MAY 24 READING…ACTS 13
The church at Antioch is told by the Holy Spirit to separate Saul and Barnabas from the other leaders in order that they might be sent out to do the work of the Lord in other places. They eventually arrive in Cyprus, and go to a synagogue to teach…John Mark was also with them. From there they go to the Island of Paphos, where they run into a false prophet and sorcerer, a Jew named Bar-Jesus. (Bar means son…so this man’s father was named Jesus, a common name in that day). This man withstood Saul and Barnabas when they tried to share the truth about Jesus Christ. Now we have Saul called Paul, looks intently at the man called Bar-Jesus deceitful and a fraud, who perverted the truth of the Lord. By the power of the Holy Spirit Paul struck this false prophet blind. Then the others believed what Paul and Barnabas were telling them about the Lord. Paul and Barnabas leave and head toward Perga, but John Mark leaves them and heads back to Jerusalem.
On the Sabbath we find Paul preaching in Antioch in Pisidia, (this is not the same Antioch mentioned in the beginning of this chapter). Paul read the law and the prophets, and then took them through parts of their history to bring them to the place of speaking of Jesus. I remind you all, that all Scripture points to Jesus, and the purpose of the Old Testament was to lead the people to Messiah. That is what Paul was doing. The word shared was so powerful that they begged Paul to return on the next Sabbath, and even the Gentiles wanted to hear the message. The next Sabbath the Gentiles show up and as Paul is sharing the word, he is moved to tell the Jews who were secure in their own religion, that because they had rejected the Gospel of Christ, now the message would be shared with the Gentiles. Paul quoted Isaiah 42:6, to reveal that this was the plan of God. Many of the Gentiles received the Gospel gladly, and the Word of God was being spread among them, which made the Jews angry. These Jewish leaders incited persecution against Paul and Barnabas to have them removed from the region. Don’t be surprised that when you share the Gospel truth in this world you will have opposition, from the false prophets, and from the religious dead-heads.
Please share your thoughts from today’s reading.
TOMORROW’S READING…ACTS 14