12. READ: ACTS 13:1-52
[Acts 13:1] "In the church at Antioch there were
prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of
Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch)
and Saul. [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.' [3] So after they had
fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them
off.
[4] "The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy
Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. [5]
When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the Word of God in
the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.
[6] "They traveled through the whole island until they
came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet
named Bar-Jesus, [7] who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius
Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and
Saul because he wanted to hear the Word of God. [8] But Elymas the
sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried
to turn the proconsul from the faith. [9] Then Saul, who was also
called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas
and said, [10] 'You are a child of the devil and an enemy of
everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and
trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the
Lord? [11] Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going
to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of
the sun.'
"Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he
groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. [12] When
the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed
at the teaching about the Lord.
[13] "From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to
Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.
[14] From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath
they entered the synagogue and sat down. [15] After the reading
from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to
them, saying, 'Brothers, if you have a message of
encouragement for the people, please speak.'
[16] "Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and
said: 'Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen
to me! [17] The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers; He
made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt, with mighty
power He led them out of that country, [18] He endured their
conduct for about forty years in the desert, [19] He overthrew
seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to His people as their
inheritance. [20] All this took about 450 years.
"'After this, God gave them judges until the time
of Samuel the prophet. [21] Then the people asked for a king, and
He gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled
forty years. [22] After removing Saul, He made David their king. He
testified concerning him: "I have found David son of Jesse a
man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to
do."
[23] "'From this man's descendants God has
brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised. [24] Before the
coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the
people of Israel. [25] As John was completing his work, he said:
"Who do you think I am? I am not that One. No, but He is
coming after me, Whose sandals I am not worthy to
untie."
[26] "'Brothers, children of Abraham, and you
God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation
has been sent. [27] The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did
not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning Him they fulfilled the words
of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. [28] Though they found
no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have
Him executed. [29] When they had carried out all that was written
about Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.
[30] But God raised Him from the dead, [31] and for many days He
was seen by those who had traveled with Him from Galilee to
Jerusalem. They are now His witnesses to our people.
[32] "'We tell you the Good News: What God
promised our fathers [33] He has fulfilled for us, their children,
by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:
"You are My Son; today I have become Your Father,"
[Psalm 2:7].
[34] "'The fact that God raised Him from the
dead, never to decay, is stated in these words: "I will give
You the holy and sure blessings promised to David," [Isaiah
55:3].
[35] "'So it is stated elsewhere: "You will
not let Your Holy One see decay," [Psalm 16:10].
[36] "'For when David had served God's
purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with
his fathers and his body decayed. [37] But the One Whom God raised
from the dead did not see decay.
[38] "'Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know
that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
[39] Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything
you could not be justified from by the law of Moses. [40] Take care
that what the prophets have said does not happen to you: [41]
"Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do
something in your days that you would never believe, even if
someone told you,"' [Habakkuk 1:5].
[42] "As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue,
the people invited them to speak further about these things on the
next Sabbath. [43] When the congregation was dismissed, many of the
Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who
talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of
God.
[44] "On the next Sabbath almost the whole city
gathered to hear the Word of the Lord. [45] When the Jews saw the
crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against
what Paul was saying.
[46] "Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly:
'We had to speak the Word of God to you first. Since you
reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we
now turn to the Gentiles. [47] For this is what the Lord has
commanded us: "I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that
you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth,"'
[Isaiah 49:6].
[48] "When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and
honored the Word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for
eternal life believed.
[49] "The Word of the Lord spread through the whole
region. [50] But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high
standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up
persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their
region. [51] So they shook the dust from their feet in protest
against them and went to Iconium. [52] And the disciples were
filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit."
a. Did this church now have a formal "Church Name"?
b. What was the proconsul amazed at?
c. What message was proclaimed through Jesus?
d. Where did the Word of the Lord spread?
e. What were the disciples filled with?
