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Unlikely Leaders

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    Paul Speaks Plainly

    Paul said, “My brothers, ... because the residents of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize Him or understand the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, they fulfilled those words [the prophecies] by condemning Him” (NRSV)ULe 64.7

    Paul did not hesitate to speak the truth about the Jewish leaders. “Though they found no cause for death in Him,” the apostle said, “they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead. He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people.”ULe 65.1

    “And we declare to you glad tidings,” the apostle continued. “God has ... raised up Jesus.”ULe 65.2

    And now Paul preached repentance and forgiveness of sin through the merits of Jesus their Savior: “By Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.”ULe 65.3

    The apostle’s appeal to Old Testament prophecies and his declaration that these had been fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth were convincing. And his assurance that the “glad tidings” were for both Jews and Gentiles brought hope and joy.ULe 65.4

    “So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.” “Many Jews and devout converts to Judaism” (NRSV) accepted the good news that day. Paul and Barnabas “persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.”ULe 65.5

    The next Sabbath, the interest that Paul’s words had stirred up brought together “almost the whole city ... to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul.ULe 65.6

    “Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, ‘It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.’”ULe 65.7

    “When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” Thus “the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.”ULe 65.8

    Centuries before, prophecy had predicted this ingathering of the Gentiles. (See Hosea 1:10; 2:23.) The Savior Himself foretold the spread of the gospel among them. (See Matthew 21:43.) And after His resurrection He commissioned His disciples to go “into all the world” and “make disciples of all the nations.” (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19.)ULe 65.9

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