"THE BOOK OF ACTS"

Barnabas And Saul On Cyprus (13:4-12)

INTRODUCTION
  1. Previously we studied "The Call Of Barnabas And Saul", two men who were...
    1. Working with the church at Antioch with other prophets and teachers - Ac 13:1
    2. Separated by the Holy Spirit for the work to which He had called them - Ac 13:2
    3. Sent out by the church with fasting, prayers, and laying on of hands - Ac 13:3
  2. Thus "sent out by the Holy Spirit" (Ac 13:4), they began their missionary journey...
    1. First to Seleucia, a port city on the Mediterranean coast, 16 miles away
    2. Then sailing to Cyprus, an island 130 miles southwest of Seleucia

[Upon their arrival at Cyprus, Barnabas and Saul began their preaching ministry. We begin our study with a few observations about...]

  1. THE ISLAND OF CYPRUS
    1. GEOGRAPHICAL FACTS...
      1. 43 miles S of Asia Minor, 76 miles W of Syria - ABD
      2. The third largest island of the Mediterranean, after Sicily and Sardinia
      3. Maximum length E-W is 138 miles; maximum width N-S is 60 miles
      4. An area of 3584 square miles
    2. BIBLICAL FACTS...
      1. Barnabas himself was from Cyprus - Ac 4:36
      2. The gospel had previously been preached in Cyprus - Ac 11:19
      3. The church in Antioch of Syria had been started by men from Cyprus - Ac 11:20
      4. Barnabas and John Mark would later return to Cyprus - Ac 15:39

      [It is interesting the Spirit sent Barnabas and Paul to Cyprus, a place well-known by Barnabas (Perhaps a principle to be gleaned regarding missionary efforts?). We next read of their preaching in...]

  2. THE SYNAGOGUES AT SALAMIS
    1. BARNABAS AND SAUL PREACH THE WORD...
      1. In the synagogues of the Jews - Ac 13:5
      2. As Jews, Barnabas and Saul would have access
      3. Being from Cyprus, Barnabas may have been well-known
      4. Starting at Jewish synagogues became Paul's pattern - Ac 17:1-2; cf. Ro 1:16
    2. ACCOMPANIED BY JOHN MARK...
      1. As their assistant - Ac 13:5
      2. Whose mother Mary had a home in Jerusalem - Ac 12:12
      3. He had accompanied Barnabas and Saul back to Antioch - Ac 12:25
      4. He was the cousin of Barnabas - Col 4:10

      [We will have opportunity to consider a sermon Paul preached in a synagogue in our next study. But as we continue with Barnabas and Saul's ministry on the island of Cyprus, we read about...]

  3. THE PROPHET AND PROCONSUL AT PAPHOS
    1. A FALSE PROPHET CONFRONTED...
      1. A Jew whose surname was Bar-Jesus - Ac 13:6-8
        1. Who was also called Elymas the sorcerer
        2. Who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus
        3. Who sought to prevent Sergius Paulus from hearing the gospel
      2. Whom Saul (also called Paul) miraculously blinded - Ac 13:9-11
        1. Being filled with the Holy Spirit
          1. Paul was not acting on his own initiative
          2. He was moved by the Holy Spirit (i.e., inspired)
        2. Able to see Elymas for what he truly was:
          1. Full of deceit and fraud
          2. A son of the devil and enemy of righteousness
          3. Seeking to pervert the ways of the Lord
        3. Blinding Elymas by a mist and a darkness
          1. The hand (judgment) of the Lord was upon him
          2. But only for a time (perhaps as an act of mercy?)
      3. Should we emulate Paul's manner? (Not unless we are similarly inspired!) - cf. 2Ti 2:24-26
    2. AN INTELLIGENT PROCONSUL CONVERTED...
      1. Proconsul - the highest-ranking official in a Roman senatorial province
      2. Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, wanting to hear the word of God - Ac 13:7
      3. He believed - Ac 13:12
        1. Seeing what was done to Elymas
        2. Astonished at the teaching of the Lord
      4. Teaching that was confirmed by miracles! - cf. Mk 16:19-20; He 2:3-4
CONCLUSION
  1. An auspicious start for a missionary journey begun by the Spirit...
    1. The word of God proclaimed in the synagogues of Salamis
    2. The teaching of the Lord confirmed in the city of Paphos
  2. Note that Luke begins using the name of Paul instead of Saul...
    1. Up to this point, Saul was called by his Hebrew name - Ac 13:1,2
    2. From this point, Paul will be called by his Roman name - Ac 13:9,13
  3. Note also how Paul begins to have precedence over Barnabas...
    1. Formerly the two men were called Barnabas and Saul - Ac 13:2,7
    2. Now the two men will be called Paul and Barnabas - Ac 13:43,46,50

The precedence of Paul is seen further as Luke describes their departure from Paphos ("when Paul and his party" - Ac 13:13). Leaving the island of Cyprus, they sail on to Perga in Pamphylia, where we will begin our next study...