Daily Reading: (Acts 13:13-15):“From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”
God made his people (parah) to bear fruit (Exodus 1:7). John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.” There is no situational disqualifier for fruit bearing even when facing a famine or even when you are imprisoned or enslaved (Exodus 1:7, John 15:5).
Paul goes on a history lesson from Moses to Jesus in about 30 seconds. Paul’s goal is to get the Jews from Moses to Jesus, from law to grace (Acts 13:16-25). Paul continues to tell about Jesus’ death and resurrection and what that means for us in verses 28-35 and he uses Psalms as a proof text to do it so the Jews would receive this word.“Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Jesus said the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name and that’s exactly what Peter (see Acts 5:31), Paul (see Acts 13:38), and the other apostles did.
They proclaimed the good news of forgiveness – forgiveness as a noun, forgiveness as a done-deal and the invitation was for people to believe in it and receive it.Every Christian knows what it means to begin with the grace of God but not every Christian continues in the grace of God (Acts 13:43). To continue in the grace of God is to continue in Jesus. It’s trusting him from start to finish.
“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”“I have made you”-(tithēmi). A better translation of tithēmi would be the word placed. So it would read that God has placed us as a light for the Gentiles (Acts 13:47). “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” It is freeing and even joyful to not carry the baggage from another with you (shake off the dust) as you move forward in your life celebrating whenever and however the Word of the Lord is spread (Acts 13:51-52).