Missions is About the Truth
Lessons from the 1st Century Church | A Study through the Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 8 viewsWhile God is working in lives, satan is doing his best to thwart that movement.
Notes
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Saul and Barnabas, with their helper John Mark, have left Salamis and traveled 90 miles across the island, evangelizing most certainly, until they reach Paphos (v.6). As they come to Paphos, they find themselves in position of invitation and divination. They are invited to share the gospel and yet at the same time come face-to-face with master deceiver whose aim to to thwart any influence of the gospel. A great picture of what we find within the world today. Many crying out and searching for an answer. Many crying out and searching for the truth. All the while under the influence of the enemy and although intelligent enough to realize that there has to be more, the smoke and mirrors of the enemy holds them back. There is but one way to move forward, the word of God. This is what missions is about. Missions is about the Truth.
Focus Passage: Acts 13:6-12
6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, stared at him, 10 and said, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not stop making crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 11 Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.
A False Identity (v. 6)
6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus,
Growing up I was warned over and over again, remember who you are. Remember what your last name is. Mom and dad made sure that I knew that my name meant something. They knew that a reputation followed our last name. If we were not careful, that reputation could be tarnished. As I read this text, I was reminded of the 1st Century mindset. Names were everything. You were your name. They did not have last names like we have today, but they did have titles or cities attached to their name as to pinpoint them them and their reputation. However, as it seems from our text, some of those names could be a misnomer. They could have a name that didn’t mean anything. This is such the case before us. Truly there is a false identity associated with the character that we are introduced to in this first verse. We are introduced to a gentleman named, Bar-Jesus. His name in the Greek means, “Son of Jesus,” or “Son of Savior.”
As we look at our text, we realize that he is anything other than a true son of Jesus or a son of the Savior. Luke describes Bar-Jesus as a magician, a Jewish false prophet. Not everyone who carries the title of a Christian or a godly person is that. There are many who claim to be children of God are but truly magicians and false prophets. While sorcery and magic were to be forbidden by the Jewish law and actually killed, some still carried on that trait. The Jewish people were accustomed to this type of foolish actions by some. It has been an issue over and over again within their history. Satan has always had false prophets among the people of God trying to choke out the truth of the gospel. We see this over and over again through false preachers of our day who preach false truths. Jesus has warned us of tares among the wheat.
24 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and left. 26 And when the wheat sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also became evident. 27 And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No; while you are gathering up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”
As we skim over this parable quickly, I want you to notice a couple of truths being revealed...
God has planted true servants to spread the gospel
The enemy has planted false servants to hinder the gospel
God allows both to grow for a time as to not disrupt His work completely
God in the end, will bring judgment against the false prophet - ‘...first gather up the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn...’
Do not ever be so prideful as to think that God does not know who are His you false prophet, you Beelzebub. We can all play the game, but in the end, when the time runs out, God knows who are truly His. We are all responsible to tests spirits and see who is and who is not of God. Let us not be distracted by those who claim to be a Bar-Jesus, a son of Jesus, when in reality they are just a magician, a false prophet.
Why do we stand on guard? Why do we test spirits? Why do we seek God’s guidance in all areas and stand firm on the truth? Because at the end of the day, some are...
Searching for the Truth (v. 7)
7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.
Many are searching for the truth - ‘...sought to hear the word of God...’
Many, while search for the truth, are being deceived by the enemy - ‘...who was the proconsul...’
Ignorance does not equate stupidity - ‘...a man of intelligence...’
Just because one finds themselves under the influence of the enemy, a state of spiritual ignorance, this does not mean that they are stupid and have no hope. It means that they are truly deceived. Many, in fact most of us, have found ourselves in this place before. Paul writes that we live in a world whose eyes are blinded by enemy. They are deceived.
4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Although their eyes are blinded, and they find themselves in a state of ignorance and deception, they are still searching for the truth. The enemy is deceiving them into believing immoral and impure relationships will bring peace and the truth. The enemy is deceiving them in to believing that drugs and alcohol are the truth that bring peace. The enemy wants them to think they are born as a member of the LGBTQ+ movement. No, that’s not true. That’s utter confusion, that’s from the enemy. Many in the church look at those struggling in sin and rejecting Christ as stupid. Stupid is what many within the church house are today. We feel that religion equates relationship and it does not. We need to realize that stupidity is knowing better and yet still doing this or that. Ignorance is not knowing any better. We are called to declare the truth to a lost, ignorant, and blind world. Many of whom are intelligent, they are just blinded by the enemy. As we find said of Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. Not only was he intelligent, he was searching for the truth. He was searching for hope. He was searching for an answer to all that was happening around him, This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. As he was searching for the truth, they enemy was doing all that he could do to distract him from the truth. I wonder how many within the sound of my voice are being distracted and driven under the influence of the enemy to yet once again hear the truth and yet reject the truth. Let us all be about genuinely searching for the truth. Let us find the only truth that there is. Let us hear the word of God.
As we search for the truth and apply the truth let us not be ignorant to...
The Enemies Initiative (vv. 8-10)
8 But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, stared at him, 10 and said, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not stop making crooked the straight ways of the Lord?
The enemy comes with a false covering - ‘...whose name was Bar-Jesus...’ (v. 6)
The enemy is all about smoke and mirrors - ‘...But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them...’
The enemy wants to distract you from the saving truth of the gospel - ‘...seek to turn the proconsul away from the faith...’
The Power of God (vv. 11-12)
11 Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.
God empowers His people - ‘...filled with the Holy Spirit...’
He empowers His people to share the gospel
Acts 1:8 (NASB 2020) 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”
He empowers His people to resist the enemy
God alone has the power to judge (v. 11)
31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let’s show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
God alone has the power to save - ‘…Then the proconsul believed...’
I close with these final words...
Where do you find yourself today? Do you find yourself searching for the truth like the proconsul? Do you find yourself being distracted by the smoke and mirrors of the enemy? Do you find yourself in a spiritual war for your eternity? Are you the one that the enemy is using to influence another for hell? May we fall on our knees before God and be as the proconsul in the end, Then the proconsul believed.
