Sunday: Salamos and Paphos
In Acts Chapter 13, Luke shifts the scene back to Antioch in order to introduce Paul’s first missionary journey, which occupies two entire chapters (Acts Chapter 13, 14). From here through the end of the book, the focus is set on Paul and his Gentile missions.
Image © Providence Collection Goodsalt.com
This is the first missionary endeavor in Acts that is intentional and carefully planned by an individual church; yet, Luke is careful in highlighting that such endeavor originated in God, not in the believers’ own initiative. The point, however, is that God can operate only when we willingly place ourselves in a position where He can use us.
Read Acts 13:1-12. What main points does Luke want to stress concerning Barnabas and Paul’s activities in Cyprus?
A period of intercessory prayer and fasting preceded the departure of the missionaries; in this context, the laying on of hands was basically an act of consecration, or a commendation to God’s grace (Acts 14:26) for the task at hand.
The island of Cyprus is in the northeastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea, not far from Antioch. It was a natural place to start, as not only was Barnabas from Cyprus but the gospel had also already reached the island. Yet, certainly there was still much to be done.
Once in Cyprus, Barnabas and Paul—and John Mark, Barnabas’s cousin (Acts 15:39, Col. 4:10), who was with them—preached in the synagogues of Salamis. This was Paul’s regular practice: to preach first in the synagogues before turning to Gentiles. Because Jesus was Israel’s Messiah, it was more than natural to share the gospel with Jews first.
After Salamis, they moved westward, preaching (we can assume) as they went, until they came to the capital, Paphos. The narrative then revolves around two individuals: a Jewish sorcerer named Bar-Jesus, also known as Elymas, and Sergius Paulus, the local Roman governor. The story provides a good example of how the gospel was met with contrasting responses: on one hand, open opposition; on the other, faithful acceptance even by highly prestigious Gentiles. The language of Acts 13:12 clearly implies conversion.
| Think how, in this case, it was a Jew who resisted the truth while a Gentile accepted it. How might this help us understand why sometimes those of other Christian denominations are harder to reach with “present truth” than are those of no faith at all? |
(36)
It is worth reading the whole of Acts 13-14 through to gain an overview of Paul's missionary journey. There is one uncomfortable bit that gave me pause to think.
Now there is no doubt that Barjesus/Elymas was deserving of reproof, but being struck blind for a season seems rather draconian. Imagine having the power to strike people blind when they disagree with you. Would you use it? Would you use it wisely? Would it convert people?
I don't believe he had the power to strike people blind this was God working through him.
How do you know when God is working through you to deliver a condemnatory message? See my response to Nanci below. It is an opportunity to examine our own hearts when we feel the need to condemn.
We know when God is working in us through the relationship we have with Him. Being fully surrendered, all that we have is at His disposal. How, when or why He uses us the way He does is not necessarily for us to understand because we trust Him. It’s not always disclosed by God to us because of our inability to understand God’s workings in us for His own glory.
God is wise. When it is necessary He makes it clear that it is Him working thru us. We aren’t using God, we must allow Him to use us.
If it gives us haughty pleasure to correct, admonish or reprove others then maybe we need to examine our motives.
If overly concerned with appearance then we might need to question the depth of our surrender, commitment and trust in God and in doing His will.
I understand what you are saying Nanci, but I have been on my spiritual journey long enough to see people who claim humility and a good relationship with Jesus and who sound deeply spiritual yet deliver critical messages to the church and its members filled with bitterness and accusation. They believe that they are fully surrendered and are trusting in God.
I come back to the notion that it is easy to deceive ourselves about our relationship with God when we have an agenda of criticism. I could point you to any number of websites that illustrate this. Part of the issue is that those who deceive themselves often isolate themselves from their community of believers and use words like "Babylon" to label them. At the same time, they apply words like "humble", and "Spirit-filled" to themselves.
Part of the solution to this issue is that we must ensure that we are active participants in our community of believers. We should support and encourage one another. Communities can be messy at times but when we are led by the Spirit to support one another, the opportunity to deceive ourselves is diminished.
This was not the only time that the Apostle Paul gives to his strong type personality even though God uses it in spite of it. Paul essentially reprimands the Apostle Peter as Paul writes about it in Galatians 2:11-14 contrary to Jesus own counsel in Matthew 18:15-17 to go to Peter one on one first etc.
Pete, you suggest that Paul acted contrary to Christ's counsel. Thus I suggest that you read Matt 18:15-17 again. What kind of situation is Jesus talking about. Is he talking about a high-profile leader publicly taking an anti-gospel stance, or is he talking about a private offense against another believer?
Having re-read Matt 18:15-17, do you still suggest that Peter's public offense should be privately rebuked?? What impression did Paul's rebuke leave with the people? What impression would a private rebuke have left? Is it better to let a public wrong stand to leave time for private discussion, hoping to persuade the leader to apologize in public? Or is it better to meet the public wrong in public immediately?
As for me - I tend to think that Paul was acting under the direction of the Holy Spirit when he rebuked Peter. See Gal 2:11-21. Paul was defending a crucial teaching about the relationship between old Jewish customs and the gospel. Christ had come to tear down the barrier between Jews and Gentiles and Peter and others, by their behavior, were rebuilding the wall. It needed swift and public rebuke, as I see it.
For that matter, Inge, there are no examples in the New Testament about anyone abiding by the Matthew 18:15-17 counsel. Even now in our own Church very few Pastors will preach about the importance of following that counsel but instead they resort to "Committees," to try to solve differences between members or members that seem to be "out of line" so to speak. And also None of the Early Church Leaders were without Flaw or Sinless. Why would the Apostle John go on to pen the words in 1 John 1:8,9 and 10 if there were some sinless and flawless one in their midst other than The Holy Spirit or The Father or Jesus?
I think Paul acted in that way in order to show firstly who is Jesus Christ. Secondly, show him the power of the Almighty because this man was a servant of Satan and the power of God surpass the power of the darkness. Thirdly Saul taught him that he had to respect God and the purposes for his children.
Bro Ashton,
I may be misinterpreting your statement,
‘Now there is no doubt that Barjesus/Elymas was deserving of reproof, but being struck blind for a season seems rather draconian. Imagine having the power to strike people blind when they disagree with you. Would you use it? Would you use it wisely? Would it convert people?’
I believe if Paul, clearly filled with the Spirit and power of God, made that statement to Bar-Jesus there was no mistake that it was made. I don’t see where Paul used his own power to do anything other than surrender to the Holy Spirit and then speak and do as the Holy Spirit prompted him to. Paul had no power of his own to cause blindness or to heal. He was a conduit for the mighty work of our loving God, Who was in earnest working His plan of salvation to save those involved.
There are stories like these in the Bible that could bring motive into question if we want to doubt God’s ability to harness His anger or we doubt His justice. But God is faithful, who can understand His judgement and give a clear answer to His ways? God allowed blindness to come upon Bar-Jesus just as He healed Dorcas using the apostles.
As a member of the Laodicean church according to prophecy, we may question what God does, what He prevents or allows. Which one of us by searching can understand the ways of God or criticize our Creators actions to correct or save erring humanity?
The purpose of the comment was not to doubt the story but rather an opportunity to question our own relationship to the working of the Holy Spirit in this present time.
Significantly, I see people claiming they are guided by the Holy Spirit when they make condemnatory remarks about others with whom they disagree. This is something we need to think about. How do we know when God has called us to give a message of condemnation?
Perhaps an indication of the spirit behind the motivation is what else do those who condemn have to say. Where there is love and support and understanding and the other fruit of the Holy Spirit, then condemnation carries some weight, otherwise, it is just critical dissatisfaction.
I believe Paul may have remembered his own experience and realized that the quiet moments he had to reflect on Jesus the source of what was happening at that time gave Paul's reasoning to pronounce this judgment If our motivation for reproof are to glorify God and give opportunities to someone to follow Jesus, then perhaps we are on the right way!
Ok, I got your point. But regarding what Paul did "Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said,..." - it is clear that he did that as an instrument in God's hand... The high point of the lesson can be found at the text "God can operate only when we willingly place ourselves in a position where He can use us." That's exactly where Paul was!
As humans, we do have this defect - "Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own?" (Matt 7:3).
But we can remember that while being physically on earth, Jesus gave sight to so many people! While those who were blind to His power were like that just because of their own hearts!
Let's assume then that Paul wanted to cause blindness to the man! Being blind was something known to Paul, he knew exactly what kind of change this experience could do to a person. After all, this was not too bad then! The man would be blind for a time only! Just as Paul was! And what a change from Saul to Paul!
Yes, before reproofing someone, we should look at the beam of wood in our own eyes!
This is what a class is all about!!!! Love u all!
Self examination, I believe is at the heart of the gospel (Matthew 7:3, Romans 2:1 and 16). We have to point out errors as the Holy Spirit leads but also in humility examine ourselves under that same Spirit.
Ministering to the Lord is a sanctuary language.
How do we minister to the Lord?
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
They must have been fasting and praying for the spreading of the gospel
God puts to action the promise that had been made about Saul
He is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.
He has perfect timing: never early, never late. God is never in a hurry, but he is always on time.
When we yield to his divine plan, He will surely fulfill his promise.
Paul's power was thru and by the power of God. It is important to keep our minds on "Our Creator God" and submit to His control moment by moment. We all have sinful impulses and must be constantly in touch with God or we can and do fail to live the victorious life in Christ.
The main point I glean from this account is the need of willing laborers who are filled with the Holy Spirit(being first repentant and no longer willing to yield to Satan's temptations), which opens the way for the power and grace of God to be revealed by the Holy Spirit through consecrated, holy men who rely on this promised power from above(Acts 1:8). Paul's practice was to die daily, so the Holy Spirit could direct him in his labors, leading him to reach out first to the Jews wherever they labored for the gospel.
What success can any hope for without this vital Power to aid our otherwise feeble efforts?
Notice also by what means the laborers were chosen: through fasting, prayer, and appointment of the Holy Spirit.
Who would obstruct the work of salvation? He or she must be an instrument of thé enemy!! We must be careful not to missuse our uthority to hinder God's work. Sometimes we make decisions on churhboard that are roadblocks, we become consumed with personal interest, refuse to support God's work because of who is leading or our relationship with thé individual.This lesson is an eye opener. God will mot permit anyone to hinder his work.