Acts 13:4-12

                                                             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 him10 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? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

 

The first missionary journey started with Saul, first called Paul in this text, Barnabas and John Mark who assisted the two men whom the Spirit had separated for the ministry of advancing the Gospel to the Gentiles.  This is a high calling, but one that would be undertaken with both opposition and the power of the Spirit.  This continues to be true today.  When we seek to advance the Gospel, we will experience opposition.  However, we will also see God’s faithful and abundant provision in our lives.

 

THE PROCLAIMATION OF THE GOSPEL: This missionary task is a clear one.  We are called to advance the Gospel and announce the Gospel.  In order for there to be disciples in all nations, as Jesus commissioned His disciples to work towards, believers must go to those places.  Saul, Barnabas, and John left where they were in Antioch and set sail for other places.  Once they arrived, they traveled within that region proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus.  They went to the Jewish Synagogues first as that is where they would be most readily accepted, and it would be where they would find the most likely leaders for the new church that would be born.  It is the Gospel of Jesus that transforms lives.  That is the message we are called to proclaim wherever we go.

 

THE OPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL: The Gospel will always have enemies.  Satan knows that the message of Christ will change lives and save men from their sin.  He will always seek for ways to hinder the advance of the Gospel and he will use people to bring about that hindrance.  In this case, the person Satan used is called Bar-Jesus or Elymas.  He is described as a magician and Jewish false prophet.  While Paul and Barnabas are gaining a hearing with a member of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, this false teacher is opposing the messengers of the Gospel.  When we tell others about the Lord, we should expect opposition and not be discouraged by it.  Satan is always seeking to deceive people and distract them from the ways of the Lord. 

 

THE CONFIRMATION OF THE GOSPEL: The advance of the Gospel is God’s mission.  He has commissioned His disciples to go on this mission and empowered them with the Holy Spirit.  When Bar-Jesus opposed Paul and Barnabas, the Spirit filled Paul and he not only spoke words of stern rebuke to him but struck him with blindness.  This may seem like a demonstration of God’s wrath, but in reality, it is a demonstration of God’s grace.  It is the means by which both Bar-Jesus and the proconsul were convinced of the truth of the message of Christ.  As ministers of the Gospel, we will face opposition, but we will never face it alone.  The Holy Spirit is always with us and He will give us the strength and power needed to accomplish the ministry God has called us to accomplish.

 

APPLICATION: Be intentional and proactive about advancing the Gospel to places where it has not yet gone. Not all of us can go to these places, but we can give and pray so that others might go.  No matter where you are, expect opposition when preaching the Gospel.  Have confidence in the Spirit of the living God to empower us as we obey the Lord’s commission.

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