Acts: The Church's Beginning
Week 18
Acts 13
Acts 13:1-12
“1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, 'Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.' 3So, when they had fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they sent them away.” (Acts 13:1-3).
“4Thus Barnabas and Saul, sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed to Cyprus. 5Reaching Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their helper.” (Acts 13:4-5).
“6When they had gone through the whole island to Paphos, they came across a certain sorcerer. He was a false prophet, a Jew named Bar-Jesus. 7He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus who was an intelligent man. Sergius summoned Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God. 8But Elymas the sorcerer (as his name is translated) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.” (Acts 13:6-8).
“9But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on Elymas. 10Paul said, 'You who are filled with deception and fraud; you son of the devil; you enemy of all righteousness; will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 11Behold, now the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a season.' Immediately a mist and darkness fell on Elymas. He went about seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12Then the proconsul, when he saw this happen, believed. He was amazed at the teaching of the Lord.” (Acts 13:9-12).
Ephesians 4:7–12 (CSB)
7 Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 For it says:
When he ascended on high, he took the captives captive;
he gave gifts to people.,
9 But what does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower parts of the earth?, 10 The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, to fill all things. 11 And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,
1. You Can Expect to Be Set-Apart
Verses 1-3a
"In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.”
(Acts 13:1-3).
2 You Can Expect To Be Sent
Verses 3b-5
3 So, when they had fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they sent them away." "Thus Barnabas and Saul, sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed to Cyprus. Reaching Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their helper." (Acts 13:3b-5).
3 You Can Expect Satan’s Opposition
1. FEAR
For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. -2 Corinthians 3:17
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. -2 Timothy 1:7
2. SIN
We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. -Romans 6:6-7
3. SICKNESS
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. -Matthew 9:35
4. POVERTY
There should be no poor among you, for the Lord your God will greatly bless you in the land he is giving you as a special possession. You will receive this blessing if you are careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today. The Lord your God will bless you as he has promised. You will lend money to many nations but will never need to borrow. You will rule many nations, but they will not rule over you. -Deuteronomy 15:4-6
5. DEPRESSION
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock. -Isaiah 26:3-4
6. SLAVERY
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk with your heads held high. -Leviticus 26:13
So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. -Galatians 5:1
7. TEMPTATION
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. -James 4:7
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. -1 Corinthians 10:13
8. ADDICTION
You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. -1 Corinthians 6:12
Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. -1 Corinthians 6:19-20
9. PAIN
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
10. DEATH
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. -Hebrews 2:14-15
4 You Can Expect The Holy Spirit’s Help
Verses 9-12
"But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on Elymas. Paul said, “You who are filled with deception and fraud; you son of the devil; you enemy of all righteousness; will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? Behold, now the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a season.” Immediately a mist and darkness fell on Elymas. He went about seeking someone to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul, when he saw this happen, believed. He was amazed at the teaching of the Lord." (Acts 13:9-12).
