Sermon Central
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The Saint And The Sorcerer
Contributed by John Gaston on Feb 4, 2026 (message contributor)
Summary: Paul and Barnabas were sent on a mission. All went well until they encountered a sorcerer who was trying to keep a Proconsul from receiving Christ. God used Paul to blind him until he should see the light. We need to know our spiritual weapons!
THE SAINT AND THE SORCERER
Acts 13:2-13
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. After the Flood subsided, Noah opened the door to the Ark and sent the animals out. As each pair of animals left, he would say, “Go forth and multiply.”
2. Finally a pair of snakes slithered out, and he said, “Go forth and multiply.” One of the snakes answered, “But Noah, we’re Adders!”
B. TEXT
2 While 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.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. 4 [They]...sailed from there to Cyprus...6 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. 13 From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.
C. THESIS
1. Cyprus is an island in the Mediterranean Sea, about 50-60 miles from Israel’s coastline. Cyprus has an area of about 3600 square miles and is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.
2. In N.T. times there was a strong Jewish presence on Cyprus, as Luke tells us that there were “synagogues (plural)” in the town of Salamis. When God sent them to Cyprus, they did have one extra advantage - Barnabas had originally come from Cyprus (Acts 4:36).
3. Today’s story occurs in Paphos, on the west coast. It had a temple dedicated to Aphrodite/Venus. There were probably other pagan temples there as well. There they met a Jewish false prophet, who was also a sorcerer, named Bar-Jesus.
4. The title of this message is “The Saint & the Sorcerer.”
I. HOLY SPIRIT DIRECTED MISSION
In verse 2, the Holy Spirit spoke and sent Barnabas & Saul on a missionary journey. The Holy Spirit is a living, separate Person of the Godhead, with the Father & the Son. He is ‘on-location’ to be our personal trainer to prepare us for heaven. He “guides us into all truth (Jn. 16:13),” “teaches us” (Lk. 12:12, Jn. 14:26; 1 Cor. 2:13; 1 Jn. 2:27) and reveals things to us” (Lk. 2:26; Eph. 3:5).
A. INSTANCES WHERE THE HOLY SPIRIT DIRECTED THE CHURCH IN THE BOOK OF ACTS
1. Acts 8:29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
2. Acts 10:19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you.”
3. Acts 11:12, “The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them.”
4. Acts 13:2, “While 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.” See Acts 15:28.
5. Twice the Holy Spirit would not allow Paul to enter some region to minister, Acts 16:6-7.
6. Acts 20:23, “I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.” (Probably through prophetic utterances.)
7. Acts 21:11, “Coming over to us, [Agabus] took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
B. MISSIONS IS THE PROVENANCE OF THE H.S.
1. Zech. 4:6, It’s “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.”
2. The church in Antioch, led by prophets and teachers, received a directive from the Holy Spirit to set apart Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for a mission’s assignment. This ended up being Paul’s 1st missionary journey and set the pattern of how the church should send missionaries for all time.
