Scripture: Acts 13:1-3

C.I.: The Spirit of Evangelism

Last Sunday we began a new series of lessons… - We saw how the Spirit of God calls us to greatness!
Today we are going to see – the means God uses – so that we may be successful in His work.

I. The Beginning of Missions (Acts 13:4-13)

A. The 2-Fold Method of the Spirit (vs. 4-5)

1. (v. 4), “Being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia & from there sailed to Cyprus”
a. Notice they did not strike out on their own – nor did they go where they had a “feeling.”
1) (Matt. 4:1), “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness in order to be tempted…”
2) Being led by God’s Spirit is an act of faith – (Heb. 11:8), “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going to a place he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went….”
3) So being led by the Spirit = daily walking by faith (trusting & obedience) – wherever we are!
4) It is this willingness to trust & obey God wherever we are – that we display His ownership over our lives – (Rom. 8:14), “For all who are being led by the Spirit, - these are sons....”

b. Cyprus was the home of Barnabas – (Acts 4:36), “Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was…
1) Last week we saw – the spread of the gospel goes from the known to the unknown (Acts 1:8)
2) Effective evangelism begins at home – (Mk. 5:19; Acts 10:24), “Go home to your people and report to them the great things the Lord has done for you … Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends.”
3) Thus, the Spirit of God desires - that we begin by sharing the gospel - with those we know.

2. The “2-Fold Method of the Spirit” is shown in (v. 5).
a. #1 = Proclamation: “When they had reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in synagogues of the Jews.” - (Rom. 1:16), “I am not ashamed of the gospel….”

b. #2 = Utilization: “…and they also had John as their helper.”
1) “Disciple-Making” requires both Conversion AND Utilization – (Matt. 28:19).
2) “Disciple” = …, Apprentice; one who learns & does. – Mark was a helper/apprentice.
3) Yet it requires more than sharing the gospel – it also involves using them in service.
4) (Quote Phil. 4:9; II Tim. 2:2), “The things which you have learned & received & heard &
seen in me, practice these things; - and the God of peace shall be with you.” – “The things
which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful…”

c. If we see our purpose as disciples is to come to church – we’ve missed it!
1) If we see our purpose as disciples is to come to church and to learn – we’ve missed it!
2) But if we believe our purpose as disciples is to come to here so we can learn & teach others –
WE GOT IT!!!
3) So the Method of the Spirit – is to walk in faithfulness to Him each day – sharing the gospel
first with those we know – and then involving them in the ministry of JESUS!

B. The Message of the Spirit (vs. 7-11)

1. (vs. 6-8), “And when they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. – This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. – But Elymus the magician (for thus his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.”

a. God’s people will run into false teachers (w/o false teachers there would be no false teaching).
1) We’ve been warned: (Matt. 7:15; Acts 20:30; I Tim. 4:1-2), “Beware of false prophets who come to you…” – “…from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.” – “The Spirit explicitly says that in later times….”
2) Yet we also have been assured of victory: (I Jn. 4:4; Acts 5:32; 2:38), “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater…” –“We are witnesses… Repent…

b. “But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit fixed his gaze upon him, and
said, ‘You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of righteousness,
will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? – And now, behold, the hand
of the Lord is upon you, & you will be blind & not see the sun for some time.’ – Immediately a
mist & a darkness fell upon him & he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand.
1) This judgment did not originate from Saul – This pronounced judgment came from the Spirit!
a. (Jn. 16:8), “And the Spirit, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment.”
b. Today our authority to denounce sin comes from the Spirit of God – (Eph. 3:17), “take up the sword of the Spirit - which is the word of God.”

2) Being “filled with the H.S.” = trusting that God will empower – our words & our actions!
a. (Eph. 5:18), “Do not get drunk with wine for that is dissipation, but be filled….”
b. (Acts 4:8-13, 31),” – “Then Peter, filled w/H.S., said to them, ‘Rulers & elders of the people, if we are trial today for the benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man was made well, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of J.C. the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead – by this name this man stands before you in good health. – And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’ – Now when they observed the confidence of P. & J., and understood….” –
c. (I Cor. 1:17), “For Christ… but to preach, not in cleverness of speech…!.” – Those
“filled” won’t trust in their words – but in those of the Spirit inspired word of God!!!
3) Yet instead of faith in God – people often give into their fears – God warns us about this too...
(I Thess. 5:19), “Do not quench the Spirit.” – (to douse, extinguish, etc.).
a) We do this when we focus on our fears - rather than our faith!
b) We do this when we focus on the obstacles – rather than the opportunities!
c) We do this when we focus on what we can’t do –rather than on what God can

C. The Might of the Spirit (v. 12)

1. (v. 12), “Then the proconsul believed when he saw what happened, being amazed at the teaching....”
a. Notice the source of his amazement – its NOT God’s judgment on Elymus – but God’s WORD!
1) God’s word is powerful – (Heb. 11:3; Jn. 12:48), “By faith we understand that world were
prepared by the word of God.” – “He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings…”
2) Today God’s Spirit is calling to you: Believers to be “filled” – Others to be “saved”!