May I please the Lord to bless
us this evening as we continue our thoughts in the Acts of the
Apostles and this evening we'll turn to chapter 13 and we'll
consider the verses from 1 to verse 13. Now you will remember
that Saul or Paul and Barnabas had returned from Jerusalem to
Antioch And we now read, now there were in the church that
was in Antioch certain prophets and teachers as Barnabas and
Simeon, that was called Niger, and Lucius and Cyrene, and Meneon,
which had been brought up with Herod, the Tetrarch, and Saul. We observe here that we have
these people, they were gathered together, they were classified
as prophets and teachers, And they'd come from different situations,
indeed, great distances sometimes. Barnabas was from Cyprus. And
here they were gathered together in this town of Antioch. And
we observe it was, of course, of the Lord's purpose that they
should come together. And they were different characters. And we know Barnabas was from
Cyprus, and we know Simeon, who was called Niger, which in is
another word for black and he probably had black hair or something
like that and and then we read of Silusius, Cyrene and Meniln
which had been brought up with Herod the tea-truck obviously
being brought up in the palace a bit like Moses and he'd obviously
learned the situation which developed in the palace of Herod and now
there they were here together and what do we find them doing?
as they minister to the Lord, how necessary that is. They were
joined together in that great work of ministering to the Lord
and they had that common desire and that common aim and that
the Lord God might be honoured and glorified and that his name
might be thought upon and that many might come to a knowledge
of themselves and of the Saviour as they were able to hear and
to worship the Lord. So we see as they ministered
to the Lord and fasted We don't perhaps recognize much these
days of fasting, but it is mentioned a lot in the Word of God, and
I believe it does refer to physical fasting. I know we can say, well,
of course it was only really referenced into fasting from
certain things, but I believe also it has a very clear reference
to physical fasting, and I'm sure We appreciate, perhaps,
when we've had a big meal, we're not very alert, are we? We're
pretty sleepy and we often want to doze off. Whereas if we haven't
had a big meal and we're relatively hungry, we're not likely to doze
off. And so we see these people here
were probably alert in the things of God, and they ministered to
the Lord and fasted. And it was therefore in this
situation, and we should not forget therefore the condition
that they were in, that the Holy Ghost said, sometimes we might
expect, wonderful words from the Lord to our souls to direct
us, but I wonder sometimes whether we are really in the right frame,
whether the Lord has really brought us to that real condition that
we're ready to receive the Word of God. Well quite clearly these
were in that situation and therefore we read the Holy Ghost, the Spirit
of God said, separate me Barnabas and Saul. for the work whereunto
I have called them. Now God had called all these
people but God had called Barnabas and Saul for a specific work,
and therefore the word came from the Holy Ghost, probably as they
realised it, moving their spirits to realise it was the Lord who
was speaking. And that word said, separate
me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called
them. Well, there was a specific work that God had ordained that
Barnabas and Saul should be called to. And there is a work for God's
people. And it would be a good thing
if you and I are brought to that condition to be found like these
people were, as they were before the Lord, and they were fasting,
and they were ministering, and in that situation the Lord spoke,
and the Lord directed them in a very clear way, whereunto I
have called them. Now, what was that call? Well,
the Lord had a call for them. It wasn't told them right at
this point, but it was giving them a clear direction, and it's
good to know that the Lord today still does direct his people. And so we have this evidence.
And when they had fasted, again we have another reference to
fasting, and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent
them away. Well, they desired by this example,
by this laying on of hands, that the Lord would be with them.
I don't believe it has any more particular significance than
that in this instance. But they fasted and prayed. They prayed over them, this little
group of prophets and teachers. They gathered here, and when
the Lord spoke, they didn't say, well, off you go. No, they first
of all prayed. And it's good to remember, they
fasted and prayed. And so it would be good for us
today, when we're concerned about perhaps one or another going
to different places, that this might be an example to us, that
we might indeed fast and pray that the Lord might be with them,
the Lord might direct them. And so here we have this instruction,
and when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on
them, they sent them away. And so we see here Paul and Barnabas
going away. So they being sent forth by the
Holy Ghost, and let's remember that, the people there sent them
away, but the Holy Ghost sent them forth. And that's very relevant
to the situation in our lives, to realize that it's God that
sends forth, it's God that directs, it's not man. And so we have
this clear distinction here. So they're being sent forth by
the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia and from thence they
sailed to Cyprus well Seleucia wasn't very far from Antioch
it was on the coast and then they sailed to Cyprus and Cyprus
would have been something about a hundred miles away and so the
Lord had directed them to go to this place and when they were
at Salamis which is in Cyprus Towards one end of the island
towards the east end of the island What did they do? They got to
Cyprus, and what did they do? They preached the word of God
in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had also John to their
minister. So we see that John had joined
them. And here they were then preaching
the gospel in the synagogues. And remember that of course the
synagogues were really principally still for the Jewish religion,
the Old Testament religion. And so therefore it needed some
courage by these men to do that. But they were ordained by God.
and they had been directed by God, and so they knew they had
to preach the gospel, and so they preached the word of God
in the synagogue of the Jews, and they had also John to their
minister. And then they left there and
they went the length of the island to Paphos, which is the other
end, the western end of Cyprus, again some considerable distance,
probably 80 miles or so. They found a certain sorcerer
a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, which was
with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man
who called for Barnabas and Saul and desires to hear the word
of God. And so here we have in this position,
this Sergius Paulus, the deputy of the island of Cyprus, a very
important character, And we see there alongside him is this false
prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus. And so Paul and Silas
were here, and this deputy, he wanted to hear Paul and Silas. And he had a desire to hear the
word of God. word of God he wanted to hear
spoken of by Paul and Barnabas. But what a good thing it is then
that there is that desire. And we don't know where this
man heard of the true word of God or what he'd heard, but all
we know is that He knew that Barnabas and Saul were here,
and therefore he called for them that he might hear the word of
God. Well, we should expect opposition. And sure enough, we find opposition. We find Elymas, the sorcerer,
who was, of course, we referred to previously as Bar-Jesus, and
now we see him here referred to as Elimus, the sorcerer, for
so is his name by interpretation, withstood them, seeking to turn
away the deputy from the faith. Well, how often that is true. Where the Word of God is being
proclaimed, the devil is very much against that. He will do
everything he can to stop the Word of God being preached, to
stop it being spoken of. And so we should not be surprised
that we have here a wonderful example for our instruction to
realize that here was a man against the Word of God and trying all
he could, influenced by Satan, to stop this deputy hearing the
word of God. But then we see the reaction
of Saul or Paul. Then Saul, who also is called
Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him. And again,
a wonderful evidence of God's work here. Here was Paul then,
filled with the Holy Ghost, moved by the Spirit of God to speak
sound words, words of accusation to this evil and wicked man.
And he didn't beat about the bush. He told him very clearly
his condition. And what did he say? Oh, full
of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou
enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the
right ways of the Lord? Well, it couldn't have been more
direct, could it? It couldn't have been clearer. And so here
was this man standing up and endeavouring to stop. this deputy
hearing the Word of God and the Apostle Paul under the blessed
influence of the Holy Ghost rebukes him in no uncertain terms. And of course there was this
situation now and Paul continues and he says And now, behold,
the hand of the Lord is upon thee." It's so important to realise
how the Apostle directs him to this truth, the hand of the Lord. It wasn't Paul that was doing
anything, it was the hand of the Lord. And how necessary in
our lives to realise that is so true. It's not us in anything,
it is the hand of the Lord. And so here we have this statement. The Apostle says, behold, the
hand of the Lord is upon thee. And we might think, well, that's
a good thing. Well, sometimes it is, and bless God when it
is. But not always. And here was the opposite. The
hand of the Lord was upon this man in a very solemn way. And the apostle said, and thou
shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately
there fell on him a mist and darkness. and he went about seeking
some to lead him by the hand." The Lord knew all about this
man, this sorcerer. He knew what he was endeavouring
to do, but the time of blessing had come for this deputy. And
this sorcerer, try as he might, He wasn't able to do away with
the great work of God. He could not stop God's work. And it's good to realise that
today. We cannot, and those who are our enemies, cannot stop
the work of God. And so here we have this truth
here. And he therefore was immediately
there fell on him mist and darkness and he went about seeking some
to lead him by the hand. Well we see how God then uses
situations. The Lord used this situation
to convince the deputy that there was a God in heaven and brought
him to that believing knowledge. Then the deputy, when he saw
what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of
the Lord." Well, no doubt we've just read here the miracle which
was performed, but we're also told here that this man was astonished
at the doctrine of the Lord, and no doubt the apostle, therefore,
had been able to declare the truth of God, the truth of the
Saviour, and it was this to which he believed in, was brought to
that vital knowledge, that necessary knowledge. And so we see in this
very simple account, but very telling account, and very important
account, the great work of God, how God did great things to an
eminent person. He wasn't just a peasant, he
was the deputy of the island, second in command, very important. And we can bless God to know
that there are some in high office who are called by God. And so
we then read, now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos,
his work was done, he'd been there, he'd been blessed, this
man had been blessed, his work was done, it was now time to
move on. And God moved him on, and God
directed him. And so, and his company, loose
from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia, which of course
is on the north coast of the Mediterranean, again some hundred
miles or so away. They came to Perga in Pamphylia,
and John departed from them returning to Jerusalem. It would seem that
John was there to encourage them and to be an observer. We're
not told he did anything but nonetheless he was with them
and no doubt was a blessing as they journeyed together. Well
may the Lord instruct us from these accounts in the Acts of
the Apostles that we may be blessed indeed. Amen.