After Paul had preached that Jesus is the Messiah, from the Scriptures, and many Jews, and Gentile converts to Judaism had responded positively, eager to hear the Word of God. However, as interest from the Gentiles grew, so did the envy of most of the Jews, these stirred up the city against Paul and Barnabas, expelling them from the city, but the converts were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit nonetheless.
Prophecy Has a Point
Paul and Barnabas arrived in Antioch Pisidia. As they attended a synagogue service, were invited to comment on the Scripture’s reading. Paul took the opportunity, beginning with a review of Israel’s history, from their Scripture, he began to point out that the Messiah spoken of in their Bible was Jesus. He made clear that the prophetic evidence had point and called for a choice to believe and act, not just read.
Opportunity and Opposition
The Holy Spirit selected and sent Barnabas and Saul to take the gospel into more Gentile territories. Upon arrival at a capital city of Cyprus, they encounter a false prophet called Elymas who would resist the Gospel. They also were handed an opportunity to share the Gospel with the appointed governor. As Elymas opposed their preaching, Saul, filled with the Spirit, smote Elymas temporarily blind, this did not deter the governor from hearing the gospel but added to his eagerness to hear and his conversion.
Two Neglected Distinctives
There are characteristics about the Christian faith that are not truly found anywhere else on earth. Two of them from this section, are waiting on the Holy Spirit’s directions, and doing without directions while waiting. Here the leaders in the Antioch Syrian church ministered while waiting for direction and received the command to send out Barnabas and Saul to a specific work. Once they gained confirmation they acted. Too often we act in our own wisdom and timetable because we have neglected these two distinctives.
A Persecutor’s Failure
Herod Agrippa I, the one who had James the apostle killed, and also sought to do the same to the apostle Peter, traveled to Tyre and Sidon to address a political matter and during his speech to the people they chanted that his was the voice of god, and since he relished in this God struck him with judgment. But the church grew. The one who persecuted the church not only failed to destroy Christianity but was struck dead.
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