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Home , Lucius of Cyrene, Sergius Paulus, Simeon (Gospel of Luke)

ACTS 13

Review: The birth of the church. ​ - We saw it grow rapidly in - Scattered into the surrounding regions through persecution - The has now reached the Gentiles - And it will take off from here. - Last week: killed James, brother of John with the sword, - He imprisoned Peter - The church prayed without ceasing for Peter, - And Peter was miraculously delivered by an - Short while later, Herod Agrippa died quite violently

Theme: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything ​ give thanks; for this is the will of God in for you.

Closed last week with:

25 A​ nd and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ​ ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.

ACTS 13

Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, who was called Niger, , Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

- So these were the prophets and teachers at the church of Antioch: - Barnabas - Simeon also called Niger - Lucius of Cyrene - Manaen - Saul - Barnabas,already talked much about ​ - “the Son of encouragement” - Gave up his inheritance to help provide for the church - Also gave up his birthright as a Levite, - forgoing his physical provision, - to be a part of the work God was doing - More important than having his physical needs secure - God will always provide - He was a - originally from the island Cyprus

- Simeon, called Niger & Lucius of Cyrene - Simeon - same name as Simon - just an alternate spelling - :19-20 Now those who were scattered after the persecution ​ ​ that arose over Stephen, traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. But some of them were from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to ​ ​ ​ ​ Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. - Contingent of men from Cyprus and from Cyrene - Led to preach the gospel & plant a church in Antioch.

- Simeon, or Simon, called Niger, - Niger in Greek = black - Where we get the word Nigeria - Cyrene - territory in North Africa, - bordered right up to what is the Republic of Niger today. - just north of Nigeria - So this man called Niger, - is a leader in this church planted by, - men from Cyprus and men from Cyrene. - It is widely thought this Simeon here is Simon the Cyrene - You can make a pretty strong case for it just going from points outlined in scripture.

- :26 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, ​ ​ Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus. - To come from Cyrene to Jerusalem was a journey of 800 miles - That Simon came that far to celebrate Passover ​ - He was a godly man, travelled a great distance to fulfill his service to God. - One gospel (and only one gospel) mentions this Simon’s sons: - and Rufus - Which gospel? Mark! Chapter 15:16 ​ - Who came to Antioch with Barnabas and Saul? - Mark! - Mark knew this Simon the Cyrene and his sons. - Paul, when writing Romans, in Chapter 16 sends a greeting to ​ ​ ​ ​ - “... Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother ...” - So Paul somehow knew this Simon the Cyrene, his wife and his sons. - Now, who is leading this church at Antioch, - with this man Simon? - Paul!

- About Simon the Cyrene, - When the soldiers hauled him out of the crowd, - And put the cross on him - This for him, would have been an utter humiliation - He was in Jerusalem - traveled 800 miles, - To perform his righteous service to God - And here he is forced to carry a cross - Now, anybody who carried a cross was guilty - So he is carrying a cross for which, he would’ve thought he had no guilt.

- The thing was, Jesus was not guilty. ​ ​ - There is a truth in Simon carrying that cross, - that I think he realized in time. - This man Jesus was not guilty. - But I am. ​ ​ - It is right that I carried His cross. - Because it’s my cross. - It’s my sin that put Him there - In confessing Jesus Christ as our Savior, - we claim the guilt of His cross. - That is a necessary part of the deal.

Matthew 16:24-26 Then Jesus said to His disciples “If anyone desires to come after ​ Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever desires to save His life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ​ - It was a moment of great humility for Simon, - and a moment he wrestled with - walking alongside this Man who had been beaten beyond recognition - This Man who was silent and stoic in the face of utter death - As Simon carried Jesus’ cross, - He would’ve read this curious charge: King of the Jews” - He would have understood that is not a real charge. - That’s not a crime. - This was a farce. - this man, Jesus, was not guilty of anything - Simon was devout, - enough so to make this 800-mile pilgrimage - He understood God’s mercy, and His provision. - He understood the need for sacrifice to cover his sins - that’s why he was there - Over time, he would have understood it is indeed I, not this Jesus, - who is guilty - That I should be carrying His cross ​ ​ - Simon, the Cyrene, was uniquely chosen in the Lord, - to bear His cross on the way to Calvary. - Now, you have these men from Cyrene - - 800 miles away from Jerusalem - - who went all the way up to Antioch - To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ - It begs the question: - how did the gospel first get to Cyrene? - I would offer that it was a changed Simon, - Who took the gospel back home - Bore his cross daily. - His family was saved, - This Lucius from Cyrene was saved, - And, eventually, - they venture up to Antioch, - And the Lord starts a church there. - Manaen - brought up with Herod the tetrarch ​ - - Not old Wormy from last week! - Herod Antipas - who had killed, - Jesus was brought before this Herod, - He didn’t find anything in the charges against Jesus - so he sent him back to Pilate - Now this Manaen, was essentially Herod’s foster brother - A Herod was the Roman installed King over the the region of Judea - Herod and Manaen had an identical upbringing, - Raised in the palace of - but Manaen was quite a different man than Herod Antipas - Manaen = a comforter; a leader - Because of his upbringing, he would have been well-known - He brought some prestige & distinction with him. - Here is, teaching and prophesying in this church at Antioch - Saul. ​ - Expert in the law, - persecutor of the church - Blinded by the Light - Now redeemed by the Lord

Just take a minute to consider the leadership here in this church at Antioch

- Barnabas = Son of Encouragement. - Manaen = Comforter and Consoler - Simon = hearkening, or listening intently - Lucius = illuminative - Saul = prayed for - Think about those names, even! Look at what the Lord did here: - This is what you want to look for in your church leadership, - even today: - Son of encouragement, - comforter, consoler, - Someone who will listen intently, - Illuminative - Which is not to say an enlightened thinker - But one who will rely solely on the lamp of God’s Word, - to light the way for the Body of Christ, - For their families, - For themselves. - prayed for - One who will pray, one who will lean on prayer - And place the work always in the Lord’s the hands. - God wastes no words in scripture! - Gives us a quick and tidy lesson in church leadership, - just by the names of the men who led this church at Antioch - Aside from that, - look at the incredible variety, - in who God brought forward to lead this church - A Cyprian Levite, - The foster brother of a Roman ruler - Two men from North Africa - one whose nickname was “Black” - 1,100 miles away from home. - and then this unique man of Greek, Roman and Hebrew lineage - This is the Gentile church! - This was the blueprint for the church moving forward. - We tend to consider scripture in such a bleached out sense - look at who the Lord lined up here to lead this church in Antioch - To teach this church - He drew them from all over, - like a magnet! - Not one of these men is actually from Antioch. - None of them are Syrian! - And none of them are from Jerusalem either. - God drew these guys to help form what this was going to be - All races, - All backgrounds, - All social classes, - Galatians 3:28-29 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave ​ ​ nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are ’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. - God sets us each in the skin He sets us in. - That has no bearing in how He esteems us. - Has no bearing in how He regards us. - He just sees His children - He just loves His children. - There’s no place for us to see eachother any differently than that.

Each one of these guys gave up something significant to be there,

To be of service to the Lord

- Barnabas gave up security = inheritance, lifetime of provision - Manaen gave up royalty = a place in the palace - Saul gave up his political future = a promising career in the temple courts - Lucius and Simeon gave up home - Left everything in Cyrene to preach the gospel to these people - 1,100 miles away.

- They each gave up a substantial piece of who they were. - That is the Christian walk - surrendering who you are, - to the purpose of who God wants you to be. - Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it!

2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted,

- As they ministered to the Lord … ​ - Church is not about what we get! Or what we receive. - It is service to the Lord. - The question is never what can you offer me? - It must be, what can I offer to God? - Not talking about money at all! - Not even talking about physical actions

- Our intention in coming together must be: - “I will honor the Lord today by meeting with His body” - “I will worship the Lord today” - “I will sing praises to Him because He is worthy” - “I will fellowship with His people.” - “I will pray with His people.” - “I will receive the Word He brings forth, - Not because of the good feelings it gives me, - Or the knowledge it gives me, - But because I know He will use that word. - In my life for the good of others.

- I will offer everything I am, - to be of service to the Lord today - To minister to the Lord ​ ​

And within that, He blesses us!

- We receive IMMENSE blessing, - through presenting ourselves before Him as living sacrifices. - The words you say, - the prayers you offer - Even just the simple kindnesses, - They minister to the Lord, ​ ​ - and the Lord uses them to minister to others.

- Serving God is not about what you do for the people - It is about what you give to Him - And He then ministers to the others through that. ​ ​

- Bless the Lord’s heart through what you do today. - Seek to bless His heart. ​ - The same as you would for anyone you love, - And realize in that, - you are seeking to bless the heart of the Living God - That is sacred ground.

Bless the Lord’s heart in what you do,

- And He will bless you. ​ ​ - And He will bless many more on top of that.

Within that also,

In ministering to the Lord ​ ​ - when He is the focus - and when He is the recipient of our ministries, - It takes all of the burden of so-called “success” off of us. - When you minister to people, - you begin attempting to please people. - Bigger, better, more holy than before. - People may not accept the message, - Or the word of encouragement, - Or whatever it is you do in Jesus’ Name - And when our focus is ministering to the people, - In those moments we feel rejected. - We feel we have been “unsuccessful.” - Or that we’ve failed - (Jesus said) :16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you ​ ​ rejects Me, and he who rejects Me, rejects the one who sent Me. - Minister to the Lord! ​ ​ - He will never reject that. And He will use it. Always. the said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

- You have this church full of the spirit, - Dedicated teachers and prophets, - And as they fasted and ministered to the Lord, - they receive this word of prophecy from the Holy Spirit

- What’s interesting here is that The Holy Spirit did not say, - there’s a need among the Gentiles -- Who’s in? - Didn’t try to drum up interest - or cajol an effort out of the people here. - Or force a response, - Either out of responsibility or emotion

- The Holy Spirit separated two men, specifically by name, out - Two who had already had this personally confirmed to themselves: - “Separate Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” - Now it is confirmed to the rest of the group

- Something you see repeatedly through scripture is God will issue a call, - and then that call will be confirmed. - If there is a work, - but you’re having to boost support for that work, - You are creating obligation, - instead of allowing the Lord to provide for the need.

- If you feel obligated to a work, - Do yourself a favor, get out! - don’t do it! - You’ll just become bitter over it.

- Ministry and service to the Lord is a “get to,” - It is not a “have to” - Do what the Lord gives you to do. ​ ​ - He will make His calling on your life clear. - Answer God’s call! - Not man’s. - God’s calls are a joy. - Man’s calls are a burden.

- See in this: - Saul has been a believer now for 12-14 years - For all of his knowledge of the law, - he’s had this prolonged time of preparation - The Spirit makes it clear, now is the time to strike outward, - and minister to the Lord to the rest of the known world, - And so they go!

4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant.

- Cyprus - this is where Barnabas is from - They land on the eastern coast of Cyprus at Salamis - Preached the word of God in the Synagogues of the Jews there

- goes with them as their assistant - He’s likely in his early 20s at this point - Scripture fascinating trail of his walk with the Lord - Remember last week, - we talked about how the prayer meeting Peter ran to, - as he was freed from prison, - The meeting was at the home of this John Mark’s mother - There is a camp out there that believes his mother’s house was actually where the Upper Room was located. - Where the last supper was set - Where the Spirit poured out at - That this home became the headquarters of the Jerusalem church - Because of it size, - and its significance - Mark himself, writing his gospel, gives an account, - in Mark 14, of a “certain young man” ​ ​ - following after Jesus when He was taken captive in the garden. - But the guards grabbed hold of this young man, and he fled, - they tore his cloak from him - And he ran away naked. - Mark likely was referring to himself there. - That perhaps Judas brought the mob first to the upper room -- to his mother’s house - And hearing the commotion, Mark followed them to the garden - Would’ve only been 12 years old or so. - Landmark moment in his life, though - So he has grown up with the early church, - Some of his earliest steps of faith were following Jesus as He was apprehended - “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.” - Mark understood that. - He saw Jesus on His way to the cross. And he followed. - And then he fled in terror - just a 12-year-old kid.

He saw Peter miraculously delivered from prison,

- “Whoever loses his life for me, will find it.” - Mark understood that too! - He saw it happen. - He traveled with Saul and Barnabas to Antioch - and now he is heading out in ministry on this mission trip.

6 Now when they had gone through the island to ,

- Paphos is on the western coast of Cyprus -- - When they had gone through the island, - talking a distance of about 120 miles - At least a five-day journey across the island if you’re walking straight through - Which they weren’t, - On Cyprus, it is rocky terrain, - Two mountain ranges along the way -- nothing like our mountains, - But mountains, nonetheless - but they are stopping and preaching the word of God as they go. - And they eventually get to Paphos

they found a certain sorcerer, a , a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus,

- Very righteous sounding name - Bar-Jesus = “Son of Jesus”

7 who was with the proconsul, , an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them

- As proconsul, Sergius Paulus was governor of the entire island of Cyprus - He hears of these men causing quite a ruckus as they make their way across the region. - And he calls them, wants to hear the word of God. - Elymas = this name is a curiosity. - It does not seem to have a direct Greek or Hebrew or Roman translation. - Roughly speaking, this comes across as almost a satirical translation by Luke - Works out to “If only He could save” - This man’s name speaks of Jesus, - but has none of His redemptive power. - He withstands Saul and Barnabas, - trying to be a block between this proconsul - and a real, saving faith in the One who Can Save! ​ ​ (He withstood them), seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him

- Saul from this point on in scripture will be called Paul. - He’ll take on his Roman name as he fully embarks on his ministry to the Gentiles - Remember what we just said -- Saul means “prayed for” - Paul means “small” - Again, just indicative of what this walk with Jesus Christ is, - We are always becoming smaller. ​ ​ - He is always becoming greater, - the further we walk with him - Our pursuits and our interests, give way to His, - Our appetite for self shrinks, - Our desire to serve grows. - We must become smaller - God must always be growing in our lives. - If He’s not, we’re walking in the wrong direction

10 and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all ​ ​ righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?

- Bar-Jesus, son of Jesus, - Paul calls him, rightly, the Son of the Devil. - Enemy of all righteousness, - Paul looks at this man, who has the right look, - his name speaks of Jesus, but his life does not. - And Paul calls him out for who he is.

11 And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time. And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

- So Lord struck Bar-Jesus with a temporary blindness “ for a time,” - the same as Paul had been stricken in his confrontation with Jesus. - Paul effectively: Lord reckon with this man as you reckoned with me. - Take away his sight so that he might see. - But notice the distinct differences - Paul also withstood the Christians, - but as He went to oppose them and imprison them, - He was surrounded by a bright, shining light - Bar-Jesus here has a dark mist fall on him.

- Paul immediately repented, - immediately declared Jesus as Lord, - immediately obeyed. - He had been doing the best He knew to do to honor God, - but in realizing his error, - he fell to the ground and repented. - This Bar-Jesus, - we don’t get the same reaction from him, - in this same moment of reckoning. - Luke is sure here to record the reaction and conversion of the proconsul, - But nothing of this false prophet. - Where Saul was mistaken in his pursuits, He was earnestly pursuing the Living God - And God was sure to correct him - Bar-Jesus, though, was openly deceptive - Communing with demonic powers - he was a sorcerer - And there was no similar response to what Paul had experienced. - God sent Ananais to restore the sight of Paul. - And here, God sends nobody one to restore Bar-Jesus’ sight.

- You have this Sergius Paulus here - governor over the whole island - first ruler Paul is brought in front of - certainly won’t be the last - But he is astonished - not by the miracle, - not by this punishing blindness, - Read it: He astonished by - the teaching of the Lord! - We see a miraculous conversion here - One who sought withstand the Word of God - And he was blinded by it. - And who sould to hear the Word of God, - and saw the truth in it - Fascinating encounter.

13 Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem.

- This was another 150-200 miles by boat, - and at this point, for whatever reason, John Mark departs from them - There is much speculation as to what might have happened. - Everyone has a scenario as to what might have caused John Mark to return. - And one of them might even be true. - But what we do know is that John Mark returned to Jerusalem. - It is implied this was contentious. - We’ll see in Barnabas wants to bring Mark along ​ ​ again on the next trip, - and Paul and Barnabas have a falling out over it

- But the other thing we know, is that whatever happened here, - they managed to get past it. - Eventually, grace covers over whatever happened here

- About 14-16 years from this point, - Paul at the close of 2 Timothy asks that Mark be sent to him ​ ​ - because of his usefulness in ministry.

- And then when Paul writes to the Colossians, - he writes of Mark being with him - Mark sends his greetings

- Mark would go on and spend a great deal of time with Peter, - Peter was likely one of the major sources for Mark as he wrote his gospel - And later Mark goes Into Egypt. - Evangelizes there and pastors a church in Alexandria.

There’s an encouragement here:

- Dwell with eachother in grace. - And be patient with eachother - Especially when it comes to somebody simply younger in the faith - Than you are - We will get on eachother’s nerves. - We’ll say the wrong thing, - or do the wrong thing, or both - but we have to reach back to that point of grace.

We don’t have the luxury, in Christ’s kingdom, of writing anybody off. Ever.

- Even in the worst situations, there may still be healing there. - There may be something beautiful God is waiting to do. - God eventually heals this fracture here between Mark and Paul. - He can heal the fractured relationships in your life.

- But that cannot happen in our own efforts. - It truly only ever happens under God’s grace. - It would appear Mark stumbles here, - But God will restore this relationship, - And he will use Mark greatly down the road.

Let Him do the same in your life.

Relationally. Personally.

If you’ve been running for a long time - today’s the day.

Turn around, grab hold of your father in Heaven.

Repent. He’s already waiting for you with open arms. Just return to Him.