Read Acts 13:4-12, Genesis 50:20 & Romans 8:28
4 The two of
them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed
from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word
of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper. 6 They
traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a
Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7 who was an attendant of
the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for
Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the
sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the
proconsul from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with
the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10 “You are a child of the
devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of
deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?
11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time,
not even able to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came
over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When
the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the
teaching about the Lord.”
(Joseph speaking to his brothers) “You intended to
harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the
saving of many lives.”
And we know that in
all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called
according to his purpose.
Here we have a
conflict between God’s agents and a man presumably led by something more
sinister. God is triumphant and even uses the opposition against him to lead
someone closer to him.
- What opposition do you think there is against you at the moment?
- Can you see any ways in which God might use this opposition for good?
- Do you think you would ever be as bold as Paul was in this situation?
- Is there any particular significance to the fact that God caused Bar-Jesus to go blind for a time, as opposed to some other ailment?
- Do you think there could be times today when God might lead someone to call down a physical infliction on someone else?
If you have a bit longer :-)
John Stott notes that
they might have gone first to Cyprus because that is where Barnabas was from.[1]
What do you think? In other words, how much do you think Paul and Barnabas went
to places because they specifically heard the Holy Spirit direct them there and
how much do you think they decided through their own human (but God-given!)
reasoning and wisdom? Are these two things mutually exclusive? If not, how
might they have worked together for Saul and Barnabas? How might they work
together in our lives today?
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