What Should I Believe?
BRD REFLECTIONS:
Acts 13:1-52 and Psalms 20:1-9 (NIV)
(Joshua Ong, from Small Group Ministry)
READ:
Acts 13:1-52 (NIV)
OBSERVE:
Paul is a true prophet of God. Paul is described as being part of the group of ‘prophets and teachers’ at the church in Antioch (v1), and this is contrasted with his opponent, Bar-Jesus, who is described as being a ‘false prophet’ (v6).
But what does this true prophet speak of? When Paul expounds his Spirit-inspired message in the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch (vv 26-41), Paul first lists examples of God’s generosity and faithfulness to the people of Israel (vv17-22). In the line of the gifts that God has given to his people, Paul speaks of the most important: ‘… God has brought to Israel a Saviour, Jesus, as he promised.’ (v23) And why is this gift ‘good news’ (v32)? Because ‘through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses’ (v39). Those who believe are ‘appointed to eternal life’ (v48). The gift of Jesus is weighty because of the blessings it brings.
But it is also weighty because rejecting Him leads to judgment. In his sermon, Paul quotes from Habakkuk in v41 to warn his listeners that not believing in Jesus has serious consequences. In Habbakuk, the ‘work’ that God was doing was the bringing of judgment on an idolatrous Israel by bringing the Babylonians to invade and conquer it. In a similar way, those who choose not to believe face the judgment of God. The Jews who oppose Paul have judged themselves ‘unworthy of eternal life’ (v46).
APPLY:
In Acts 13, we see the proconsul Sergius Paulus in Paphos (v7) and the Jews and Gentiles in Pisidian Antioch (vv15, 43, 48), being confronted by two messages: Paul’s message of the gift of Jesus, and the message of those who oppose him. As someone who considers myself a Christian, it can be tempting for me to believe that I have graduated from the need to be reminded of the gospel of Jesus. However, Acts 13 presents the world as being one where we are constantly presented with contrasting voices. The question remains for me: what will I choose to believe in? This is especially important as ideas of other things that I may imagine would save me e.g. intelligence, career, money, may compete with my belief and trust in Jesus.
DO:
I will treasure the gospel of Jesus and be reminded of the blessings he brings: salvation, forgiveness and freedom.
I will choose to not listen to the promises made by other seeming sources of security and blessing in the world.
PRAY:
Dear Lord, thank you that you have been faithful and loving in fulfilling your promises to bring salvation, forgiveness and freedom to me by giving your Son Jesus. Help me to keep trusting in Him and help me to not turn to other things which may confuse me as to what the true source of blessing and security in my life should be. Amen.
