Acts 13:1-3; 14:8-18

Interesting resource created by Jill Marshal called “New Testament Cities”. Below is an image she created with all of the cities mentioned in Acts. But the website includes an interactive map that has all the places mentioned in the New Testament. Marshal claims a PhD in New Testament from Emory University. She has a book called Women Praying and Prophesying in Corinth: Gender and Inspired Speech in First Corinthians. Tubingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2017.

Last week was Chapter 10, Cornelius, Peter, and the Holy Spirit descends upon the Gentiles.
In chapter 11, The Jerusalem church reluctantly agrees that Gentiles may also be believers, but that decision didn’t pave a smooth path all by itself.
In chapter 13, Acts shifts away from Peter and the disciples to Paul’s mission with the understanding that it was guided by the Holy Spirit

“Luke has stripped away any ambiguity about who is driving this story. This is the Spirit’s doing, the Spirit’s work. By this chapter we find the Spirit speaking clearly through and to the disciples.” (Willie James Jennings, Belief: A Theological Commentary on the Bible, Acts. Westminster John Knox Press, p. 132)

“One of the leaders of the church at Antioch of Syria was Simeon, who was called “the black man.”... His surname “Niger” (meaning ‘black man’) suggests that he was of African origin… The greatest missionary church of the New Testament had an African leader and a second leader who lived in Africa. This church in Syria was a multi-ethnic community. Our churches should work to reflect the diversity of our own community. This will ignite our missionary zeal and reflect the character of God as it did in Antioch” (The Africa Study Bible, Oasis International, LTD, p. 1603)

Levite
Native of Cyprus - originally named Joseph
Barnabus means “son of encouragement”
He is the faithful contrast to Ananias and Sapphira - he bought and field and shared the money, they did not

Travels to Seleucia, Cyprus, Salamis, Paphos, Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium , and finally Lystra and Derbe

Paul and Barnabas are preaching and teaching in the synagogue
A lot choose to follow Jesus
The non-followers and gentiles including their leaders are upset and plot to stone Paul and Barnabas, Paul and Barnabas flee to Lystra, but, as we see in 14:19-20, the controversy follows them.

Healing of the man who had been crippled since birth (see also Luke 5:18-26, Acts 3:1-10, and Acts 9:32-35)
Misunderstanding - the people think they are Greek Gods - Zeus and Hermes - similar to an old story about Zeus and Hermes visiting an elderly couple, Baucis and Philemon, not far from Lystra and are honored for their their hospitality when the rest of the town rejected Zeus and Hermes (and were subsequently destroyed - similar to Sodom and Gomorrah)
Even the priests of Zeus think they are Greek Gods

Paul is carrying the name of Christ to the gentiles
Worthless things - the Greek Gods and idols
God/Yahweh is responsible for all the good things - rain and food, and hearts of joy - these are the witnesses of God who came before Paul and Barnabas
“The gospel is not simply about power but about the power of Christ. Power, even power for good, is liable to misinterpretation and misunderstanding. Both believers and non-believers (the Jews and gentiles of Luke’s story) may mistake the gospel for magic or divine omnipotence. Dramatic healings are sure to draw a crowd in Lystra, or on Sunday morning television—for all the wrong reasons. Bearers of Christ’s power are always in danger of being mistaken as the sources of power in themselves. Therefore they must be prepared to correct misapprehension of their good work and to point beyond themselves and their good work to Christ. Christian healers must also be teachers.” William H. Willimon, Acts, Interpretation, a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching (Atlanta, GA: John Knox Press, 1988), 126–127.

Paul is suffering for the sake of Christ
The Jews convince the crowd to stone Paul until he appears dead
Paul is Jewish - a Pharisee
This is an internal division between the Jewish followers of Jesus and the Jewish non-followers of Jesus.

In a time of celebrity pastors - both liberal and conservative - the question should always be asked - are they pointing to Christ? All that we do as pastors and churches should be revealing Christ in our midst, in ourselves, and others.
How do we speak clearly about speaking to and through the Spirit? The whole thing started with prayer and fasting. How comfortable are we to use language of the Spirit like this? Claiming “The Spirit” can be powerful, but is also ripe with
God is present long before we show up
Paul and Barnabus do not seek out opposition or controversy - in fact they flee from it - but also don’t let that fear keep them from proclaiming the good news

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Thanks to our Psalms correspondent, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com,@pomopsalmist). Thank you to Scott Fletcher for our voice bumpers, Dick Dale and the Del Tones for our Theme music (“Miserlou”), Nicolai Heidlas (“Sunday Morning”,"Real Ride"and“Summertime”) and Bryan Odeen for our closing music.