Acts 13

Hacksaw ridge

Desmond doss.. world war 2.. he saved 75 men.. the very men who made fun of him demeand him discouraged him and some who hate him..

Tell story.

Relentless Battle

Who is our enemy?

Acts 13:10a (esv)

10 and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy,

Parable of the sower..

Luke 8:11-12 (ESV)

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

Son of the devil.. Elymas was influential, he was profiting from his abilities for selfish gain

John 10:10a(ESV)

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

2 Corinthians 11:14 (esv)

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Ephesians 6:12 (ESV)

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

First I want us to ask our sleves

Who side are you battling for?

Who are you a son or daughter of this am?

Our selfish motivation keeps us in spiritual deception

1 John 3:7-8, 10(ESV)

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

Jesus destroyed the works of Satan

The works of the devil is to tempt us to sin

Truth is until we put our faith in Jesus we are all on the wrong side of this battle..

Christmas was God’s invasion to earth to conquer sin

Easter is God’s victory over this sin through Jesus death and resurrection. It is here the battle was won

So will we live a life as a son of the devil or a son of God

God commands this but I do not want it

God promises this but I do not want it

I will make the morals and laws based on how I feel rather than listening to God… this is a child of satan..

This is what destroys us

When we choose Jesus we become son of God and we ae called to no longer be living in sin..

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 4:24 (ESV)

and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

So prayerfully In this battle we are all realizing that God’s way is the only way to victory

I want to start here because often when we see each other. Especially those who disagree with us we think they are the enemy.. but this is not true.. our only enemy is satan and demons

Ace football vs Crofton

Ensite conflict or engage unity?

2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV)

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Your spouse is not your enemy.. perhaps the sin they engage in.. which the devil has tempted them to..

The church is not your enemy.. even when it spoke things that where not of the Lord .. just the sin of pride or seeking self instead of God

In this battle the word says..

Hebrews 12:14 (ESV)

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

In this relentless battle we have to see clearly they

The mission of our enemy

Acts 13:8b (ESV)

seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

Acts 13:10 (ESV)

you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?

First what is God’s mission?

Luke 19:10 and John 3:17 both say

John 3:17 (ESV)

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him

Seek and to save the lost

Satans mission is to turn us from faith

Acts 13:9-10 (ESV)

9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?

To take what God says and twist it so much that even what seems to be true is not

Mc escher stairs

Since Genesis 2 with eve satan has been twisting truth and Jesus warns

Matthew 24:24 (ESV)

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

A relentless battle

We are Sent out

Acts 13:4-5 (ESV)

4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews.

Holy spirit is our leader

Psalm 143:10 (ESV)

10 Teach me to do your will,     for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me     on level ground!

Seniors pic

Guide us into obedience

Gods word is what silences satan

Proclaim the word of truth

Jesus does this as a child

Luke 2:40-52

He sits.. he listens.. he asks questions

He goes about his fathers business

He was obedient

1 timothy 4:13 (ESV)

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

Football team ..home depot… Andy

Mops… husbands called spoke with jim and accepted Jesus. Trunk or treat.. last week 2 people gave their life to Jesus.

Isaiah 55:11 (ESV)

11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;     it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,     and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Wise counsel

John vs 5 And they had John to assist them vs 13 13 Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem

WINGMAN

Cover my move. Move I got your cover

Airforce pic

Seek and save the lost does it matter what sin they committed?

How far are you willing to go?

Acts 13:6 (ESV)

6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos,

map

East to west coast of Cyprus Salamis to Paphos 90- 110 miles this would take between 40 and 50 hours to walk..

Who are you willing to preach to?

Acts 13:6-7 (ESV)

they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.

First they go to the Jewish temple but then they

Go to paphos this is the main city where the government is established. The proconsul is like the governor.. the guy in charge. The city was widely know for worshipping the goddess of love Venus.. the morality of this city was in incredible decay.

Bar Jesus son of Joshua.. Hebrew same guy as

El loo mas Greek Wise and powerful.

Sorcerer ..word magos.. magic.. good science magi for bad science magi

But he was ready to hear te word..

The odds are against these three guys paul barnabas and John

But the word teaches us we are called to preach to the ends of the earth..

A relentless battle

Remember that each conversation is in the hand of the Lord.

Acts 13:8-12 (ESV)

8 But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

Saul first time we hear his name Paul

Saul means prayed for .. Paul means humble.. small

Beause of the scoscer is a son of the devil he experiences the same fate of Saul..

the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand.

Everyone heard the truth but the scorcer turned to man instead of God and it seems that the proconsul believes in the lord

1 Corinthians 3:6 (ESV)

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 (ESV)

4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.

This is the relentless battle to teach the word at all costs to all people and live as sons and daughters of God

Acts 13:4-13 (ESV)

4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them.6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

13 Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem