ACTS 13
Act 13:1 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.
Since there were prophets and teachers in the days after the resurrection of
Jesus Christ, I see know reason not to believe there are still prophets.
However, they do not serve the same as they did in the Old Testament. If we
believe in Jesus Christ and have trusted in Him to save us from sin, we do not
have to have a prophet, priest or anyone else to get our prayers heard before
God. There is no other intercessor except Jesus Christ. Prophets do have a
ministry though and that is to expound the word of God and do the work they are
called to do. It may be warning of judgments to come or other such things but it
would be by the Holy Spirit the same as the other ministries in the church. The
office of a prophet in today's world would be by the Holy Spirit and the object
of their sole prophecy would be to exalt the Lord Jesus and proclaim His word.
It would never be to exalt himself as a prophet or as being greater than anyone
else in the body of Christ. He is a servant, a minister and a follower of Jesus
just like those that are not used of God as a prophet.
I tend to avoid those that have the title, "Prophet Anderson" or "Prophet
Smith." The same with the title of apostle. If one is truly a prophet, I think
their works would be manifest sooner or later. I doubt he would have to go
around proclaiming himself to be a prophet but I do believe in them. I just
believe their main goal would be to bring people to Jesus Christ and instruct
them to live in holiness along with their gift of prophecy. I can't see them
exalting themselves as prophets and making themselves to be above someone else.
Isaiah and Jeremiah were ridiculed and persecuted for being a prophet who told
of the coming judgment of God. I'm sure they didn't think themselves greater
than anyone for they were treated lower than anyone.
Act 13:2 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.
Act 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they
sent them away.
Act 13:4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia;
and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
We don't always rely on the Holy Spirit to do the calling any more but when He
does the calling we will see results. They fasted and prayed before sending
these men out. They took the calling of the Holy Spirit very seriously. It was
not taken lightly and these two men were chosen of God, not man.
Some may use the excuse not to do anything for God by saying they are waiting on
the spirit to move them but that doesn't wash. Notice that we have to seek God
and seek His will. We should not just go in our own efforts and send ourselves
but we need to be always in prayer and in the study of the word so as to be in
the place where we can hear the Holy Spirit if He should call. We can't just sit
idly and wait on the spirit, we must continually seek Him the minute we have
come to Jesus Christ, growing in grace and the knowledge of the Lord becoming a
willing and obedient servant of the Lord.
Act 13:5 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.
Act 13:6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a
certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
Act 13:7 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.
Act 13:8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation)
withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
This man's whole livelihood was in jeopardy. When the gospel affects people's
paychecks we will see resistance to the gospel for those reasons alone. Yet if
one would only come to Christ, he or she would find something greater than
anything they find in the world and I'm not talking of anything material.
Act 13:9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost,
set his eyes on him,
Being filled with the Holy Ghost is the only way to deal with this type of
spirit.
Act 13:10 And said, O 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?
Act 13:11 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.
It is one thing to reject the gospel ourselves but to try to hinder others from
receiving the gospel is very dangerous. This man's life could have been
destroyed but God had mercy on him and only temporarily removed his eyesight. In
this way he could see that the things of this life as temporary and the things
of God are eternal.
Act 13:12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being
astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
Act 13:13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga
in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
Act 13:14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia,
and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
Act 13:15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the
synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of
exhortation for the people, say on.
Act 13:16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel,
and ye that fear God, give audience.
Act 13:17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the
people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm
brought he them out of it.
Act 13:18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the
wilderness.
Act 13:19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he
divided their land to them by lot.
Act 13:20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four
hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
Act 13:21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son
of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
Act 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their
king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of
Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
Act 13:23 Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto
Israel a Savior, Jesus:
Act 13:24 When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of
repentance to all the people of Israel.
Act 13:25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I
am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am
not worthy to loose.
Act 13:26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever
among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
Act 13:27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew
him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day,
they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
Act 13:28 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they
Pilate that he should be slain.
Act 13:29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him
down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulcher.
Act 13:30 But God raised him from the dead:
Act 13:31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee
to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
Act 13:32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was
made unto the fathers,
Act 13:33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath
raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my
Son, this day have I begotten thee.
Act 13:34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to
return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of
David.
Act 13:35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine
Holy One to see corruption.
Act 13:36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God,
fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
Act 13:37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
Act 13:38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this
man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
Act 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which
ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Act 13:40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the
prophets;
Act 13:41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in
your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it
unto you.
Here is the whole gospel in one chapter. Paul starts by reminding them of what
they already knew, that that God called out Israel for His own people and
brought them out of the land of Egypt in which they had been held in bondage for
years.
He further stated that God at first gave them judges but then granted them a
king. He reminded them that the law and the prophets including David told of one
to come that would come to rule Israel and to save people from sins. This same
one that was told of by Moses, in the Psalms and in the prophets came to them
but was rejected. He was then put to death and raised from the dead that all who
would believe in this Messiah, savior, Son of God would be saved from sin and
granted eternal life. The Jewish religious leaders didn't mind hearing of
one who would save them from the Roman rule but they were not expecting a
Messiah to save them from sin. God had to deal with sin before He could
set up any earthly kingdom. The kingdom of Jesus Christ is not of this
world. He has to save the world from sin first.
Forgiveness of sins is taught and preached throughout the whole bible. God has
always required us to repent and change. In order to have forgiveness of sins,
we have to recognize that we have sinned and are in need of repentance.
Paul warns these people here to take heed to these words and not be unbelievers.
God gave us a way to be free from sin and have eternal life. If we neglect this
great gift, it will be to our own peril.
Act 13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles
besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
The Gentiles at that time was so excited by these words of Paul that they wanted
them to come and preach to them the next Sabbath. Notice that they preached the
gospel on the Sabbath at this time in the synagogues as well as in people's
homes.
Act 13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and
religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them,
persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
When people believed, Paul admonished them to continue in the things that they
heard and not depart from the words. It is possible to allow the word to pass
from us and not take root and grow.
2Ti 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast
been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
Act 13:44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to
hear the word of God.
Wouldn't it be nice if we could see our whole cities come to hear the word of
God. In order for them to hear the word of God though, we have to begin teaching
it. I'm all for praise and worship but we are getting away from the teaching of
the word. It is the word that sustains us through the times of trials. If we
just praise and worship, neglecting the word, when the music stops, where is our
strength. Perhaps that is why so many go back into sin and get caught up with it
without bringing forth fruit and spreading the gospel even further. Perhaps they
have no word within them. We must be teachers of the word, teachers of good
things.
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye
continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Col 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away
from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to
every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
1Ti 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them:
for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
1Jn 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the
beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you,
ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
Act 13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy,
and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and
blaspheming.
It is the established religions of the day that resist most of the truth of
God's word. Religions cause more persecution than the secular world does. In
this day it was the religious Jews who were jealous over the crowds that seemed
to follow the disciples. When one rejects truth, their heart hardens and the
devil can then stir them up to do evil.
Much persecution results. Here are some examples:
In the first century the religious Jews persecuted the first Christian
believers.
Later Roman religions of pagan worship persecuted the early church.
When the church gained status and power they moved into apostasy and began to
persecute Jews and true Christians who did not follow them into apostasy.
The church of Rome began to force conversions to Christianity resulting in
people becoming religious but did not know the Lord.
Persecution of the Catholic Church to the first Protestants.
Persecution of the backslidden Protestants to Anabaptists and other dissenters.
A brief persecution by Puritans in the United States to Quakers and other
nonconformists groups.
A very short period of persecution by mainline denominations to the latter day
Pentecostals.
There were a few church burnings but no real damage at least in the United
States. However in the rest of the world there still is much persecution of true
believers and Jews in many countries.
Act 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that
the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from
you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the
Gentiles.
This is where the main thrust of the gospel is given to the Gentiles. The church
age begins and the Jewish nation is temporarily cut off the vine until this
present day and age.
Many Jews have come to Christ and we see Messianic congregations popping up all
over the world. The nation of Israel has not yet see the light but they will
according to bible prophecy.
Act 13:47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a
light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the
earth.
This is a prophecy being fulfilled that was given by Isaiah:
Isa 42:6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine
hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a
light of the Gentiles;
Act 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the
word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
Act 13:49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.
Act 13:50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women, and the chief
men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled
them out of their coasts.
Little did they know the horrors that they and generations after them were to
suffer because of their rejection of Jesus Christ and those who followed Him.
In saying that I must make sure to state that true believers in Jesus Christ are
never and I mean never to lift a hand against the Jewish people or any people
that reject the gospel. We are allowed to correct false teachers and stop them
from preaching in our churches but we are never to physically harm anyone. We
are to be wise but harmless. We may be persecuted but we are never to be the
ones doing the persecution. If we find ourselves harming someone thinking we are
doing God a favor, we are deceived and do not even know the Lord.
Act 13:51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came
unto Iconium.
Act 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
This will be the true result of being faithful in spreading the word. They
didn't sit and feel sorry for themselves, they didn't plot revenge or strike
back. They were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost. This is the attitude of
a true child of God.
