Acts 13:1
Outline:
I. \\#Acts 1:1-8:4\\ God’s Work in Jerusalem
A. \\#1:1-3\\ The Introduction
B. \\#1:4-26\\ Jesus’ Departure
1. \\#1:4-8\\ The Command
2. \\#1:9-11\\ The Ascension and Promised Return
3. \\#1:12-26\\ The Wait for the Holy Ghost
C. \\#2:1-8:4\\ The Holy Ghost’s Coming
1. \\#Acts 1:1-4\\ The Holy Spirit Comes
2. \\#Acts 2:5-8:4\\ The Power of the Holy Spirit
a. \\#Acts 2:5-13\\ The Power of Languages
b. \\#Acts 2:1-36\\ The Power of Preaching
c. \\#Acts 2:37-41, 47\\ The Power of Salvation
d. \\#Acts 2:42-47\\ The Power of Fellowship
e. \\#Acts 2:44-45\\ The Power of Giving
f. \\#Acts 3:1-11\\ The Power of Healing (miracles) and
more preaching \\#Acts 3:12-26\\
g. \\#Acts 4:1-31\\ The Power of Suffering
h. \\#Acts 4:32-5:42\\ The Power of Chastening
i. \\#Acts 6:1-7:50\\ The Power of Leadership (salvation,
preaching, persecution)
j. \\#Acts 8:1-4\\ The Persecutions Intensify
II. \\#Acts 8:5-12:24\\ God’s Work in Judea and Samaria
A. \\#8:4-40\\ The Ministry of Philip
1. \\#5-25\\ Philip Called to Samaria
2. \\#26-39\\ Philip’s Called to the Desert
3. \\#39-40\\ God Moved Him Toward Caesarea
B. \\#9:1-31\\ The Salvation of Saul
1. \\#9:1-9\\ The Power at Saul’s Conversion
2. \\#9:10-22\\ The Power after Saul’s Calling
3. \\#9:23-31\\ The Consequences of His Conversion
C. \\#9:32-11:18\\ The Ministry of Peter
1. \\#9:32-35\\ At Lydda
2. \\#9:36-43\\ At Joppa
3. \\#10:1-48\\ At Caesarea
4. \\#11:1-18\\ At Jerusalem
5. \\#11:19-30\\ (An update on the church and Paul)
6. \\#12:1-25\\ Peter’s Arrest and Deliverance
III. \\#Acts 13:1-28:31\\ God’s Work in Uttermost Parts of the World
A. \\#13:1-14:28\\ The First Missionary Journey
1. \\#13:1-3\\ The Calling
2. \\#13:4\\ Seleucia
3. \\#13:5-12\\ Cyprus
4. \\#13:13\\ Perga in Pamphylia
5. \\#13:14-52\\ Antioch of Pisidia
With the knowledge that Gentiles were capable of being saved and
under God’s direction, the New Testament church sends out their
first missionaries. Israel, a small land mass where the men were
required to congregate together three times each year, needed no
missionaries. For the last fourteen years, the gospel had been
preached to them and would be as long as the people would allow it.
Missionaries were needed to reach the masses of Gentiles.
This chapter records Paul’s first missionary journey to the Gentiles.
It is important because it tells us yet another step in what happened
to the Jewish relationship with God. With the account of Cornelius,
we saw how the Gentiles came in to the church, but how is it that the
Jews stayed out? We will see that in this chapter. The Jews turned
from accepting Jesus as Messiah not because of theological or even
logical reasons, but because of jealousy and envy.
I. \\#13:1-3\\ The Calling
A. \\#1\\ "at Antioch" - The focus of the church in Scripture
had shifted to Antioch. Antioch Map
B. "Barnabas …Simeon called Niger …Lucius …Manaen …and
Saul" - Five men served together who had the gift of
prophecy.
C. \\#2\\ "Separate me Barnabas and Saul"
1. It is interesting that Saul was still referred to by his
old name—even by God—until he began the ministry that
God had told him was to be his when he was saved
\\#Acts 9:15\\. Once he began to fulfill that function,
he will no longer be called Saul.
2. It is also interesting that God mentioned Barnabas’ name
before Saul. By \\#13:9\\, that will also change.
D. \\#3\\ "when they had fasted and prayed …laid their hands
on them" - Notice the instant obedience. These men moved
with no assurances except those from God.
II. \\#13:4-14:20\\ The Journey
A. \\#4\\ "departed unto Seleucia" - A port city. It seems
certain that the travel was often conducted by sea when
possible.
B. \\#5-12\\ "to Cyprus" - An island off the cost of Israel. Cyprus was
Barnabas’ home at one time \\#Acts 4:36\\.
1. \\#5\\ "at Salamis" Cyrus Map
(a) They preached to the Jews in this city located on
the eastern side of the island, apparently with no
incident.
(b) "they had also John" - As a footnote, we are told
that John Mark has made the journey with them.
2. \\#6-12\\ Paphos Paphos Map
(a) \\#6\\ "they had gone through the isle" - The group
must have walked through the island, probably
sharing with any they found, until the crossed the
island and came to the Paphos, on the west coast.
(b) Here, the came upon a "sorcerer" who was "a false
prophet" and "a Jew."
(1) Bar Jesus - Son of Jesus or Joshua, meaning
Jehovah saved.
(2) \\#8\\ Elymas - Arabic meaning "wise one."
(c) \\#7\\ "Sergius Paulus" - He was the governor of the
island and "desired to hear the word of God."
(d) Elymus "withstood them." It would appear that Elymus
physically blocked the Apostles path to the
governor, whether personally with others.
(e) \\#9\\ "Then Saul…"
(1) "called Paul" - Here we see Saul’s new name
being used for the first time. He is no longer
Saul, the persecutor; but now Paul, the
Apostle to the Gentiles.
(2) \\#13\\ We also see Paul as the leader of the
group. While Barnabas might have had seniority
in the faith, it was Paul’s prophesied calling
from his salvation to bring the gospel to the
Gentiles.
(3) "filled with the Holy Ghost" - The reaction was
not of Paul’s own doing. He was being directed
by the Holy Ghost to curse this man.
(4) It is apparent from the Bible that God chooses
to show His power by helping people; but when
some are set on hindering God’s plan, He
demonstrates that he is able to remove them by
whatever means He chooses.
(5) \\#10\\ The Holy Ghost through Paul described
Bar Jesus.
i. "full of subtilty and mischief" - He was a
trickster. That does not mean his powers
were fake but rather that he was not a man
to be trusted.
ii. "child of the devil" - He was lost and
working for the devil. Any powers he had
were from the devil.
iii. "enemy of all righteousness" - He was
against God and right.
iv. The bottom line is that it was time he
stopped perverting God’s ways.
(6) \\#11\\ Paul prophesied what God was about to do
to Bar Jesus, blind him.
(7) \\#12\\ "the deputy …saw …believed" - The
power displayed was enough to convince the
governor what he should do.
3. \\#13\\ Perga in Pamphylia Perga Map
(a) Perga was a port city on the Asian continent.
(b) No ministry is mentioned in Perga, although there was
likely some witness given, but John Mark departed
from the company and returned to Jerusalem from
there.
(1) John Mark Home
(2) No details are given but it is obvious from
\\#Acts 15:38\\ that it was not an "approved"
departure.
(3) From Paul’s strong refusal to take John Mark on
the second missionary journey, it can only be
supposed that Mark left because he did not feel
up to the task. Perhaps it was the hardships,
perhaps the dangers, perhaps inadequacies in
his life.
4. \\#14-52\\ Antioch of Pisidia Antioch of Pisida
(a) The distance from Perga to Antioch is around 100
miles.
(b) Obviously, this is not Antioch of Syria. One source
said there are at least 16 Antioch’s mentioned in
history.
http://www.biblecharts.org/apostlepaulcharts/5%20-%20Pauls%20First%20
Missionary%20Journey.pdf
(c) \\#14\\ "went into the synagogue on the sabbath day"
Paul, although called to the Gentiles, never forgot
the Jews. In fact, he worshipped as a Jew on the
Sabbath and as a Christian on Sunday.
(d) \\#15-41\\ Paul’s sermon - This is the first recorded
sermon of Paul and it was preached to the Jews in
Antioch.
(1) \\#17-18\\ Paul picked up with Israel coming out
of Egypt and wandering in the wilderness for 40
years.
(2) \\#19\ the period of conquest
(3) \\#20\\ The period of judges until Samuel was
about 450 years.
(4) \\#21\\ Saul, the first king, ruled 40 years.
(5) \\#22\\ Then came a man after God’s heart,
David.
(6) \\#23\\ Jesus was a descendent of David and the
Savior.
(7) \\#24-25\\ John the Baptist, whom these people
likely took as a prophet, bore testimony of
Him.
(8) \\#26\\ Now you have an opportunity to be saved.
(9) \\#27-29\\ Those in Jerusalem, not knowing who
He was, killed Jesus after He had fulfilled all
that was prophesied of Him.
(10) \\#30\\ "But God raised Him from the dead":
The resurrection is proof of who Jesus was.
(11) \\#31\\ And there are many witnesses of the
resurrected Lord.
(12) \\#32\\ We are here to preach this to you.
(13) \\#33-37\\ And the resurrection was prophesied,
in part by David \\#Ps 2:7;Isa 55:3;Ps 16:10\\.
(14) \\#38-41\\ "through this man is preached unto
you the forgiveness of sins" - Paul gave a
clear summary and challenge.
i. \\#39\\ What was being offered? They could
be "justified from all things," even those
"the law of Moses" could not cleanse.
ii. What was the condition required to receive
it? - "all that believe" - Just believe.
iii. \\#40\\ Be careful what you decide.
iv. \\#41\\ Lest you fulfilled \\#Hab 1:5\\,
and perhaps \\#Isa 29:14, Pro 1:24-31\\.
(e) \\#42-45\\ The Response
(1) \\#42\\ "the Jews were gone out of the
synagogue"
i. At first, those who were Jews by birth (and
perhaps specifically the leaders of the
synagogue) made no evident response for or
against what they had heard. They simply
filed out as they normally would.
ii. \\#43\\ However, once outside "many of the
Jews" (probably the Jewish laity),
encouraged Paul to keep being used of God.
(2) On the other hand, "the Gentiles besought that
these words might be preached to them the next
sabbath"
i. This would be Gentile proselytes.
ii. These attended the Jewish synagogue,
probably having a service conducted for
them separately. They were probably told
of Paul’s sermon but did not hear it
directly.
iii. They requested that Paul speak
specifically to them the next Sabbath.
Acts 13:44 And the next sabbath day came almost
the whole city together to hear the word of God.
45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they
were filled with envy, and spake against those
things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting
and blaspheming.
(3) \\#44-45\\ This Scripture demonstrates the
Jewish response to Jesus not only in that one
city, but throughout the world.
i. It reveals that the Jewish rejection of
Jesus as their Messiah was less motivated
by theology and reason and more driven by
envy and jealousy.
ii. The Jews could not handle the fact that the
Gentiles might have part in their Messiah
and so rejected Jesus as the Messiah.
iii. But they did more than just reject Jesus,
they also "spake against" Jesus,
"contradicting and blaspheming."
(f) \\#46-50\\ The Consequences
(1) \\#46-47\\ Paul and Barnabas
i. "waxed bold" - That would indicate that,
up to that point, they had been attempting
to work with the Jewish mentality, not to
compromise the gospel but to make it
understandable and acceptable to the Jews.
From here, they will take a more direct
approach.
ii. "it was necessary …the word …first
…spoken to you" - The gospel should be
given to the Jews FIRST as they were the
people God came to save.
iii. "but seeing ye …judge yourselves unworthy
of everlasting life" - Salvation is every
individual’s choice.
iv. "we turn to the Gentiles." This was THIER
known calling from the first.
v. \\#47\\ And they had Scriptural
confirmation \\#Isa 49:6\\, the command
of Jesus \\Matt 28:19\\, the testimony
of Peter \\#Acts 11:4\\, the blessing of
the Jerusalem church \\#Acts 11:18\\, and
the leading of the Holy Ghost
\\#Acts 13:1-3\\.
(2) \\#48-49\\ Gentiles
i. \\#48\\ "they were glad and glorified the
word"
ii. "believed" - They glorified the word by
believing it.
iii. \\#49\\ "the word …was published" - And
by sharing it.
(3) \\#50\\ Jews
i. "the Jews stirred up the devout and
honorable women" - Notice that women in
Judaism were not without influence! It
seems that the women as much as the men
rejected Paul’s teaching and reacted
violently against it.
ii. "the chief men of the city" - It looks like
it was again the leaders who made the
decisions for the masses.
iii. These persecuted and "expelled" Paul and
Barnabas, meaning they threw them out of
their city.
(g) \\#51-52\\ The Final Reaction
(1) \\#51\\ "they shook off the dust of their feet
against them" - In obedience to the words of
Jesus.
Matt 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you,
nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that
house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more
tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in
the day of judgment, than for that city.
(2) "and came to Iconium" - Then they moved on as
Jesus also commanded.
(3) "were filled with joy" - Persecution and
rejection were the proofs that they were
serving God faithfully.
(4) "filled …with the Holy Ghost" - And they
continued to walk in the power of the Holy
Ghost.
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