A Witness for Jesus (Acts 13:13-31)
A. Jesus and David
1) David, a forerunner of Jesus (13-22)
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 synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak." Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: "Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt, with mighty power he led them out of that country, he endured their conduct for about forty years in the desert, he overthrew seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to his people as their inheritance. All this took about 450 years. "After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: `I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'
2) Jesus, a descendant of David (23-26)
"From this man's descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised. Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. As John was completing his work, he said: `Who do you think I am? I am not that one. No, but he is coming after me, whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.' "Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.
B. Which of these people will you be like?
1) People who denied Jesus (27-29)
The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.
2) People who became Jesus' witnesses (30,31)
But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.
Summary
Paul's message, delivered in the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch, was similar to that of Peter and Stephen in that they all taught that Jesus had come to fulfill the teachings of the Old Testament. While many Jews were unable to recognize or receive Jesus as the messiah, there were some who became his witnesses, which is why the good news has reached us today. All who hear the good news about Jesus are faced with the decision of either denying him or becoming his witness in the world.
For Discussion
1) Why did Paul speak about David?
2) What kinds of people become Jesus' witnesses?