Sent Out by the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:1-12)
A. The church in Antioch as a base camp
1) Teamwork in the church (1)
In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.
2) A church that sends out its leaders (2,3)
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
B. The good news reaches Cyprus
1) Confronting a sorcerer (8-11)
But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, "You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun." Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
2) The proconsul who became a follower of Jesus (4-7, 12)
The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper. They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. (4-7)
When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord. (12)
Summary
The church in Antioch became a base camp for the work of spreading the gospel to Europe. Instead of just focusing on building up their own church, the believers in Antioch took delight in sharing Jesus with others. That is why they were able to send out their own leaders without hesitation. This was the work of the Holy Spirit. Your Church is like the church in Antioch in that we are made up of diverse believers. We also want to imitate the church in Antioch in terms of delighting in sharing Jesus with other people. As we follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit and continue God's work, we are given the power that we need to fulfill our responsibilities.
For Discussion
1) What was the church in Antioch like?
2) Why was the proconsul able to believe in Jesus as Lord?