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Saul of Tarsus … missionary to the gentiles

Posted By ian On In Missionaries of the Bible,preaching | Comments Disabled

Read Acts 13:1-12

Today I want to inspire and thrill you with the remarkable story about how Paul (initially Saul) set out on his first missionary journey, and draw out some of the principle that lie just beneath the surface.

Behind the fast-moving story recorded in Acts there is a spiritual battle going on <ppt>

Some people would say it’s a battle between good and evil – at one level that is true, but it’s only half the story

This is a case in point.

Never take the surface events for granted!

Behind the events of our lives there as spiritual factors at work.

In Acts, the focus switches from Peter to Paul <ppt>

Peter, one of Jesus inner circle of disciples, Highly effective leader of the church in Jerusalem.

Paul – became the missionary to the gentiles (non-Jews) and therefore to us. It’s highly likely that we would not have heard to gospel had Paul not met Christ on the road to Damascus

Paul converted in Ch 9

Was it a sudden conversion? Probably not. We think this because of

his university professor – Gimaliel

The death of Stephen.

Several years had passed since the Road to Damascus experience

why did God wait?

There’s a spiritual principle here:

Your heavenly father is more concerned about what he is doing in you than what he is doing through you. <ppt>

Because God has a lot to do in him!

Only then is God going to press the ‘go’ button

I often advise young men who are considering Christian ministry to go and do something in a secular field first, go and build something for a few youres, go and learn to achieve first, before entering the much tougher world of full-time church leadership >>>

Paul had been both called of God, trained in the school of prayer and in the school of hard knocks, integrated into the church – And now God says ‘go’

God’s call comes in two ways

first the call to my heart

second the confirmation to the fellowship

May I plead with any of you today

some of you have the knowledge in your heart that you’re called of God to ‘go’

to ministry here, another church, special mission

may I ask to pray that God will give the fellowship the confirmation.

As a church I believe it is imperative that we listen to God’s voice

Tonight we’re going to see the first events in Paul’s calling as a missionary – a battle between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan.

Church expansion comes about because of the Holy Spirit’s influence

4. The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Selucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.

Luke is emphasising that no development of the church came about by chance.

This, in particular, was motivated and urged on by the Holy Spirit

by the Holy Spirit – here is God dictating the route.

Selucia – The seaport serving the city of Antioch – 5 mile upstream from the mouth of the Orontes river.

Cyprus. – a significant Jewish population there. The gospel had already been preached there, 11:19-21. Brief history – see Bruce p255

Acts 11 19. Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. … 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

Christian ministry is not achieved alone

Barnabas –

Principle – where was the first place they wanted to go in their newly discovered ministry – home! <ppt>

We must never neglect the ministry in our home locality.

5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.

John . – John a cousin of Barnabas (Col 4:10)

the Jewish synagogues – Paul usually went here first to start preaching – ‘to the Jew first …’. In most synagogues there were some ‘God-fearers’ with whom Paul could be confident of a good opening when preaching the gospel. Plural implies that the Jewish population was large enough to support more than one synagogue.

was with them as their helper – they couldn’t do it alone.

One of the characteristics of this significant move of the Holy Spirit that we are witnessing today is that the ministry is being done by ordinary people.

Spirit-inspred ministry provokes opposition

Than things start hotting up

6 They travelled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-jesus,

Jewish sorcerer – appears a contradiction in terms but is shows haw far away from God’s heart the jewish leaders had allowed themselves to drift if they allowed this kind of thing to continue unchecked.

Paphos – 100 miles journey from Salamis and the Roman administrative centre for the island.

Bar-jesus – mean Son of Jesus – not Jesus Christ!

Jesus a common name, derives from Joshua or ‘Saviour’.

false prophet – not in the sense that he predicted things that didn’t happen (any old fool can do that!)

The word used in the original text helps us here –

E.g. Chatsworth house – door open –

See parable of wheat and tares (matt 13:24-30, :36-43).

Paul sought out the seekers

7 who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. (… And they went)

proconsul, Sergius Paulus – Administrative and military head of the island. The gospel impacts on all strata of society.

Typical of today – intelligent man – seeking spiritual reality but not knowing where to look.

mention Seeker services – we’re trying to create a safe place for a dangerous message

BarJesus who was an attendant of the proconsul –

And see to what desperate lengths they will go to find reality.

8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.

Elymas – possibly a self appointed name, meaning ‘sorcerer’ or ‘wise-man’.

tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. –

Why did Elymas do this?

Christian Ministry often involves personal risk-taking

9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said,

Saul, who was also called Paul – The names mean ‘asked’ and ‘little’ respectively – it is inferred from this that Paul was probably a short man. However, some argue that Paul is simply a Greek derivation from the Hebraic Saul. It may be both since it was customary to have both a Greek name (for relationships in Greek quarters) if your original name was clearly Hebrew. He may have adopted this mane because he was aware that he is now entering a phase of ministry where he will be working primarily with Greeks.

Paul and Barnabas – the ordering of the names now changes until they get back to the Jerusalem church. Possibly indicating that Paul is assuming the leadership of the trio (P, B + John Mark)

10 “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?

Press the Pause button there!

Will you never stop perverting – This is the technique of the false prophet.

Many cults like this – take the Bible and then add to it or impose their own interpretation on it.

11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

E.g. man who opposed Charles Wesley

We are dealing with God here!

Spiritual change takes place most often when the power of God is seen as well as taught

12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

he was amazed – here is an intelligent man – amazed.

This tells me something about Paul’s’ message and method.

Beware Christianity that appeals only to the feelings!

What happened

he believed – the miracle validated the message.

Recap & Pray

 

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