THE HOLY SPIRIT DRIVES THE MISSION
Acts 13:1-12
CALLED TO SERVE
V:13. \” 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.
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.\”
A. The Work of the Holy Spirit drives Church Missions.
1. The Holy Spirit initiates the mission Matt 28:18-19
2. The Holy Spirit selects people for the mission
3. The Holy Spirit selects places for the mission.
4. The Holy Spirit ordains those selected for the mission.
5. The Holy Spirit works through the Church.
B. The Holy Spirit uses those who worship the Lord in prayer
and the study the Word of God.
1. The Holy Spirit prepares people for the mission.
2. Saul had spent 17 years getting prepared for the mission.
3. Barnabas was one of the first to accept Saul into the Church
after His conversion.
4. It was Barnabas who went to Tarsus and got Saul and brought him
to Antioch.
C. Notice the Holy Spirit works according to the Word.
1. Jesus sent His disciple out two by two.
2. The Holy Spirit selected two for the mission.
3. The Holy Spirit equipped Saul and Barnabas with power to
perform the mission .
MISSION SUPPORTED BY THE CHURCH
V:3-4. \” 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.\”
A. Notice it is the Church that supports the mission.
1. They prayed with Saul and Barnabas.
2. They fasted with Saul and Barnabas.
3. They anointed Saul and Barnabas for the mission,
4. The Church sent Saul and Barnabas on the mission.
B. They Fasted and prayed.
1. Fasted to consecrate them and get them prepared for the
sacrifices they would make.
2. The prayed to get them in tuned with the God Head.
3. The fasted and prayed to discern the direction of the mission.
C. Mission work requires you to move out of your comfort zone and move
into unfamiliar territory.
1, God often send His disciple across open waters to get to
selected locations.
2. It is God who protects the missionaries on their journey.
TRAVELING TO UNFAMILIAR PLACES
V:5-6. \” 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, \”
A. God sends His disciples to places where there is fertile ground.
1. The Church is a transition from the Law to Grace.
2. The Jewish synagogues were establish under the Law as a place
of worship after the Babylonian captivity.
3. A good starting place for the mission was in the synagogues
where the Law was being taught.
4. The job of the missionaries was to update the participants to
the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
B. As the mission grows, God adds helpers.
1. God know how many are needed in the mission at any given time.
YOUR MISSION WILL BE OPPOSED BY THE DEVIL
C. Where ever you go, you will find the devil at work.
1. There are prophets and false prophets,
2. False prophets oppose the Word of God.
3. False prophets make their living and gain their fame
by masquerading as men of God.
4. The devil disguises himself as an angel of light.
5. The devil was present in the name of Bar-Jesus.
a. He was a sorcerer meaning he used the art of magic to
deceive people.
b. He was a false prophet meaning he knew how to pervert the
Word of God.
c. He was a false prophet meaning he some knowledge of the word.
d. The devil uses the perverted word to oppose the truth.
e. The devil has many devices he uses to keep you in the dark.
6. Saul and Barnabas travel the length of the Island.
a. God may send you to many place befo you get to His prime
target.
b. Perhaps our confidence in the ministry is gained through small
successes.
GOD OPENS DOORS FOR THE MISSION
V:7-8 \”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. \”
A. Bar-Jesus was an Israelite.
1. Sergius Paulus was the ruling Roman officer of the Island.
2. Bar Jesus a Jew, had gained influence with the top officer of
the Island with his trickery and false teaching.
3. For the Roman proconsul to hear the truth would be the demise
of Bar-Jesus.
B. It is obvious that Gospel of Jesus Christ was being spread through
out the Island.
1. Sergius Paulus had heard about the teaching of Saul and Barnabas.
2. The Word has a way of drawing people to Jesus.
3. The Word has a way of convicting people.
4. The aim of the devil is to prevent the conviction.
5. It is our encounter with the devil that test our conviction to God\’s mission.
6. The devil is no match for the conviction of a Godly servant.
STAND AGAINST THE DEVIL
V:9-10. \’Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said,
\”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? \”
A. This may be coincidental, Saul being filled with the Holy Spirit began using his
name of Paul.
1. When serving the Lord, the Holy Spirit will give us the strength to stand against
the devil.
2. There are time when you have to confront a person and let him/her know that
their interference with work of God will not be tolerated.
3. Some people may not be aware that their evil is transparent.
4. Selfish people work to benefit themselves and not the good of others.
B. Perhaps the turning point in a devilish person life is to be confronted with
truth about themselves and the harm they are doing to the Gospel of
Jesus.
1. The name Bar-Jesus means son of Jesus.
2. Paul could identify with Bar-Jesus because he had been destructive to the
ministry of Jesus Christ.
3. Paul\’s zeal for destroying the ministry was turned into a zeal for promoting
the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
4. Perhaps Paul saw his past in Bar-Jesus.
HAVING COMPASSION IN JUDGEMENT
V.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. \”
A. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Paul announced judgment on Bar-Jesus.
1. Bar-Jesus was blinded for a season just as Paul was blinded when he encountered
Jesus at his conversion.
2. Paul saw his past proud and lifted up in Bar-Jesus.
3. I believe Paul showed compassion for Bar-Jesus setting him up for a
future conversion to the Gospel of Jesus.
B. When serving the Lord we must learn to be tolerant of others misbehavior.
1. We have to be firm when correcting others, but allow room from their
recovery.
2. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
3. Our reproof should be out of love but with respect to doing things in
descent and in order.
C. Bar-Jesus dealt in spiritual darkness, therefore his punishment was physical darkness.
1. Like Paul, God had to take away his physical sight so Bar-Jesus could gain
spiritual sight.
GOD\’S AMAZING GRACE
V:12. \” When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord. \”
A. God will insure the success of His mission.
1. When we are obedient to God\’s commands, He will step in and
subdue the opposition to His Word.
2. The proconsul wanted to hear the Word, so God silenced the Bar-Jesus the
opposition.
3. The Word of God will not return void.
4. Our proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ will result in conversion of
God intended hearers.
B. Each believer is on a mission for God. Acts 13:1-12
1. Here is a typical example of the Gospel being rejected by some
and accepted by others.
2. Throughout the New Testament you will find the Jewish nation rejecting
the Gospel and Gentiles accepting the Gospel.
3. Bar-Jesus, a Jew rejected the Gospel,
4. People hear the same word, but interpret it differently based on their
background ,training and traditions.
5. The Roman proconsul, a Gentile accepted the Gospel.
a. He heard the Word preached by Paul.
b. He witness the power and glory of God through the
blindness of Bar-Jesus.
c. He believed the Word and was converted.
b. He came to know God\’s amazing grace.
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church
5510 West Sam Houston Toll Way North
Houston, Texas &7041
For more lessons, follow me on facebook and visit my
blogs, revmmitchell,com and goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com
