Scripture

That night, Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece, was standing there pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

Observation

Paul travels to Derbe and then to Lystra, where he meets a young man called Timothy. Paul invites Timothy to come with him, and together they travel around the area instructing the believers.

They continue travelling, but it becomes clear that the Holy Spirit is preventing them from entering the province of Asia. Finally, Paul has a vision of a man from Macedonia pleading for them to come there. So they travel immediately to Macedonia.

Application

God’s direction comes in a multitude of ways.

In this passage, we have a negative direction in that the Holy Spirit is preventing them from going to the province of Asia. The description is vague. Perhaps every time they headed that way, they felt uneasy or even physically uncomfortable.. Perhaps distractions and obstacles would come their way.

Then there is the very specific positive direction. Paul has a clear vision of a man from Macedonia, and immediately they know this is the Holy Spirit saying, “Go there!”

Sometimes we have to be hemmed in, discovering every possibility is cut off until we are ready to hear the way the Holy Spirit wants us to go.

The Bible demonstrates dozens of ways that the Holy Spirit uses to direct God’s people: dreams, visions, voices from heaven, internal voices, prophecies from other people, words of knowledge and wisdom, and many more.

The important thing is not the method God uses to speak to us, but that we are listening to whatever it is that God says, and are ready to obey Him.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to discern your voice, and to obey every direction you give me. Amen.

Scripture

Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed to Cyprus. Paul chose Silas.

Observation

The apostles and elders in Jerusalem choose delegates to send to Antioch in Syria, with Paul and Barnabas to report their decision. They take a letter to confirm the decision concerning the rules for Gentile converts.

The people in Antioch rejoice when they hear the encouraging news. Paul and Barnabas stay there for some time.

After a while, Paul suggests to Barnabas that they retrace their steps to encourage the believers in the places they previously visited. They have a quarrel because Barnabas wants to take John Mark, but Paul does not want this. They ultimately go separate ways.

Application

We often see the early church through rose coloured glasses, and it can come as a shock when normal human behaviour creeps in.

Paul and Barnabas had made a great team, but now they separate over the issue of whether they should take John Mark with them. John Mark has previously accompanied Paul, but had left him at Pamphylia. Paul had felt abandoned and didn’t want to take him on again. Barnabas the encourager asked to give him a second chance.

We can hold very deep convictions that can sometimes lead to arguments; yet God can be in the midst of this. In this situation, one team was broken up and two new teams were formed, giving valuable experience to John Mark and to Silas.

When christians differ we need to make sure that we do so in a way that honours God.

Many arguments are over trivial issues. We need to ask, “is this an issue to die for?” If it is truly a trivial issue we can, and should, back off.

We need to separate issues from people. We can love those we disagree with. Let’s get past the immediate differences of opinion and love one another with the love of the Lord.

When we argue we should continue to honour our opponents. These days it seems that arguments can quickly degenerate to name calling. Jesus calls us to be better than that.

Prayer

Lord Jesus it is inevitable that there will be disagreements among your people. Please help me to love those I disagree with, and help us all to find your way through topics of diverging opinions. Amen.

Scripture

“We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”

Observation

While Paul and Barnabas are in Antioch in Syria, some men from Judea come and start teaching that to be saved, believers must be circumcised. Paul and Barnabas go to Jerusalem to settle the matter.

In Jerusalem, Barnabas and Paul report how God has been saving the Gentiles. But some believers from the Pharisees demand these believers be circumcised and follow the law of Moses.

Peter says that he has seen how God gives the Holy Spirit to Gentiles- He makes no distinction.

James says that they should not make it difficult for Gentiles who turn to God, with only some minimal requirements placed on them.

Application

There is only one way that people are saved and that is through Jesus.

There was a tendency in the early church, mainly among Jewish believers, to want to make salvation dependent on obeying the law of Moses. The apostles were convinced and unmovable on the principle that we cannot add anything to what Christ has done for us on the cross.

This statement of Peter that “we are all saved the same way” should serve as a warning to people who want to say that Jews are saved by the law and Gentiles are saved by grace. No, we are all saved by grace alone- whether Jew or Gentile.

It is God’s undeserved grace that takes away our in. We can add nothing to what Jesus has done for us.

God has removed the dividing wall between all people. There is no longer Jew and Gentile, but only those who have been saved by Jesus and those who have not.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the cross. Thank you that we are saved by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus. Amen.

Scripture

Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

Observation

In Lystra, Paul comes upon a man lame from birth. Paul sees he has faith to be healed, so he commands the man to stand up, which he does.

The crowd sees this and proclaims that Paul and Barnabas are gods in human form. Then priests from the temple of Zeus bring sacrifices to worship the apostles. Paul and Barnabas are shocked by this, and say they are not gods but messengers of the one true God.

Some Jews from Antioch in Pisidia come and stir people up so that Paul is stoned and left for dead.

Paul and Barnabas go to Derbe then back track through the other towns they had preached in, appointing elders in each place. They finally return to their base in Antioch in Syria where they report all that God has done.

Application

One of the responsibilities of apostles, then and now, that is rarely mentioned is the grace to appoint elders in a locality.

Often apostles are seen as church planters or missionaries who go from place to place preaching the gospel before moving on. Others from different faith traditions see them as like bishops who are appointed to oversee a geographical area.

But there is more to apostles than this. Paul and Barnabas, having prayed and fasted, appointed elders in each church, then handed the work over to them.

This was no vote at a synod or an administrative decision. It was something seen as the work of the Holy Spirit, a spiritual process soaked in prayer and fasting.

The elders, once appointed, took full responsibility for God’s work in that locality. The apostles maintained a relationship of fatherly love and and advice, but the elders and the churches were autonomous.

Prayer

Thank you Father for apostles and elders, and other God- appointed leadership in the church. Amen.

Scripture

The apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders.

Observation

Having been rejected in Antioch of Pisidia, Paul and Barnabas travel to Iconium. They preach in the synagogue and a great number of people are saved. They stay there for some time, preaching boldly and demonstrating god’s power in signs and wonders.

A plan arises amongst both Jews and Gentiles to attack Paul and Barnabas. They flee to Lystra and Derbe where they continue to preach the Good News.

Application

The apostles stayed a long time in Iconium, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. It must have been difficult for some Jewish people to accept that they were saved by grace and not by following religious laws.

This is a radical message, even for many christians. We find it hard at times to believe that we really are set free and forgiven by God’s grace. We find it hard to squash that belief that we can earn God’s favour by our own goodness.

Alternatively, we can fall into the trap of thinking that we must be sinning when God feels distant.

It is all grace. Our salvation, our relationship with God, our status of righteousness- everything is grace!

To prove the power of the message, the Lord blessed the apostles with the grace to perform signs and wonders. When we truly trust in God’s grace, we are set free in every part of our being- physical, emotional, spiritual.

There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain. Not because the word is holy or magical, but because Jesus is powerful.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for your grace. Thank you for setting me free of every kind of sin. Amen.

Scripture

And the believers were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Observation

Many Jews and converts to Judaism follow Paul and Barnabas, so that the following Sabbath just about the whole city turns out to hear them. But some of the Jewish leaders start opposing their message.

Paul and Barnabas boldly declare that since the Jews have rejected them, they will now go to the Gentiles. The Gentiles rejoice that Paul will now focus his attention on them, and many become believers.

The Jews incite a mob and have Paul and Barnabas run out of town.

Application

This passage ends with Paul and Barnabas, having been ejected from the city, shake the dust from their feet and move on to Iconium. Then it says, “The believers were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.”

This is not to mean that the believers were filled with joy because Paul and Barnabas were gone. I think that what it is saying is that the gospel and the church are bigger than even the greatest of leaders and preachers.

The church in Antioch continued to prosper because the people had the Holy Spirit. The Lord is the one who leads and directs the people of God. We have leaders who set directions and give encouragement, but when every believer knows they are filled with the Holy Spirit, then when leaders are taken away, it makes little or no difference to what God can do in and through the church.

The New Testament makes it clear that it is the Lord who appoints His leaders- apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Leaders are essential to God’s purposes, and we ignore them at our peril.

In the end, we must recognise the gifts of leaders, but not be dependent on them above our dependence on the Lord.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for bringing order into the church, your community of faith. Thank you for pastors and other leaders. Thank you also that even when individual leaders move on, you do not leave us without direction. Amen.

Scripture

“Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him will be declared right with God- something that the law of Moses could never do.”

Observation

Paul and Barnabas sail to Pamphylia and then travel to Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath they go to the synagogue where they are invited to bring a word of encouragement. Paul proceeds to go through the history of Israel and how God has always led His people. He uses the scriptures to encourage them to become followers of Jesus.

Application

In the Jewish religion there was a temptation to believe that righteousness could be earned by obeying all the requirements of the Law. There was also the opposite temptation of despairing at never being able to do enough to please God.

Both of those failings can be found in the church today, but only when people fail to understand that righteousness comes only as a gift through Jesus.

As Paul says in this Scripture, “through the man Jesus there is forgiveness of sins.” We cannot earn our way to righteousness; all we can do is put our trust in Jesus who has paid the price for our forgiveness.

Everyone who believes in Jesus is declared right with God. Instead of my sin falling on my head, it falls on Christ.

God declares that I am righteous. My sins are forgiven and my debt is paid. I can stand secure in my relationship with God.

This is seriously Good News!

Prayer

Thank you Lord Jesus for paying the price for my sin. Thank you that in you there is true righteousness. Amen.

Scripture
When the governor saw what had happened, he became a believer for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.

Observation
One day, the prophets and teachers of the church in Antioch are worshipping and fasting when the Holy Spirit directs them to dedicate Saul and Barnabas for the Lord’s work. They do this, and Barnabas and Saul go to Cyprus.

In the town of Paphos, they meet the governor who wants to hear more about the gospel. A sorcerer named Elymas tries to prevent the governor from listening to them, but Saul, filled with the Holy Spirit, declares God’s judgement on Elymas who is then struck blind for a time.

The governor becomes a believer.

Application
It has often been said that a key cause of the growth of the early church was the presence of miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit. Many of these miracles were what we might describe as positive- healings and the like. Some of them represented God’s judgement. In either case, the miracles were a powerful sign of God’s blessing on the Good News.

It is interesting that in this case, the governor received salvation after Elymas was struck blind. He became a believer because he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.

The judgement on Elymas backed up the teaching and the authority of Saul and Barnabas. He did not believe just because of the miracle. He believed because of the teaching which was backed up by the miracle.

If I make a prediction based on scientific measurements that it will rain tomorrow, you might be sceptical that I know anything about science. But when I does rain, my credibility and knowledge of science are backed up.

When our proclamation of the Good News is backed up by signs and wonders, the gospel has greater power to overcome people’s objections.

Prayer
Father, please fill me with your Holy Spirit so that my speaking for you is bolstered by your power. Amen.

Scripture

Instantly an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.

Observation

Herod starts to persecute the church by having James put to death. This pleases the Jewish leaders, so he has Peter arrested. The night before Peter’s trial, an angel of the Lord comes to release him and lead him to safety.

The people of Tyre and Sidon send a delegation to make peace with Herod. Herod makes a fine speech which the people present proclaim to be the speech of a god not a man. Because Herod accepts this false worship, the Lord strikes him down with sickness, and he dies.

Application

Many people like to think that God does not punish people, that He does not judge sin. Of course this is nonsense. The Bible is full of warnings against the judgement of God.

Here Herod is struck down with a fatal illness because he is praised as a god. It is interesting that it is this blasphemous pride rather than the murder of James and the attempted murder of Peter which God punishes.

While few of us would be tempted to think that we are gods, many can be prone to pride at various times. We might be proud of our abilities, proud of our talents, proud of our ministry.

At these times, we run the risk of being judged by the Lord.

Every now and again we hear of pastors falling into sin of some kind, sometimes even committing a crime. Very few of them start off in ministry with this or other immoral goals. But pride, even a sense of entitlement, starts to find its way in. Eventually they find themselves doing things that once they would not have considered themselves capable of doing.

God’s judgement is real, but not because He gets pleasure from inflicting pain on us. God judges because He loves us and wants us to turn to Him before it is too late.

Prayer

Father, please help me to walk in your ways every day. May I live in a way that honours you. Amen.

Scripture

Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith.

Observation

The persecution in Jerusalem scatters the believers to many places, but they preach only to the Jews. Some believers arrive in Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene and start preaching to the Gentiles. The power of the Lord is with them, and many are saved.

The church at Jerusalem sends Barnabas to Antioch. He sees that God is doing great things there and he goes off to Tarsus to fetch Saul. They both stay in Antioch for a year, teaching large crowds of people.

A prophet called Agabus predicts a huge famine, so the believers in Antioch collect money to help the church in Jerusalem.

Application

I can’t think of any better honour than to be described, like Barnabas, as a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith.

This three- fold description is something we can all aspire to, because they are all choices that we make.

To be a “good man” or woman really depends on the choice to stand firm in the Lord. This goes beyond moral choices to the concept of integrity. A good person is one who knows what is right in every situation and who operates from conviction. A few years ago there was a fad on the phrase “What Would Jesus Do?” which is a good way to remind us to always act in a way that honours the Lord.

To be full of the Holy Spirit is also a choice. It means that we constantly seek the Lord in prayer, asking Him to direct our steps. Christians are meant to be always aware of the Holy Spirit. Cultivating that awareness of the Spirit goes a long way to being full of the Spirit.

To be strong in faith means both prayer and action. Every issue in our life, every non-believer, every local and national problem should be brought before the Lord in prayer. As we do this, we learn to see that we have authority in the Lord. We start to pray bold and faithful prayers. Having prayed and listened to the Lord, we can act confidently, ministering the grace and power of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to be a Barnabas: good, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. Amen.