Today’s Sermon Notes: 7-6-2025
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“A Summer Journey;
Following the Apostle Paul Through His Missionary Journeys”
A Sermon Series
“The Church that Sets Apart and the God Who Sends Them Out”
Acts 13:1-45; The First Missionary Journey, Part One
Introduction
Prayer
A Church with A Heart to Share the Gospel (vv. 1- 4)
“Now there were in the church at Antioch[1] prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of 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 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.”
Acts 9:26-30 “And when he (Paul) had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.”
Barnabas and Saul Sharing the Gospel at Cyprus (vv. 5-12)
“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. 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. 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
There Are People Who Don’t Want Others to Know About Jesus
Because of How It Would Affect Them,
So They Will Work Against The Work of the Church.
9 But Saul, who was also called Paul[4], 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? 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.”
Paul and Barnabas Sharing the Gospel at Antioch in Pisidia (vv. 13-45)
13 Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem,
Acts 15:36-39 “And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other.”[6]
Everyone must choose what will have priority in your life: 1) your own self-comfort, safety, personal life goals, personal doctrinal beliefs 2) or the work of the gospel and the salvation of others.
14 but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” 16 So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. . . .
Luke 24:27 “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
Acts 8:34-35 God led Philip to go and talk with an Ethiopian eunuch. When Philip arrived the eunuch was reading from the book of Isaiah, “And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.”
The entire Bible points to Jesus.
42 As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. 43 And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. 44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him.
Be Careful of What You Are Jealous For.
Isaiah 6:8 “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
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[1] Followers of Jesus were first called Christians Acts 11:26.
[2] John B. Pohill, The New American Commentary, Acts (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1992) 288.
[3] R. C. Sproul, Acts: An Expositional Commentary (Stanford Florida; Ligonier Ministries, 2019) 191.
[4] (v. 9) after this verse, Saul is called Paul for the rest of the book.
[5] Paul was his Roman cognomen.
[6] Twenty years later in 2 Timothy 4:11 Paul specifically requests John Mark’s assistance; so by then he has proven himself to be a faithful servant of the Lord, even if earlier in his life he left the team.
[7] See 1 Cor. 15:1-11
[8] See also the book of Jonah and his jealousy for God giving another group of people salvation and grace.
[9] Richard N. Longnecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, Volume 9 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 1981) 429.
[10] https://ministry127.com/resources/illustration/evangelizing-cannibals
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“The Power of Service in the Lives of Others” Philippians 2:19-30
