SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). A Good Beginning (vs 4).
(2). A Unique Island (vs 4b-5a).
(3). An Unusual Response (vs 5).
(4). A Difficult Experience (vs 6a).
(5). A Show of Authority (vs 9-11).
(6). A Convert at Last! (vs 12).
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• “When the going gets tough, the tough get going!”
• Some of us a certain age, hear those words and think of Billy Ocean.
• He was an English singer and that was the title of his hit song in - anyone know the year?
• (1985).
• The song was used as the theme song for the Michael Douglas film,
• Anyone know which one? – (The Jewel of the Nile).
• (Looks like we have a few dinosaurs here this morning!)
• But that inspirational motto 'When the going gets tough, the tough get going'
• Did not originate with him, it has been around for many, many years,
• It started life as a coaching mantra in American Football circles.
• It joins other similar motivational phrases that use wordplay for effect,
• e.g. 'Failing to plan is planning to fail.'
• e.g. 'Better to die on your feet than live on your knees',
• The idea behind the saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going!”
• Is that when things are difficult, strong people take action and do not despair.
• TRANSITION: We will see that illustrated for us in today’s Bible passage.
• When Paul & Barnabas experience the ups and downs of changing circumstances.
(1). A Good Beginning (vs 4).
“Being sent out by the Holy Spirit...”
Ill:
• William Carey was born in 1761 in Northamptonshire,
• He trained as a shoemaker, and was later ordained a Baptist Minister.
• In 1787, at a meeting of Baptist leaders,
• Carey was a newly ordained minister,
• He stood up at the meeting to argue for the value of overseas missions.
• He was abruptly interrupted by an older minister who said,
"Young man, sit down! You are an enthusiast. When God pleases to convert the heathen, he'll do it without consulting you or me."
• Well, I am glad to say Carey ignored that rebuke,
• Ang he himself would become an oversees missionary.
• He committed himself to life-long missionary work in India.
• And today we call him the 'father of modern missions'
• He has also been called the “father of Bengali prose”
• For his grammars, dictionaries, and translation work.
• TRANSITON: Some people have to fight to get to the mission filed,
• Many have gone without Church support and in difficult circumstances.
• That is NOT the case with Saul & Barnabas.
• These two missionaries are sent out by the Holy Spirit,
• These two missionaries had the Church’s blessing,’
• The leadership give Barnabas and Saul their BLESSING, “Laying hands on them”
• And the Holy Spirit gives them His AUTHORITY – he called them!
Note:
• Verse 5b tells us that “John was with them as their helper.”
• John is also referred to in the book of Acts as John Mark
• (Acts chapter 15 verses 36-40).
Ill:
• It was common for Jews of the period to bear both,
• A Semitic name such as John (Hebrew: Yochanon),
• And a Greco-Roman name such as Mark.
• e.g. The apostle called Saul in verses 1,2,7&9.
• Suddenly is called Paul in verse 13,
• Saul was a Hebrew, Jewish name, Paul was a Greek name,
• And he will remain with the name Paul for the rest of the book of Acts,
• And he will also use it in his New Testament letters.
• Question: Why the two names and the change over?
• Answer: Geography & culture.
• It would make sense for Paul & Mark to use his Roman names,
• As he travelled farther and farther into the Gentile world.
• It is interesting that Paul began using his Roman name on the island of Cyprus,
• Which was ruled by a Roman proconsul,
• Who would hear the gospel and be interested in the message and maybe even converted,
For the three missionaries it was an excellent start.
• A good beginning:
• They started in a way that many missionaries never experience:
• With the backing of their local fellowship.
• I assume they would continue to fast and pray for them,
• And I would suggest they showed practical support financially as well.
• With the support of the Church and the assurance they are in the will of God,
• Barnabas, Saul & John Mark travelled the 16 mile journey west to Seleucia,
• And there they sailed for Cyprus.
Note:
• We do not know why they chose to go to Cypress:
• It maybe the Lord told them to start there, that was part of their calling.
• It maybe the link was Barnabas,
• We know he was a Cypriot, and maybe he was burdened for his own people.
• Always good to start where there is a link or a burden.
Note:
• It was a Smooth departure (vs 4).
• No mention of any difficulties.
Ill;
• When we went to Moldova in December (2021),
• We had checked all our luggage into the baggage area.
• We went through customs and literally ten minutes before we are due to board the plane,
• Bob Telford gets a phone call.
• Now Bob & his wife Rita were moving house after we returned back to England,
• And they were living in temporary rented accommodation.
• The phone call said, the back door of the property is wide open and so is the gate,
• So, we assume you have had a break in!
• He calls his wife and daughter but no reply from either of them,
• They are out on a Christmas shopping binge.
• So Bob boarded the plane not knowing if he had been burgled or not,
• If their possessions had been taken or what mess may have been caused!
• Now on arrival we discovered that Rita had not quite closed the door and the wind had blown both the door and the gate open,
• And this was discovered,
• Before anyone could go and help themselves to the Telford’s possessions!
• I mention this to say that sometimes you start a mission full of stress and anxiety.
• I know of others who have arrived with their luggage lost, or feeling ill etc.
• But for Barnabas, Saul & John Mark, no such hassles.
• It was literally all plain sailing (good beginning).
(2). A Unique Island (vs 4b-5a).
“…went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis”
• Barnabas, Saul and John Mark,
• John Mark was ‘the goffer’, that is he would, go for this and go for that!
• Who was taken along to carry the suitcases etc
• Landed On the east coast of Cyprus.
• At the major administrative centre of Salamis,
Ill:
• "Cyprus" means "Copper".
• A name given because it was a place rich with copper deposits.
• Cyprus also had another common name:
• "Mak-ar-ia" which means: "Happy island".
Quote: William Barcley:
"The Happy Isle, because it was held that its climate was so perfect and its resources so varied that a man might find everything necessary for a happy life within its bounds".
• Sounds like the Hawaii or Bermuda of the first century.
• A beautiful island.
• When I recently went on mission to Moldova it was minus five degrees,
• So, Cyprus was not a bad place to have to go and serve the Lord!
(3). An Unusual Response (vs 5).
"When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of the God in the Jewish synagogues".
Salamis was the largest city on the island:
• Notice: the plural "Synagogues",
• They preached in many different places – and yet no response!
• Now throughout the book of Acts,
• Doctor Luke always mentions a response,
• We always read of somebody being saved, being converted, coming to faith.
• I suggest the fact that he did not mention it,
• Is because there was no response to their preaching.
Ill:
• In Moldova I have never seen anyone saved on my first Sunday of preaching!
• On every other day, and at almost every other meeting (we do 4 to 6 a day),
• People respond.
• Yet, I have never seen anyone saved on my first Sunday of preaching!
• The other evangelists all report back and all see folks respond – not me!
• I am the exception, the odd-bod!
• So, I suggest the fact that Dr Luke does not mention a response,
• Is because there was no response to their preaching.
(4). A Difficult Experience (vs 6a).
"They travelled through the whole island until they came to Paphos".
• They left the Salamis the city where they were unsuccessful,
• And they decided to evangelise the rural areas.
• Again, there is no mention of any response in the rural areas of Cyprus.
Now use your imagination:
• Don't skip over the verse, they are not walking down the street
• This will be a journey of 150 miles - on foot!
• Average days travel was 10 miles,
• If you made 12 miles a day then you were in 5th gear and really shifting.
• Verse 6 says that they arrived at Paphos after a long, hard, tiring journey,
• Again no mention of any response in the rural areas of Cyprus.
• In fact it went from bad to worse;
• Opposition arose (vs 6-8)
6They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7who 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. 8But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.
This opposition comes went eh missionaries are:
• Tired, maybe a bit disillusioned and disappointed.
• They are newly arrived from Antioch,
• They still have the memories of those prayer meetings fresh in their minds.
• Suddenly they are in a new culture, among new people.
• They have just experienced a long tiring 150 mile journey on foot.
• They've apparently had no response or encouragement to their preaching.
• And suddenly they are 'eye to eye' with spiritual, satanic opposition.
This opposition comes in the form of a man called: "Bar-Jesus".
• Verse 6 describes him as: “A Jewish sorcerer”
• Now that is a contradiction,
• It’s like saying someone is a Christian thief! Or A Christian con-artist!
Notice his name & titles.
• “Bar-Jesus” (vs 6) means: "Son of salvation."
• He is also called (vs 9): "Elymas" an Aramaic word; which means the "skilled magician".
• They are quite formidable titles, which describe a craftsman of his trade.
• He is proclaiming himself as having supernatural understanding & deliverance.
• He is claiming to be the skilled magician who brings deliverance.
Verse 7 Tells us who he worked for.
• He was employed by the proconsul:
• The proconsul, was a representative of the Roman government:
• Much like our governor’s today.
• A public official given authority and the power to govern.
Ill:
• Question: What do Queen Victoria, Heinrich Himmler, Sir Arthur Conan, Doyle.
• David Bowie, Plato & Pythagoras have in common?
• Answer: They were all involved with the occult.
• If you need to, a quick Google search will tell you what areas they dabbled in!
• The Bible makes it very clear,
• That the occult in all its forms should be avoided.
• TRANSITION:
• Verse 7 describes the Roman proconsul as “An intelligent man”.
• A reminder that it is not just simple people who get led astray by the occult.
• Like those on my list, intelligent people can also be led astray by thew occult,
• Especially when they are presented by a skilled craftsman such as "Elymas"
(5). A Show of Authority (vs 9-11).
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? 11Now 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.”
As Paul encountered this man Elymas:
• He would not do it in his own strength;
• Verse 9: “Filled with the Holy Spirit”.
• He did not back down and he was not intimidated.
• Verse 9: “He looked him straight in the eye”,
• He faced the opposition head on.
• The apostle Paul tells Elymas he is not the “Son of Salvation”
• But he is actually “A child of the devil” who is “not proclaiming truth but a lie”.
Irony in verse 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.”
• Elymas was a man who practiced of the occult,
• He had led many people like the proconsul into spiritual darkness,
• And now he would experience physical darkness.
• And all his skill in the magical arts could not help him.
(6). A Convert At Last! (vs 12).
12When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed,
for he was amazed (NEB: “Shaken to the core”) at the teaching about the Lord.
• More irony in this verse:
• God blinded the magician because he refused to see the truth,
• But the proconsul who was spiritually blind, had his eyes opened to the truth.
Notice: Sergius Paulus is brought to faith by two things:
• FIRST: Demonstration of spiritual power, “What he saw”.
• SECOND: What he heard, “Amazed at the teaching about the Lord”.
TRUE TODAY PEOPLE COME TO FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST BY 2 THINGS:
• FIRST: What they see – our witness.
• Quote: “The greatest sermon we ever preach is our lives”.
• ill: Woman of Samaria (John chapter 4 verse 39).
“Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”
• SECOND: What they hear – the word of God.
• ill: Woman of Samaria (John chapter 4 verse 42).
“They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world.””
• Quote: Romans chapter 10 verse 17:
• “Faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God”.
Challenge:
• And if you have yet to receive Jesus Christ as your saviour, then do so now.
• I often say it’s as easy as A.B.C.
• A = Admit – Like Adam I am a sinner by nature and by practice.
• And I know my sin is an offence to a holy God.
• B = Believe – that the last Adam Jesus bore your sins when he died on the cross.
• Put your faith and trust in him and his finished work and not your good works.
• C = Consider – am I willing to make Jesus Christ Lord of my life,
• Am I will to repent, turn from living for self and start to live for him?
• D = Do – will you do that now as I lead you in a short prayer of commitment to Christ.
• Let’s pray.
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=TAUfHikmYzC7aYDY57PCanhXOPZLhD6h
SERMON VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/3C4-K2tnZSo
