A Series on Acts - #65
Speaker Notes
Acts 13:13-15
In Pisidian Antioch
13 From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. 14 From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”
The Acts of the Apostles 13: 16-41 (Paul’s Sermon) Biblegateway link
Ephesians 1:9-10
9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem (313-386), extract from the Procatechesis (Prologue to the Catecheses)
5 Perhaps you have another reason for coming. perhaps some man among you has come because he wants to win the approval of his girl-friend; the same can apply to women too. Perhaps a slave has wanted to please his master or someone has wanted to please a friend. I accept this as bait for my hook and let you in. You may have had the wrong reason for coming, but I have good hope that you will be saved. Perhaps you didn’t know where you were going or recognize the net waiting to catch you. You have swum into the Church’s net. Allow yourself to be caught; don’t try to escape. Jesus is fishing for you, not to kill you but to give you life once you have been killed. For you have to die and rise again. You have heard the Apostle say: ‘dead to sin, alive to righteousness’. Die to your sins and live to righteousness. Make today the first day of your life.