Even though the Jews resisted the Gospel message, Paul and Barnabas continued to be a light to the Gentiles. Acts 13: 46 Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, “It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles. 47 For the Lord gave us this command when he said, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.’” [1]
Paul quoted Isaiah 49:6 here. From this, we can see that God’s desire was for the nation of Israel to include the Gentiles in the faith. They had refused, and it took a remnant of one, Jesus, to begin to reach out beyond the Jewish nation. Now His followers, Paul and Barnabas, are continuing His mission.
Rejection to Redirection
Often, closed doors can lead to new, unexpected opportunities for ministry. The Jews pushed back against Paul’s message, but the Gentiles received it with joy. Acts 13: 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers. 49 So the Lord’s message spread throughout that region…52 And the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. [2]
This shows that as we share the Gospel with those around us, we must be open to God’s leading. Paul, as a zealous Jew, desired that other Jews come to know Jesus. But when they refused to listen, Paul took the message to those who would listen. Even in adversity, Paul found courage and hope to continue to preach the Gospel. But he had to preach to a different audience. We, too, must be willing to adapt our sharing of Jesus to those who are open to receive His message.
A Joyful Community
The Gospel’s transforming power left a group of Gentile believers filled with joy, empowered by the Holy Spirit. After Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended on the Jewish believers in the upper room, the Book of Acts gives us other examples of the Spirit falling on believers. The Samaritan believers received the Holy Spirit when the apostles laid hands on them (Acts 8:17). Cornelius and friends, Gentiles, received the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:44).
The Gospel doesn’t leave things the same; it is a message that both divides and delivers. The Jews who refused to believe became angry and aggressive. But the message is a light to the Gentiles in Pisidian Antioch, and they become a community of joyful, Spirit-filled people. Paul and Barnabas escaped the persecution and hurried on to the next town.
We should expect both acceptance and rejection when we share the message of Christ. Our joy is to be rooted in the Holy Spirit and not our circumstances. Even when our initial efforts seem to fall short, God can redirect us to more fruitful areas. There is fulfillment and joy in witnessing lives changed by Jesus.
To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/a-message-that-divides-and-delivers
[1,2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.