Don’s Daily Devotions

Acts chapter 14 v 8-13:

V8:  At Lystra, they encounter a man lame from birth. Though it is not actually said, he was probably dependent on begging for alms, like the man Peter and John met in ch 4.

V9:  It seems that Paul is actually preaching wherever this man is, and as he listens intently and Paul looks directly at him, the Apostle is given Holy Spirit discernment to see that he has come to faith, and to believe that he can be healed.

V10:  So, he simply calls on him to exercise that faith and stand up – and the man who has never walked now stands and walks. All this is surely in the Name of Jesus, and by His power alone, of course.

V11-12:  The people of Lystra, Pagans of course, see this happen and try to account for it in the terms of their own “religion” and its myths. There was in fact a local legend that once before the ” gods” Zeus and Hermes had visited the city, been unrecognised and unwelcomed, and so angrily punished the people! Eager to avoid angering their gods again, they quickly identify Barnabas with Zeus and Paul, because he is the main speaker, with Hermes, often the ” messenger of the gods.”

V13:  The local priest of Zeus ( the “king of the gods”) is quick to bring what is needed to offer sacrifice and worship to these “gods come down.” 

Acts chapter 14 v 1-7:

V1:  Coming to Iconium, a city in the region of Galatia, Paul and Barnabas still begin in the Jewish synagogue there ( even after ch 13 v 46.), where the Lord immediately seals their ministry with Gospel blessing, both Jews and Gentile God-fearers coming to faith through the message preached to them. ( No details given this time.) Let us ever pray for such outcomes from our Gospel preaching, by God’s grace.

V2:  Again, this stirs the unbelieving Jews to bitter hostility, deliberately they seek to turn the Gentiles against the Apostles and their message. In this we see Satan’s attempts to hinder the spread of the Gospel, but God is Sovereign in all things. Remember Matthew 16 v18.

V3:  Despite this opposition, Paul and Barnabas remain in Iconium for some time, boldly preaching the Gospel and God seals their faithful ministry with ” signs and wonders”, surely leading to others coming to the Lord, for NT signs are never ” for their own sake”..

V4:  There is a divided response – as there usually is where there is Gospel blessing – some siding with the antagonistic Jews, others with the Apostles and their ministry.

V5:  A combination of Jews and Gentiles ” with their rulers” – perhaps the synagogue leaders for the Jews, and the civic authorities for the Gentiles? –  attempt to take  their opposition to the level of life-threatening action. ( Stoning was the Jewish punishment for blasphemy, as with Stephen’s martyrdom in chapter 7.)

V6:  But in God’s providential care, Paul and Barnabas are warned of this, and “flee” – to new ground for the Gospel, the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe. Thus, the Holy Spirit uses even persecution to continue the growth of the church, as we see throughout Acts.

V7:  So, they continue to preach the Gospel. God’s Work always goes on, and will – until the end of the age and the Lord’s return.

Acts chapter 13 v 46-52:

V46:  Paul and Barnabas now boldly declare that while it was right, and necessary for them to declare the Gospel to the Jews first ( Romans 1 v16.) the rejection it now receives from so many, and in which they condemn themselves, signifies to them that in God’s will and purpose they will now turn to the Gentiles directly. ( So Paul comes fully into God’s purpose for his ministry, as told in Acts 9 v15.) But remember that many Jews of Antioch have believed too ( v 43.)

V47:  This call to preach to the Gentiles is also supported from OT Scripture – Isaiah 49 v 6 – for this is indeed God’s eternal plan and purpose of grace, brought to its outcome in the coming of Jesus, and His redeeming death for all His people, Jew and Gentile alike.

V48-49:  The Gentiles present are overjoyed, and give God the glory for His gracious Word, and all who are God’s appointed ( He is always sovereign in salvation ) truly believe, and now the Gospel spreads through the whole region, surely as these new believers bear their testimony before their neighbours.  

V50:  Still bitter in their opposition and rejection, the Jewish leaders now stir up both men and women of influence in Antioch – unclear if this means Jews or Gentiles or both – to raise persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and to drive them from the district.

V51-52:  The ” shaking off the dust from their feet “ is a traditional symbol of rejecting a place – Jesus had actually instructed His disciples to do this, if a place utterly rejected their message ( Matthew 10 v 14 ). Paul and Barnabas now travel further inland, to Iconium. But true and lasting Gospel work has been done there in Antioch, and the new believers are ” filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit”. Their witness will continue, as Paul and Barnabas now take the Gospel to new areas, and the growth of the Church continues.

Acts chapter 13 v 40-45:

V40-41:  He warns his hearers of the consequences of rejecting this Gospel, which again he grounds in OT Scripture, quoting Habakkuk 1 v5. The people of that day would not listen to what they were told from God, let his hearers not make the same mistake. How this speaks to all who hear yet disregard the Gospel!    

V42:  The congregation leave the synagogue, and many of them earnestly ask Paul to speak of these things again on the next Sabbath day.

V43:  Others, more deeply touched, surely by God’s grace, will not wait that week, so many, both Jews and Gentile God-fearers,

stay with Paul and Barnabas, who speak further to them, and ” urge them to continue in the grace of God “, surely implying that they believe and discern that real works of saving grace have already taken place in their hearts.

V44:  On the next Sabbath not just the synagogue congregation, but “almost the whole city” come to hear God’s Word, as Paul declares it. Clearly, the news of the previous week’s message has spread to a much wider audience, as God is at work.

V45:  But seeing this, “the Jews” ( probably speaking of the leaders of the ‘ Synagogue and the Jewish community, as it often indicates the Jewish leaders in the Gospels ) are envious of Paul’s influence on so many, and begin to argue against what he says and to ” revile him”, probably as a “blasphemer”.

Acts chapter 13 v 32-39:

V32-33:  So, the message they bring is indeed the promised ” good news”, now fulfilled in Jesus, whose Resurrection too was foretold in OT Scripture. Paul quotes and applies to this the words of Psalm 2 v7, declaring the sonship of God’s Anointed One.

V34-35:  Other Scriptures follow – Isaiah 55 v3, Psalm 16 v10 – and Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, remember – says how these verses have their real and fullest meaning in Jesus, whose body did not suffer corruption in the grave, for He was raised again to life.

V36-37:  He explains that these verses could not finally be about David himself, for his body, like all others, knew corruption in the tomb – but not so Jesus, raised up by the Father.

V38-39:  And Paul now declares how through Jesus, sins can be forgiven. His redeeming and sin -bearing death has done what the Law could never do. God’s law though it was, it could only condemn, not set free, for all have broken it – but in Jesus, grace and mercy are at work to bring forgiveness to all who will trust Him. ( See Galatians 3 v 10-12; Romans 8 v 1-4.)

Acts chapter 13 v27-31:

V27:  The rejection of this Saviour by the leaders of the Jews and the people of Jerusalem generally was itself a fulfilment of OT prophecy, Paul goes on – the prophecies so familiar to them ( and to this synagogue congregation ) yet not understood by them and rejected. ( Compare John 5 v 39-40.)

V28:  Though He was innocent of every charge, they put pressure on Pilate to condemn Jesus.

V29:  But all they did was foretold in OT Scripture, and fulfilled in the Lord’s death  on the tree – the accursed death, remember, as He bore the curse to redeem His people.( Galatians 3 v13.) And then he was laid in the tomb.

V30-31:  But God raised Him from the dead, and for many days ( 40, we learn elsewhere ) He was seen by His chosen witnesses, above all by the Apostles,  who now give their eye-witness testimony to the truth they proclaim.

Acts  chapter 13 v21-26:

V21:  Paul next speaks of the peoples’ demand for a King, and how first ” God gave them Saul”,emphasising that this was God’s sovereign purpose, a solemn thought when we consider the outcome, but truly all things are in His Hands.

V22:  God then “removed Saul”, and raised up David, with the testimony that in contrast to tragic Saul, he was ” a man after God’s own heart “, who sought to obey Him. ( Though like all of us, his obedience was not perfect, of course – truly ” the flesh is weak ” and we must always be mindful of our need of God’s grace.)

V23:  From David’s line, God has sent as He promised a Saviour – Jesus. So, Paul has brought his hearers to the coming of the One the OT spoke of, the Lord’s Anointed, the true Messiah.

V24-25:  Now he speaks of John the Baptist, and his “baptism of repentance”, in which he was preparing for the coming of Jesus, to whom he pointed as One so much greater than himself he was not worthy to undo His sandals. ( Matthew 3 v11 ) Note, he clearly expects these Asian inhabitants to know of these things.

V26:  In Jesus, is found God’s ” message of Salvation” – the Gospel, now sent to both Jews and those Gentiles who fear God’s Name. ( He is still tailoring his address for the synagogue audience, of course.)

Acts chapter 13 v13-20:

V13:  Paul and his companions now sail from Cyprus to “Perga in Pamphylia”, a province of Asia Minor. Luke simply records that here ” John ( Mark ) left them and returned to Jerusalem”. No reason is given, but the later dispute between Paul and Barnabas over Mark shows that Paul felt he had ” deserted” the work of mission, and could not be trusted again.( Ch 15 v37-39.)

V14:  Paul and Barnabas travel on to “Antioch in Pisidia”, one of 5 Antiochs in the Roman world. They go, as usual, to the synagogue on the Sabbath day.

V15:  As was the custom, they are invited, as visitors, to bring ” a word of encouragement “, an opportunity Paul is quick to respond to. We too should be alert for any God-given opportunity to speak of Jesus.

V16-17:  He addresses both the Jews and the Gentile ” God-fearers “, and speaks of God’s dealings with Israel in the OT, of His sovereign choice of the Patriarchs, the growth of the nation in Egypt, and how God then delivered them from Egypt. Little detail is given, since he can rely on their knowledge of these things.

V18-19:  Briefly, he refers to the peoples’ stubbornness in the Wilderness – how God “put up with them ”for 40 years, then brought them into the Promised Land, His chosen inheritance for them.

V20:  He has summed up 450 years, and speaks equally briefly of the time of the Judges, and then Samuel. In all this, he is preparing for how God’s purposes and promises point to, and are fulfilled in, Jesus.

Acts chapter 13:6-12:

V6:  They travel across the island to Paphos ( the port on the West coast, for ships sailing to Asia.) Here they encounter a man named ” Bar-Jesus” ( probably not an act of mockery, for the name, the equivalent of the OT Joshua, was in wide use.) But he is called a ” magician” and a ” false prophet “. Again let us remember the realities of Satan’s deceptions and malice. ( See Ephesians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 2:11, 4 v 4, 11:14-15.)

V7: He has great influence over the “pro-consul” ( the Roman governor of the Island.) He is however an intelligent man, and with a seeking heart, and asks Saul and Barnabas to speak the Word of the Lord to him. God’s grace is surely already at work here.

V8:  Of course the false prophet, called here by his Greek name, Elymas, tries to turn this man from the truth.

V9-10:  Saul – now called Paul for the first time – perhaps his Greek name is now used, for his wider ministry to come – denounces Elymas for what he is, the tool of Satan, seeking to hinder the Gospel.

V11-12:  In an immediate judgement from God, and perhaps to authenticate the Holy Spirit’s work through Paul, he is struck blind ( though we are told this was a temporary judgement at this time ) but Sergius Paulus, both amazed at what he has witnessed but also we are told at the teaching about Jesus he has heard, comes to true faith that day. So God seals the work by grace.

Acts chapter 12:25 – chapter 13:5:

V25: The record returns to Barnabas and Saul, who return to Antioch, having completed their ” relief mission” to Jerusalem, and take with them young John Mark, perhaps with an eye on beginning to involve him in Christian service.

Ch 13 v1:  We learn of 5 gifted ” prophets and teachers” in that church – surely Elders in the later terms of Church office. The names and a little given detail suggest a wide range of background – Barnabas and Saul we know to be Jewish, some of the others may be Gentiles, one has ” royal connections” – though presumably his faith will have severed that connection with the corrupt Herodian family. God’s mercy touches and calls people from all kinds of backgrounds.

V2:  As they are worshipping and fasting before God, the Holy Spirit speaks clearly to them all, that they are to set apart Barnabas and Saul for a special work he is calling them to do. This will, of course, be missionary outreach on a wider scale than yet seen, the work that Saul especially was called to do back in ch 9 v15.

V3:  In obedient response, with prayer and the confirming laying on of hands, the others send them off to the work God calls them to. It’s sometimes said ” at God’s call, they sent away their 2 best men” – perhaps we can not say that as such – but what 2 men they did send off – as God still calls churches to do.

V4-5:  Taking John Mark as an assistant, they go to Seleucia, the nearest Mediterranean port to Antioch, and sail to Cyprus, landing first at Salamis, where at once they preach Christ in the synagogues there, still following the principal Paul will later lay down in Romans 1:16 – ” To the Jew first.”