the biblical truth of God's absolute sovereignty does not negate the 
responsibility of man. And man must come to the Savior. There is no other name given 
under heaven by which we must be saved. Acts 4. And so to despise 
this, to reject this, to resist this, is again a fool's errand. The Geneva Bible says the benefits 
of God turn to the utter undoing of them that contempt them. Calvin says Habakkuk prophesies 
of the destruction brought upon them by the Chaldeans. But the 
punishment whereby God revenges the contempt of his gospel was 
more severe. Therefore, let us accustom ourselves 
to fear God and reverently embrace his word, lest some such thing 
befall us." Remember Jesus' words in John 8, verse 51, those who 
keep my word. You're not going to be upbraided 
for keeping God's word. You're not going to be upbraided 
for coming to the Lord Jesus and believing in him. That's 
a brand of hyper-Calvinism that distorts the very nature and 
being of God. It turns on its head the whole 
idea of gospel preaching. Yes, God is sovereign, but man 
is responsible. And if you come to him, he will 
in no wise cast you out, according to John 6, 37. He says it in 
Matthew chapter 11, all you who are weary and heavy laden, do 
what? Stay away from me. Don't ever come near me. Stay 
far from me. No, come to me and I will give 
you rest. To obey or to listen or to keep 
or to receive the word of God Most High is not a bad thing. If you've been told that it's 
a bad thing, that's bad preaching. The bottom line is, is that the 
apostle tells these people to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And then notice what happens 
as a result of this preaching. There's a bit of a variant. If 
you're using something in the non-King James tradition, you 
don't get what we get in the New King James or in the King 
James. Look at what it says in verse 42. You may get it, but 
you may get it in the margin. Notice, the Gentiles begged that 
these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Why do you think they begged? 
Because this man preaches forgiveness. This man preaches righteousness. This man preaches a way and a 
means to heaven. This man preaches what we don't 
have in ourselves. We want that. We want to hear 
that. We desire to have that. Oh, that God's gospel would be 
received such in our own generation. We're a gospel-hardened people. 
You don't have to harangue the saints of Christ to even come 
to church anymore. And yet in this town, in Pisidian 
Antioch, you had a class of Gentiles begging that they too could get 
to hear the Word of God. Verse 43, now when the congregation 
had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed 
Paul and Barnabas. So there were those who disagreed. 
We'll see that later in the chapter. We won't, but you can look at 
it later. You'll see that there were those who blasphemed. There 
were those who didn't like what Paul and Barnabas had to say, 
but there were those who followed his logic, who followed the trajectory 
of redemptive history, who saw the telos in the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and by grace they believed. So what does Paul and Barnabas 
do? Persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. Now notice 
44. On the next Sabbath, almost the whole city came together 
to hear the Word of God. That, that is what we pray for. That is what we hope for. That 
is what we cry out to God for and give Him no rest. Revive 
your church. May the church beg to hear the 
Gospel. May the church show up on the 
Lord's Day. May the church actively take 
part in her responsibility and privilege to gather in the house 
of God Almighty. But may there be that trickle 
out effect that the heathen, the pagan here, what's going 
on in that church? Well, they're preaching righteousness 
there. They're preaching justification. They're preaching salvation by 
faith in Jesus Christ. Look at the emphasis, this first 
missionary journey. On the next Sabbath, almost the 
whole city came together. not to hear some political speech, 
not to watch some UFC match, but they've gathered together 
to hear the Word of God Most High. That, brethren, is our 
God. That, brethren, is the God we 
call upon and the God we pray to to bless the proclamation 
of His truth in our own generation. In conclusion, the content of 
the gospel, we see it. It's not your feelings, it's 
not your happiness, it's not your emotional well-being. It's 
about the seed of David, the Lord Jesus Christ, who lived 
a life of perfect obedience, who died as a sacrifice and a 
substitute, and who was raised again the third day. We see the 
response to the gospel. What are men called to do? Go 
out and obey Jesus? Go out and obey the law? Go out 
and do everything you're supposed to do? After, believe on the 
Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. See, our obedience 
to the law of God is a consequence of His justifying grace in our 
lives. It's not It's not the cause of 
our salvation, it's the effect of our salvation. And so the 
response to this word, the response to this message is to believe 
on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. And you will, 
by grace, receive the forgiveness of sins and the imputed righteousness 
of Jesus Christ. Brockel, the Dutch Reformed theologian, 
made this observation concerning justification. He says, it is 
the soul of Christianity. I prefer that than paperwork 
in heaven. It is the soul of Christianity 
and the fountainhead of all true comfort and sanctification. Isn't 
your heart ring out amen with that? What makes you happy in 
your life? Your righteousness? If your obedience, 
your faithfulness, your law-keeping, if you're like me, those are 
the things that most discourage you. Those are the things that 
most concern you. Those are the things that make 
you say, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly 
places in Christ. He goes on to say, he who errs 
in this doctrine errs to his eternal destruction. The devil 
is therefore continually engaged in denying, perverting, and obscuring 
the truth expressed concerning justification. He's right. It 
is happening all around us. May God bless, may God preserve, 
may God protect, and may God cause us always to rejoice. that 
through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in heaven, we thank you so much for this sermon. We thank you 
that we have the book of Acts and the apostolic preaching of 
the cross and the blessing of God upon sinners. What a wonderful 
and encouraging look at redemptive history. And Lord, we know that 
you have not changed. You do not, you cannot change. 
It is impossible for you. You are immutable and impassable. So we call upon you to bless 
the Word as it goes forth, not just here, but throughout this 
earth, that there would be people begging to hear the truth as 
it is in Jesus, that there would be people, by grace, coming to 
our Lord Jesus, believing on Him for the forgiveness of sins 
and that righteousness that avails with you. We ask now that you 
would continue to bless us in this service, bless our time 
as we eat this bread and as we drink this cup, and we pray through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, you can turn with 
me back to Matthew's gospel, Matthew chapter 26, where we'll 
read the section concerning the supper.