Sermon notes from Sunday 3 March 2019 pm
Acts 19 verses 12 - 17
Whenever we turn to this man Gallio we
realise he was easy to get on with, he was used to sorting out difficulties,
handling the affairs he has in the Roman Empire. At that time he had come to this area for a
few months. Maybe that is why the Jewish
authorities were quick to bring Paul before him. There is one thing recorded of him
"Gallio cared for none of those things." Commentators would tell us different
things. He was concerned about the
beatings Sosthenes received at the judgment seat. He was not concerned about eternal
things. He swept it all under the
carpet. Maybe the same could be said of
you tonight. That you care for none of
these things. Think of the young man who
sat under the greatest preacher, the Lord himself in Luke 12. He sat and listened to the Lord speaking of
man`s need, of man`s soul, the vision of the soul, of a heaven to be gained and
a hell to be shunned. That man listened
to all that was said. When he stopped
speaking the young man asked him "will you speak to my brother that he
might divide the inheritance with me."
Not interested in eternal things at all.
There was another man Jesus told "thou are not far from the kingdom
of heaven." You can hear all about
the Saviour, how he bled and died yet walk away, not concerned with these
things.
How he was confronted. We all come to the saving knowledge of Christ
in different ways. Isn`t it wonderful
how the Lord brings us into confrontation with the gospel. Gallio would never have gone along to any of
Paul`s meetings. Lydia did, she followed
the women to the riverside one day. She
was confronted with the message of the gospel.
I am sure Gallio was not the kind of man you could confront in the
street. He probably had heavy guards
around him. See how the Lord works it
all out. Paul is brought before him
accused of preaching something that is contrary to the Jewish religion. God has it ordained that you be confronted
with the gospel tonight. Bishop Latimer
was a man in the Catholic priesthood. Thomas
Bilney was also once a Roman Catholic priest.
He was saved and somehow the Lord put it in his heart to reach Bishop
Latimer. They would have been poles
apart. When was this man Bilney going to
confront Latimer with the gospel? One day
the Bishop was in the very chapel Bilney was in. He thought to himself how am I ever going to
reach this man? He went up to Bishop
Latimer and asked him "will you hear my confession?" The Bishop agreed and went into the confession
box with Bilney. He told the Bishop
"my heart was empty, I had the greatest hunger in my heart, I tried
everything to find peace, tried everything the Roman Catholic church offered,
confessions, prayers but I could not find peace until one day someone gave me a
New Testament scripture. I read how the
Lord left heaven`s glory, how he came into the world to die on the cross to
redeem me, to save me from my sins, that he was buried and rose again and today
is in heaven at his father`s right hand ever living to make intercession for
me." The great Bishop couldn`t wait
to get him out of the confession box but Bilney left something in his
heart. He sought and sought and sought
until God saved his heart as well. How
often we see Paul being ridiculed, thrown into prison, being beaten - why -
just to bring him to someone who needed to hear the gospel of saving
grace. Remember how the Philippian
jailer who beat Paul yet God was using those circumstances to later bring him
to faith in Christ. Gallio didn`t
understand this man standing before him.
He was about to tell him of great saving grace and how he might be
saved. He didn`t appreciate it one
little bit. As we come tonight could it
be said of you, you are caring of these things.
He was confused. In some respects we see the wisdom of Gallio
as a governor. In verse 15 the Jews are
claiming Paul is preaching something that is contrary to their religion. This was something to silence Paul once and
for all. It was contrary to Jewish law
and even Roman law. In verse 18 he
didn`t want to get involved with the argument about the law and about the names. He sat on the fence. How many do the same today. They hear their need to be saved. The Holy Spirit brings convicting power. Somehow they don`t want to acknowledge their
sin, that the only way to be saved is by trusting in God. To turn from their sin, leave the meeting, go
out remaining sitting on the fence.
Verse 14 he silenced the voice of God.
I wonder what Paul was about to say.
That Jesus Christ was the sinless son of God, how he came to his own
people yet they received him not. He
came to seek and to save that which was lost.
He would have told Gallio he was lost too and needed to be saved. Maybe Gallio knew all this and didn`t want to
hear it. He silenced his voice. How many times have you closed your ears and
heart to what God is saying to you? We
have all sinned, every one of us has come short of the glory of God. Maybe you don`t want to face the truth. There is only one way to God. Pilate stood before the Lord and said
"what is truth?" We have so
many religions today, places today preaching a so called gospel, bringing doubt
to people today. They feel they are
ready for home yet lost in their sin. You
will never sort it out in your heart.
Never fully understand - how could you ever understand that love of God
in taking his son. The one who was
perfect and sinless and sent into this sin cursed world, that he would give his
life on the cross of Calvary in exchange for your soul. How could you ever fathom that, take that in,
it is impossible.
The carelessness of this man
Gallio. No doubt he was a man of
learning, high intellect, ability yet quick to discard this argument. He was ready to cast it out of his mind - do
what ever you want, I want to have nothing to do with it. Just as Paul was about to open his mouth
Gallio silenced him. Many dismiss the
gospel without realising they have missed out on hearing the most important
thing in their life. If you are not
saved tonight do not be careless about that soul of yours. Salvation is about a decision. When God speaks to you, shows you your great
need of salvation it is not something you drift into. It is taking the Lord at his word. Come to Christ tonight. Don`t dismiss it. Hebrews 4 verse 2 "for unto us was the
gospel preached as well as unto them but the word preached did not profit them
not being mixed with faith to them that heard it." That is the difference between the saved and
the unsaved. The gospel goes forth, you
take it into your heart, believe it, trust it, take Christ as Saviour and Lord,
the Holy Spirit`s part is to apply is to your heart and your part is to trust
him.
The sad consequences for this man
Gallio. He didn`t want to get involved in
this argument. Maybe doing it for the
last time. We don`t read of him having
another opportunity to hear Paul. That
is the consequences of dismissing the word of God. If you do not get saved tonight you are
turning your back on the claims of a thrice holy God whereas you should be
saying "thank God for the privilege of getting saved." Gallio looked at Paul, turned his back on
him, cared not for his Saviour, stopped him in his tracks.
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