Acts 15:1-5

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1 Then some people came to Antioch from Judea and began teaching the non-Jewish believers: "You cannot be saved if you are not circumcised as Moses taught us." 2 Paul and Barnabas were against this teaching and argued with them about it. So the church decided to send Paul, Barnabas, and some others to Jerusalem where they could talk more about this with the apostles and elders. 3 The church helped them leave on the trip, and they went through the countries of Phoenicia and Samaria, telling all about how the other nations had turned to God. This made all the believers very happy. 4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the apostles, the elders, and the church. Paul, Barnabas, and the others told about everything God had done with them. 5 But some of the believers who belonged to the Pharisee group came forward and said, "The non-Jewish believers must be circumcised. They must be told to obey the law of Moses." ~ Acts 15:1-5

When the Word of God is making inroads into the hearts and lives of people, the enemy of the truth will do any and everything to stop it. The devil is a schemer; a master at deception. It was he who deceived one third of the angels in heaven to rebel against God. He has been deceiving for over four thousand years. He is keenly aware of our weaknesses and the exact areas in our lives to attack and bring us into spiritual defeat. He knows what works to bring about spiritual disaster in any context of people. And, his chief goal is to thwart the plan of God in anyones life. He gets us to follow him by getting us to serve ourselves. In today's passage, the devil used a biblical object lesson to his advantage. He did this by getting the people to be religious rather than being engaged with God through a personal relationship with Him through His Son.

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "Then some people came to Antioch from Judea and began teaching the non-Jewish believers: 'You cannot be saved if you are not circumcised as Moses taught us.'"

At the end of Acts 14 we learned that Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch for a long time. While there they taught those who had recently trusted the Lord Jesus as their Savior. Since being a Christian is much more than getting the assurance that we are going to heaven, Paul and Barnabas taught them from the Scriptures. It was at that point that their teachings were challenged by the Judaizers, those who believed one must obey the Law of Moses to be saved. What compounded everything was the fact that Gentiles had begun to believe in the Lord Jesus and they entered the church meetings, and yet, they remained uncircumcised. To this the Judaizers mounted up with the Law of Moses.

These Judaizer legalists did not understand the point behind the object lesson of circumcision. God gave the object lesson of circumcision to the Jews so that they would be reminded on a daily basis that He was committed to them. The Jews believed they could manipulate God through circumcision. In fact, they used it as a bribe in order to get from God His blessings. To the Jews, circumcision had become the foremost requirement to gain God's favor. 

Interestingly, God gave circumcision to Abraham so that he would never forget that God was for him. God never meant for circumcision to be a means of gaining or maintaining His favor. God gave circumcision so that as often Abraham went to the bathroom, he would be reminded of God's undying favor for him. So, these legalistic Judaizers were wrong when they required the Gentiles to be circumcised in order to be acceptable to them or to God.

In v.2-3 of today's passage we read, "2 Paul and Barnabas were against this teaching and argued with them about it. So the church decided to send Paul, Barnabas, and some others to Jerusalem where they could talk more about this with the apostles and elders. 3 The church helped them leave on the trip, and they went through the countries of Phoenicia and Samaria, telling all about how the other nations had turned to God. This made all the believers very happy."

When anyone hears the gospel, repents from their attempts to be made right before God through their good behavior and they believe the gospel, they are saved. The fact is the Lord established the New Covenant through the death of His Son on the cross plus nothing else. And, the sacrificial system that God had established through Moses was no longer needed since the Lord Jesus paid the penalty for every sinner who places our faith in the Lord Jesus "as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

So, the basis of our rightness before God has always been our faith in the veracity in the God of the Bible who sent His Son to die in our place, so that believing in Him our sin might be forgiven. Based on the dispute that had arisen between the Judaizers and Paul and Barnabas, it was determined that Paul and Barnabas, with certain others, should go up to Jerusalem to obtain a resolution to the matter. As they traveled toward Jerusalem they shared with the believers in Phoenicia and Samaria what God had done on their missionary journey which caused great joy among the believers there. 

In v.4-5 of today's passage we read, "4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the apostles, the elders, and the church. Paul, Barnabas, and the others told about everything God had done with them. 5 But some of the believers who belonged to the Pharisee group came forward and said, 'The non-Jewish believers must be circumcised. They must be told to obey the law of Moses.'"

When Paul and Barnabas and their delegation arrived in Jerusalem and the believers there were excited to see them. then a contrast was created. It was then they all officially met and Paul and Barnabas gave a report of how the gospel was received by the Gentiles and rejected by the Jews. To this the Pharisees voiced their opinion that the Gentiles had to be circumcised but as we have shown circumcision was not a requirement for salvation not even among the Jews. Abraham believed and was deemed as righteous before God long before God gave the object lesson of circumcision. It was later that the Lord instructed him and all with him to be circumcised as a sign of the covenant. As such, it is our faith in the God of the Bible is what saves us. 

The work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross wasn’t merely an initial act of grace in order to give sinful man a second chance at getting life right. No, the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross was a lifeline in order to rescue man out of his hopelessness and helplessness. And, this lifeline when received is eternal. So today, due to the decision of the council in Jerusalem, this proposal from the Pharisees is considered heretical and to be condemned. Unfortunately, to this day people wrongfully reinsert the Law of Moses into their Christian theology. This must never be allowed. We must live in Christ and by His grace. We must trust solely upon His merits. God was fully pleased with the work of Christ, evidenced by the resurrection. As a result, God could not be any less pleased with us or more pleased with us since we have trusted in the finished work of His Son on the cross.

Acts 14:24-28

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24 Then they went through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25 When they had preached the message in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 And from there they sailed away to Antioch where the believers had put them into God’s care and had sent them out to do this work. Now they had finished. 27 When they arrived in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas gathered the church together. They told the church all about what God had done with them and how God had made it possible for those who were not Jewish to believe. 28 And they stayed there a long time with the followers. ~ Acts 14:24-28

Today, we conclude our study of Acts 14 where the Apostle Paul and Barnabas have been traveling from throughout what is known today as southern Turkey. This was their first missionary journey covering approximately 1400 miles. The goal of this trip into Galatia was to share the gospel of the forgiveness of God for our sin through the Lord Jesus Christ. On this trip, the gospel had been received and rejected by many. Today, we return to Paul and Barnabas retracing their steps back through the cities of Pisidia, Pamphylia, Perga, and Attalia. Paul and Barnabas did this in order to disciple those who had before heard the gospel and believed on the Lord Jesus as their Savior. These men were engaged in evangelism and discipleship.

In v.24-26 of today's passage we read, "24 Then they went through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25 When they had preached the message in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 And from there they sailed away to Antioch where the believers had put them into God’s care and had sent them out to do this work. Now they had finished."

This is the same area where John Mark had departed from them quite some time before. As I mentioned before, we do not know exactly why John Mark departed from Paul and Barnabas when he did. We assume the conditions had become too difficult on him. At that time, John Mark didn't understand the importance of discomfort because God often utilizes it to reveal Himself to us. It was during this second visit to Pisidia and Pamphilia that Paul and Barnabas discipled those who were new in the faith. It was Charles Haddon Spurgeon who once said, "Nothing teaches us about the preciousness of the Creator as much as when we learn the emptiness of everything else."  There is no doubt that the Lord used both Paul and Barnabas to given biblical answers to the peoples' most troubling questions regarding the faith. But, he goal in the Christian life isn't to garner all of the answers because it is our questions that propel us in our walk with the Lord. 

The concept of mystery plays a major role in the development of any relationship, especially our relationship with the Lord. Pursuing God is not a clean pursuit, nor is it easy. There will always be surprises en route to discovering the Lord and His culture. This pursuit is known as "faith" throughout the Bible. According to Hebrews 11:6 our pursuit of faith in God is the only thing that humanly pleases Him. Knowing God personally is far more rewarding than understanding Him. In Proverbs 25:2 we read, "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter." A spiritual mystery can’t be discovered by persistent searching. Spiritual mysteries must be revealed. We don’t unlock them, they are unlocked for us. And they are only unlocked and revealed to us through our pursuits of God through our hungering and thirsting for Him.

The Christian life is more than merely being converted, it is a personal relationship with God whereby He is transforming us from within. Paul and Barnabas did three important things to aid these brand new disciples in their walk with the Lord. First, they strengthened their souls. This is accomplished by teaching them the Word of God, addressing what they think, what they choose and how they feel. It is God's Word that sets us free. Second, they exhorted them to continue in the faith. Using the lives of Old Testament believers, Paul and Barnabas underscored how to live by faith in God. Third, they helped them to understand why we encounter persecution. Combined with the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit, persecution makes us grow because it forces us to run to the Lord. 

In v.27-28 of today's passage we read, "27 When they arrived in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas gathered the church together. They told the church all about what God had done with them and how God had made it possible for those who were not Jewish to believe. 28 And they stayed there a long time with the followers."

When Paul and Barnabas arrived back in Antioch, they reported to the believers there all that God had done through them. God was the secret behind their success and they knew it. It was God who opened and shut doors. It was God at work in the hearts of those who heard the gospel causing them to believe in His Son as their Savior. In John 16:13 we read, "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth." The key to being led by the Spirit of God is that we remain connected. We are led by God as a result of being alive to His presence and being willing to be led by Him. This requires engagement with Him through prayer and our daily consideration of His Word. And, flexibility is a real key here. We mustn't be tied down to preconceived ideas because God requires of sinful man to believe and we are never sure when they are about to believe. I have found that people believe the most when they are most desperate.

Finally, Paul and Barnabas, after being on the road for about 18 months, remained in Antioch. In fact, it was during this time that Paul wrote the book of Galatians. Since he just seen them on his first missionary journey, his close relationship with the Galatians aided him in explaining to them the dangers of having a small view of God and a large view of themselves. Through writing the book of Galatians, Paul risked the good favor of those first converts in Galatia. But, he had confidence in the Lord as those believers in Galatia had been put on the path of truth. Paul knew that the truth is most important in each believers perseverance in the faith.

Acts 14:21-23

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21 Paul and Barnabas told the Good News in Derbe, and many became followers. Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 making the followers of Jesus stronger and helping them stay in the faith. They said, “We must suffer many things to enter God’s kingdom.” 23 They chose elders for each church, by praying and fasting for a certain time. These elders had trusted the Lord, so Paul and Barnabas put them in the Lord’s care. ~ Acts 14:21-23

Today, we continue our study of Acts 14 where Paul and Barnabas are half way through their first missionary journey. At this point in their travels, Paul and Barnabas had been expelled from Antioch of Pisidia, threatened in Iconium, and, Paul actually was stoned to near death in Lystra. And, when it seemed that all hope had been lost, God raised Paul up from his seeming death and they travel back into the same cities where they had been persecuted in order to teach the new believers there the culture of God. This kind of courage comes only from trust in the Living God. Paul and Barnabas were confident that God was with them, and so back they went to those places where they had been hated and rejected.

In v.21-22 of today's passage we read, "21 Paul and Barnabas told the Good News in Derbe, and many became followers. Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 making the followers of Jesus stronger and helping them stay in the faith. They said, 'We must suffer many things to enter God’s kingdom.'"

Without fear Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel in Derbe once again. It was G.T. Shedd who once said, "A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for." Since these first century believers had seen the power of the Lord Jesus, they knew He was more powerful than anything that could possibly harm them. This explains how they were able to endure so much pain and persecution. There is no mention here of Paul and Barnabas entering a synagogue. They just availed themselves in the open square of the town. As a result of their bravery and the gospel, "many became followers." They not only witnessed belief in the newborn, they also stayed long enough to train them in the culture of God. 

After being a part of God's work among the people in Derbe, Paul and Barnabas "returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch." They traveled in reverse of their previous travels. It is quite remarkable that Paul and Barnabas fearlessly returned to these cities to share the gospel, those cities where they had been previously persecuted. This comes as a reminder that wherever we are, we are on a mission that has been previously carved out by the Almighty God. Quite often, I have found myself in places that I did not intend to go only to discover the Lord at work there. In those moments, it was demonstrated to me that the physical danger in which we may find ourselves pales in comparison to the spiritual danger that awaits the unsaved. In order to be used of God to help others grow in their faith in the Lord Jesus, we very well may need to go through pain and suffering ourselves. It has always been of help to me to remember that when I go through pain and suffering, the lessons I learn will be helpful to others in the same boat.

The word translated "stronger" here means "to make solid," "to fix," or "to glue down." Paul was used by God to make these new believers solid in their lives through His Word. The apostle taught them sound doctrine or sound teaching. Through his teaching the Apostle Paul got these new believers in the Lord Jesus to grow rapidly as he fed them the substance of God's Word. It was T.S. Eliot who once said, "Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they one go."

Of course, the power to endure under pressure comes from the Word of God. We only endure once we have been pressurized on the inside with the power and Word of God! Like submarines, believers who understand the power of the Word of God are designed to withstand immense pressure. Submarines can go deeper in the ocean than any other aquatic vehicle. The pressurized inside, combined with extremely strong materials, keep the ocean outside from getting in. Similarly, believers are like submarines: God has designed us to overcome and to be powerful under pressure only through the power of His Word in our souls! Before we can give the power of the Word to others, we must know its power for ourselves. This was definitely the case for these first century believers in the Lord Jesus. This is why they said, "We must suffer many things to enter God’s kingdom."

In v.23 of today's passage we read, "They chose elders for each church, by praying and fasting for a certain time. These elders had trusted the Lord, so Paul and Barnabas put them in the Lord’s care."

The apostles with, the people, chose the elders because they were already doing the work. Notice they chose "elders." God's best idea for leaders has always been in the context of other "elders" meaning there is wisdom to be found in the plural context of leaders. God never meant for there to be lone rangers who are doing the work all by themselves. It was Jean Hamilton Fford who once wrote, "On one side of accountability is courage, on the other side is freedom." In Proverbs 11:14 we read, "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." Also, in Proverbs 24:6 we read, "For by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory." God's ways are so counter-cultural to that of selfish, fallen man. 

The word translated "elders" in Acts 14:23 describes mature men who are experienced and possess seasoned judgment. With Paul and Barnabas eventually leaving, the church would be left in the care of men who were qualified to lead the people as shepherds lead their sheep. This is why Paul and Barnabas left the elders "in the Lord's care." This means the care of these elders who cared for others was directly on the Lord. We cannot give what we do not have. This is why we go through trials which push us to dependence on the Lord. That is when His kingdom comes. This also provides safe guards which are needed to navigate caring for the sheep.

Acts 14:19-20

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19 Then some evil people came from Antioch and Iconium and persuaded the people to turn against Paul. So they threw stones at him and dragged him out of town, thinking they had killed him. 20 But the followers gathered around him, and he got up and went back into the town. The next day he and Barnabas left and went to the city of Derbe. ~ Acts 14:19-20

Today, we return to our study of Acts 14 where Paul and Barnabas are in the middle of their first missionary journey sharing the good news that God forgives the sin of all who are willing to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. In today's passage, Paul and Barnabas are still in Lystra which is a small country town where the people were generally considered uneducated and given to believing in myths.

After healing a man who had been lame from his birth, the people of Lystra thought Paul and Barnabas were gods sent to communicate with them. In that area there was a long believed myth that Zeus and Hermes had once come to Lystra disguised as men seeking lodging. After going to many different homes, they were finally welcomed in by a couple who fed them a meal. In appreciation, the gods blessed the couple making them a priest and a priestess. On the other hand, those who had shown no hospitality were destroyed. Since the people of Lystra did not want that to happen to them, they wrongly thought Paul and Barnabas to be gods and so they worshipped them.

The Lord Jesus prayed in John 17:3, "And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." 

The Lord Jesus prayed this prayer because He knows that our theology is most important to all of our pursuits in life. He knows that it is our theology that touches and shapes everything in our lives. Eternal life is not something that comes after we die. Eternal life is a personal relationship with God and we can know it right now. To know God means to experience Him in a relational way. Knowing God involves talking with Him often daily. It is more than just knowing about Him. Knowing God means doing life with Him. Our theology is an outgrowth of our relationship with God and it ultimately leads us to worship and adoration of Him. And, we know we become what we love. Sadly, most people, even those who go to church with some measure of regularity do not know God and their theology suffers accordingly. 

In v.19 of today's passage we read, "Then some evil people came from Antioch and Iconium and persuaded the people to turn against Paul. So they threw stones at him and dragged him out of town, thinking they had killed him."

Right on the heels of Paul and Barnabas trying to convince the people of Lystra that they were not gods, did they turned on them. All of this happened after they had seen the healing of the man who had been lame since birth. The people of Lystra desired to worship Paul and Barnabas by sacrificing some bulls and Paul and Barnabas barely were able to stop them from doing so. If the people had come to personally know the God of the Bible, they would have worshipped Him because they would have known that it was He who healed the man who had been lame from birth.

It was then that some evil Jews from Antioch of Pisidia and Iconium convinced the people to turn against Paul. These Jews from Antioch had made the 100 mile trip to Lystra in an attempt to discredit Paul and Barnabas and the gospel they preached. How twisted were their minds to conclude the gospel was harmful. Many have been known to take great pains to diminish the gospel. In this case, their lies worked because the people were so defined by those lies that they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city leaving him for dead. The people went from wanting to worship Paul to wanting to kill him. These people were on the verge of believing the gospel and then in one moment they completely rejecting the truth. They were so caught up in the frenzy they deliberately thought they had killed Paul. 

Even though the people assumed Paul was dead, he lived. In 1 Corinthians 16:9 we read, “A great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.” One of the greatest paradoxes in Christian history is that believers in the Lord Jesus are best served through times of persecution. When life is easy and good, it is then that God's people are most often found complacent and going astray. When the church seems to be enjoying its greatest success, it is then that it is most vulnerable to the enemy. Conversely, when believers in the Lord Jesus encounter hardship, persecution, and suffering, it is then that when we are most dependent on Him, we are at our best spiritually.

In v.20 of today's passage we read, "But the followers gathered around him, and he got up and went back into the town. The next day he and Barnabas left and went to the city of Derbe."

This is the only time the Apostle Paul was stoned. And, once he was stoned, his persecutors dragged him by his legs outside the city gates and threw him on the trash dump, thinking he was dead. One can only imagine Barnabas and the others disciples gathered around Paul there, weeping over him. They too thought him to be dead. This may well be the time when the Apostle Paul received those marks in his body to which he refers later when he wrote in Galatians 6:17, "Quite frankly, I don’t want to be bothered anymore by these disputes. I have far more important things to do—the serious living of this faith. I bear in my body scars from my service to Jesus." 

The church in Lystra was one of the many Galatian churches that were formed during this first missionary journey.  The Apostle Paul may have very well have received those marks when he was stoned at Lystra. And, as Barnabas and the others gathered around him, weeping and mourning over what they all thought was his death, Paul suddenly sat up and on the next day he went on to the city of Derbe. It was Lou Holtz who once said, "Life is ten percent what happens to us and ninety percent how we respond to it."

We persevere in the faith because God's Son prays for us daily. In John 17:25-26 we read, "25 O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26 And I have revealed you to them and will keep on revealing you so that the mighty love you have for me may be in them, and I in them." 

Prayer is not informing God, it is inviting Him into our lives. When we call out to the Lord in prayer, we are not informing Him of something He doesn’t already know. Rather, when we pray to God, we invite Him into our situation, we invite Him into our challenges, we invite Him into our problems. Between the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit who both are praying for us, we discover they are not only making inroads into our very being, we ourselves are found to be making an impact in the hearts of others for His glory. And, my friend, there is nothing more satisfying than to bring glory to our Rescuer.

Acts 14:8-18

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8 In Lystra there sat a man who had been born crippled; he had never walked. 9 As this man was listening to Paul speak, Paul looked straight at him and saw that he believed God could heal him. 10 So he cried out, "Stand up on your feet!" The man jumped up and began walking around. 11 When the crowds saw what Paul did, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have become like humans and have come down to us!" 12 Then the people began to call Barnabas "Zeus" and Paul "Hermes," because he was the main speaker. 13 The priest in the temple of Zeus, which was near the city, brought some bulls and flowers to the city gates. He and the people wanted to offer a sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas. 14 But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard about it, they tore their clothes. They ran in among the people, shouting, 15 "Friends, why are you doing these things? We are only human beings like you. We are bringing you the Good News and are telling you to turn away from these worthless things and turn to the living God. He is the One who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. 16 In the past, God let all the nations do what they wanted. 17 Yet he proved he is real by showing kindness, by giving you rain from heaven and crops at the right times, by giving you food and filling your hearts with joy." 18 Even with these words, they were barely able to keep the crowd from offering sacrifices to them. ~ Acts 14:8-18

Today, we return to our study of Acts 14 where Paul and Barnabas are in Lystra which was a city in the province of Lycaonia. They were about half of the way through their first missionary journey. Lystra was a small country town, a frontier outpost of the Roman Empire. The Lystrans were generally uneducated and half-barbarous. When they arrived at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas didn't really had a clad ironed plan, they were being led by the Holy Spirit who led them to where the people were. This is what life is largely about, getting the Word of God to the people so that they may be saved from their sin and that they may become children of God.

In v.8-10 of today's passage we read, "8 In Lystra there sat a man who had been born crippled; he had never walked. 9 As this man was listening to Paul speak, Paul looked straight at him and saw that he believed God could heal him. 10 So he cried out, "Stand up on your feet!" The man jumped up and began walking around."

When Paul and Barnabas arrived in Lystra they walked right into the market place and as they proclaimed the gospel they noticed a man sitting there who had been lame from his birth. He had never walked. He was evidently well-known throughout Lystra, having been there all his life. He heard what Paul said, and believed what he declared about the power of the Lord Jesus. Paul looked at him and saw in his eyes the faith to believe. Suddenly, led of the Spirit, Paul instructed the crippled man to stand to his feet. It was then that he, though he had never walked in his life, obeyed. He had faith enough to try, and the moment he began to obey, the power to obey was granted. He then jumped up and down and began to walk around.

In v.11-13 of today's passage we read, "11 When the crowds saw what Paul did, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, 'The gods have become like humans and have come down to us!' 12 Then the people began to call Barnabas 'Zeus' and Paul 'Hermes,' because he was the main speaker. 13 The priest in the temple of Zeus, which was near the city, brought some bulls and flowers to the city gates. He and the people wanted to offer a sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas."

Even though a miracle took place in full view that day in Lystra, the enemy was at work there, too. Quickly after the miracle the enemy managed to pervert the situation so that the people of Lystra did not believe in the God of the Bible. Instead, they shouted out, "The gods have become like humans and have come down to us!" The Lycaonians had a legend that was known amongst their people that Jupiter (Zeus) and Mercury (Hermes) had once came down to the people disguised as mortals seeking lodging. They went to a thousand homes and no one would take them in. Finally, at a humble cottage of straw and reeds, a poor elderly couple, Philemon and Baucis freely welcomed them and feasted them with what meager means they had. In appreciation, the gods transformed the cottage into a temple, making the couple priest and priestess. And when they died, they were immortalized as great oak trees. The inhospitable homes were destroyed! The people of Lystra did not want that to happen again! So, this time they made sure to welcomed their gods. Since Barnabas had a long beard they called him "Zeus." And, since Paul was short and talked a lot they called him "Hermes"  who was known as the spokesman for the gods.

It was then that the priest of Zeus who consulted the gods daily, brought bulls and flowers to the city gates. He did this in order to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas. This wasn’t just the priest wanting to make a sacrifice to Zeus while the crowds watched, this was a proclamation that Paul and Barnabas were gods. They were worshipping Zeus by worshipping those they thought he had sent to them. We were created to worship and that which we worship the most defines us most. C.S. Lewis once said, "It is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men." In order to operate as we were created we must be in the habit of worshipping God. Our real problem is that we like being worshipped and that is the worst thing that can happen to us. It is only God's definition of anything that is acceptable and good. When we define things we mess it up. How many genders do they say there are? We reveal our worship of God when we live in accordance with His specifications for us.

In v.14-17 of today's passage we read, "14 But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard about it, they tore their clothes. They ran in among the people, shouting, 15 'Friends, why are you doing these things? We are only human beings like you. We are bringing you the Good News and are telling you to turn away from these worthless things and turn to the living God. He is the One who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. 16 In the past, God let all the nations do what they wanted. 17 Yet he proved he is real by showing kindness, by giving you rain from heaven and crops at the right times, by giving you food and filling your hearts with joy.'"

Notice that Barnabas is placed first in this portion of our passage. Paul was speaking and Barnabas was probably more closely paying attention to the events around them. When Barnabas realized what was happening, he probably shouted something out to Paul and started their actions in motion. It was then that they "tore their clothes" which was an open display of their anguish. After tearing their clothes, Barnabas and Paul ran in among the people urging them to worship the God of the Bible. 

Since the people of Lystra had assumed that the gods had come down to them in the form of men, Barnabas and Paul shouted to them that they were mere men who had come to them to share the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and that the Living God had sent them to them. Barnabas and Paul appealed to the people of Lystra by pointing them to the God of creation who shows His kindness by giving to all rain, crops, food and joy. These folks had become so deluded in their own thinking that they were willing to ignore the words of the supposed "gods." Though that thinking is illogical, it is common among many today. These people acted on the bases of a faulty understanding about God. Sadly, they denied the reasonable and continued in their state of delusion.

In v.18 of today's passage we read, "Even with these words, they were barely able to keep the crowd from offering sacrifices to them."

This verse serves as a powerful reminder of mankind's tendency toward idolatry. The people of Lystra, like many others throughout history, were easily swayed by the extraordinary and were willing to attribute divine status to fallible human beings. They failed to see that the God of the Bible had healed the once crippled man and sadly they served as a contrast to what the gospel can do for everyone who believes. Oh, the power of the gospel to produce such an amazing difference in the believing heart. What we have here is a clear contrast between the people in the city of Lystra and Paul and Barnabas. It was Paul and Barnabas who rejected the worship of the people and insisted they worship the Lord Jesus. This rejection of idolatry points to the central message of Christianity: the worship of the one living God, who has revealed Himself through the Lord Jesus Christ. Our theology and our worship go hand in hand. The closer we get to the truth, the clearer becomes God's value to us. This must ultimately lead us to worship Him.

Acts 14:1-7

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1 In Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went as usual to the synagogue. They spoke so well that a great many Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But some people who did not believe excited the others and turned them against the believers. 3 Paul and Barnabas stayed in Iconium a long time and spoke bravely for the Lord. He showed that their message about his grace was true by giving them the power to work miracles and signs. 4 But the city was divided. Some of the people agreed with the Jews, and others believed the apostles. 5 Some who were not Jews, some Jews, and some of their rulers wanted to mistreat Paul and Barnabas and to stone them to death. 6 When Paul and Barnabas learned about this, they ran away to Lystra and Derbe, cities in Lycaonia, and to the areas around those cities. 7 They announced the Good News there, too. ~ Acts 14:1-7

Today, we continue our study of the book of Acts which has an overall outline of: 1. Spreading the gospel in Jerusalem (Acts 1:1–8:3). 2. Spreading the gospel in Judea and Samaria (Acts 8:4–12:25), and, 3. Spreading the gospel  to the Ends of the Earth (Acts 13:1–28:31). In today's passage we learn that after they experienced persecution in Antioch of Pisidia, Paul and Barnabas traveled to Iconium. Then, after they experienced more persecution there, they went to Lystra and Derbe. Throughout Christian history, persecution has been a painful but necessary part of the process of getting the message to the people. God allows and uses persecution to move us from place to place. This truth is seen in Genesis 50:20, where we read, "What you meant for evil, God meant for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive." The same principle applies to the believer who is committed to reaching the unsaved with the gospel.

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "In Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went as usual to the synagogue. They spoke so well that a great many Jews and Greeks believed."

It is about 100 miles from Antioch of Pisidia to Iconium. After arriving there, Paul and Barnabas first went to the synagogue to share the gospel with those gathered there. Paul always preached the gospel to the Jews before sharing it with the Gentiles. Going to the synagogue was a logical place to begin because those gathered there were already familiar with the God of the Bible. With Iconium being a good sized city, it had a large synagogue. Paul's message always required of his hearers faith and faith alone in the saving sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

As in Antioch of Pisidia, there is no record that those who were born-again in Iconium spoke in tongues or were baptized. This reveals speaking in tongues or being baptized is not a necessary part of our salvation. It has always been that we are made right with God by believing in the faithfulness of the God of the Bible. It is only through the promise that His Son would take our sin upon Himself and that God would accept His sacrifice for us that we are saved. If speaking in tongues and being baptized were necessary proofs of salvation, it would have been an error for Luke not to record that the believers in Antioch and Iconium had done both. But, of course, they didn't because these two things are not requirements for the forgiveness of our sin.

In v.2-4 of today's passage we read, "2 But some people who did not believe excited the others and turned them against the believers. 3 Paul and Barnabas stayed in Iconium a long time and spoke bravely for the Lord. He showed that their message about his grace was true by giving them the power to work miracles and signs. 4 But the city was divided. Some of the people agreed with the Jews, and others believed the apostles."

The words translated as "not believe" means "to refuse to be persuaded." This is actually one word in the Greek and it is often translated as "disobedient" which makes sense since what we believe impacts our choices. To believe and to choose not to be defined by that truth is incongruent and illogical. This explains why the unbelieving Jews attempted to discount Paul and Barnabas and their teaching in the minds of the Gentiles.

Paul and Barnabas stayed in Iconium for a long time. Unlike in Antioch of Pisidia, it appears the Jews in Iconium were not as quick to see them on their way. Of course, in the end they were expelled, but a church there had been formed. And, the Lord made their message authoritative by "giving them the ability to work miracles and signs." There are times when the apostles healed or raised the dead. God doesn't always provide miracles and signs because there are times when miracles and signs are not needed. In fact, when we believe without seeing, well, the Lord Jesus said it is better.

Today, miracles and signs are not needed because the Word of the Lord has been given. There is no need for the validation of the veracity of any sermon since we have the complete Word of God. Every believer in Christ Jesus has everything he needs to live the life the Lord Jesus died to give us. This does not mean the Lord does not work miracles and signs today in response to prayer, but the results will always be left for the faithful to accept, by faith, that it was the Lord who accomplished what occurred.

In Iconium "the city was divided" meaning the people of the city did not all believe in the Lord Jesus as their Messiah. We get our word "schism" from the word translated "divided" here. This shows that the miracles and signs were not enough to convince those who simply refused to believe that the Lord Jesus is the Messiah. So, it makes sense that the miracles and signs were given to encourage the people to believe. The bottom line is that it is the Word of God that creates faith in those who believe the Lord Jesus to be the promised Messiah.

In v.5-7 of today's passage we read, "5 Some who were not Jews, some Jews, and some of their rulers wanted to mistreat Paul and Barnabas and to stone them to death. 6 When Paul and Barnabas learned about this, they ran away to Lystra and Derbe, cities in Lycaonia, and to the areas around those cities. 7 They announced the Good News there, too."

Here, Luke used a new and rare word translated "mistreat." This word is only used one other time in the Bible in James 3:4 where the pilot of a ship desires to turn it by use of a rudder. It signifies a violent impulse. One sign that someone is losing an argument and they are not espousing the truth is that they employ heated words and they resort to lies and name-calling. Those who feed the flesh reveal how wrong they truly are. These people could not accept what Paul and Barnabas had been teaching because they could not accept that they were so fallen that they needed God Himself to be their Savior. 

With trouble brewing in Iconium and a violent attempt made by both the Gentiles and the Jews to stone Paul and Barnabas, they fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia. This is the only time that the area of Lycaonia is mentioned in the Scriptures. It was there in Lystra and Derbe that Paul and Barnabas continued to preach the gospel. Even though I believe in meeting peoples immediate needs, our main thrust must be the preaching of the gospel. Otherwise successful ministry will not be realized. Urging people to believe in the Lord Jesus must be the believers primary mission each day. Then we should meet their felt needs. As Carl Henry once said, "The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time."

Acts 13:42-52

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42 While Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people asked them to tell them more about these things on the next Sabbath. 43 When the meeting was over, many people with those who had changed to worship God followed Paul and Barnabas from that place. Paul and Barnabas were persuading them to continue trusting in God’s grace. 44 On the next Sabbath day, almost everyone in the city came to hear the word of the Lord. 45 Seeing the crowd, the Jewish people became very jealous and said insulting things and argued against what Paul said. 46 But Paul and Barnabas spoke very boldly, saying, “We must speak the message of God to you first. But you refuse to listen. You are judging yourselves not worthy of having eternal life! So we will now go to the people of other nations. 47 This is what the Lord told us to do, saying: ‘I have made you a light for the nations; you will show people all over the world the way to be saved.’” Isaiah 49:6 48 When those who were not Jewish heard Paul say this, they were happy and gave honor to the message of the Lord. And the people who were chosen to have life forever believed the message. 49 So the message of the Lord was spreading through the whole country. 50 But the Jewish people stirred up some of the important religious women and the leaders of the city. They started trouble against Paul and Barnabas and forced them out of their area. 51 So Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet and went to Iconium. 52 But the followers were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. ~ Acts 13:42-52

Today, we complete our study of Acts 13 where the Apostle Paul and Barnabas had traveled to the city of Antioch of Pasidia while on their first missionary journey. Their aim during this trip was to carry out the third part of the commission the Lord Jesus gave in Acts 1:8. The third part of that commission was the spreading of the gospel unto the utter most parts of the earth. The gospel had been spread throughout Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria, now, it was onto the ends of the earth.

In v.42-43 of today's passage we read, "42 While Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people asked them to tell them more about these things on the next Sabbath. 43 When the meeting was over, many people with those who had changed to worship God followed Paul and Barnabas from that place. Paul and Barnabas were persuading them to continue trusting in God’s grace."

Previously, Paul quoted Habakkuk when he addressed the reason the people of Israel were sent off into exile during the Babylonian captivity. With that quotation he then equated that situation with the one at hand. His warning was to those who would reject the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. After hearing this, many believed in the Lord Jesus as their Messiah and others were quite eager to hear more as they begged Paul and Barnabas to share more the next Sabbath.

While Paul had preached the message of God’s grace to the people, he noted the insufficiency of the Law of Moses to justify anyone. This is why he gave the warning of what would happen if they ignored God's message of grace. Paul highlighted the fact that the Scriptures testified to the fact that the Lord Jesus would be crucified for the sins of His people. And, His cross was the greatest display of God's grace. God's grace is the greatest change agent in the world because it is unconditional. We do not earn His grace and we surely do not maintain it.

In v.44-49 of today's passage we read, "44 On the next Sabbath day, almost everyone in the city came to hear the word of the Lord. 45 Seeing the crowd, the Jewish people became very jealous and said insulting things and argued against what Paul said. 46 But Paul and Barnabas spoke very boldly, saying, 'We must speak the message of God to you first. But you refuse to listen. You are judging yourselves not worthy of having eternal life! So we will now go to the people of other nations. 47 This is what the Lord told us to do, saying: ‘I have made you a light for the nations; you will show people all over the world the way to be saved.' Isaiah 49:6 48 When those who were not Jewish heard Paul say this, they were happy and gave honor to the message of the Lord. And the people who were chosen to have life forever believed the message. 49 So the message of the Lord was spreading through the whole country."

When the next Sabbath arrived, everyone in the town of Antioch in Pasidia was present in the synagogue. They came "to hear the word of God." In Romans 10:17 we read, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." The folks gathered at the synagogue had been trained to hear the Lord. The emptiness in their souls served them and that is where the Word of the Lord stepped in to awaken them to their Savior. Faith in the God of the Bible comes as a result of hearing His voice within our hearts. The word translated "word" in Romans 10:17 literally means "the spoken word" of God. Since our faith in the God of the Bible is aroused by our hearing His Word with our hearts,  we do well to hone those skills which enable us to really hear, to hear with our hearts. Learning to hear God comes through the unwanted moments of life, those moments that include pain and suffering. It is during these types of moments that we hear that still small voice most effectively. This does not mean that if we have intense pain in our lives that we will automatically be intimate with God. It is only when we encounter these moments and these moments aid us into seeking Him more and knowing Him better that we experience such a level of intimacy with Him. This, of course, is easier said than done.

On the contrary, the Jews in the synagogue at Antioch at Pisidia were upset because the Gentiles were believing the gospel. It was then that Paul and Barnabas confronted the unbelief of the Jews there. Like the Pharisees with whom the Lord Jesus constantly dealt, these Jews were indignant because they thought that they alone merited God’s favor. They lacked a personal relationship with God because they had never been trained to hear Him with their hearts. They arrogantly thought that they automatically had a personal relationship with God and they didn't.

In that moment Paul and Barnabas warned these unbelieving Jews of the fact that they were rejecting the very life of God in them. Due to this they would spend eternity in hell. And, due to the Jews unbelief, Paul and Barnabas were preaching the gospel to the Gentiles because they chose to believe it. Of course, they chose to believe because they were chosen by God to be given the gospel. This is what we know as prevenient grace which is a phrase used to describe the grace given by God that precedes the act of a sinner exercising saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The term "prevenient" means "to come before." By definition, everyone is the recipient of God's grace that enables us to believe. The question is whether we believe and receive the truth of God or not.

Many more believed in the gospel that day in Antioch of Pasidia even though many opposed it. Many of the Jews did not believe in the gospel even thought Paul and Barnabas showed them from Isaiah that this gospel was the fulfillment of all that God had spoken in the Old Testament. The work of Jesus Christ was first sent to the people of Israel, but its scope was always intended to extend to the entire world. With the rejection of the word by the Jews at Antioch of Pisidia, the word was to continue to be proclaimed to those who would hear and believe it.

In v.50-52 of today's passage we read, "50 But the Jewish people stirred up some of the important religious women and the leaders of the city. They started trouble against Paul and Barnabas and forced them out of their area. 51 So Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet and went to Iconium. 52 But the followers were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit."

Since the gospel is a message of freedom and since Satan and his followers hate freedom, it was inevitable that Paul and Barnabas would face opposition. It was then that Paul and Barnabas were expelled from the region of Antioch of Pisidia. With that, "they shook off the dust from their feet." This was obviously a way of demonstrating their displeasure with those who had expelled them, revealing that even the dust on their feet that was associated with those of Antioch was detestable. The Lord Jesus instructed His disciples to do this after people rejected the gospel. With this a new dispensation had entered. The shaking of dust off of their feet was done as a witness against them. 

While the Jews by and large rejected the gospel in Antioch, for those who received it the Spirit delivered to them great joy. The same happens to all believers in the Lord Jesus. When we were saved, at that moment in time, the burden of the debt created by our sinfulness was lifted from us, and we experienced the knowledge that God had done this for us, apart from any effort of our own. That brought to us the joy and the filling of the Holy Spirit. And, even though we haven't changed to the point of sinless perfection, we still have the joy of the Lord because He lives in us. And, our acceptability before God is based solely on the work that was accomplished at the cross.

Acts 13:26-41

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"26 Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and others who worship God, listen! The news about this salvation has been sent to us. 27 Those who live in Jerusalem and their leaders did not realize that Jesus was the Savior. They did not understand the words that the prophets wrote, which are read every Sabbath day. But they made them come true when they said Jesus was guilty. 28 They could not find any real reason for Jesus to be put to death, but they asked Pilate to have him killed. 29 When they had done to him all that the Scriptures had said, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him up from the dead! 31 After this, for many days, those who had gone with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem saw him. They are now his witnesses to the people. 32 We tell you the Good News about the promise God made to our ancestors. 33 God has made this promise come true for us, his children, by raising Jesus from the dead. We read about this also in Psalm 2: 'You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.' Psalm 2:7 34 God raised Jesus from the dead, and he will never go back to the grave and become dust. So God said: 'I will give you the holy and sure blessings that I promised to David.' Isaiah 55:3 35 But in another place God says: 'You will not let your Holy One rot.’ Psalm 16:10 36 David did God’s will during his lifetime. Then he died and was buried beside his ancestors, and his body did rot in the grave. 37 But the One God raised from the dead did not rot in the grave. 38-39 Brothers, understand what we are telling you: You can have forgiveness of your sins through Jesus. The law of Moses could not free you from your sins. But through Jesus everyone who believes is free from all sins. 40 Be careful! Don’t let what the prophets said happen to you: '41 Listen, you people who doubt! You can wonder, and then die. I will do something in your lifetime that you won’t believe even when you are told about it! Habakkuk 1:5'" ~ Acts 13:26-41

Today, we return to our study of Acts 13 where the Apostle Paul is in the middle of delivering his first ever recorded sermon in a synagogue in the city of Antioch of Pasidia. The reason Paul and Barnabas were at this place of worship was to share the gospel with anyone who would listen. Central to our evangelistic efforts must the Word of God. This is why Paul employed the Old Testament Scriptures as he did in order to help the people see that the Lord Jesus is the fulfillment of all of the Old Testament teachings and prophecies. It was Oswald Chambers who once said, "Jesus Christ became Incarnate for one purpose, to make a way back to God that man might stand before Him as He was created to do, the friend and lover of God Himself."

In v.26-30 of today's passage we read, "26 Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and others who worship God, listen! The news about this salvation has been sent to us. 27 Those who live in Jerusalem and their leaders did not realize that Jesus was the Savior. They did not understand the words that the prophets wrote, which are read every Sabbath day. But they made them come true when they said Jesus was guilty. 28 They could not find any real reason for Jesus to be put to death, but they asked Pilate to have him killed. 29 When they had done to him all that the Scriptures had said, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him up from the dead!"

The Apostle Paul reminded his hearers in the synagogue that God sent His salvation to those who have the type of fear that causes them to worship Him. This same word was used when referring to Cornelius. He was a man "that feared God." Key to our worship of God is the fact that we are in awe of Him. The word "awe" actually means "apprehending danger." This is why in Hebrews 12 we read, "Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." The idea is that we should be filled with awe when we approach the Lord in worship is due to the fact that He is holy, majestic, and powerful.

Even though God delivered to the Jews the good news that their sin could once and for all be forgiven, they rejected it because they did not understand. They did not understand that they could not be perfect enough in obedience to God to earn His favor. They did not understand because they did not know God personally, they lacked a personal relationship with God. They were religious and they did all the right things but they were still dead to God. This is, of course, why God sent His Son, to die for our sin so that we could have a personal relationship with Him.

The Lord Jesus was not only a threat to the leadership of Israel, He was a threat to Pilate. Even though the religious leaders of Israel had no authority to put the Lord Jesus to death, they appealed to Pilate to do so. Despite Pilate not desiring to be a part of the matter, the rulers of Israel manipulated him to the point that he conceded to allow the execution of the Lord Jesus. God knew in advance what the religious leaders of Israel would do to His Son, this is why He told us in advance.

In v.31-37 of today's passage we read, "31 After this, for many days, those who had gone with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem saw him. They are now his witnesses to the people. 32 We tell you the Good News about the promise God made to our ancestors. 33 God has made this promise come true for us, his children, by raising Jesus from the dead. We read about this also in Psalm 2: 'You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.' Psalm 2:7 34 God raised Jesus from the dead, and he will never go back to the grave and become dust. So God said: 'I will give you the holy and sure blessings that I promised to David.' Isaiah 55:3 35 But in another place God says: 'You will not let your Holy One rot.’ Psalm 16:10 36 David did God’s will during his lifetime. Then he died and was buried beside his ancestors, and his body did rot in the grave. 37 But the One God raised from the dead did not rot in the grave."

The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead is the most important event in all of human history. As Paul pointed out, the resurrection was attested to by the Old Testament scriptures and it is the crowning event in all of God’s redemptive history. The resurrection is the believer's guarantee of heaven. The message of the Bible is that death does not end man's existence, every human being who has ever lived will live forever, either in hell or in heaven. The death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is God's provision guaranteeing for us eternal life with Him. The resurrection is not just a feature of Christianity, it is the essential truth of Christianity. The whole point of the gospel is to be delivered from judgment into eternal blessing. The resurrection, then, is not the epilogue, it’s not some kind of a postscript on the end of our Lord’s life. It was the goal of His life, the reason He came in the first place. 

In v.38-41 of today's passage we read, "38-39 Brothers, understand what we are telling you: You can have forgiveness of your sins through Jesus. The law of Moses could not free you from your sins. But through Jesus everyone who believes is free from all sins. 40 Be careful! Don’t let what the prophets said happen to you: '41 Listen, you people who doubt! You can wonder, and then die. I will do something in your lifetime that you won’t believe even when you are told about it! Habakkuk 1:5'"

The Lord Jesus Christ didn’t come to this earth with political solutions as the religious leaders of Israel thought. He didn’t even come to give His followers ease and comfort. He came to provide forgiveness of sin to those who see their need for it. Here, the Apostle Paul told his hearers that everything referring to the Messiah in their Scriptures supports the idea that the Lord Jesus Christ is truly their Messiah. Paul went on to affirm the fact that there is victory and vindication through the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Since the Lord Jesus fulfilled the law through His perfect obedience to it, He qualifies as our Savior. 

The Apostle Paul ended his sermon with the words of Habakkuk concerning Israel’s mindset at the time of the Babylonian invasion to that of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord told Israel that the Babylonians would come upon Israel and prevail, but Habakkuk prophesied that they would never believe it. The Lord elsewhere in Scripture also prophesied of the coming of the Christ. But in His coming, it was known the same disbelieving attitude would prevail. Paul was warning his hearers not to let what happened to the people during Habakkuk's day happen to them as well. 

Due to disbelief calamity will come upon all who reject the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Paul reminded his hearers that the Lord had told them in advance about the arrival of their Messiah. Their problem is they saw no need for this kind a savior. But, the prophecies were so exacting that all they needed to do was pay attention and believe what they were told by God. But they expected something different than what the Lord Jesus came to give. They were unwilling to acknowledge their need for salvation and sadly many of them died in their sin and they will spend eternity in hell. No one has to end up in hell, it is a crying shame that any human will spend their eternity there. Since we could not pay God's penalty for our sin, the Lord Jesus came to pay it for us. Our affirming response of simple belief in that truth is what sends us to heaven rather than hell.

Acts 13:13-25

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13 Paul and those with him sailed from Paphos and came to Perga, in Pamphylia. There John Mark left them to return to Jerusalem. 14 They continued their trip from Perga and went to Antioch, a city in Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets were read, the leaders of the synagogue sent a message to Paul and Barnabas: “Brothers, if you have any message that will encourage the people, please speak.” 16 Paul stood up, raised his hand, and said, “You Israelites and you who worship God, please listen! 17 The God of the Israelites chose our ancestors. He made the people great during the time they lived in Egypt, and he brought them out of that country with great power. 18 And he was patient with them for forty years in the desert. 19 God destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave the land to his people. 20 All this happened in about four hundred fifty years. “After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21 Then the people asked for a king, so God gave them Saul son of Kish. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin and was king for forty years. 22 After God took him away, God made David their king. God said about him: ‘I have found in David son of Jesse the kind of man I want. He will do all I want him to do.’ 23 So God has brought Jesus, one of David’s descendants, to Israel to be its Savior, as he promised. 24 Before Jesus came, John preached to all the people of Israel about a baptism of changed hearts and lives. 25 When he was finishing his work, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the Christ. He is coming later, and I am not worthy to untie his sandals.’" ~ Acts 13:13-25

Today, we return to our study of Acts 13 where the Apostle Paul and Barnabas and John Mark are traveling on their first missionary journey. This trip to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth was an arduous trip taking a year and a half beginning in A.D. 47 and ended in A.D. 48. Like these men, once we entered into a personal relationship with the God of the Bible through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, we were granted an intense desire to see others pass from the darkness into His light. Now, we understand an eternity in hell as opposed to an eternity in heaven. This explains the unfolding events of Acts 13.

In v.13-15 of today's passage we read, "13 Paul and those with him sailed from Paphos and came to Perga, in Pamphylia. There John Mark left them to return to Jerusalem. 14 They continued their trip from Perga and went to Antioch, a city in Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets were read, the leaders of the synagogue sent a message to Paul and Barnabas: 'Brothers, if you have any message that will encourage the people, please speak.'"

Paul and those with him traveled to Pamphylia which was a province of Asia Minor with Cilicia in its east, Lycia in its west, Pisidia in its north, and the Mediterranean to its south. We know this area as Turkey today. For reasons which no one really knows, John Mark left Paul and Barnabas and returned to Jerusalem. It has been speculated that the change from Barnabas and Paul to Paul and Barnabas may give us a hint as to why John Mark left them when they arrived at Perga. John Mark was the cousin of Barnabas, and so he very well may have resented this change in leadership. There is some indication in the Scriptures that John Mark and Paul did not get along too well, at least at first. Later on the Apostle Paul wrote from prison in Rome and asked that John Mark be sent to him, as he was of great profit to him by then. But for now there was a certain friction between the two. As John Mark was the son of a wealthy widow, raised in luxury, some scholars feel that he was uncomfortable with the hardships that developed on this journey. Now that they were coming into the rugged mainland where paganism was rampant, where robbers and other dangers were at every corner, and they were facing increasing opposition from religious leaders, John Mark opted out. All of this caused division later on between Barnabas and Paul causing them to separate.

When Paul and Barnabas came to Antioch of Pisidia, which was part of the ancient Roman province of Galatia, they went into the synagogue. It was there that people were prepared best to hear the gospel, so Paul took advantage of this opportunity. According to the custom of the synagogue, the visitors Paul and Barnabas were invited to speak. In this his first recorded sermon, the Apostle Paul gave a history of how God prepared the Israelites to lead them to faith in the Lord Jesus as their Messiah. The Apostle Paul had been prepared for this moment for years given that he was a long time Pharisee. He, having been made alive to God on the Damascus Road, now could see how all of the Scriptures had one central theme, the Lord Jesus Christ. All truth points us to Him who is the very truth Himself.

In v.16-20 of today's passage we read, "16 Paul stood up, raised his hand, and said, 'You Israelites and you who worship God, please listen! 17 The God of the Israelites chose our ancestors. He made the people great during the time they lived in Egypt, and he brought them out of that country with great power. 18 And he was patient with them for forty years in the desert. 19 God destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave the land to his people. 20 All this happened in about four hundred fifty years. After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.'"

The Apostle Paul immediately began his comments by acknowledging the God of Israel, and then he continued to point out that in the same way God had prepared Israel for the coming of their Messiah, He had prepared those who were present that day in that synagogue to believe. Being guided by the Holy Spirit, the Apostle revealed through Israel's history how God had led them through their history in order to be led to their Messiah. Our history can be traced accordingly. In fact, if my dad had not died when he did, I doubt I would be in the ministry today. As I look back on it, the circumstances aligned perfectly, especially since my mom had died when I was five years old.

Any Jew would have been intimately familiar with Paul's history lesson given that day. Paul carefully recounted their history which had been carefully recorded in their sacred writings. He artfully used their sacred writings to unfold for them their history potentially leading them to faith in the Lord Jesus as their Messiah. It was the God of Israel who led the people out of Egypt with His outstretched arm. He was the One who made this insignificant and small group of people to flourish into a great nation. He did so by providing for them leaders in their judges and their kings. The preservation of Israel is a huge apologetic for the existence of the God of the Bible. In fact, it was the nation of Israel who was scattered for almost two thousand years throughout the world until God used the Holocaust to bring them back into the land of Israel in 1948. In fact, 1948 is evidence that we serve a covenant-keeping God who does not renege on His promises, despite our behavior. It shows us His word is true, and the fulfillment of prophecy is a sign to us that His work is true. The return of the Jews to Israel was no work of any man, it was truly the work of the God of Israel.

In v.21-22 of today's passage we read, "21 Then the people asked for a king, so God gave them Saul son of Kish. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin and was king for forty years. 22 After God took him away, God made David their king. God said about him: 'I have found in David son of Jesse the kind of man I want. He will do all I want him to do.'"

At this point in his presentation, Paul pointed the spotlight on two important kings, Saul and David. These two kings pictured for Israel the wrestling match within the souls of all who struggle to walk with God. The key all along has been the investment of our hearts in a personal relationship with God. When the king's hearts were drawn away from the Lord, they failed to walk with God. Even though King Saul came from the smallest tribe of Israel, he had an overgrown-sized understanding of his importance. This gave birth to pride in Saul which eventually was his downfall. And, even though David was known to walk with the Lord, he mistakingly believed sin was a better master than the Lord. It just goes to prove that God opposes the proud but He gives grace to the humble. The difference between Saul and David in the end was repentance or the lack thereof.

In v.23-25 of today's passage we read, "23 So God has brought Jesus, one of David’s descendants, to Israel to be its Savior, as he promised. 24 Before Jesus came, John preached to all the people of Israel about a baptism of changed hearts and lives. 25 When he was finishing his work, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the Christ. He is coming later, and I am not worthy to untie his sandals." 

John the Baptist is the greatest among all the prophets according to the Lord Jesus. He was a man predicted by the Old Testament prophets as the fore runner to the Messiah. He had but one major purpose for his life: To call everyone’s attention to the One coming after him whose sandals he was not worthy to untie. John's humility was often mistaken by others as something other than. In the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar France, there is a painting of John the Baptist. On three panels above the altar, is a scene of the crucifixion. The Lord Jesus is pictured on His cross in the center panel, surrounded by various onlookers kneeling in worship. The most arresting figure in the painting is John the Baptist, who stands at the edge of a side panel with his arm outstretched and his finger pointing to the cross. That picture defines John’s role and sums up his ministry exactly. For that matter, it perfectly illustrates the calling of any follower of Jesus Christ. It is our joy to point others to the Lord Jesus and to His cross because it is to this we were called. 

Israel's history was so designed by God that those with a sincere heart for the truth will be carefully directed to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. A sincere heart is seen in being real and honest. Sincerity of heart is about being genuine and true. By the truth we are trained to look to the Lord Jesus for our meaning and purpose. We are at our best when we are most dependent upon the Lord. It is His faithfulness seen through the fulfillment of His promises that arrests the attention of our hearts most to believe even more. And, most often we see His faithfulness through the darkest moments of our lives.

Acts 13:4-12

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4 Barnabas and Saul, sent out by the Holy Spirit, went to the city of Seleucia. From there they sailed to the island of Cyprus. 5 When they came to Salamis, they preached the Good News of God in the synagogues. John Mark was with them to help. 6 They went across the whole island to Paphos where they met a magician named Bar-Jesus. He was a false prophet 7 who always stayed close to Sergius Paulus, the governor and a smart man. He asked Barnabas and Saul to come to him, because he wanted to hear the message of God. 8 But Elymas, the magician, was against them. (Elymas is the name for Bar-Jesus in the Greek language.) He tried to stop the governor from believing in Jesus. 9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked straight at Elymas 10 and said, “You son of the devil! You are an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of evil tricks and lies, always trying to change the Lord’s truths into lies. 11 Now the Lord will touch you, and you will be blind. For a time you will not be able to see anything—not even the light from the sun.” Then everything became dark for Elymas, and he walked around, trying to find someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the governor saw this, he believed because he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord. ~ Acts 13:4-12

Today, we return to our study of Acts 13 where Barnabas are traveling with Saul to do the ministry together in Cyprus. From Genesis to Revelation, God has always prepared His people to do His ministry. The ministry the Lord has given us all is to make Himself known and worshiped throughout the world. This ministry is substantiated in Habakkuk 2:14 which reads, "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." God desires for everyone to know Him personally and intimately. He desires that this knowledge of Him would render for each of us worship of Him. He has designed it such that who we worship will define us and there is no better definer for us than the God of the Bible. In His grace, God uses us, His people, to accomplish such ministry. This is where we discover Barnabas and Saul in today's passage, going forth to do this ministry.

In v.4-7 of today's passage we read, "4 Barnabas and Saul, sent out by the Holy Spirit, went to the city of Seleucia. From there they sailed to the island of Cyprus. 5 When they came to Salamis, they preached the Good News of God in the synagogues. John Mark was with them to help. 6 They went across the whole island to Paphos where they met a magician named Bar-Jesus. He was a false prophet 7 who always stayed close to Sergius Paulus, the governor and a smart man. He asked Barnabas and Saul to come to him, because he wanted to hear the message of God."

The Holy Spirit is mentioned four times in this chapter. The first in v.2 He is mentioned in connection with the calling of Barnabas and Saul. The second in v.4 He is mentioned when Barnabas and Saul were sent out. The third in v.9, Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit. The final time the Holy Spirit will be mentioned in this chapter will be in v.52 where the Gentile disciples will be "filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit." The involvement of the Holy Spirit is crucial if we are to be effective at being used of the Lord in the furtherance of His kingdom in the hearts of people. "Walking in the Spirit" is what we do when the desires produced by the Holy Spirit of God become a reality in and through us. I think of my childhood when I think of walking in the Spirit. My dad would grab my hands and I would stand on my dad's feet. He would provide the inertia to walk. Such is the case for the believer who walks in the Spirit.

Having been sent out by the believers in Antioch, Barnabas and Saul went down to Seleucia, the port city from which those who lived in Antioch would sail. From there they went to Cyprus which is a large island in the eastern Mediterranean. Barnabas and Saul and John Mark followed a track of synagogues. Here for the first real time we are witnessing a transition from the Jews to the Gentiles in the furtherance of the gospel. There will be great hostility by the Jews towards the notion that the Lord Jesus is their Messiah. On the contrary, there will be an increasing opening of arms towards the Lord Jesus by the Gentiles.

In the city of Paphos, Barnabas and Paul met Bar-Jesus a "magician" who was also a "false prophet." Bar-Jesus had the ear of the governor of that area and was connected to his court. The word translated "smart" signifies understanding derived from correlating facts. In this case, the Governor may have been intelligent, but he was also lacking discernment as is evident by the presence of Bar-Jesus. Somehow, this governor learned of Barnabas and Saul and he called them to come to him because he wanted to hear from them their message.

In v.8-10 of today's passage we read, "8 But Elymas, the magician, was against them. (Elymas is the name for Bar-Jesus in the Greek language.) He tried to stop the governor from believing in Jesus. 9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked straight at Elymas 10 and said, 'You son of the devil! You are an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of evil tricks and lies, always trying to change the Lord’s truths into lies.'"

Bar-Jesus, also known as Elymas, did not believe in the gospel message. He was like a wall that refused to be moved. In fact, he tried to prevent Sergius Paulus the governor, from believing in the Lord Jesus. He did this because he could see that the influence of the Word of God would diminish his influence over the governor. Providing contrast with Elymas, in v.9 we discover the first time Saul was ever called Paul in the Scriptures. From this point on, it will be the only name he will be referenced. I find it quite instructive that the name "Paulos" means "Little" underscoring the very important concept of "less of me and more of Him." 

Having been filled with the Holy Spirit, Paul commenced to share the gospel with the governor. The filling of the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the middle voice here. This means it is the Holy Spirit Himself who does the filling. This filling is an extra unction from the Holy Spirit to speak and to work on the behalf of God. This means we do not rely on ourselves to do ministry. It means when the time comes for the Lord to lead, we must trust Him to accomplish His work in the life of anyone we are working with at the moment. There have been many times in my ministry that I did not know what to say and once I ask God for the words to say they were there. Very often I have been given much more credit than I ever deserved for something the Lord accomplished.

It was at that point that Paul, under the leading of the Holy Spirit, addressed Bar-Jesus. The Apostle identified Bar-Jesus as "a son of the devil." He continued by identifying this sorcerer as being opposed to the truth and thus he was an intentional deceiver. Paul continued to point out that Bar-Jesus was full of fraudulent intentions. Ironically, Bar-Jesus means "Son of Salvation." 

In v.11-12 of today's passage we read, "'11 Now the Lord will touch you, and you will be blind. For a time you will not be able to see anything—not even the light from the sun.' Then everything became dark for Elymas, and he walked around, trying to find someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the governor saw this, he believed because he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord."

The punishment determined for Bar-Jesus was ironically the same as that which came upon Paul when he was made completely blind for three days in Acts 9. Just as in the case of Paul, the punishment would not be permanent. The physical blindness that came upon Bar-Jesus was simply a reflection of his spiritual blindness. This stricken condition was intended to lead Bar-Jesus to faith in the Lord Jesus. Even though there is no evidence that Bar-Jesus believed in the Lord Jesus as his Savior, the Governor, Sergius Paulus, did. The blinding of Bar-Jesus provided verifiable proof to the governor that the power of God was to be found in the message of the gospel. It was Paul's proclamation of the gospel that caused the governor to believe. After all, it has always been that God's Word creates faith in each of us as we allow it. Our faith in the God of the Bible is a bi-product of God's faithfulness to us and to His promises given in His Word.

Acts 13:1-3

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1 In the church at Antioch there were these prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon (also called Niger), Lucius (from the city of Cyrene), Manaen (who had grown up with Herod, the ruler), and Saul. 2 They were all worshiping the Lord and fasting for a certain time. During this time the Holy Spirit said to them, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul to do a special work for which I have chosen them.” 3 So after they fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them out. ~ Acts 13:1-3

Today, we transition into Acts 13 which is another turning point in the book of Acts. This chapter marks the beginning of the third phase of the great commission that the Lord Jesus gave to His disciples in Matthew 28. In Acts 1:8 He outlined how the ministry would unfold, beginning in Jerusalem, then in Judea and Samaria, and then finally into the uttermost parts of the earth. In this chapter begins the last phase, the going into the uttermost parts of the earth. It is also the beginning of the apostleship of Paul. Some eleven or twelve years after his conversion, he began to fulfill the ministry to which he was called as an apostle of Jesus Christ. The most important thing about today's passage is the manner in which the Holy Spirit guides His people. 

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "In the church at Antioch there were these prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon (also called Niger), Lucius (from the city of Cyrene), Manaen (who had grown up with Herod, the ruler), and Saul."

It was from the church at Antioch that Barnabas and Saul had been sent and it is where they had now returned. Luke here highlights two different spiritual gifts, prophecy and teaching. He also mentions the names of  five different men, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had grown up with Herod, the Tetrarch and finally Saul of Tarsus. The significance of this is each of these five men were all Jewish. In Romans 3:2 God told us: "Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God." We owe a lot to all of those Old Testament scholars and to those who God used to record the Old and New Testament. They painstakingly preserved God's Word for us. If we did not have God's Word, we would lack a definitive standard for absolute truth, moral guidance, and the specific knowledge of salvation.

In v.2 of today's passage we read, "They were all worshiping the Lord and fasting for a certain time. During this time the Holy Spirit said to them, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul to do a special work for which I have chosen them.'"

Every significant work of man must be preceded by our worship of the Lord as indicated here. Real worship of God comes on the heels of being defined by Him. We discover God’s definition of things through His Word, the Bible. Living in concert with God’s definitions of how life should be lived is worship. It was Paul Tripp who once said, “Human beings by their very nature are worshipers. Worship is not something we do; it defines who we are. You cannot divide human beings into those who worship and those who don’t. Everybody worships; it’s just a matter of what, or whom, we serve.”

These men fasted because they understood the importance in hearing God’s voice. So, they even removed the distraction of eating. It was during this time of worship and fasting and prayer that “the Holy Spirit said to them, Set apart for me, Barnabas and Saul.” Barnabas and Saul had been counted among the prophets and teachers of Antioch, but now they are being called for a special ministry. We lack the ability to know God’s calling if we do not know His Word. And, if we do not know His Word, we will not be active in our worship of Him.

By the way, it is a common question for people to ask if fasting is required for believers. The answer is, “No.” Though it is referred to in Scripture, and even though the Lord Jesus speaks of it as something that was commonly done, His words were primarily to Israel, under the law. As such, those verses cannot be considered prescriptive for the church. Likewise, in Acts, fasting is mentioned, but Acts is a descriptive account of what was occurring. It prescribes nothing. On the other hand, in the epistles, from where we are to derive our doctrine on such matters, fasting is never explicitly directed. It is mentioned once in 1 Corinthians 7:5, but it is not a prescription. The other two times fasting is mentioned are in 2 Corinthians 6:5 and 11:27. Both are involuntary fasts. Paul was forced to fast because of a lack of food. Other than these three references, fasting is never addressed in the New Testament, and it is certainly not prescribed. 

In v.3 of today's passage we read, "So after they fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them out."

The Holy Spirit instructed Barnabas and Saul to be separated for the work that He had for them. This was met with a special time of both fasting and prayer. God, who is all-knowing has established prayer as the means by which we apprehend Him and He us. Through this relational practice we receive what God has promised. One can only wonder what blessings we are missing today both in our personal lives and in our churches because of our failure to earnestly pray. It was Elizabeth Elliot who once said, "Prayer lays hold of God's plan and becomes the link between his will and its accomplishment on earth. Amazing things happen, and we are given the privilege of being the channels of the Holy Spirit's prayer."

Again, fasting, in particular, was a Jewish practice not practiced by the church in the New Testament. These words here are not prescriptive, meaning a directive given to the Church. It is obviously a good practice to pray before sending believers out on a mission but fasting is not prescriptive. "Laying on of hands" is a biblical action, however, there is no biblical mandate requiring the physical laying on of hands for a particular spiritual ministry. The Lord Jesus certainly laid His hands on many of those He healed, however, He also healed without laying His hands on people. It is a good practice for churches to pray for the success of the missionaries. Someone once said, "If our day is hemmed in with prayer, it is less likely to come unraveled."  So, we conclude that God's will be done. Success means that the will of the Lord is served, in whatever manner He directs.