Acts 13:1-12 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Acts 13:1-12. Let’s go!
Acts 13:1 (NIV)
1 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.
On verse 1: The church at Antioch had a team of prophet-teachers who spoke to the congregation. Notice the diversity on this teaching team: Barnabas was Jewish but grew up in Greek-influenced Cyprus, likely making him a “Grecian Jew”. Simeon, scholars say, was probably black. Lucius was from Cyrene (North Africa). Manaen grew up with King Herod Antipas the tetrarch, which meant he probably came a very wealthy background and was older. Saul, of course, was a “Hebrew of Hebrews” (Philippians 3:5) but was also well traveled and from Tarsus (modern day Turkey). God loves diversity. In fact Jesus’ Church is the largest and most racially, ethnically and culturally diverse family that has ever existed.
Acts 13:2 (NIV)
2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
On verse 2: It was in an environment of worshiping the Lord and fasting that this team of leaders heard the Holy Spirit tell them to send off Barnabas and Saul for a new assignment. What can we learn from this? If you want to hear the Holy Spirit speak, make room for Him through worship and fasting. When you draw near to God, He will draw near to you.
Also, notice in this passage the power of being intimate with God. Because Barnabas, Saul and their friends valued intimacy with God, they spent time worshipping, praying and fasting (v1). When they were intimate with God through worship, prayer and fasting, that’s when they could hear the Holy Spirit’s voice leading them (v2), have courage to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading (v3), teach and proclaim God’s Word (v1, 5), confront evil and engage in spiritual warfare (v9-11) and lead people to saving faith in Jesus Christ (v12). It all flows from being intimate with God. I pray that you would protect your time with God, because your effectiveness as a leader and your security as a Christian flows from your intimacy with your Heavenly Father. May you find a way to spend good quality time with God and find Him speaking to you as you worship Him, still yourself in His presence and meditate on His Word.
3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.
On verses 3-4: Verse 3 says that this team of prophet-teachers sent off Barnabas and Saul. Verse 4 says that the Holy Spirit sent them off. It was both. What can we learn from this? When you are sent off officially by your church on a ministry assignment, you want to see it as both your church family sending you off and the Holy Spirit sending you off. Also, when you’re making an important decision, take the time to draw near to God and seek His guidance.
Acts 13:5-8 (NIV)
5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.
6 They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus,
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.
8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.
On verses 5-8: According to the New American Commentary, Jewish diviners were looked upon favourably by some Roman officials, who trusted in their powers of divination as well as their knowledge of religious matters due to their Jewish heritage. This diviner called Elymas (and also called Bar-Jesus) is described by Luke as a trickster and a false prophet (v6). Apparently by the time Luke wrote Acts, the word “sorcerer” had taken on a negative connotation and had become synonymous with “trickster” or “deceiver”, which is why Luke explains his use of the word in verse 8 (“for that is what his name means”). When the Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus asks to hear the preaching of Barnabas and Saul, Elymas tries to discourage him and turn him away from hearing the gospel.
What can we learn from this? When you’re trying to share the message of Jesus with others, do not be surprised if you face opposition.
Acts 13:9-11 (NIV)
9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said,
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?
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.
On verses 9-11: Saul, also called Paul, stands up to Elymas’ attempts to lure the proconsul away from the Gospel. “Filled with the Holy Spirit” (v9), Paul boldly calls out Elymas on what he is doing, proclaims that Elymas will go blind temporarily, and Elymas immediately goes blind. In so doing, Paul shows that the power of the Lord is greater than whatever power Elymas was ascribing to.
What can we learn from this? The devil is a trickster, a deceiver and an enemy of everything is right. Still, the power of Jesus is greater than the power of the devil and the occult.
Acts 13:12 (NIV)
12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
On verse 12: What convinced the intelligent proconsul to believe in Jesus? It was a combination of solid teaching about Jesus plus seeing the real life power he saw coming from a relationship with Jesus. May our words and our actions together establish for others a convincing case for the reality that Jesus is alive and that believing in Him is the best thing a person can do.
Jesus, I declare that You are Lord of all, that all authority in heaven and on earth belongs to You. So though I face opposition in my attempts to share Your message with others, may I not be discouraged knowing that greater is He who is in me than He who is in the world. Also, thank You that You love diversity and that Your church is the most diverse family in the world. So may I love every person in the skin they’re in and no matter where they come from. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
