---

I. A GENERAL SPIRIT OF RELIGIOUS INQUIRY (ver. 42). A sermon has done much when it has broken the monotony of thought, and excited the spirit of religious inquiry.

II. THE CONVERSION OF MANY OF THE HEARERS (ver. 43). The fact that Paul and Barnabas exhorted them to continue in "the grace of God" implies of course —

1. That they had received it. Had been converted.

2. That there was a danger of losing it.

III. A GREAT EXCITEMENT AMONGST ALL CLASSES (ver. 44). The words of Paul had struck into the heart of the population, and set the minds of all alive. During the previous week his sermon was the one subject of talk in all circles. All felt anxious to hear more; so that now, at the dawn of the Sabbath day, they gather in crowds to hear the wondrous truths again. The gospel breaks the stagnant atmosphere of the mind, and unchains the strong winds of thought.

IV. THE STIRRING UP OF A BITTER PERSECUTION (ver. 45). When the Jews saw the crowds of Gentiles flocking to the apostles, and treated by them as on terms of equality with the chosen people, their envy was kindled, the fiendish flame raged in their bosoms, and they began to contradict and blaspheme. They dealt in calumny, reviled them as heretics and false teachers. True and powerful sermons will excite antagonism as well as win converts.

V. THE INCREASED POWER OF THE APOSTLES IN THEIR WORK (ver. 46). Like all true men, they grew greater in the presence of difficulties, and braver as perils thickened around them. Opposition never intimidates great natures in a good cause. On the contrary, it brings out their manhood in defiant attitudes. In the text we have three things —

1. The gospel offered by a Divine plan. "It was necessary," etc. Why? Because Christ had commanded that the Jews should have the first offer. There were reasons for this. Their offer to the Jew "first" was —

(1) The strongest proof of the sincerity of their own faith. The Jew lived on the very scenes where the great facts of Christianity occurred. They were eyewitnesses of the whole.

(2) The strongest proof of the mercifulness of their system. The Jew was the greatest sinner; the Jews crucified the Lord of life and glory.

2. The gospel rejected by an unbelieving people. "Judge yourselves unworthy!" Is not this withering irony? The Jew thinks himself unworthy of eternal life! Proud spirits; they considered nothing too good in heaven or earth for them; they felt themselves worthy of heaven's choicest gifts.

(1) Man's conduct is his true verdict upon himself. A man is not what he may think he is, or say he is, or what others may judge he is. His everyday life pronounces the true sentence upon himself.

(2) Man's sentence upon himself when he rejects the gospel is terribly awful. "Unworthy of everlasting life." The man who rejects the gospel declares by the very act his thorough unfitness for eternal life. He dooms himself to eternal death.

3. The gospel promoted by earnest men. "Lo, we turn to the Gentiles." We have no time to lose. Souls by millions around us want the salvation we are commissioned to offer. We have offered it to you. You have rejected it. Adieu, we hasten to other spheres. Two things are suggested here —

(1) A lamentable condition for a people. These unbelieving Jews are left — the apostles turn from them — the gospel is withdrawn. A greater calamity this than if the sun went down and left their heavens in sackcloth. Mercy will not always continue with a people. "My Spirit shall not always strive with man."(2) An obvious duty for a ministry. It was right for these gospel labourers to leave a rocky, sterile, and unproductive soil, and try elsewhere. Their field is the world. Ministers are justified and often bound to leave their sphere of labour. That ministry which is unsuccessful in one sphere is often prosperous in another. The apostles wrought wonders amongst the Gentiles.

4. The gospel designed for the world by the mercy of God. "For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying," etc. They assured them fruit of God's special kindness to them.

VI. A PRACTICAL ACCEPTATION OF THE GOSPEL BY A LARGE NUMBER OF THE GENTILES (vers. 48, 49). The idea is, that as many as were disposed unto eternal life — the gospel — believed in it; and this is evermore the case.

VII. THE EXPULSION OF THE APOSTLES FROM THEIR COASTS AND THEIR DEPARTURE TO ICONIUM (vers. 50-52). "Devout" in the sense of being proselytes, "honourable" in the sense of social rank. The persecuting Jews used the influence of these women to banish the apostles. Women have often been used as tools in the hands of persecutors. The persecutors so far succeeded that the apostles withdrew. "But they shook off the dust of their feet against them." The act does not mean indignation. No fires of revenge or resentment glowed in their bosoms. It was a dramatic act expressing abhorrence of their conduct in desecrating the most sacred of missions.

(D. Thomas, D. D.)

---

---

KJV: And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

WEB: So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.