Gary Gleans

                                                                             Acts 13:13-15 Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem,   14  but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.   15  After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.”   The first missionary journey continues to progress.  This short passage has some important lessons in it that are good to observe about ministry.  The following passage is so long and so important that it may easily swallow up that which might be learned from this passage.  There are many things about being in ministry that will take us by surprise.  The same was true for Paul and his companions.  It is not an easy task but is one that requires for us to

                                                                             Acts 13:4-12 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.   5  When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them.   6  When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.   7  He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.   8  But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.   9  But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10  and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?  

                                                                                  Acts 13:1-3 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.  2  While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”  3  So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.   The church at Antioch has already been a great example of what a church should be.  It was growing the evangelism and discipleship.  It was generous and known for the Christ like character of its members.  However, this passage takes the impressiveness of this church to new heights.  The become the first recorded church to be intentional about missions.  Up until this point the spreading of the Gospel had taken place mostly as a result of persecution.  The church in Antioch

                                                                        Acts 12:20-25 Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and   having persuaded Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because   their country depended on the king's country for food. 21  On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. 22  And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!”   23  Immediately   an angel of the Lord struck him down, because   he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. 24  But   the word of God increased and multiplied. 25  And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them   John, whose other name was Mark. Political power almost always leads to pride.  Pride always leads away from God.  God is the only true source of power.  Herod has bee