Do You Consider Yourself Worthy of Eternal Life? - Acts 13

In chapter 13, verses 16 through 41, Paul delivers a gospel message to the Jews and attending Gentiles in the synagogue.  It mirrors Stephen's message to the Sanhedrin.  It is so overwhelming that the following happens:

⁴² As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. ⁴³ When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

⁴⁴ On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. ⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.

The Jewish church leaders hate not being the focus of the attraction of the church, just as their brothers in Jerusalem.  So, they oppose them and their message.  They didn’t mind this original message, but now that the whole city is there to hear it and it is going to affect their daily lives and their control of the church, they don’t like it anymore.  This will happen over and over with the Jewish leaders and even with some Gentile leaders.  Anytime the gospel message that Paul brings to their city causes a disruption in their standard of living, they reject them, cause a city uproar and run them out of town, often after beating them.

People are the same today.  People like the idea of Jesus loving them and dying for them and having their eternal security.  They don’t like learning the other things Jesus said and His words describing obedience.  This means they will have to change their life and possibly not do the things they want to do or live the way they want to live - change their standard of living.  It is incredibly hard for people to take themselves off the throne of their life.

This message of Jesus as the Messiah and the redemption of sins having fulfilled the law of Moses was hard for the Jews to accept and it would affect their life significantly if they believed it, as it should.

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷ For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

Paul and Barnabas are not intimidated when they are rejected by the Jews.  In fact, they answer them boldly.  This means they are not intimidated by the rejection.  It’s as if their mindset is like someone offering a glass of water to parched people who have traveled through the desert.  They bring them clean good water.  However, their blood brothers reject it because it is in the wrong glass.  “We want the water, but it’s in the wrong glass.  You should have known to bring it in the other glass.”  “I’m sorry, but this is the only glass with water.  Whoever is thirsty has to drink from this glass.”  Rather than leave and get the right glass, they offer it to anyone who is also thirsty and those drink heartily from it. 

Notice the condemnation in their reply.  You who reject this message “do not consider yourself worthy of eternal life”.  This is a decision you are making about your eternal life and you do not believe you should have it.  There is never, never any doubt about the reality of the Message.  They do not back up on the message.  They don’t apologize for it.  They do not doubt it or 2^nd guess it.  They state it boldly as the truth.  This is the Message.  If you reject it, you don’t believe you’re worth eternal life. 

This is a message for Jews and Gentiles and Paul was clear about that from the beginning.  He said “Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles” (v. 26) when he started.  Some of the Gentiles believe and accept Jesus as their Savior.

⁴⁹ The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. ⁵⁰ But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. ⁵¹ So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. ⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

The Jews run them out of the city.  Anytime people start believing the message, the evil ones seeks to make the message stop or be quiet.  Undoubtedly, they are being watched as they leave town.  Paul and Barnabas leave, shake the dust from their feet as Jesus had taught the disciples when He sent them out, and as a warning to the Jews regarding the rejection of God.  However, the disciples, those who received the gospel and believe in Jesus are filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.  We should pray earnestly for joy and for the Holy Spirit.