Untitled Sermon

Acts13

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***1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, a close friend of Herod the tetrarch and Saul.

((( Manaen the close friend of Herod, actually grew up with this Herod, the same Herod  who had John the Baptist beheaded at the request of his niece.  2 childhood friends:  1 an enemy of Jesus, 1 a leader in the church.

***2 As they were worshiping[a] the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.

((( Fasting, though never commanded in the NT, was expected at the appropriate time for Jesus’ disciples (cf. 2:19; Matt. 6:16, 17; 9:15; Luke 5:35).

Jesus set the precedent Himself (cf. Matt. 4:2).

The early church fasted (cf. Acts 13:2–3; 14:23; 2 Cor. 6:5; 11:27).

the length and frequency are optional…but purpose and manner are important

Fasting is not a way of showing off one’s spirituality, but of drawing closer to God and seeking His guidance. It can be spiritually helpful

Fasting can change your clarity and receptivity to God’s guidance; it can clear the channels of communication between you can God.

It just seems to open the door wider for the Holy Spirit.

It can renew contact with God, like removing the rust and corrosion from a car battery to enable the current to flow more freely.

NOTE:  health benefits   +    “hunger is the best spice”

NOTE:  “I’ve lost my appetite” … maybe it's our body communicating to our soul that we need to fast.NOTE:  Come back to America?

NOTE:  Community bonding … beyond “thoughts and prayers” …. To love and support

***4 So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 Arriving in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their assistant.

(((  “sent out by the Holy Spirit” … what about supernatural guidance from our God?

God’s providential working in our lives is both a delight and a mystery. God is constantly working with us (Mark 16:20), in us (Phil. 2:12–13), and for us (Rom. 8:28) and accomplishing His gracious purposes.

Warren W. Wiersbe

“The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”  (1 Cor 2:14)

Do some of your brothers and sisters in this room believe they have been directed by the Holy Spirit at times?

Are their accounts in the Bible? If you are taking notes, here’s a few passages:

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” – Isaiah 30:21

To shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace. – Luke 1:79

In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps. – Proverbs 16:9

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust.       Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. – Psalm 143:8

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. - Gal 5:25

NOTE: Decision making

The Bible

3 Cs …Confirming Circumstantial Confluence : Bible intake, an email, article, podcasts, texts, conversations, media

… some call this effect the “divine echo”

sanctified intellect

impressions from the Holy Spirit … remember to pray, test, weigh and discern.

Check against the whole counsel of the Bible

safety in many counselors

***6 When they had traveled the whole island as far as Paphos, they came across a sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (that is the meaning of his name) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

(((   “We are not to be ignorant of Satan’s schemes”  2 Cor 2:11

This is a specific warning about awareness of spiritual warfare.  Just like the specific direction for husbands to love their wives and wives respect their husbands.

Most rookies just a few years in the way, are weak in 3 areas:  spiritual warfare, walking in the Spirit,  and really understanding and walking in the gospel

Here the word reveals one of the enemy”s most used and most potent schemes and that is going after leaders.

I challenge you to pray for your leaders… Governmental, church (elders and CG leaders) and home… and in wartime, pray for military commanders … Ukraine, Israel

NOTE:  Josh 10 … after an all-night march to launch a successful surprise attack….sun stood still in the sky for almost a day while Joshua was completing a route of the armies of 5 Amorite Kings

Patton’s prayer … Battle of the Bulge … Dec 16 … 45x60 …heavy rains/thick fog …weather “Chaplin, I’m a strong believer in prayer” … 250K copies …  WX report: rain, snow, 100’ ceiling, 300’ visiblity … Patton summons a chaplin … 250K copies of prayer for troops collective prayer …Dec 20, noon…. Sun began to break through … 100 front shouting “It’s a miracle!” …reconnaissance planes ….wave after wave of aircraft …. 8 days of clear skies … turned the tide in the Battle of the Bulge … led to Allied victory in Europe

***9 But Saul—also called Paul—filled with the Holy Spirit, stared straight at Elymas 10 and said, “You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery, you son of the devil and enemy of all that is right. Won’t you ever stop perverting the straight paths of the Lord? 11 Now, look, the Lord’s hand is against you. You are going to be blind, and will not see the sun for a time.” Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

(((  Paul’s attitude … indignance … authority…  based on how Jesus had equipped him

NOTE:  Smith Wigglesworth

*** 12 Then, when he saw what happened, the proconsul believed, because he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

(((    Don’t lose the excitement about what we are in!   It IS an astonishing story!

You and I have a part to play!

Don’t settle for a mediocre or lukewarm life as a Christian.

Don’t miss that we are in a battle… and the spirit filled life is an adventure!

“Deep in his heart, every man longs for a battle to fight, an adventure to live, …” John Eldredge.

The Gospel sets us free to life a life of peace, joy and meaning as described in this from John Piper, in his classic book, Don’t Waster Your Life:

“Desire that your life count for something great! Long for your life to have eternal significance. Want this! Don’t coast through life without a passion.”

Pray