Devotion for Thursday, 7 July 2011 Anno Domini

Devotion for Thursday, 7 July 2011 Anno Domini

“25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark. (Acts 12:25) “1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. 5And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister. 6And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,10 And said, O full of all subtilty 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?11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. “ (Acts 13:1-12)

We have thus far seen in Acts a history of the early church which may be broken down into three distinct phases: 1) the Church among the Jews related in the first seven chapters; 2) the Church in a transition period from the Jews to the Gentiles in chapters eight through twelve; and 3) the Church among the Gentiles in the remaining chapters.

“And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.” The two, Barnabas and Saul, appear to have remained in Jerusalem throughout the persecution. Now they bring with them John Mark, the nephew of Barnabas and spiritual son of Peter.

“ Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.” There were perhaps more, but these are the prominently mentioned prophets and teachers. Manaen had been raised under the same tutelage as Herod (Antipas) together. It is remarkable what divergence of character can emerge from a commonly shared background.

“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” Ministering and fasting are sure ways of getting a word from the Holy Spirit. Fasting dulls our senses to the world and opens our minds to God. The time has come to fulfill the mission to which the Holy Ghost has called Barnabas and Saul. “And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” Every important step taken in the church should be done following prayer. Thus, Saul and Barnabas were sent away after the Church had laid hands on them in anointing for the mission. The call was first of the Holy Ghost, and the sanctioning call of affirmation from the Church as secondary to it.

“So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.” Even though the church ordains, it is the Holy Ghost by whose authority the call is made. They sailed to Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea first owing, perhaps, to its nearness to Antioch and the fact that it was the place of birth of Barnabas. It might be expected, on that account, that family and friends would provide some welcome core of support for the Gospel.

“And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.” Salamis was the capital city of the island and a trade and mercantile center. It was a choice place of business for the Jewish residents who were plentiful. They had several synagogues in the city at which Saul and Barnabas preached. John Mark was their minister and officer of the church.

Next comes and interesting encounter with pagan religion: “And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus.” A sorcerer is not only a false prophet, but the religion he represents is also false. He, too, was a Jew, but not a very good one at that! “Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.” It is common for false prophets to ingratiate themselves to men of power to enforce their errors in religion. Sergius Paulus was an important official on the island whose ears perhaps itched as much as those of the men of Athens, but he was sincere to hear the word from Barnabas and Saul. False religion leaves emptiness in the soul that can only be filled by pure and undefiled truth.

“But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.” Of course, Elymas opposed the Gospel being preached to the very man over whose eyes he had so recently pulled the wool. Elymas was his Arabic name meaning ‘the wise one’. Well, he may have been a wise guy, but he wasn’t at all wise in truth.

“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, And said, O full of all subtilty 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?” Had Elymas been as wise as his name suggests, he would have taken this stern word from the prophet in all seriousness and gravity. The next words from Saul’s mouth would cause the sorcerer to rue the day he had met Saul. “And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.” It is a wonderful blessing to have the hand of the Lord upon us as a guide and help, but quite another in judgment. No longer would Elymas be so free to spread false religion as he had been before crossing a prophet of the Lord.

“Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.” The deputy, upon seeing the power of God over the shadows of darkness, coupled with the Words of Truth and Power which Saul and Barnabas imparted, was astonished at it and believed from that moment. Has God blinded the dark shades of your own heart and illumined it with the brilliant light of His Gospel?