Day 110, Acts 13
Back in Antioch, Saul and Barnabas are reunited with the other leaders of the church there. Holy Spirit speaks to them and commands that Saul and Barnabas be set apart for a special work (of traveling with the good news).
In obedience (a common thread in the early church) they lay hands on them and send them off. John Mark accompanies them and they sail for Cyprus (Barnabas’ home). There is a need for them there, because the local government has been influenced by a Jewish false prophet called Elymas (sorcerer).
Paul stands up to this ungodly usurper of power, in obedience to the Holy Spirit, and Elymas is supernaturally blinded! This leads the governor to become a believer in Jesus.
Their work completed, the team leave Cyprus for Turkey. This appears to be too far from home for John Mark and he leaves them suddenly to return to Jerusalem. He’ll be back later!
In Turkey, the supernatural breakthroughs continue. There is great interest in the new perspective on God’s plan for salvation - it is broader than the Jews alone (as Paul explains in his teaching in the synagogue). Despite Paul warning against the power of religious legalism the beast rears its ugly head again, as the wealthy and influential Jews fear the erosion of their position by this new force of grace. They stir up opposition to Paul and Barnabas again, with the result that these apostles shake off the dust from their feet, signifying the leaving behind of religious restrictions. Instead they will go to the hungry pagans! The result: God’s Word spreads like wildfire among the Gentile outsiders, while the Jewish “insiders” are left out!
Let’s apply this to ourselves again: beware any religious “certainty” or fear of loss when God is on the move. It will grow if unchallenged, until God moves on to meet those who desire Him wholeheartedly.
Have a great day!
Mark