YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO SERVE
Acts 13:1-12
THE VISION OF THE CHURCH COMES THROUGH PRAYER
V:1-2. " 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."
A. In the middle of your trouble, you ought to be in Church.
1. Jesus their leader
had been killed.
2. The church had
been run out of Jerusalem because
of their faith in Jesus.
3. Family members
had been killed and others imprisoned.
B. Yet, this group of believers continued to serve the Lord
1. In the middle
of their trouble, the church came together in prayer.
2. In the middle
of their trouble, they devoted themselves to the Lord.
C. If you are looking for a word from the Lord, you ought to
be in Church.
1. If you looking
for the Lord's help you ought to continue to serve.
2. If you are
looking for some inspiration from the Lord, you ought be
in prayer.
D. Sometimes God will speak to your Pastor about a
job He has prepared you
to do.
1. The leaders of
the Church were in prayer when God told them what He
wanted Paul
and Barnabas to do.
2. God gives the
vision of the Church to the Pastor.
a. He uses
individuals in the Church to accomplish the mission.
b. God may put
you through some trouble times before He tell you
what He
wants you to do.
E. The Working of the Holy Spirit.
1. He calls.
2. He separates
3. He ordains
4. He empowers
5. He convicts.
F. The Holy Spirit will equip you for the work, before He
call you to
your mission.
1. Immediately
after his conversion, Saul wanted to go the work
proclaiming the
Gospel.
2. The Church at Jerusalem
didn't believe his conversion and
opposed him.
3. Saul was a ring
leader in persecuting the Church.
a. The church
did not initially believe he had change,
b. It was 17
years later before Saul got the call from the Holy Spirit.
4. God didn't change
Saul's name to Paul until after He got the call to serve.
5. It was probable
during the 17 years that Saul grew spiritually to earn the
name change to
Paul.
6. Sometimes God
closes the door on our desire to serve until He has
prepared and
equipped us to do His work.
THE COMMISION THROUGH THE CHURCH
V:3-4 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 .
"
A. It was the Church through the power of the Holy Spirit
that ordain Barnabus and Saul
to the office of
missionaries.
1. It was the
Church through the power of the Holy Spirit that anointed Barnabus and
Saul.
2. It was the
church who sponsored the missionary journey in obedience to the Holy
Spirit.
IT IS GOD WHO PREPARES THE HEARTS OF MEN TO HEAR
THE GOSPEL
V:5 When they arrived at Salamis ,
they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as
their helper. "
A. It is God who calls, but we have to be willing to serve.
1. God calls, but
we have to make ourselves available to
serve.
2. God calls, but
we have to make a commitment to serve.
B. When we decide to serve, God will add others to the
ministry.
1. Our job is to
get started on the mission and God will take care of
the
arrangements.
2. They started in
a familiar place: the synagogue
EXPECT SATAN TO SHOW UP DURING THE MISSION
V:6-8. " 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. "
God sent Saul and Barnabus to Cyprus ,
an Island deeply rooted in idol worship
complete with temple of idols and prostitutes.
The Gospel has its most powerful effects in the mist of
Satan's operations.
The mission of the Church is outside the four walls
of the Church.
Training for the mission begins in the Church
A. The moment you decide to serve God, Satan will show up in
opposition.
1. When they got
to the Island of Cyprus
2. Sometimes, you
have to go searching for the Lost.
3. Satan will show
up with all his devices to distract you from the mission.
B. You can identify
Satan because He will try to block the mission.
2. Those who are
against Jesus will not hear His Word.
3. Bar-Jesus
reputation was base on false statements.
4. Bar-Jesus was a false
prophet, which means he talked a lot,
a. He was
persuasive.
b. He gained his status by deceiving
people.
C. The truth always exposes a lie.
1. Bar- Jesus met
the truth in Saul and Barnabus.
2. A liar knows he
is a liar and will oppose the truth.
THE WORD OF GOD DRAWS
D. When you speak the truth about Jesus others will follow.
1. The deputy of
the country heard about the preaching of
Saul and
Barnabus and wanted to hear from them.
2. Bar-Jesus knew
the moment the deputy heard the truth
his lies would
be exposed.
E. The text say the deputy was a wise man
1. He wanted to
hear the Word of God
2. Our job is to preach the Word regardless of
the opposition.
3. God will
ensure that the Word reaches the right people.
STAND UP AGAINST THE DEVIL
V:9-10. " 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? "
A. The devil looks like us.
1. Bar-Jesus was a
Jew.
2. Sometime you
are the one who God will use to put people in their place.
3. We cannot speak
on our own, but own the authority of the Holy Spirit.
B. Sometime the enemy need to hear a Word from God.
1. God can change
the heart of the enemy to a believer.
2. We are a
testimony, because God did it for us.
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO REMOVE THE DEVIL
V: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. "
A. When Facing the devil speak the Word from the Lord.
1. Bar Jesus was
rebuked for his lying.
2. He was blinded
because he sought to blind others from the light of the Word.
3. Notice that His
physical blindness was temporary
4. Everyone should be given a chance to be
redeemed.
5.
Bar-Jesus was given a season to get right with God.
B. You cannot stand against the Word of God
YOUR FAITH WILL CAUSE OTHERS TO BELIEVE IN JESUS
V:12. " When the proconsul saw what had happened, he
believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord. "
A. God prepares others to receive a Word from Him through
you.
1. The proconsul
was living in a world of darkness.
2. He was
surrounded by idol worshippers.
3. Yet He had a
yearning for the truth.
B. God works in the hearts of men in every situation.
1. We are
commissioned to take the Word to the street so others can
be drawn to
Christ.
2. It was the presence
of God in Saul and Barnabus that brought light
in a dark
situation.
A CHANGE IN THE WORLD
STARTS WITH YOU
Rev. M. Mitchell
For more lessons follow me on
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blogs,
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