Acts 13:36-40

 

Acts 13:36 (KJB)

For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

 

Paul now turns to David and states that after he served his generation, he had physically died and since his body is still in the tomb, 1,000 years at that time and 3,000 years in our time, his physical body definitely saw corruption. This verse is one of my favorites because it conveys a tremendous principle for the Christian’s life. Notice that is states that David served his own generation. Every Christian is born at a certain time in history by the plan and purpose of God. This also means that each Christian has a specific plan of involvement in the time period they are alive. David had served his generation and each Christian is required to serve their generation. Every Christian has a reason of existence. Woe out the Christian who claims they don’t know what God’s will is and just walk around this world and have no impact on anyone or anything. Many Christians waste years of their lives, which cannot be replenished or replaced, by doing nothing but going to church and sometimes not even that. If we look at the life of David, we can see that he faced many hardships from the time he was anointed king and the actual time he took the throne. If a Christian never receives any challenges or rebukes in their life from the world because of their stand for the Gospel, it means they are pleasing Satan and he will leave them alone. Our responsibility is to be an influence in the sphere where God has placed us. You may only have a ministry to five people, but if you impact them, that influence will be carried to others and will multiply. If you are walking around like a spiritual zombie complaining you don’t know what to do, here is a suggestion. Take a few dollars from your CD fund and buy some tracts and hand them out. You can hand out a few hundred tracts in one night. I know, I have handed out as much as 500 per night. You may not know your spiritual gift yet but you sure have the ability to hand out tracts because all that requires is use of your arms.

 

Acts 13:37 (KJB)

But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

 

Corruption - Decay or decomposition

 

Paul now restates the truth from the Scripture verse he quoted previously. He is emphasizing the fact that God raised Christ from the dead and as a result, His physical body saw no corruption in comparison to the body of David, and as a matter of fact to all the Prophets and Apostles who physically died and were buried. Peter had preached this exact message that David saw corruption after he died, but the Lord Jesus Christ did not.

 

Acts 13:38 (KJB)

Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

 

Now the Apostle Paul has gone from preaching to exhortation. Paul begins the final part of his sermon with the message of salvation. Paul is emphasizing the fact that salvation does not come through the keeping of the law but salvation has a narrow conduit and that conduit is the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 14:6 KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Paul is basically restating the narrow way of salvation only comes though the Lord Jesus Christ as He Himself stated in John 14:6. One can no longer find any type of atonement in the animal sacrifices as they have been done away with because they were only foreshadows. Forgiveness of sins comes only through Christ and that is it.

 

Acts 13:39 (KJB)

And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

 

The law of Moses could by no means make anyone justified in the sight of God. To be justified is to be freed from the guilt of any crimes which in this case would be violation of the law of God, that would require a penalty which is eternal damnation. (Rom 3:25-26 KJV) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; {26} To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. The law of Moses was weak, in that it could not save. (Rom 8:3 KJV) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: In Christ, the penalty of eternal damnation on behalf of the Elect was paid for on the cross and therefore the believer is justified in God’s sight.

 

Acts 13:40 (KJB)

Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;

 

Paul now gives them a warning that if they reject and refuse Christ, then the warnings which are written in the prophets, will come upon everyone who rejects Christ or hates Him. The books of the prophets were filled with many encouraging prophecies but the majority of their teachings were warnings especially when you read the book of Jeremiah. (Jer 23:2 KJV) Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. Here Jeremiah prophesies against the leaders of Israel who were involving themselves with the false religion of Baal worship. (Jer 2:8 KJV) The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit. Paul wanted his hearers to examine themselves and that they would not wind up under eternal damnation but would realize and accept that Christ was the only way of salvation according to the Scriptures.

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