Paul and Barnabas Sent out Acts 13:1-12

Introduction

The early church had done a really good job at reaching Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, but their reaching beyond that was in the very early stages. This morning we are going to look at Paul and Barnabas first missionary journey.

We will see their calling, their missions work begins and Paul preaching.

Paul and Barnabas’ Calling vs. 1-3

The church at Antioch had prophets and teachers in their church vs. 1

While the ministry of prophecy ceased when the word of God was completed, the ministry of teaching did not and still hasn’t.

God is still using the teaching and preaching of the Bible to convict sinners through the Holy Spirit.

Named among the prophets and teachers at Antioch are;

Barnabas- he was sent by the church at Jerusalem to check in on what was going on with the Gentiles and ended up staying and recruiting Paul to help him in this church.

Simeon, who was called Niger - Interesting note is his real name was Simeon, and some scholars believe that he was the one who carried the cross for Jesus.

Lucius of Cyrene- Simeon was also from Cyrene and could’ve introduce Lucius to the gospel

Manaen who was like a foster brother of Herod the tetrarch- He was brought up with Herod who stole Herodius from her husband, who murdered John the Baptist and mocked Jesus. Manaen who was raised in the same house as Herod became a follower of Jesus, while Herod became a murderer.

Saul - A man who really had a changed life. He went from killing Christians to being a leader in the church at Antioch

What does this list remind us of, God is no respecter of persons, He sent His Son to die for every man. He doesn’t care where you’re from or what you’ve done in your past, He sent his son for you.

These men were faithful vs. 2

Here we are taught a good lesson for all of us “if we are faithful in the small things, God will use us, but how can we expect God to use us if we aren’t faithful in the small things.

I remember growing up, preachers and missionaries coming through and telling us that while you wait on the Lord to direct your life, you should be faithful doing something, whether its taking out the trash, cleaning the church, teaching a Sunday school class, do something, and that is what these men were doing.

As they were ministering and fasting, the Holy Ghost spoke to them.

Separate Paul and Barnabas

They were separated for the work that God had called them to do

Only God can call someone into ministry, and it takes a calling. The call of God on our life must be answered.

Not only do we see a call answered, but also we see the support of a church on someone who is called

They fasted, prayed, laid their hands on them, and then sent them

Galatians 2:9 “And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.”

Paul and Barnabas’ mission begins vs. 4-5

I think it is necessary to be reminded what the mission of the church is and how missionaries help churches fulfil it.

Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Matthew 28:18–20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

We saw the church fulfilling that commission by sending out Barnabas and Saul to do the work God had called them to do.

Oswald J. Smith said this “The church that does not evangelize will fossilize.”

Notice the wording in verse 4, they weren’t just sent by the church, they were sent by the Holy Ghost. Even if the church wouldn’t of sent them, the Holy Ghost did and there was no stopping it.

They went to Seleucia

Seleucia was a port city where there ship would’ve sailed out of

From Seleucia they sailed to Cyprus which was an island in the great sea. When they arrived at Cyprus they were in the city of Salamis, which was on the east coast of Cyprus.

Notice the first thing they did when they got to Salamis

they preached the Word of God

1 Corinthians 1:21 “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

The word of God should be the priority in anything we do as a church, and the missionaries our church sends out should place the same priority on preaching.

They went to the religious people

They followed the example of Jesus and went and preached in the Synagogue.

John Mark came along with them on this first missionary journey and from the phrase they used to describe his part of the ministry, it seems s though he was a rower of their boat or something of that nature while he was there. Its interesting to note that Paul and Barnabas were sent by the Spirit and John Mark is almost a foot note on the Journey.

Their next stop was Paphos

Paphos is on the west coast of Cyprus so they journeyed from coast to coast of Cyprus preaching the word of God

Pauls Preaching in Paphos vs 6-10

When they got to Paphos they found a man named Bar-Jesus, the Bible uses lots of adjectives

Sorcerer - dealing with magic

False Prophet - preaching/teaching contrary to what the Bible teaches

Jew

He was with the deputy of the country whose name was, Sergius Paulus.

He was a prudent (wise or intelligent) man

He called for Paul and Barnabas because he desired to hear the word of God

2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

When someone wants to here the Word of God we ought to be ready to share it with them

1 Peter 3:15–16 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.”

Look what the sorcerer tried to do vs. 8

The phrase withstood them means he resisted them

He tried to turn the Deputy of the country away from them.

This man knew the power the Gospel has and didn’t want the deputy to hear it

Saul filled with the Holy Ghost vs 9-11

As the Sorcerer is trying to distract the Deputy, Saul gets filled with the holy Ghost.

This journey started by being sent by the Holy Spirit and now he is filled with the Holy Spirit.

Paul looked the sorcerer in the eye and rebuked him for trying to stop the Gospel

O full of all subtilty

Genesis 3:1 “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”

and all mischief

Intentional injury; harm or damage done by design.

Thou child of the Devil

To be a child of the devil is the opposite as a child of God

Thou enemy of all righteousness

Then Paul asks him a question

wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord

Paul asks him if he is going to continue to muddy the waters between right and wrong, is he going to continue perverting the gospel.

Then Paul does a miracle through the filling of the Holy Ghost

He tells him because of what he has done the hand of the lord is upon him and he is going to be blind, and immediately he was blind and in darkness.

He was already living a life of spiritual darkness and now was living a life of physical darkness.

He had to go find someone to lead him by the hand.

The result of the preaching of the word of God preached and seen in action

The deputy got saved, not just because of the miracle, but also because he was astonished at the doctrine of the Lord

Conclusion

This morning if you have never trusted Christ you are like the blind man living in darkness, nothing is said as to what happened after he went blind, or if he ever regained his sight, but I find it interesting that the man who went blind on his way to persecute Christians got saved and regained his sight and is now rebuking people for diluting the Gospel. This just goes to show that the Gospel really does change lives and it can change yours this morning. Come and we can show you from God’s word how you can be saved.