Here we have the rest of Paul’s sermon at Pisidian Antioch.
Paul spent as much time talking about 1500 years of Jewish history as he did detailing the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and what it means! Do you think that he’s trying to make a point as to the importance of Jesus? He quotes from Psalm 2, 16, and Isaiah 55 to support his testimony, and encourages them to believe so that their sins will be forgiven. He then quotes from Habakkuk 1:5 to warn them not to be scoffers!
More people arrive to listen the next day, but the Jews begin to argue and revile against Paul and Barnabas when they see the crowds. This is where we find support for the idea that Paul’s primary mission is to the Gentiles. He quotes from Isaiah 49:6 to show that God’s Messiah is for more than just the Jewish people. Jesus is the savior of the Gentiles too! The Gentiles rejoice, and “all who had been appointed (designated) for eternal life believed.” That was enough to have the Jews use their influence to get them thrown out of the region. Even with that, the disciples recognize that God is working, and rejoice!
Let’s make sure that we look for where God is working in our lives and in the world around us. He is always working, so there is always a reason to rejoice!
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