An overview for teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 13:42-52, for Sunday, September 8, 2024, with the title, “The Task.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:

INTRO:  ??? Does anyone have a fun/interesting/exciting story from a trip you took overseas???

(I went on a mission trip to Bulgaria a couple of years ago, and the flight home was delayed due to a snowstorm. I hate to miss two Sundays in a row, so I decided to take an overnight bus ride from Bulgaria, through Turkey to the airport to get me home. At one point, in the middle of the night, the authorities at the border took me from the bus to a little “side booth,” where they told me in broken English that I didn’t have the right papers, but they could get me through for 20 Euros. I figured it was a scam, but I didn’t speak the language, and I was pretty happy they weren’t kidnapping me or shaking me down for more, so I was pretty happy to “pay the price” and get through. But traveling through those countries alone, unable to speak the language, is an adventure I will never forget!)

You/your group can share stories you have about overseas trips, then say something like: in today’s lesson we see a report from one of the Apostle Paul’s first mission trips, in the last part of Acts 13. 

CONTEXT

Last time we looked at the first part of Acts 13, where the Lord called Barnabas and Saul out to serve Him on mission to the Gentiles. They left Antioch and began what has come to be called “Paul’s First Missionary Journey” to what is now Turkey. 

Again, I would show a MAP of where this took place, and use it here and later in the lesson. 

We saw that on the first leg of that journey, in Cyprus, Paul spoke to a false prophet, Elymas, who became blind for a time, and people there came to faith in Christ.

THEN :13 says they left Paphos/Cyprus (map) and landed at Perga (on the coast of what is now Turkey) but John Mark left them and went back to Jerusalem. (This will become a big issue between Paul & Barnabas later, as we will see!) 

They left Perga, and went to PISIDIAN ANTIOCH. You’ll need to really clarify this: This is PISIDIAN Antioch — I.e., this is another city by the name of Antioch, Antioch in Pisidia, NOT the Antioch Paul & Barnabas left from to go on mission. (SHOW this on the map so this will be clear in their minds.) 

So the next verses tell how they went to the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch, and Paul brought a message there (you see he now seems to be the major spokesman, not Barnabas) and :16-41 record the message he brought. 

This brings us to our “focus passage” for today, beginning in Acts 13:42.  

OUTLINE

There’s severals ways you could go about addressing this lesson; one of them would be like this;

I. The missionary work of Paul & Barnabas

II. The jealous response of the Jews

III. The good fruit of the Gentiles

OR you could take it in more of a “verse-by-verse” format, but then apply it at the end, by looking at the varied responses/actions of these groups. The responses of these three respective groups are very different, and significant, so I would definitely note them at some point, and apply them to our lives today.

OR — and not every class would be up for this, but if you think yours is, after a brief introduction, divide your class into 3 groups, one each to briefly study the passage for what Paul did, what the Jews did, and what the Gentiles did, and have them report to the class what they found. Then you could comment and add some of the following illustrations/applications to their findings:

TEXT:

I. The Missionary Work of Paul & Barnabas

As we mentioned, 13:16-41 relates the message Paul shared with the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch. So they began their outreach by preaching in the synagogue that was there. 

:42 says that at first “the people kept begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath.” 

And :43 says many Jews and “God fearing Gentiles” followed them. (more on those responses later)

:44 says “The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord”

But :45 says the Jews began contradicting and blaspheming, so in :46 “Paul & Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, ‘It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles” and they quoted Isaiah on how the gospel would be a light to the Gentiles.

So to sum it up, they preached to the Jews in the synagogue first, but when they rejected it, they ministered to the Gentiles.

This would be their pattern on their missionary journeys: they would start preaching and teaching in the existing synagogues of the Jews, and if they were rejected there (which they often were) they would move elsewhere to reach the Gentiles/whoever would listen. We see this pattern numerous times in Acts:

— Acts 13:14 (here Pisidian Antioch), 

— 14:1 (Iconium), 

— 17:1-2 (Thessalonica), 

— 17:10 (Berea), 

— 17:16-17 (Athens), 

— 18:4 (Corinth), 

— 18:19 (Ephesus), 

— 19:8 (Ephesus), 

— 28:17 (Rome). 

So at least NINE times in Acts, Paul goes to the Jews first, in the synagogue — then if he was rejected, he would go to the Gentiles in some other venue.

A couple of things about that:

— This is the pattern Romans 1:16 mentions about the Gospel: “it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

— Second, it shows he started with the people closest to him, relationship-wise, then moved outward. This can be a good pattern for us to follow too: minister to the people who are there where you are: in your church, your Sunday School class, your family, your neighborhood, your town. And if they reject God’s word, then fan out to reach others who might be interested. But start where you are.  

You want to share the principle of the “Concentric Circles,” that Oscar Thompson made popular in his book, The Concentric Circles of Concern”: it shows how we should begin where we are, in our closest relationships, then move outwards towards “Person X.”  

This is basically what Paul & Barnabas did, isn’t it? They started with the closest relationship they had: with the Jews in the synagogue. They had some “connection” with them, because they were also Jews. But when they rejected the Gospel, they did move on to “Person X,” in this case the Gentiles of those cities.  

— A somewhat similar principle we see in Paul & Barnabas here is: Go to the open door that God provides for you. Don’t keep “banging your head” on a door that is closed. Go to the open door He gives you.

(Now there is a good discussion to be had on the question: 

??? What is the role of perseverance in witness/ministry, vs. recognizing closed vs. open doors??? 

And I would say that there is definitely a place to persevere, to keep at it, even though you may not see response; with both an individual, or a ministry/mission setting. You need to discern God’s will for that particular situation.)

But as we see later in Acts 16, when Paul, Luke and others are at Troas, when God gives us open doors for mission & ministry; we need to go through them, as they did in going to Europe.  

So challenge your class Sunday: Is there an open door for mission ministry that God is giving: our church? Our class? You personally? (If your church/class has a special mission/ministry emphasis, you might promote their involvement in that here: encourage your class members to sign up for the mission trip, support the ministry, 

Then notice at the end of the passage, when the Gentiles are receiving the word, the Jews stir up opposition and drive them out of the district. Verse 51 says “But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.” 

Here’s another good principle: When you encounter opposition to the Gospel, shake off the dust and move on to the next person/place God has for you.

This is what Jesus told them to do. In Matthew 10, when He first sent His disciples out on mission, He told them in :14, “Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.”

So when Acts 13:52 here says that Paul & Barnabas “shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them,” that is what they were doing: just following the words of Jesus. Shake the dust off your feet, and and move on to the next place. And that’s what they did: Verse 51 here says: “They went to Iconium.” Just went on to the next place. 

NOTICE one thing Paul & Barnabas did NOT do: they did NOT stop sharing the gospel, or go home from their mission, because of the lack of receptivity and opposition they experienced from the Jews. They just went on to the next city.

Paul & Barnabas are a good example for us to follow today. Don’t let the negative responses that people may have, discourage you from doing what Jesus commands you.

There’s an apocryphal story, but I think makes a good point, about a man who is living in Sodom, who is picketing and protesting the sin there. Someone comes up to him and says, “Man, don’t you know you’re never going to change Sodom?” The man says: “Oh yes; I realized years ago that I’d never change Sodom.” But he said, “I’m still out here because I don’t want Sodom to change ME!”

I think that story makes an amazing point: don’t let the negative responses of other people change you. Hold fast to God’s truth. Persevere in being a good witnesses and and faithful ministers of the Gospel of Jesus! Don’t let the poor responses of others hinder your obedience to Him. That’s what Paul & Barnabas model for us here: they were rejected at Pisidian Antioch — but they dusted themselves off and went right on the next city! Let’s follow their example. If someone rejects your witness/ministry, just “dust yourself off” and go on to the next one God has for you. Don’t stop being a witness. Don’t stop being a minister. Don’t let others’ negative responses change you, or your commitment to the Lord!

So Paul & Barnabas are great models for us in ministry today. I think we could spend a good portion of the lesson on this.

You could also ask your group at the end of this point:

??? What did you see in Paul/Barnabas here that you need/want to imitate today???

II. The Jealous Response of the Jews

As we saw, initially at least SOME of the Jews responded well to the Gospel, as :43 says “many of the Jews and God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas …”. But as we saw, this didn’t last long; :45 says “But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming.”

NOTICE: WHY does the text say the Jewish leaders turned against the missionaries?

It specifically says “WHEN THE JEWS SAW THE CROWDS, they were filled with jealousy,” etc. So the scripture specifically indicates that it was the sight of the crowds, of the success they were having, that turned them against Paul & Barnabas! Hence the title I give to this section: “The JEALOUS response of the Jews.”

In William Shakespeare’s Othello he made shared an analogy about jealousy that’s become an integral part of the English vocabulary: the villain Iago entices the unwitting Othello by saying, “Beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” “Green” had always been associated with “envy” in England, but here Shakespeare first associates it with a “green-eyed monster.” 

But the “green-eyed monster” of jealousy is not reserved for romantic relationships. That “monster” also rears his ugly head in church and ministry relationships as well. How often does a pastor, or staff minister, or church member, succumb to the temptation to be jealous of the success that God gives another minister or member of the church? And often they move to speak, or act against a member or minister, supposedly under the guise of a “theological” heresy, or clothed in some other kind of “spiritual language”— but the genuine, heart reason is that they’re jealous of the success or popularity that God’s given that person.

A prominent example of this in scripture is Saul and David from I Samuel 18. God had tremendously blessed David; he was the hero of the nation after defeating Goliath, and now :7 says “the women sang as they played, and said ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.’” And :9 says “Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.” He was jealous of the popularity David had. 

We need to beware of this in our churches, and in our families, and other relationships today too. You might ask your class to help you apply this:

??? What are some ways that a jealous spirit could raise its head in our lives/churches today???

— why does so and so get the solo in choir and not me?

— why did they get elected to deacon/committee chairman and not me?

— why do THEY get their way in the business meeting?

— envying the leadership and influence of the pastor/other spiritual leaders

— envying the growth of another class, or ministry.

— Why do they get so much publicity and praise for their work, but I do not …

There are all kinds of ways we can be tempted with jealousy in God’s Kingdom work.  

I so greatly admire John the Baptist, who, when his disciples came to him in John 3 and said that everyone was going over to Jesus, did NOT give in to jealousy, but rather said in :27, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from above.” In other words, this is GOD’S work; I am not going to be jealous of it, but celebrate it. And he said those famous words in :30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” 

THAT’S the attitude we should have today. Is someone’s Sunday School class growing? Don’t grumble about it; celebrate it! Is another church in town doing well? Don’t look for things to criticize about them, or say they are only using cheap gimmicks, or whatever. Rejoice! We are all working for the same Kingdom.

Is a fellow family member doing well on their job, or get a new home, or car, or are their children very successful? Don’t begrudge them that; “rejoice and be glad.” Don’t let the “green-eyed monster” invade YOUR church; YOUR town; YOUR family today. It’s an ugly “monster;” it doesn’t look good on you as a follower of Christ. It’s NOT the Spirit of God who’ll ensnare you in “bitter jealousy” as James calls it; it is “natural, earthly, demonic”(from “the world, the flesh, the devil,” James 3:15)

Encourage your group to ask God to help them fight the temptation to jealousy. If anyone is struggling with it, they should memorize John’s words in John 3:27, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from above.” Quote that verse every time you are tempted. And then PRAY for that person/that church/that family member, that God would bless them even more, for His glory! 

Encourage your members not to be caught up in a jealous spirit. Satan tries to use it to pollute and hinder the good things that God is doing — just like in this passage. 

III. The Good Fruit of the Gentiles 

Then after the Jews rejected the Gospel, and Paul and Barnabas said they were going to turn to the Gentiles, :48 says: “When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed, (:49) and the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.”

When God’s word is shared, some good fruit comes of it. Even in the murder of Stephen that we saw earlier in Acts 7, what happened? A seed was sown in Saul’s heart — the very man who was evidently orchestrating the persecution — and he ended up coming to Christ and was saved! 

This is just another good reminder for us: just keep being faithful in sharing the Gospel. 

About 20 years or so ago, our Gulf Coast Baptist Association decided to adopt an unreached people group, and work on it together as churches of our Association. So they adopted one of the IMB’s unreached peoples, a nominally Muslim group in a country in Eastern Europe. The ministry began with prayer, trips, prayer-walking, special needs camps to minister to people. And soon some were saved. Now there is a church established in a city in the mountain region, and on one of our last mission trips, several more were baptized. It’s taken some years, but the gospel is bearing fruit there! 

??? You might share/ask your group to share stories of those who have begun a ministry, shared the gospel with someone, who ended up being saved/bearing fruit???

So encourage them, as Galatians 6:9 says “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” 

The devil does everything he can to discourage us: “nobody’s listening; it’s not doing any good; you’re just turning people against you,” and so on. But don’t listen to him. Don’t lose heart in doing good —if  this verse applies to anything it applies to witness and ministry. Don’t lose heart; keep on sowing those gospel seeds. In due time you’ll reap — IF you don’t lose heart. The only way you won’t reap, is if you get so discouraged that you stop. So don’t stop. Keep on sharing. Keep on ministering Paul & Barnabas are a great example to us of that. HOW MANY TIMES will we see them in Acts, get persecuted, stoned, cast out— and yet they just “kept sowing.” And because they did keep sowing, we are still reaping the fruits of what they did, today!  

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