Acts 13: 44-52 The Jews Oppose Paul Who Turns To The Gentiles

The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord.  But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming.  Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.  For so the Lord has commanded us,

‘I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles,
That You may bring salvation to the end of the earth.’”

 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.  And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.  But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.  But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.  And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus's first mission in His earthly life was to come to the Lost Sheep of Israel so that they may be brought into the fold and be saved.  But when He came to Him, they rejected Him clinging to the traditions of the Law.  However when Moses came to them with the Law, they rejected him also.  Now, many generations later the Jews return to the Law and Jesus emerges with the Now Covenant, but they could not accept it.
After Jesus ascension, the the Word of the Holy Ghost, Paul and Barnabas emerge as missionaries to the Gentiles who are Jesus' other flock.  Multitudes of them accepted the grace that was freely given them and now the Judaizers  become jealous, wanting them to convert to Judaism in order to be saved.  Paul rejects this, as it gives the Jews a monopoly on God's forgiving grace and he proceeds to lead the way into the Church Era, and era that continues today which is also known as the Era of Grace.

Daily Prayer:  Lord Jesus, Your grace is freely given and by us freely given as well.  It is Your desire and ours that all persons become saved, yet until they set aside their desire to earn Your forgiveness, they will be trapped in their sin.  Help people to overcome this self-sufficiency and put their trust in You alone.  Amen.