Slices
Prepare
Pray: ‘Thank you, God, for how your Spirit is at work in me and in those around me to accomplish your purposes.’
Bible passage
Barnabas and Saul sent off
25 When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark. 13 1 Now 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 While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
On Cyprus
4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.
6 They travelled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7 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. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10 ‘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? 11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able 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. 12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
Explore
Perhaps it started out like any of their gatherings – a group of Antiochian church leaders, accustomed to listening to God, engaging in their regular rhythms of worship and fasting. What did they expect to hear? What do you expect to happen when you worship God? Bubbling up from this place of prayer came the call (13:2): Barnabas and Saul, recently returned from a famine relief journey to Jerusalem (12:25; 11:27-30), were to be sent out again. As valued members of a multicultural team (13:1), they would be missed, yet the Spirit had spoken, so the church united itself with God’s purpose prayerfully and without delay.
In Cyprus, the two missionaries’ impact brought them to the attention of the Roman governor, and through his summons they find themselves facing opposition (13:8). Humanly speaking, Bar-Jesus was likely afraid of losing his profitable position. Spiritually, both Luke’s record and Paul’s response underline the darker enemy activity influencing him. How comfortable are we with the thought of our calling (generic and specific) leading us into spiritual confrontation? In this overt clash between magic and mission, divine judgement substantiates the gospel and belief follows. Whatever opposition we face, we can be confident of the Spirit’s work within both us and those God is bringing to himself.
Respond
Make time for a conversation with a friend about your calling and theirs, praying for each other.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Leviticus 23,24; Acts 12
Pray for Scripture Union
Praise God for providing faithful volunteers with the right skills. Please pray that he will provide more as this ministry grows – especially a musician, as Fiona would love to have music in the groups! (This week's prayers relate to this article )
