Acts 13:2-13 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said… I. SEPARATED BY THE HOLY GHOST. Missions are of Divine origin. Saul had been chosen for the work, but the Holy Spirit had finally to give the word of command and direction. With regard to these pioneers in mission work, note — 1. The Church from which they were called. It was a strong Church. It had a large membership, and men inspired to declare the will and instruct in the Word of God. Important as Saul and Barnabas were, there were those who could carry on their work after they were gone. The Holy Spirit does not ask any Church to cripple itself even for the sake of missions. 2. The circumstances of their calling. The Church was just in the condition to hear the Divine call. They were offering their services to the Lord, and God designated what their service should be. The Church or the man that offers all to God will be made use of somehow and somewhere. 3. How they were called. "The Holy Ghost said, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul." Observe here — (1) The personality of the Holy Spirit. "Separate Me I have called."(2) The rulership of the Holy Spirit. Jesus had said that when the Comforter should come, He would be the one to guide the disciples. This declaration now was being fulfilled. To Him believers should look for direction. (3) The cooperation of the Holy Spirit. He did not say, "I have separated Barnabas and Saul," but "Separate Me Barnabas and Saul," that they might have back of them not only the authority of the Spirit, but the authority of the Church. Doubtless this was done that the missionaries might feel that they were sent forth by their brethren as well as by the Holy Ghost. 4. Who were called. "Barnabas and Saul," the two chief factors in the edifying of the Church at Antioch. The Holy Spirit chose the two best men, the men that least could be spared. It is a grave mistake to send out to foreign fields third or tenth-rate men. Few Churches ever have made the sacrifice for the mission cause that was made by the Church at Antioch. 5. For what they were called. "For the work whereunto I have called them." The "uttermost part of the earth" was in the thought of Christ and of the Holy Spirit alike. Their oneness is suggested in the wording of the call. 6. How their call was responded to. Cheerfully and promptly. II. SENT FORTH BY THE HOLY GHOST. 1. The missionaries departing. "So they...went down," etc. They were not only called by the Holy Spirit, but directed by Him as to their journey. That guidance continued, the Holy Spirit not suffering Paul to go into Bithynia, or to preach the gospel in Asia. Those who are called of the Spirit may trust to the Spirit for direction. 2. The missionaries at work. "They proclaimed the Word of God in the synagogues of the Jews." They entered upon their work with wisdom — making use of the regular channels for religious effect. Where pulpits were all ready for them they did not try to find new ones. They tried to reach God's chosen people first as a means of reaching others. III. REBUKING BY THE HOLY GHOST. 1. The two missionaries were to score one more triumph for Christianity as against paganism, like that which was achieved by Philip in Samaria. 2. The sorcerer overcome. (1) His opposition evidently had a mercenary inspiration. He was afraid of losing a powerful and generous patron. (2) His rebuke — (a) Was inspired by the Holy Spirit. More inspired denunciation is needed, but there is already too much of that which is uninspired. (b) Justly characterised the man. Elymas was "full of all guile and all villainy." He made his living by fraud and trickery. He was "a child of the devil" — doing the devil's work by seeking to turn men to destruction. He was an "enemy of all righteousness" — hating the true as much as he loved the false. He was perverting the right ways of the Lord, and trying to make them seem like wrong ways. For such men today there ought to be the same righteous wrath and severe rebuke. (3) His sentence. In this, inspired by the Holy Spirit, there was for the sorcerer — (a) Terror. He was to feel the hand of the Lord upon him in judgment — to experience the power of God whom he had defied. (b) Hope. It was to be for "a season" only. He was to have opportunity for repentance — to be blinded for a while that he might come out, if he would, into the marvellous light of the children of God. (4) His punishment. He was blinded physically as he had blinded others spiritually. The impostor was unmasked, and deprived of his power to harm. The false had met with the true, and had been vanquished. 3. The proconsul convinced. The prompt, punitive miracle "taught" the proconsul — (1) That his old teacher really was a "child of the devil," instead of being a true prophet. Hence it showed him his danger. (2) That Barnabas and Saul (henceforth Paul) were teachers accredited of God, and therefore to be heeded. (3) That God was not to be trifled with, but to be feared and followed. And the proconsul, being ready to accept the truth, believed. The hand of the Lord was outstretched to save him as it had been outstretched to smite Elymas. The opposer of truth always will feel its weight — the seeker after truth always will receive its help. (M. C. Hazard.) Parallel Verses KJV: As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. |
    |