While we may not think about it, the Scripture reveals God did some marvelous things in the lives of some Bible characters, as He sent them out to win souls to Christ.
In this text we see just one example:
I. THE DEDICATION
Look at verses 1-3, “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away..”
You can always tell how important a job is by the method used to hire the person to fill the position.
Illus: Some employers hang a sign up outside their building so people walking along the street will see it and come in to apply, but those who are looking for a person to fill a position requiring skill and good education, generally require applicants to send, or bring, a resume’.
The application form for the latter kinds of jobs are usually more complex also. Once the resume’ and application has been reviewed, the employer will have his personnel manager call the applicant in for a personal interview. After a narrowing down process, the selection is made.
Basically, this is what those great men of the early church did.
Look at verse 1, we read, “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers: as Barnabas... Simeon…Manaen.. . and Saul.”
Notice, the Bible says, in the church were, “Certain prophets and teachers…”
These were not the average men that you found in the church, they were the “Certain prophets and teachers…”
Those men were fasting and praying, because they were concerned about the work of God.
Any time men and women are fasting and praying, you will find that God is about to do something in a big way.
That is exactly what the Lord is getting ready to do in this scripture passage.
Look at verses 2-3, “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”
This was to be the first missionary trip, and Paul and Barnabas were selected by the Holy Ghost to carry it out.
What an honor that was, to have the Holy Ghost single them out for that first missionary journey.
Notice, this was a divine calling: “…the Holy Ghost said...”
God, Who knows all things about all people, knows who to call.
Paul and Barnabas were a tremendous success, and it was because God called them, and God equipped them.
Those that God call, God equips!
Many secular businesses suffer because people are in positions who are not qualified.
Illus: One place we see the negative results of this, is in our public education system. We have people who have college degrees, but they do not have the desire or the skills to teach.
Our churches suffer from the same things. The fact of the matter is, many today in our churches are in positions, and they do not have the slightest idea of what they are doing.
Illus: Many people do what Chester, in “Gunsmoke”, does. Sometimes Matt has to leave town. Since there is only one Marshall in Dodge City, he appoints Chester to temporarily wear the title of Marshall. 0f course, anyone who has seen Chester knows that during those times, Dodge City has a man who is Marshall in name only.
There are too many churches today who have pastors, teachers, deacons, and church workers, who are in these positions in name only.
God never called them to do the things they are doing.
Paul and Barnabas were called of God, and they were equipped of God.
Notice that the ones who had the responsibility of appointing the ones to do the Work God needed done, “... fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, (and) sent them away.”
We have looked at THE DEDICATION of these special men, but let us look at the direction they took once the Lord called them and equipped them.
II. THE DIRECTION
Look at verses 4-5, “So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.”
The Bible makes it crystal clear, they were-
A. SENT BY THE SPIRIT
Verse 4, “So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed...”
Suppose Paul and Barnabas were called of God but they refused to go.
None of the things that God used them to do would have been accomplished, had they not been willing to go.
Not everyone has obeyed God as they did, and they will regret that one day.
Illus: One of the reasons that people are going to shed tears in heaven, as the Bible teaches some will, is because they will see what they could have accomplished for the Lord, had they obeyed His calling.
CAN YOU IMAGINE how mothers are going to feel on that day as they see their children eternally lost, when they could have been saved had they just obeyed the Lord.
CAN YOU IMAGINE how dads will feel on that day when they will see, that if they had been the spiritual leaders they should have been, their children could have grown up to be men and women God could have used, perhaps to reach thousands for Jesus.
CAN YOU IMAGINE how Christian young people will feel as they stand before the Lord, realizing that they did not stand up for Jesus, or do what they could have done for Him in their schools, and as a result, many who may have been saved then, now will enter Hell.
God called Paul and Barnabas, and the Bible says that they, “departed”.
They were not only SENT BY THE SPIRIT, They also-
B. SPOKE BY THE SPIRIT
Notice that when they got to their destination God wanted them to reach, the Bible says, verse 5, “…they preached the word of God.”
That is, by the Spirit of God they preached the Word of God to them.
They did what the Spirit of God had sent them to do!
This is not the case for many today who claim to be God called and God sent.
Illus: Week after week, some of these Elmer Gantries on television spend valuable time telling listening audiences that they are men of God, and ask people to send in a hundred, five hundred, or a thousand dollars to support their ministry.
WHAT IS THEIR MINISTRY?
Their ministry is to get you to send them your hard earned money, so that they can come back on television next week and beg for some more of your hard earn money.
These men are no more than thieves, robbing feeble minded people and the church of the tithes, that should be use to spread the gospel of Christ.
GOD’S WORD HAS A NAME FOR THESE SECOND RATE CLOWNS.
The Word of God calls them false prophets.
Do you know why they can stay on the air? Because of people’s ignorance of the things of God.
Anyone who knows just a little about God’s Word, can recognize these counterfeits as soon as they see them.
They know that, but they know there are many people out there that are ignorant about the Word of God, and they take advantage of their ignorance.
The TV preachers are not the only ones who will have to give account for wasting valuable time and financial resources.
Illus: It will be just as bad for the local Pastors, and Sunday School teachers who stand before the people of God without giving them anything from the Word of God.
Illus: A pastor and his wife were on vacation. They stopped at a local church to worship with them. They had a lot of great singing, but finally the pastor stood before the congregation and said, “I am not going to preach tonight!”
WHY NOT? This is what God has called him to do.
Paul and Barnabas recognized the seriousness of their calling, and the Bible says, “...they preached the word of God...”
These were special men of God.
But anytime you have the men of God, preaching the Word of God, you are going to have the devil nearby. Look at-
III. THE DEMONIAC
Look at verses 6-8, “And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.”
Any time God has a “Certain person” to do a job, you can rest assured that Satan will have a “certain person” to try to counteract what God is trying to do.
When Sergius Paulus heard of what Paul and Barnabas were preaching, he wanted to hear about it.
Notice that verse 7 describes him as being a “prudent man…”
That meant that he was clever and capable of making good judgments.
Sergius Paulus, before this, had heard from the false prophet, Elymas, and he was not convinced that he had been told the whole story, so when he heard about the gospel Paul and Barnabas were preaching, he wanted to hear what they had to say.
Illus: Did you know that many people who have joined cults, do not necessarily believe all the things they are being taught. They have simply closed their minds, and will not seek for the truth like Sergius Paulus did.
Elymas, the sorcerer, did all he could, just like people in cults do today, to keep Sergius Paulus from hearing the Gospel.
Look at verses 9-11, “Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, And said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.”
Notice Elymas, the false prophet, walked in spiritual darkness, and when God cursed him, he then walked in physical darkness also.
IV. THE DARKNESS
In verse 11, we read, “And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.”
Look at verse 12a, “Then the deputy, when he saw what was done…”
God gave definite evidence of His power, through Paul and Barnabas.
This got the attention of Sergius Paulus.
Look at verse 12b, “…believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.”
Notice, he was astonished at the “Doctrine of the Lord”. Paul told him all kinds of things about the Lord, and he was astonished!
But God used something else to bring him to the Lord.
God’s striking Elymas with blindness caused Sergius Paulus to believe. That was all the proof he needed.
It is amazing how some people are led to the Lord. Some have to see the hand of God move in a miraculous way, while others do not have to see anything.
In all cases though, people who come to the Lord, are people who are like Sergius Paulus, who knew that what he had been hearing from Elymas was not sufficient, AND THEY LOOK FOR MORE.
Conclusion:
I. THE DEDICATION
II. THE DIRECTION
III. THE DEMONIAC
IV. THE DARKNESS.
