Satanic Opposition to the Gospel
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for the believer truth must determine feelings
cannot trust our feelings, they are always changing according to our circumstances
for example, how should we feel when trials come our way
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
“count it all joy”
in other words tell yourself, “this is great!”
example of Joni Eareckson Tada’s response to her new cancer diagnosis
"When I received the unexpected news of cancer from my oncological surgeon, I relaxed and smiled, knowing that my sovereign God loves me dearly and holds me tightly in His hands. What good is it if we only trust the Lord when we understand His ways? That only guarantees a life filled with doubts," said Tada.
"Please pray that God will be glorified through all of this, that He will be trusted, extolled and exalted; that this new challenge becomes a platform for showcasing His grace, as well as the giving of the Gospel,"
some of you may be wondering how a woman who has been a quadriplegic for 46 years, endures chronic pain and has battled stage 3 breast cancer can rejoice in her trials
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
God’s method of making us steadfast is to test our faith with trials
Paul’s command in 1 Cor 15:58, “be steadfast, immovable”
don’t let anything bump you off course
the end result of testing: perfect, complete, lacking nothing
there is currently a movement to unite as Christians on the basis of how we feel about truth rather than on doctrinal convictions
Truth must never become the servant of emotion or subjective experience.
when emotion and experience become supreme the result is an endless cycle of trying to maintain or reproduce the emotion
each experience must be more spectacular than the preceding one
the church that can do this in the most entertaining way gets the most people
this is NOT authentic church growth!
it certainly is not what we are seeing in the churches being established in the book of Acts
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Love for God produces a passionate commitment to what he has said and what he has said has been written down for us in the scriptures. (Acts 2:42)
one cannot love God and remain indifferent to his words
scripture is how God makes himself and his will known
from last week: vital, active, effective churches are those which are led by the Spirit
we looked at Antioch and what qualified it as a Spirit led church
it was comprised of saved members
they came to a true knowledge of Christ through a true gospel
grace of God was evident in their behaviour
their faith produced works
established in the word
were taught for a year by B&S
their 5 pastors were prophets and teachers
marked by love for God’s people
each gave according to his ability to send relief to the brothers living in Judea (11:29)
led by Spirit filled men
marked by prayer and fasting
these gifts and graces separate a church that changes the world from churches which exist to serve themselves
The Call
The Call
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.”
"While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,” (13:2)
The Holy Spirit guided and directed as his people worshipped and fasted. (Acts 13:2)
I’ve heard prayers at church services inviting the HS to come among them, there’s even a song about that
when God’s people worship in spirit and truth the HS is present
fasting: they were so focused on worship that they stopped thinking about food!
contrast this with those who get upset when a sermon keeps them from getting to the restaurant on time!
“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul” (13:2)
Barnabas and Saul were not set apart for the church or for the ministry but for the Holy Spirit. (Acts 13:2)
they were taken out of the church at Antioch and separated by the HS for the HS
HS had a plan and a purpose
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Jesus’ purpose for his disciples was that they go out into all the world by the enabling power of the HS and tell everyone about him. (Acts 1:8)
the HS set apart B&S to do this work full-time
their occupation was evangelism
while the rest of the believers in Antioch bore witness to Christ in their homes, markets, workplaces B&S were to make this their occupation
in a very real sense every believer has been called out of the world and set apart, isolated from it for a specific purpose just like B&S
Eph 2:10 - we are his workmanship created for good works
Php 2:13 - God works in us so that we will and work for his good pleasure
Col 1:10 - walk pleasing to Lord bearing fruit in every good work & increasing in knowledge of God
Tit 2:14 - a people … who are zealous for good works
Tit 3:1 - be ready for every good work
Tit 3:8 - careful to devote themselves to good works
Tit 3:14 - devote selves to good works … to help cases of urgent need = fruitfulness
1 Cor 15:58 - always abounding in the work of the Lord
2 Cor 9:8 we abound in good work through God’s grace
2 Tim 3:17 - all scripture is inspired … that the man of god may be … equipped for every good work
Heb 10:24 - we are to stir one another up to love and good works
“for the work to which I have called them” (13:2)
when thinking of church ministries we must always ask, “is this a work that the HS is calling us to do?”
the church at Antioch discovered this through worship, prayer and fasting
what is the normal way most churches choose their ministries? copy other churches, set up a committee
we choose and then ask the HS to bless
as the Antioch church set its heart on worshipping the Lord and prayer, the HS called B&S
When the Holy Spirit calls, he enables and blesses.
3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
this is the 2nd time fasting is mentioned but this time it is connected to prayer - first time to worship
Q: why pray and fast when the HS had so clearly told what he wanted?
this was a big change for them
they were sending off 2 of their 5 pastors
they would need finances and provisions for the work
they needed guidance as to where they were to go and minister
they wanted prepared hearts to receive the word
“they laid their hands on them”
this was not setting them apart
HS had already done so
it was not gifting them
they were already gifted
it was not for the filling of the HS
they already had that
it was the church’s affirmation that they would support B&S with prayer and finances
it was a tangible way of saying, “we are with you in this work”
3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.
“they sent them off … being sent out by the HS” (13:3-4)
As the church released Barnabas and Saul to the work to which they were called the Holy Spirit was sending them out to fulfill his purposes. (Acts 13:3-4)
the ministry they were called to perform was the HS’s and therefore blessed by him
problem of church ministries owned by churches or those who start them
accomplish little for the kingdom
must avoid trying to do the HS’s work in our own strength
must take the time to pray and seek the Lord’s guidance
Prov 3:5-6
4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.
5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them.
“they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews”
Barnabas a Levite - a priest
Saul a “Pharisee of Pharisees” - studied under Gamaliel the greatest Jewish teacher of that time
both would have been welcomed in the synagogues
they went where they knew they would have a hearing
there were often Gentile God fearers and proselytes present
another reason they went first to the Jews
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
“they had John to assist them”
took care of support and logistics
Missionaries doing the front line work of evangelism, bible translation and church planting need support workers.
example of the Krobels
The Invitation
The Invitation
SP wants to hear the word of God
has been searching but in the wrong places
had already enlisted the demon possessed, Jewish false prophet, Elymas
6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.
although they were invited by SP (v.7) Luke sets this up primarily as a confrontation with Elymas
magician from Greek magi
there were two kinds:
those who were astrologers and scientists
the men from the east who came to worship Jesus after his birth (Mt 2:1)
those who were mediums under the control of the devil and practiced sorcery, divination and witchcraft
Jannes and Jambres who opposed Moses by duplicating his miracles (Ex 7:11; 2 Tim 3:8)
Bar-Jesus = son of salvation
in reality he was a son of the devil!
a false prophet
a true prophet: someone who foretells and forth tells by God
a false prophet: someone who does the same things by his own imagination or by the demonic influence (Ez 13)
False prophets are unmasked by their doctrinal error and immoral lives (Mt 7:15-20)
False prophets are characterized by pride and defiance of authority, sexual sin, greed for money and exploitation. (2 Pet 2)
“Sergius Paulus” (13:7)
proconsul = a ruler of a Roman province
a man of intelligence = having the ability to understand the meaning or importance of something
a wise, prudent, insightful man able to arrive at right conclusions after examining the facts
was not easily distracted by trivialities
in spite of this he was fooled by Elymas!
how did this powerful, influential, intelligent man get duped?
the same way most people do: Elymas told him what he wanted to hear
often happens through friendship
do not be unequally yoked
The Opposition
The Opposition
8 But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
“Elymas opposed them”
To oppose means to mislead, to cause to wander from the right course. (Acts 13:8)
both B&S were conversing with SP about “the faith” = the good news about Jesus
while they were doing so Elymas was interrupting and questioning and casting doubt on what B&S were saying
9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him
10 and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?
“Paul … looked intently”
Paul fixed his eyes on Elymas and stared at him
as he did so the HS enabled him to see into his heart
For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. (1 Sam 16:7)
what Paul saw:
son of the devil - to be son is to have the same character as his father
“like father, like son”
enemy of all righteousness - against all that is good
full of deceit - master of deception
full of villainy - dishonesty with no moral restraint
what Elymas was doing
making crooked the straight paths of the Lord
to morally corrupt someone through excess or sensuality
same word as in v.8 “seeking to turn away”
the Proconsul was on the straight path to Christ and Elymas was appealing to his sinful desires in order to turn him away
we see here Paul behaving like a true prophet!
imagine if we had true prophets in our church who were able to see our hearts and read our minds!
this is what Paul did with Elymas in v.9!
the straight paths of God
God has straight paths that lead to him
God saw SP seeking and purposed to save him
275 miles away he seeks the Antioch church worshipping and fasting, seeking to do his will
he sets apart B&S and tells the church to send them
he arranges a meeting with SP to bring him to faith
this is the straight path of God
God still has straight paths and he is still leading people to himself.
The Victory
The Victory
11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand.
12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
Elymas fails in his attempt to turn SP away
all of his proficiency to do evil is frustrated - just as Jews, and Herod and now Elymas
the one trying to keep SP blind to the truth is lead away in his own blindness
Elymas goes away blind but Sergius Paulus goes away seeing!
“he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord”
his astonishment was in the teaching of the Lord not the miracle
a sign that he was truly saved
many saw Jesus’ miracles and believed but were not saved
like Cornelius, SP was searching for answers
God is a seeking, saving God.
he is on a mission to save sinners
he is not aloof or passive and he calls us to join him
there will always be people and situations that make crooked the straight paths of God
there will aways be persecutions, Herods and Elymases
God empowers his people in persecutions, he eliminates kings, he makes those who oppose impotent.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?