Session #8

Acts 13-14
"The War We Wage." • 11.25.08 • The Power Of One: One Man, One Life, One Mission, Session #8
Intro.

- The first missionary journey has begun. The Holy Spirit has specifically set Saul and Barnabas apart and their work begins on the Island of Cyprus.
- Barnabas and Saul would preach the word to the Jews in the synagogues first. Then they would preach in the market place.
- The synagogue provided a place for teaching and leading the Jewish people to their Messiah. The market place was the place for evangelism.
- In the first cases of Cyprus and Paphos, they were successful with conversion. In the next city, things that happened set a very different tone.
• Acts 13:42-45 : "So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul."
- Paul sensed that his mission was about to take a dramatic turn and told it to the Jewish people of that region. The Gentiles would now be their focus.
• Acts 13:48,49 : "Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region."
- The unrest caused by this declaration, forced the Apostles onto the next area. As they had done previously, they came into the synagogue, with even quicker division.
- Jews and Gentiles believed. It was the unbelieving Jews that decided to rouse the people against the Apostolic message.
• Acts 14:4-7 : "But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. And they were preaching the gospel there."
- Lystra was just getting really interesting when the Jews from the previous cities came looking for the Apostles.
• Acts 14:19,20 : "Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe."
- Paul and Barnabas barely made it out alive, escaping to Derbe. After some time passed, they returned to where they had been.
• Acts 14:21-23 : “And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.’ So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”
- After this, Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch.
• Acts 14:27,28 : “Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. So they stayed there a long time with the disciples.”
- On this first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas experienced commonplace problems that we will all face when we are on missional pursuit. This week we may face the same issues.
- In spite of the contradiction, the controversy and the confusion that they faced, the Apostles stuck to three foundations that kept them through it all.

I. Their Message Was Direct
II. Their Method Was Diverse
III. Their Means Were Divine

Text

I. Their Message Was Direct

- If we were to take a cursory look at the Apostle's message, I am pretty sure that we would see a very common theme running through.
- Let's examine some verses within chapters 13 and 14. If you'd like, please follow along. Otherwise, do note them down.
• Acts 13:12 : "Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord."
• Acts 13:38,39 : "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses."
- Acts 14:7 tells us that they were preaching the gospel. They were speaking of Jesus, teaching about the Lord, bringing and declaring the good news of God's deliverer.
- Their message was unmistakable. Their words were clear. Their intentions easy to discern.
- With Paul and Barnabas, there was no question what they believed because they only talked about one thing: The message of Christ!
- Turn with me to I Corinthians 1:17,18. Paul boils down his mission focus to this one activity.
• I Corinthians 1:17,18 : "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
- Paul and Barnabas believed that this message was what they were set apart for. They were to bring this light into that dark world.
- And that message got results. In the life of Sergius Paulus, he believed and was converted.
- In the life of many Jews and Gentiles, there was excitement, joy and a fervor to hear more.
- However, at the same time, there were those who rose up against Paul and Barnabas, not because they were bad speakers, but because the ramifications of their message fought against predisposed prejudice.
- When properly proclaimed, the message will garner some form of response, either positive or negative. Turn with me to II Corinthians. Paul is talking about this very phenomena of the gospel.
• II Corinthians 2:15-17 : "For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ."
- Is you message direct? Is there any question about where you stand? Let it not even be a question. Let all who know you know who you know and what you proclaim!

II. Their Method Was Diverse

- Paul and Barnabas' message was direct and the results were dynamic. However, we would be foolish to believe that their method was static.
- In each section, you will find Paul and Barnabas expositing the Word of God, employing various methods. First, in the case of Sergius Paulus, there is a sense of debate over the truth.
• Acts 13:8 : "But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith."
- Elymas "withstood" them. Literally, he set himself against them. The Bible tells us that Elymas was a Sorcerer, a Jew and a false prophet. Likely, he posed alternate truths to Sergius while Paul countered with the truth from the Word of God.
- In this way, the gospel was set against the worldly wisdom of this sorcerer.
- In the second instance, we see that the gospel is used in a didactic setting. The synagogue in the days of Paul, were akin to an adult Sunday school.
- In any town, a synagogue could begin if you had 10 Jewish males over the age of 13. The custom in each synagogue was to read from the law and the prophets systematically.
- When I was in Israel, this was still being observed. After the reading of the given scroll, visitors would be asked to speak. In this case in Perga, Paul took the oppoortunity immediately.
• Acts 13:16-18 : "Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He brought them out of it. Now for a time of about forty years He put up with their ways in the wilderness."
- Paul used their own context, but then rewrote the ending.
• Acts 13:26-30 : "Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead."
- He lead them through what they already understood, and showed them that Jesus, in life, suffering and resurrection, was the fulfillment of their own scriptures.
- In many ways, as much as we are called to preach, I believe that our preaching might just look and feel like teaching sometimes. This was how Paul broke down the gospel in the synagogue.
- The third way that Paul diversified his message, was in the sense of direction.
- In the last city that we read about, is out in the marketplace, among the Gentiles.
- They have confused his character and missed his mission. Things are a bit frantic. And so where does Paul begin his message with a group lacking context? He directs their knowledge.
• Acts 14:15-17 : "(and saying,) 'Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.'"
- Paul does not even mention the Bible or the law or the Jewish traditions that pointed to Christ! All of that would have been utterly foreign to these people.
- It would have meant nothing to them. Instead, Paul directs their attention to the evidences that point to God.
- Turn to the living God, who made heaven, earth, the sea...all of it being creation. Turn with me to Psalm 19. David writing says this:
• Psalm 19:1-4 : "The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world."
- Paul had one thing in his arsenal that related to these Gentiles in this crazy moment. He could point to the General Revelation, the witness that God has left for Himself.
- Paul and Barnabas were not confined to one method. They were ready and wise in each one to lead people to Christ, either through debate, didactic or directive methods.

III. Their Means Were Divine

- The Apostle's message was direct, their method was diverse. In the final analysis though, without this final point, we may not be sitting here at all this morning.
- Paul and Barnabas were endowed with means that were divine. Let's say it like this: God wants to reach people. God uses people and the people that God uses He empowers.
- Please note these several examples of divine means at the disposal of the Apostles.
- Acts 13:9 and 10, Paul is given wisdom to destroy the arguments of Elymas.
- Acts 13:11, Paul is given power to effect blindness over Elymas.
- Acts 13:52, The Apostles are granted joy in the face of failure.
- Acts 14:8, Paul is given the power to heal the crippled man.
- Acts 14:20, Paul is given the power of sustained life after he was stoned.
- In each case, the Apostles are given power so that they might effectively preach. Their power was not for show, or on display for people to be impressed with them.
- They were signs that were given to authenticate their ministry.
- Left to their own strength, wisdom and power, Paul and Barnabas may have had a very short story!
- When any of us go out in the name of Jesus, for the sake of Jesus, we won't last long unless Jesus gives us power.
- In the case of the Apostles, there were miraculous gifts that were present for the people and His own presence when they walked with Him. Notice these verses:
• Acts 13:9 : "Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him."
• Acts 13:52 : "And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit."
- How important is it for you to actively rely upon the Holy Spirit for every work in your life? Are you on auto pilot? Are you just going through the motions and missing the power that is available to you?
- The Apostles wisely were filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion

- The Apostles message was direct. It was all about Jesus. What is your message about?
- Additionally, their methods were diverse. The answer in the debate was Jesus, the point of their teaching was Jesus and the direction of creation points to Jesus.
- Finally, their means were divine. God empowered them and moved them. He wants to do the same with you today. Will you let Him?