THE PROMISE March 4, 2012—PM Category: Salvation Dowlen Road Church—Max Dawson Introduction: 1

THE PROMISE March 4, 2012—PM Category: Salvation Dowlen Road Church—Max Dawson Introduction: 1. One of the great sermons recorded in the Bible is that which is found in Acts 13:16ff. a. The scene is at a synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia (as distinguished from the Antioch in Syria). The date is near 50 AD; it is on the Sabbath (Saturday). In the crowd are both Jews and Gen- tiles (Acts 13:13-16). b. Paul’s sermon will culminate in preaching Jesus as the resurrected Savior, and that by Christ Jesus remission of sins can be found (Acts 13:28-39). This was Paul’s consistent message. 2. I like Paul. I like His preaching. I especially like the fact that he preached the three promises to Abraham. His sermon at Antioch begins with the history of the nation, the land, as well as the seed promise. Paul knew that God’s plan for saving men was inseparably linked to Genesis 12:1-3. 3. The first two promises had meaning only because of promise number three. The first two were not an end in themselves; but number three is indeed the end, and gives the first two meaning. In fact, promise number three is so significant that it is often just called “the promise.” Redemption offered to all people through Christ (the seed of Abraham) is the summation of all of God’s promises.

The Lesson: I. Paul’s preaching of the promise at Antioch, Acts 13:16-26. A. Note the structure of his teaching. 1. He not only addresses Israelites in Acts 13:16; he also addresses “You who fear God.” This refers to Gentiles at the synagogue. (See also verse 42). This was consistent with the promise that the seed of Abraham would be a blessing to all families of the earth. 2. He mentions the fathers—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The three promises were specifical- ly made to these men (Genesis 12:1-3; 22:18; 26:3-4; 28:13-14). 3. Paul speaks of the nation of Israel in Acts 13:17. God built that nation while they were in Egypt (Genesis 46:2-3). God fulfilled the nation promise and brought Israel out of Egypt. 4. God brought the nation to the promised land of Canaan, Acts 13:18-19. The land was dis- tributed to the twelve tribes (as recorded in the book of Joshua). 5. With the nation and land promises fulfilled, God first gave them judges to rule the land; and then gave them kings, Acts 13:20-21. This covered 500+ years of Israel’s history. 6. Paul then leaps to the fulfillment of promise number three—the seed, Acts 13:23. While this speaks of Jesus as David’s seed, David was of the seed of Abraham, Matthew 1:1. 7. Paul preached “the promise.” In this context, it includes both the promise to David and to Abraham, Acts 13:24-26. The goal of the promise had always been salvation. On this day, salvation was offered to both Jews and Gentiles at Antioch. B. Paul had great understanding of God’s plan. What He understood, we need to grasp. What a blessing that 4,000 years after the promise we can be partakers of the very same salvation. II. Paul’s preaching of the promise to the Galatians. A. We speak of the book of Galatians as the book that shows we are not under the Law of Mo- ses, but rather under Christ. Indeed, it shows that, Galatians 2:16, 21. But there is much more in the book. In no other place in the New Testament is the matter of “the promise” so clearly explained. But how is the promise tied into this concept that we are not under the Law? What do those things have to do with one another? That’s what Galatians 3 is about. 1. Galatians 3:1-9. The blessings provided by the Holy Spirit did not come by the Law, but by the hearing of faith. Only those who are of faith are blessed—not the law-keepers. 2. Galatians 3:10-14. Everyone who is under the Law is under a curse; he is obligated to keep every part of the Law. But Christ has redeemed us from such a curse. We are not obligated to the Law. We receive “the promise of the Spirit through faith.” The blessing of Abraham is on the faith-keepers, not on the law-keepers. The “promise of the Spirit” is a reference to the promise the Holy Spirit made to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3. 3. Galatians 3:15-18. The Law of Moses was given more than 400 years after the promises were made to Abraham. But the giving of the Law did not change the promises. It was still God’s plan to justify men by means of faith in Christ—not by means of keeping the Law. 4. Galatians 3:19-25. The Law was a temporary system, intended to govern Israel only until the time when the promised seed would come. The Law served only as a schoolmaster (or tutor) until Christ came. Now that the faith system is here, men are not under the Law. 5. Galatians 3:26-29. We are made children of God by means of the faith system given by Christ (not by the Law system). Here are some facts about our salvation: a. We are sons of God only when we are in Christ Jesus. b. We come into Christ through means of our faith—not by keeping Moses’ Law. c. We come into Christ at baptism. We are baptized into a relationship with Him. d. We put on Christ at baptism; that is, we receive all the blessings He gives. e. It makes no difference if we are Jew or Gentile—one salvation is for all. f. Since we belong to Christ, we are counted as offspring (seed) of Abraham. This means you can look back at Genesis 12:3 and see yourself in the direct line of bless- ing from God through Abraham to yourself. You are an heir according to the very promise God made to Abraham. That is something special! B. Our God is special. The promise to Abraham is special. Jesus is special. And, because you belong to Jesus Christ, you are special! Let no one deny you that.

Conclusion: 1. What Paul preached at Antioch and to the Galatians, we continue to preach today. Don’t you wish everyone preached this very special message of salvation? 2. Whether other men preach it or not, you can be the recipient of the promise today. Will you be bap- tized into Christ today? Remember the promise is only in Christ.