Chapter Thirteen and Fourteen: There and Back Again

“The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions, and the nearer we get to Him the more intensely missionary we must become.” -Henry Martyn

Throughout the remainder of our study on the book of Acts, we are going to see the Gospel spread to the nations. It will be a call to reflect on our own lives and our own callings. Is God calling us to give our lives to be missionaries, is He calling us to be pastors, deacons, ministers. We all have a role to play in the Church, but where specifically is God calling us to serve?

Pray: That God would open our hearts, that we would begin to hear His voice and His calling on our lives. That we would have the courage to go wherever He might lead us.

The Apostle Paul and Barnabas Background

The Apostle Paul was a student of the law under Gamaliel, an influential leader in the Jewish sect known as the Pharisees. Paul was present at the stoning of Stephen, and served the Jews in the hunting, imprisonment, and execution of Christian believers. It was on the road to Damascus that Paul was confronted by Jesus and converted to Christianity. A man named Ananias restored Paul’s vision allowing Paul to begin his task of proclaiming Christ to be the Messiah.

Barnabas was an early leader in the church. His name was originally Joseph, but he was known as Barnabas because of how he encouraged those around him, Barnabas meaning “son of encouragement”. Barnabas was a man of means, early in the book of Acts we see he owned an amount of land that he sold and gave generously to the church. He and Paul became partners shortly after Paul’s conversion where they served together in Antioch until they were called to take a missionary journey north into Asia minor.

Antioch: A Missionary is sent out

Acts 13:1–3 CSB

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. 2 As 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.” 3 Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.

Paul and Barnabas were worshipping and praying with other believers when they were called to go on their missionary journey. There calling was affirmed by the other believers and they were sent out by the other believers.

Missionaries are called by God and sent out by the church

Not all are called (responsibility)

None are called to be part time leaders

None are called because it is cool

None are called to be superior Christians to others

A calling to ministry bears fruit in the way we live our lives

The steps the church takes in affirming the call

Fasted

Prayed

Laid hands on them

Cyprus: A Missionary must proclaim the Gospel in the face of any obstacle

Just as Moses was sent to Egypt to deliver his people and bring them into a covenant relationship with God at Sinai, Paul is sent to the gentiles to free them from spiritual slavery. They begin their mission in Cyprus, the hometown of Barnabas.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Overview

Contemporary archaeological research describes an island which “reached its zenith during the Late Roman Period,” and was “replete with nearly every kind of settlement known to the Late Roman world … small farmsteads, villas, agricultural villages, and mid-sized commercial harbors … below the threshold of major urban sites”

Cyprus was filled with Greek influences. It housed the temple of Zeus and the cult of Zeus. It was surrounded by pagan culture yet it had a large Jewish population. We see these influences play out in Cyprus as Paul and Barnabas go from Salamis to Paphos preaching the good news of the Gospel.

Acts 13:4–12 CSB

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

Just as Moses was opposed by the magicians in Pharaoh’s court, Elymas the sorcerer stood against the message of the Gospel here almost 1500 years later. Satan’s goal in this world is to hinder the spread of the Gospel. He puts any obstacle in the way of people having a relationship with God.

Are you a helper or a hindrance to the Gospel?

Pisidian Antioch: A Missionary’s Gospel is rooted in history

After leaving Cyprus, Paul and Barnabas travel north to Perga and to Pisidian Antioch. Here it was that John Mark left them and returned back to Jerusalem. The departure of John Mark would cause conflict between Paul and Barnabas to the point that the two would split and each go their separate ways (but that won’t be for a couple more chapters).

Paul and Barnabas would begin to preach in the Synagogue. Paul would take advantage of every opportunity he had to speak before the people as an opportunity to share the Gospel. This is the Apostle Paul’s first ever recorded sermon, and oddly enough, it bears a striking resemblance to that of Stephen’s. Paul would never forget the lessons he learned from the final moments of Stephen’s life. Those moments would go on to influence Paul’s theology and methodology, as he would find himself before kings and governors because of His witness. Paul used the story of their history in order to share the Gospel. The very law they read every Sabath, Paul would use to show them of how the Old Testament speaks of one who would come and bear the sins of the world. Starting with Moses and the ancient Israelites, Paul traced their history through the period of the judges, through the story of David, and eventually to the story of John the Baptist and how he prepared the way for Jesus. Jesus would face false accusations by the hands of the religious leaders, He would be put to death on the cross, but He would rise again on the third day.

Paul is telling those present that Jesus is the begotten Son of God who has fulfilled the promises to David by not experiencing decay due to His resurrection. There are countless eye witnesses that testify to this being true. This message of hope is one that not even the Old Testament law could accomplish. Even though the Scriptures were being fulfilled before their very eyes, still the people rejected it.

Acts 13:38–52 CSB

38 Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers and sisters, that through this man forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you. 39 Everyone who believes is justified through him from everything that you could not be justified from through the law of Moses. 40 So beware that what is said in the prophets does not happen to you: 41 Look, you scoffers, marvel and vanish away, because I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will never believe, even if someone were to explain it to you.” 42 As they were leaving, the people urged them to speak about these matters the following Sabbath. 43 After the synagogue had been dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and urging them to continue in the grace of God. 44 The following Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what Paul was saying, insulting him. 46 Paul and Barnabas boldly replied, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.” 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the prominent God-fearing women and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their district. 51 But Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Paul understood the people that he was ministering to and was able to share the Gospel in their heart language. It can be hard to share the Gospel, but truthfully, the story of the Gospel is the story of us. Jesus plays the hero in a story where it is our sin that stood against Him. It is an appeal to our identity. We are not the hero of our own story, and to believe the Gospel is to understand and accept that we are the villain, and rather than killing us Jesus died in our place. Nobody wants to be the bad guy, but if you look at human history, even your own story, it is easy to see the heart of the Gospel. All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, but even though the wages of sin is death, God sent His only begotten Son to take our place so that we could have eternal life with Him simply by believing in Him.

Iconium: A Missionary will find he is an enemy of this world

Although in sharing our faith we wish only to offer the hope and love of Jesus to our listeners, we will find that the world hates us just as it has hated Christ. Paul and Barnabas’ mission to the people of Iconium didn’t last long as the people grew more and more divided over the Gospel.

Acts 14:1–7 CSB

1 In Iconium they entered the Jewish synagogue, as usual, and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So they stayed there a long time and spoke boldly for the Lord, who testified to the message of his grace by enabling them to do signs and wonders. 4 But the people of the city were divided, some siding with the Jews and others with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat and stone them, 6 they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding countryside. 7 There they continued preaching the gospel.

Lystra: A Missionary’s journey shares in that of Christ’s

Just as Jesus’ road led to a cross we can expect that as we follow Him, our road too will lead to a cross. Also just as Jesus was resurrected, we can trust that we will rise again with Him. That being said, our walk with Christ is certain to be filled with opposition, persecution, and every kind of obstacle. Nevertheless, our mission remains the same. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, to be a light in the midst of darkness, and to tell the people of the hope and rest He offers through Himself. Today our mission remains the same.

Paul and Barnabas immediately had the attention of the the people in Lystra. After seeing the miracle they performed, a miracle done for the purpose of providing an opportunity to preach the Gospel, the people began to worship them as gods. This broke the hearts of Paul and Barnabas as they desperately pleaded with the people not to worship them or make sacrifices to them. As word came from Iconium, the people’s attitude quickly began to change. Rather than worshipping them, the crowds took Paul outside the city and stoned him.

Acts 14:19–20 CSB

19 Some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and when they won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. 20 After the disciples gathered around him, he got up and went into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

Derbe: A Missionary plants churches

After Paul was stoned both he and Barnabas returned through all the cites they had traveled through on their missionary journey planting churches among the believers there in the cities.

What does it mean to plant churches?

What is involved in planting a church?

Disciples that make disciples (not just converts)

The primary instruction Jesus gave to His followers in the great commission is to make disciples, to reproduce)

What is the next step Jesus is calling you to take in your relationship with Him?

How can you be obedient to the mission He has placed on your life today?