The Sixth of Ten days

Acts 13:1-52

The Holy Spirit calls out believers and desires to send them with the support of their church (vv. 1-5).

During a time of prayer, worship, and fasting, the Holy Spirit told the church at Antioch to set apart Barnabas and Saul (Paul) to a work to which he called them. The Spirit had a plan for these two men. This is the first missionary journey recorded in the Book of Acts. Today, God is still calling people to missionary journeys, even students. Through times of worship and prayer and fasting, students are encountering the sending heart of God and hearing his call to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.

Notice in the passage, both the Spirit and the church are said to have sent Barnabas and Paul (compare 13:3 with 13:4). It was the Spirit who called the men out, but it was through the support of the church that He sent them. The church in Antioch supported Barnabas and Paul with their prayers and their finances. That same pattern holds true to today. When the Spirit sends you out, he will send you with the prayer and financial support of fellow believers in your church and believers in surrounding churches. We have numerous testimonies from students who through the support of their churches and fellow believers were able to raise more money than they needed for the trip. What great affirmation from God that he was truly sending them out! If he is calling you to go, you can be sure that he is going to move on the hearts of his people to help send you..

The enemy will always oppose the spreading of the Gospel (vv. 6-12).

In these verses we see the enemy at work through a Jewish sorcerer named Elymas who tried to oppose Paul and Barnabas’ ministry to a man who wanted to hear the word of God. The enemy will always try to oppose the work of God. If you seek to join God on mission, you can be sure that the enemy will seek to distract you, discourage you, or dissuade you from it. But as our passage shows us, God’s power is greater than Satan’s. Through the power of the Spirit, Paul confronted Elymas and miraculously silenced the influence of the enemy. The display of God’s strength was so great, that the inquiring man believed the message about Jesus. All over the world, Satan is seeking to destroy humanity by keeping them from the gospel. But God is at work, unleashing his power and bringing people to Christ.

Jesus is the only Savior for the world (vv.13-52).

This is a truth that is constantly emphasized in the Book of Acts and in the iGo Challenge. Jesus is God’s promised Savior for the world. Through his death, burial, and resurrection, he is able to provide forgiveness of sins to all who believe in him, regardless of ethnicity (vv. 38-39). Paul and Barnabas believed this truth so strongly that even in the face of hostility they proclaimed it. They believed that Isaiah 49:6, which spoke of Christ, also applied to their calling, “I have made you a light for the Gentiles (nations) that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth” (Acts 13:47). It also applies to us. He has made us a light to our friends, family, community, but also to the nations so that we might take His salvation to the ends of the earth. It is not enough that the light be contained in the little corners of our own community or even our continent, but that it would spread to the extreme parts of the planet.

God has a part for you to play in his purpose for your generation (v. 36).

The verse says that “when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep.” This verse tells us that God has a purpose for each generation. He had a purpose for the people of David’s generation. But notice, David had a decision to make: “Will I serve my purpose or God’s purpose?” David chose to serve God’s purpose for his generation. At iWitness, we believe that God is doing something special with your generation. It is a generation that is waking up to the greatness of God and his eternal purpose to be exalted in all the earth. It is generation that is saying “no” to the common cultural cravings of wealth, comfortable lifestyles, and safe environments and is willing to lose its life so it might truly find it. It is a generation that is tired of dabbling in the things of God and is ready to be consumed by God. This is a generation that we believe he will use to take the gospel to places it has yet to penetrate. The question for you is the same one David faced: “Will I serve my purpose or God’s purpose.” Don’t give yourself to meaningless, passing, pitiful, insignificant pursuits. Give yourself fully to the eternal purpose of God.

God, I want to daily surrender to your plans for my life. Keep me from the love of money, comforts, possessions, or anything else that would hinder me from fulfilling my role in your agenda for my generation. I know that when you call, you equip. I acknowledge that if you should call me to the most remote parts of planet earth, you will move your people to help send me. Strengthen my conviction that Jesus is the only Savior for the world and fortify my resolve to proclaim that truth even when the enemy would oppose me. You have made me light. Holy Spirit, empower me to shine at home, in my school, and even around the world so that your salvation may reach the ends of the earth.