SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH”
TEXT: ACTS 13:1-12
TITLE: “FACING THE FALSE PROPHET”
INTRODUCTION: A. Would you hire this man?
A member of the pulpit committee at a certain church was tired of the process of
trying to choose a new minister. No matter who applied, the committee found some
reason to find the candidate unworthy. He read the following letter to the committee
from a prospective preacher:
Dear First Church,
I have received information that you are looking for a preacher. Thank you for
reviewing my qualifications to preach for your congregation.
I have considerable education and experience as a preacher. Although I move
around a lot, I do have considerable skills which allow me to work outside of the
church to support my ministry.
I must admit that I have never preached in a congregation for more than three
years and that sometimes my preaching has caused contention and strife in the town
which I worked. I even have a prison record because of my preaching (primarily
due to the riots that were started). I am, however, a published author.
One of the committee members jumped to his feet and loudly asked, “Who in the
world would send such a letter of application to our church?” The committee member
who read the letter replied, “This one is signed ‘the apostle Paul.’”
B. We find that now Saul Tarsus has become the apostle Paul
1. Saul of Tarsus converted
2. Saul of Tarsus causing conflict
3. Time of growth
4. Barnabas brings Saul to Antioch.
--They set out on first missionary journey
5. Notice that up until now, it has been Barnabas and Saul
--From this point on, Paul is mentioned first
C. We see a lot of false prophets today
1. They promise much but deliver very little, if anything
2. Let’s take a look at this pivotal point the apostle Paul’s life and see what
happened during the time he faced the false prophet.
I. THE CHURCH CONVICTED
--Acts 13:1-3 – “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. 2While 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." 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent
them off.”
A. Last Sunday evening, we looked at the church in Antioch in some depth
--We looked at 9 marks of a great church. Several are mentioned here:
1. Worship – they lifted Christ above everything else and performed works of worship
2. Fasting and prayer – dedicated themselves to learning the Lord’s will and developing a closer
relationship with Christ
3. A deep concern for the lost
a. Jesus claimed that concern as the reason he came to earth
b. He commanded His church to take up that concern
c. The worship, prayer, and fasting led them to take this concern very seriously
B. “Conviction” – “a strong belief; the state of being convinced”
1. Their conviction moved them to action
2. Led by the Holy Spirit, they commissioned Paul and Barnabas as missionaries and sent them out to
fulfill Christ’s commission
3. During this missionary journey, they meet some very interesting people
--Introduced to two of them tonight
II. THE MAGICIAN IS CONFRONTED
--Acts 13:4-12a – “The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed
from there to Cyprus. 5When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish
synagogues. John was with them as their helper. 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. 9Then 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." 12Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about,
seeking someone to lead him by the hand.”
A. They travel from Antioch to Seleucia and then sail to Cyprus
--It’s there they begin to preach the gospel of Christ
1. Why Cyprus?
a. 1st island off the coast of Asia Minor
b. Would be the first stop that the ship that sailed the Mediterranean would make
c. Took the first opportunity to begin the mission
d. It was Barnabas’ birthplace
e. There was a large number of Jewish synagogues there
2. About Cyprus
a. About 60 miles from Seleucia
b. Approximately 140 miles long and 60 miles wide
c. The name “Cyprus” means “copper”
--well-know for its copper mines
3. There had been others who preached the Gospel message there
a. Acts 11:19-20 – “Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen
traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. 20Some of them,
however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling
them the good news about the Lord Jesus.”
b. It was Christians from Cyprus who had started the church in Antioch
1). Now Antioch was sending missionaries back to Cyprus
2). Amazingly, the USA, that one time sent Christian missionaries around the world, is now being
sent missionaries from other nations.
B. They began preaching in the city of Salamis on the eastern coast of Cyprus and preached across the island
till they got to the west coast city of Paphos
1. Was the headquarters of the Roman government on the island
a. Was also a center for the worship of the Venus – the Roman goddess of love and sexuality
b. John MacArthur: “According to tradition, Venus was born out of the foam of the sea near Paphos.
She was worshiped in the wildest, most extravagant sexual orgies imaginable. The city was a sin pit
where people wallowed in moral filth.”
2. It was there that they encountered a man called Elymas
a. We’re told that Elymas was of Jewish descent
b. Also told that he was nicknamed “Bar-Jesus”: “son of Jesus”
--name “Jesus” (Greek) is Hebrew name “Yeshua” or “Joshua” – a common name
c. We’re also told that he is a “sorcerer” – one who tried to discern wisdom and knowledge through
occult arts
d. Described as a “false prophet”
--Because he tried to impede the gospel and because he tried to pretend to be a representative from
God when if fact he was involved in the practice of magical arts – such as astrology and divination
– which was strictly forbidden by God.
e. His design and goal in this encounter was to keep the Roman governor of the island away from the
gospel of Christ
2. We also meet Sergius Paulus
a. Proconsul – the person the Roman government had placed in charge of the island
--the equivalent of Pilate in Palestine
b. “intelligent” – “prudent” – he liked to check things out
--just to see if Barnabas and Paul are just troublemakers
c. Also had questions about the Gospel
d. Also most likely dabbled in the occult because of his close relationship with Elymas the sorcerer
C. False prophets:
1. Ezek. 13:6 (whole chapter actually) – “Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say,
"The LORD declares," when the LORD has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled.”
2. Dt. 18:9-13 – “When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the
detestable ways of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or
daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or
casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things
is detestable to the LORD , and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive
out those nations before you. 13 You must be blameless before the LORD your God.”
3. Rev. 21:8 – “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those
who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning
sulfur. This is the second death.”
4. We need to know that anytime we present the true gospel of Christ, Satan will present a counterfeit
designed to lure away the potential convert
1). Eph. 6:12 – “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly realms.”
2). Acts 13:9-10 – “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?”
5. This was the battle of truth against a lie
--C. S. Lewis: “Christianity is a statement which, if false, is of no importance, and, if true, of infinite
importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
E. Elymas’ punishment, v. 11-12 – “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." 12Immediately mist and darkness came over him,
and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.”
--Why made blind?
1. To teach him about his spiritual blindness
2. To show the power of the Gospel is stronger than anything else
a. Isn’t it funny that we have treated the Gospel as if it is powerless whereas the 1st century church
treated the Gospel as if there was no other power
b. Perhaps that’s the reason so many Christians have a lack of power today!
III. THE GOVERNOR CONVERTED
--Acts 13:12b – “When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the
teaching about the Lord.”
A. Even though Satan tried to hinder the work of Paul and Barnabas, God brought victory
1. We can expect opposition but we can’t quit because there is opposition
2. A. Todd Coget says there are three things we can expect when we try to talk to others about our faith:
a. When we respond to God’s call in our life, we can expect Satan to quickly hit us.
b. When we respond to God’s call, we can expect Satan to hit us with confusion.
c. But when we respond to God’s call, we can also expect God to bring victory.
B. Conversion is one of the main goals of everything we do
--The church exists to:
1. Be the body of Christ to the world in which we live
2. Provide a suitable environment for Christians to grow to maturity in Christ
3. Carry the Gospel of Christ to those who do not know Him in expectation that they will commit their
lives to Him
B. Years ago in a small Midwestern town, one man’s hob was to watch the railroad crossing. When a
train would approach the crossing at night, he was to wave a lantern to warn those driving on the
narrow road that a train was approaching and to stop until it passed by.
One particular night the train was coming down the tracks as usual and the man took his place to
warn any oncoming cars. He could see a car in the distance approaching the railroad tracks so he
began to wave his lantern in the moonlit sky. The car continued to come so the man waved the lantern
even more briskly. The train was only seconds away from the crossing.
The car was not even slowing down. The man could believe so he waved the lantern even harder.
Still the car came. The car was almost to the track and the train was about to pass. The man couldn’t
stand in the middle of the road any longer. Again, he frantically waved his lantern and the car
continued to come at full speed. Finally, he jumped out of the way as the car sped by and was hit by
the train. Everyone in the car was killed.
At the investigation, the grief-stricken man explained to the authorities how he tried to warn the
oncoming vehicle but it would not stop. At the end of the investigation, the officer in charge said to the
man at the crossing, “Sir, you waved your lantern – but you forgot to light it.”
--Are we trying to be a light to the world without the light of Christ shining within us?
CONCLUSION: A. If you think that false prophets and false religions are not an issue today, let me tell
you about a story that appeared in the New York Times on June 24, 2004. It was entitled
“A Crowning at the Capital Creates a Stir,” by Sheryl Gay Stolberg a Times reporter.
In a ceremony that took place in Washington’s Dirksen office building on March 23,
2004, Rev. Sun Myung Moon wore a white silk stole and a red velvet robe for the
occasion where he was crowned and declared himself to be the Messiah or Christ.
Several congressmen were present and looked on while a congressman (Representative
Danny K. Davis, of Illinois) wore white gloves and carried a crown for Rev. Moon and
his wife. The senators and congressional members present had been invited to attend
what was called a “Peace Awards Banquet.”
Some lawmakers said they left prior to the ceremony and were unaware it had taken
place. Others who stayed were uncertain as to its meaning. But the Capital rooms are
reserved only by the signature of a senator. The 83-year-old Moon is the founder and
leader of the Unification Church, a cult which tries to pass itself off as a Christian sect.
The article stated that in the acceptance speech of Rev. Moon, he stated: “Emperors,
kings and presidents had declared to all heaven and earth that Reverend Sun Myung
Moon is none other than humanity’s Savior, Messiah, Returning Lord and True Parent.”
Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United, said, “You had what effectively
amounted to a religious coronation in a government building of a man who claims
literally to be the savior.”
--Oh, something else you should know: Rev. Moon is a media mogul and owns the
Washington Times newspaper and the United Press International wire service.
B. Our country needs us and our world needs us.
--We have God’s only true message of salvation and we represent the true Savior and
Messiah Jesus Christ. We’ve got to get busy about the missionary work of the church –
not just business as usual!
1. Dr. Chris Marshall: “A funny thing happened on the way from the first century to the
twenty-first century: The church of Jesus Christ has moved from being an outward-
focused, purpose driven, worship-first band of men and women who would go
anywhere and do anything to have the opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus
Christ; to an inward-focused, often purposeless, and worship-starved hodge-podge of
people who will go anywhere and do almost anything to avoid the obligation of sharing
the Good News of Jesus Christ with others.”
2. The following ad once appeared in a London newspaper: "Men wanted for hazardous
journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger,
safe return doubtful."
a. The ad was signed by Sir Ernest Shackleton, Antarctic explorer.
b. Amazingly, the ad drew thousands of respondents, eager to sacrifice everything for
the prospect of meaningful adventure.
C. If I asked you to turn to the person next to you right now and tell the person beside you
what Jesus has done in your life, would you be able to do it?
--We can’t focus outward as a church, unless we can do that.
1. If we have Good News to share, and we can’t share it with one another, then we’re not
going to share it with anyone else.
2. The basic question for being an outward-focused church is: Do we have a relationship
with Jesus Christ—do we have Good News to share?
a. If the answer is, “No,” then we can never be an outward-focused church.
b. If the answer is, “Yes,” then it isn’t a matter of taking another course on faith-
sharing, or another Bible study.
--It’s a matter of listening to the Holy Spirit and being obedient. The Holy Spirit is
going to tell us the same thing He told Saul and Barnabas—“Go out and do the
work I have called you to do.”
