Lessons From Acts – Lesson 19
We left off with Herod killing James the brother of John and attempting to kill peter. God is letting Herod increase the persecution. However, woe to Herod.
Jesus said.
Mat 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Mat_18:7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
Herod gets up and gives a speech and the people say It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
Herod does not give God the glory and
Act 12:23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
And Herod wakes up dead in hell. He finally learns too late that all the pride and power and status and money, in the end is worthless. None of what he lived for will do him any good in hell for all eternity.
Act 12:25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.
They fulfilled the job they were sent for and that was giving monetary help to the brothers in Jerusalem. That means that the people in Jerusalem took the money. Paul did not return to Antioch with the money. They had fulfilled their ministry.
How did those in Jerusalem react? The Bible is silent. There is no mention of any thank you’s. No big appreciation send off. And I think no real change of attitude toward the Gentile believers in Antioch, at least with James and his crowd.
We know that later James sends men to Antioch when Peter is up there and causes all the Jews to stop eating with the Gentile Believers.
I like to believe that some of the individuals that received help were thankful, maybe many of them were. But there no display of thanks recorded in the Bible.
I like to do a quick recap to get what is going on fresh in our minds, especially when it has been a few weeks since we were in Acts.
Persecution is on the rise in Jerusalem and the believers were in need of help. And Paul and Barnabas bring help from the Antioch believers. And when it is time to leave John Mark goes with them.
They get to Antioch and start working for the Lord again and it seems they are not back very long and God says it is time to quit working in Antioch and head off to other places.
All nations need the Gospel. Paul and Barnabas had worked for a long time teaching and training and grounding the believers in Antioch. And also God had sent some more men up there to work for Him. And in Chapter 13 we see a list of some of them.
Act 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
God has worked and moved men and prepared men so that the work in Antioch will continue just fine without Paul and Barnabas. And we know that the work continues and thrives in Antioch after Paul and Barnabas leave.
It was in Antioch that the first translation of God’s Word was made into another language. This was done after Paul was killed. And a study of the preservation of God’s Word shows that the received line of manuscripts trace back to Antioch.
Not to Jerusalem and not to Alexandria Egypt.
The believers in Antioch were big on getting the word of God out. They copied scriptures in abundance, which was very time intensive in those days.
The work that Paul and Barnabas did in Antioch was very important. That work helped lay the foundation that others would build on. And the Work of God in Antioch will go on just fine without Paul.
God arranged it all. He opened doors and moved men and worked in hearts and opened eyes and sent burdens to men to do His will.
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
God does move in the hearts of men.
Our Lord is the master at putting men and jobs together.
This is His way. I have seen this with others. I remember many of the stories that the Old preacher Sam Weller would tell. Of how it was God that sent him to a city in Nebraska that never had a gospel preaching church.
And it was very clear to me as Sam talked that Sam was the right man for the job. He succeeded there were others would not.
They would persecute him, one time they burned a cross in his front yard. For a while he drove a semi, he had to quit that because they would not let him out of the truck to load it.
He ended up selling honey door to door but he had to go 40 miles away before anyone would buy his honey.
Sam had a love for souls and a God sent burden for that area. One time he was burdened to have a Vacation Bible school. No one would help him so he did it all alone and had 22 kids get saved.
It was very clear, God matched the right man for that particular job.
Billy Sunday could throw a chair during a sermon and it worked and God used him greatly. Mr. Moody would have failed if he tried to do what Billy Sunday did. And Billy Sunday would have failed if he tried to operate like Mr. Moody.
God matches the right man to the right job. And he never makes a mistake. And sometimes God will have a job for a man in a certain place for a certain time and then when that job is done God can move him to another area of service.
I believe that it was God who wanted us to do children’s church outside in Phoenix for almost 4 years, and then I believe it was God who wanted me to teach adult Sunday school and I believe it is our Lord who wants us to get out His Word and give as many people a chance as possible.
Sometimes God will give a man one job for his entire live. And sometimes He does move men to a different job for Him. Like He did with Paul and Barnabas.
Paul’s assignment in Antioch is finished for right now. God now has another job for him and then will send Paul back to Antioch for a while again and then send Paul out again.
Act 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
Act 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
God made his will known and so everyone just got on board and sent them off. No debate, no him hawing around. No but what about? What if? I smile when I read this. They just take God at His word and respond in faith. This is a great example here.
By the way it is supposed to be that way for other things as well. For example God promised to preserve His word to all generations. There is only one candidate for that. And that is the KJV Bible. All others are based on corrupt manuscripts. So men should just believe what God said and respond in faith and in like manner as this example in Acts.
No but what if’s and but what about? Just believe what God said and respond right away in faith.
Act 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
Now some make a huge deal about this and say since that is the way they did it that one time, then that is the only way it is to be done.
It is important to remember a few solid Bible study rules. By two or three witnesses shall a matter be established? So you can’t take this one verse and establish that this is the only way.
And also there must not be any other scripture conflicting with it. The Bible was given by God. Perfectly inspired by the Holy Ghost. Therefore since it came from one source, a perfect God, then scripture can’t conflict with other scripture.
If you see a conflict the problem is not with scripture, it would be with your faulty interpretation of it.
Barnabas was a part of the Jerusalem church. He was only sent to Antioch to find out what was going on. No one laid hands on him. The Jerusalem church did not give approval for Barnabas becoming a teacher in Antioch. They did not give approval for Barnabas to go get Paul.
No one laid hands on Paul to send him to Antioch to minister. No one laid hands on the hundreds of men who fled persecution in Jerusalem and went preaching the word and starting house churches.
So those that firmly say that the laying on of hands is the only way it is to be done are making a mistake. It is just one way to do it. God gives examples in His Word of God directing men to do a work without the laying on of hands.
Paul and Barnabas were actually sent forth by God and not by men. We see this clearly in verse 4.
Act 13:4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
Act 13:5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
So John Mark is still with them. So Mark traveled from Jerusalem and was working with them in Antioch for a short time and he is sticking with them and made the trip to Cyprus. Mark as you are aware will not last this entire trip but give him some credit for going.
Mark was the only one who let his heart be moved to leave Jerusalem with Paul and Barnabas. And we know that Mark will continue to learn and grow.
After preaching in the synagogues at Salamis they go to Paphos. And run into conflict.
This is actually not surprising Jesus said
Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Sinners doing evil deeds hate the light. They hate it. Anyone who goes out spreading the light is bound to run into opposition.
Act 13:6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
Act 13:7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
Act 13:8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
I have said it many times. Sin loves company. Sinners not only want others to sin with them, but they want those sinners to stay in bondage to sin with them.
They love darkness and it is not enough for them to stay in darkness themselves they want to keep others in the darkness with them.
Sergius had called for Barnabas and Paul because he wanted to hear the word of God. He was an honest inquirer. This deputy was looking into Christianity.
News of Christianity had spread by this time to all of the known world. Mostly thru gossip and 2nd and 3rd and 4th hand news. Churches for the most part have only been started as far away as Antioch.
Who knows all of the different things the deputy of this country had heard.
I think everyone of us understands how some news can be changed when told over and over again thru the gossip chain. Who knows what kind of conflicting or confusing things he had heard.
We don’t know, but we do know that he had heard enough to make him want to hear the word of God straight from the mouth of someone like Barnabas and Paul who knew and preached the Word of God.
There are actually 3 people involved here.
Act 13:6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
1st mentioned is a Jewish sorcerer who was a false prophet. Barjesus. And this sorcerer was with the deputy who wanted to hear the word of God.
I think it is clear that the sorcerer, a false prophet, would fill the deputy’s mind with all kinds of falsehoods and garbage. That is what false prophets do. And this false prophet was with the Deputy.
2nd man mentioned is the deputy who wanted to hear the word of God anyway. He wanted it enough that what the sorcerer told him did not stop him.
Act 13:7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
Satan and his minions do not let go of their prey easily. The false prophet sorcerer failed.
The deputy called and Paul and Barnabas are on their way. But the evil ones don’t give up that easily. So another sorcerer comes on the scene. And this one is actively seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
Elymas the sorcerer takes action before it is too late so they don’t lose the deputy for all eternity.
Act 13:8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
Elymas the sorcerer withstood them. Plural. That is Paul and Barnabas. This sorcerer went after the messengers of God’s Word.
Paul does not run. He is walking with God, he is letting the Holy Spirit lead. And he plainly bares the truth to all those around them about this child of the devil that is attacking them.
Act 13:9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,
Act 13:10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
There are times for tack. There are times to give a soft answer, and there are times that call for strong direct in your face language. And when a child of the devil is withstanding the work of God. That is one of those times.
O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness,
And Paul does not stop there. And remember this is not just Paul. It is really God the Holy Spirit working thru and leading Paul and giving him the words to say.
God has great longsuffering and patience with lost sinners. But it is a totally different thing for a sorcerer, a child of the devil who is actively trying to stop a lost sinner from getting saved.
And so the gloves so to speak come off.
Act 13:11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
God Himself, the hand of the Lord, took care of that sorcerer.
This is important. Paul himself had not power in and of himself to deal with this. But God has all power. Paul let God actually deal with it. It was nothing for God.
It only took two sentences and a moment in time and God took the barrier out of the way.
This is just another place in God’s word where God is clearly showing how much He wants people to get saved.
God worked and God removed the obstacle that the wicked one put in place.
So did it work. Yep. The deputy gets saved.
Act 13:12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
There are obstacles to getting the word of God to people. The flesh of sinners and this sinful world and the children of the devil do actively put up obstacles to stop sinners from coming to Jesus.
We see that here in Acts and nothing has changed. This has been going on from the beginning and it still goes on today.
And the solution is the same today as it was back then. God is the one that needs to move and bust down the obstacles. And He does. God is not willing that any should perish but that all come to repentance.
Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. God loves sinners. He will move obstacles.
But that will not happen unless the word of God goes out.
The deputy would never got saved unless Paul and Barnabas were obedient and in faith went and left Antioch to get the word of God to the lost.
This principal is true for us today.
God will not move unless somebody gets up and gets the word of God out. God will never work in a heart to open their mail and move to open their eyes and move to get the obstacles in their life out of the way unless the Gospel gets mailed.
A sinner will not read a tract unless someone gets a tract to him. A sinner will not listen to the gospel unless someone opens their mouth.
This principal has not changed and will not change. God does all the work, only He can remove obstacles and open eyes, but that will not happen unless somebody gets His word out to the lost.