CERRO GORDO
CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN
August 29,
2021
PAUL IS ON THE JOB!
ACTS 13:1-12, 26-51
Last week we
saw on the one hand Barnabas and Saul had returned from Antioch to do 2 things:
report what had been happening in Antioch and to also bring food and other
things to the church leaders in Jerusalem so they could distribute those to the
believers in the region. If you recall Agabus, a prophet of the Lord, had come
to Antioch when Barnabas and Saul were there and he predicted a famine that was
coming to the region. The last verse of Chapter 12 has been interpreted two
ways. Both could be right and it may have been meant to tell the 2 different
things Barnabas and Saul were doing. One version is that Barnabas and Saul had
returned to Jerusalem after their year in Antioch. The other is to say after
Barnabas and Saul had checked in the with church in Jerusalem, they left again
to check in with the church in Antioch, this time taking John Mark with them.
Chapter 13 begins with Barnabas and Saul in Antioch. We see the leaders of the
church in Antioch being listed and if you noticed the first name mentioned is
Barnabas, the last name mentioned is Saul. Some suggest this order is not an
accident or random but listed in the order of most important to the least
important on this very small list. I am sorry to share all these details but it
helps us understand how the early Church was doing things.
After
Barnabas and Saul had returned to Antioch the church was praying, and the Holy
Spirit revealed it was time for Barnabas and Saul to continue the mission the
Lord had for them. After fasting, praying, and the laying on of hands, they
were sent on their way. This time John Mark was also helping in the ministry
God had in mind for them. They ultimately travelled to the Island of Cyprus and
took the word of God all over that island. After they had been there awhile a
very important man name Sergius Paulus wanted to hear what Barnabas and Saul
had to say. But there was a sorcerer who was very close to this man who tried
to prevent Sergius from talking to Barnabas and Saul. We see at this time
another transition happens to the church in that, for the first time, while
Barnabas and Saul were at Cyprus, Saul is now being called Paul. Tired of the
road blocks this sorcerer was trying to create, Paul boldly takes a stand. Paul
looks Elymas straight in the eye and says, “You are a child of the devil and an
enemy of everything that is right!” What would be the reaction if we in the
church took that kind of no excuses stand as we stand up for the word of God?
Sometimes some will do this when you are talking baseball or politics, but what
is really important and truly life changing is God’s word. How likely are we to
take a stand like that for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Not only did Paul
take Elymas on about what he was trying to do by deceiving the people, but Paul
had the confidence in the Lord to say there would be at least a short-term
attention-getter for him as well, telling him that for a time he would be
unable to see. When this all happened just as Paul said, Sergius was amazed and
believed what Paul and Barnabas had been saying about the Lord. We did not read
verses 13-25 in this chapter, but if we did, we would see a couple of things of
note. We see the three left Cyprus and ultimately ended up in a city called Pisidian
Antioch. Before Paul and Barnabas arrived there John Mark left and went back to
Jerusalem. Sometimes we may look at what that all means but I do not believe
Paul was happy John Mark left them.
When Paul
and Barnabas had settled in at Pisidian Antioch, on the Sabbath they went to
the synagogue. After they sat quietly listening to the reading of the word,
they were asked by the rulers of the synagogue if they had something to say to
them. Immediately Paul got up and started talking to all who were gathered and
gave them a history lesson.
Going back
to the time of Moses and going forward from there, this gets us back to the
second half of what we read this morning. Paul addresses the group as children
of Abraham and as Gentiles. Paul then fast forwards to what happened with
Jesus. Paul points out scripture from old that many are familiar with to show
Jesus was foretold long ago through King David, pointing out how Jesus was
different from all of us including David. When we all die, we will face decay
but it was foretold the Savior will never face decay in spite of dying a
physical death just like everyone else does.
We see so
many were impressed with what Paul had to say they invited Paul and Barnabas to
come back and tell them more on the next Sabbath. The next week a huge crowd
gathered, and that fact did not go unnoticed. The leaders of the Jewish
synagogue were jealous with how many wanted to hear about Jesus the Messiah.
They talked badly about Paul and Barnabas, but with a unified voice Paul and
Barnabas responded. They told the Jewish leadership in a rather sarcastic way
that since you reject this message and do not want eternal life, we will now
take our message to the Gentiles. If you recall earlier in Acts when Saul had
his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, Jesus stated, “You will be my
messenger to the Gentiles.” Because of God’s love for Israel and Jewish people
he felt obligated to once more give the Jewish people another chance and they
yet again rejected Jesus as Lord and Savior. The Jewish peoples’ loss was the
Gentiles gain. The Jewish leaders were so mad, they again stirred up men and
women alike against Paul and Barnabas so much so that Paul and Barnabas
literally shook the dust from their feet as they left town as a way of saying
we tried all we could but now we are done with you. In many ways you know that
had to hurt Paul and Barnabas because both were of Jewish heritage but yet we
read that they were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. They knew they had
done everything in their power to draw people to Christ and, as much as they
would have loved for the Jewish leadership to embrace Jesus as Lord and Savior,
they knew they had nothing to feel badly about, and the Holy Spirit had given
them peace about it all.
In closing
this morning, let’s touch on a few things we as God’s Church today can learn
from what we read today. For one thing we are reminded how important it is to
have a common vision in the church. We see the importance of some things we may
do regularly and some that are not as common. The importance of prayer, fasting
and the laying on of hands empowers us as the church to see God’s plans
fulfilled. Next, we see the importance of doing what is written in Ephesians
4:15, “To speak the truth in love.” Paul was being very blunt with the man who
was trying to block God’s word from going forward. He was even empowered to
announce there would be a short-term penalty for what he was doing. Next, we
see there is a time and place to confront our brothers and sisters when there
is a disagreement. Paul was not happy that John Mark was leaving the work God had
called the three of them to do, but that was not the time to deal with it.
Finally, we see there is just so much God expects us to do when are dealing
with one another. We can push hard as long as we can but then know when enough
is enough. If we have honestly done all we can, it is time to release it to God
and if we allow it, God will bring peace to us. There is one more subtle change
that has happened. For the last couple of chapters Barnabas was mentioned
first, then Saul. Half way through the 13th chapter Paul is
mentioned ahead of Barnabas. To God a change of roles has officially occurred.
Stay tuned.
Pastor Larry
Announcements:
Bible Study 9:30 Tuesday
Sept 1 Newsletter submissions deadline
Sept 5 Bring backpack school supplies by this date and put them in the
container at the back of the sanctuary.
Sept 3 – 6 Family Camp at Camp Emmanuel
September 8 Church Board
We can still use 2 more delegates for District
Conference, November 5 (worship) and 6 (business). It is virtual this year, so
you won’t have to leave your arm chair. Talk to Carol or Larry if you are
willing.
October 2 All church wiener roast sponsored by Women’s
Fellowship
October 9 Rummage sale at Brethren Church to benefit the
Lord’s Storehouse. Take items to Katie or Amy.
Offering plates are in the back of the sanctuary. Thank
you!
Donation Box: AC Bills
First Sundays: food donations for food banks
Pastor Larry Traxler- (217) 454-2362
To
keep up on Church of the Brethren news:
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Keep
in Your Prayers
Mike Martin family; Marge
Starr and family; Jen Durst; Sarah Rudelick; Sydney (Nancy Gorrell’s niece); Tera
Runyan; Tim and Betty Sue Laird; Carl and Wilma Cable; Mike Gentry; Larry Albro;
Mike McCleery; Sherry Wright; Mike and Carol Seidenstricker; Sonna Hall; Brittany
Wright; Anna Gentry Thompson; Clyde and Nancy Fansler; Adiline Young; Kim
Lehmann; Dylan Junior; Doug Fansler;
Liza Yore; Candy Dobson; Anna Rose Larrick; Gary Jesse; Shawn Cain;
Robert Cripe; Mayo & Darlene Hanaver; Zola Copeland; Patty Cripe; Lauren
Gross; Stacie Warren; Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; Coronavirus
crisis; healthcare workers and first responders; the families of the 635,000+
people who have died from COVID-19; those who are ill from the virus; the
unemployed; school teachers, staff, and students; victims of disasters; victims
of shootings; nursing home residents; the Nigerian church; Haitian Brethren
Military and Other
Services and their families
Brethren Volunteer
Service workers; Disaster project workers
Church
of the Brethren vision statement:
Together, as the Church of the Brethren, we will passionately
live and share the radical transformation and holistic peace of Jesus Christ
through relationship-based neighborhood engagement. To move us forward, we will
develop a culture of calling and equipping disciples who are innovative,
adaptable, and fearless.
Our
Mission Statement:
Love
God, grow with others, serve faithfully, reach the lost, find peace.
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