[ACT:11:27-30]; [ACT:12:24-25]; [ACT:13:1-12].
Lesson 324 - Senior
Memory Verse
"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again" (Proverbs 19:17).
Cross References
I True Religion
1. The brethren at Antioch were told by Agabus, a prophet, that a great famine would soon plague the world, [ACT:11:27-28]; [ACT:21:10-11]; [ACT:20:23]. 2. The disciples gave according to their respective abilities to relieve the want of the brethren in Judea, [ACT:11:29-30]; [ISA:58:7]; [ACT:20:35]; [JAM:2:15-16]; [2CO:9:12]. 3. The offering from the church at Antioch was taken to Jerusalem by Barnabas and Saul, [ACT:11:30]; [1CO:16:3-4]. 4. The obligation to relieve the temporal want of those from whom spiritual blessings are received is a Bible doctrine, [ROM:15:25-28]; [1CO:16:1-4]; [2CO:8:1-24]; [2CO:9:1-15]; [GAL:2:10]; [ACT:24:17]. 5. Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem bringing John Mark with them, [ACT:12:24-25].II Chosen of God
1. While in Antioch, Barnabas and Saul were separated unto the work of God by the Holy Ghost, [ACT:13:1-3]; [ACT:10:19-20]; [ACT:16:6]; [ACT:22:21]. 2. Sent by the Holy Ghost, Barnabas and Saul and their company travelled to Seleucia, and thence to Cyprus, preaching in the synagogues at Salamis, [ACT:13:4-5]. 3. Leaving Salamis, the disciples proceeded to Paphos where they preached the Gospel, [ACT:13:6].III The Gospel Resisted
1. Sergius Paulus, the deputy of the country, desired the disciples to preach the Gospel to him, [ACT:13:6];[ACT:13:7]; [MAK:6:20]; [LUK:23:8]; [ACT:25:22]. 2. Elymas, a sorcerer, resisted the preaching of the disciples, and attempted to turn Sergius Paulus from the faith, [ACT:13:8]; [2TM:3:8-9]; [2TM:4:14-15]; [JER:28:15-17]. 3. Paul denounced Elymas for his deceitfulness, and Elymas was struck blind, [ACT:13:9-11]; [EXO:9:3]; [1SM:5:6-9]. 4. The chief deputy, astonished at what was done, believed on the Lord, [ACT:13:12]; [ACT:19:17], [ACT:19:20]; [MAT:27:54]; [LUK:7:16].Notes
Relieving the Brethren
At Antioch, where the disciples of Jesus Christ were first called Christians, a great famine was predicted by Agabus, a prophet of the Lord. He foretold that all the world would be affected, and one of the areas destined to suffer was Jerusalem. Obviously, the disciples who were living there would suffer also. They were not wealthy, as a body, and would face starvation because of their inability to buy food. Agabus' prophecy of the distress that would come upon the world stirred the disciples at Antioch into action. This was, of course, the purpose of the prophecy sent by the Lord, and was the means He intended to use to provide for the need of the brethren in Jerusalem. The disciples, every man according to his respective ability, agreed to send relief. The proposition that the saints of God should give to relieve the needs of their brethren in the Lord, and to give to anyone else who needed it, was nothing new. Jesus had continually pointed out the obligation of the rich to give to the poor. He was the foremost example of such benevolence, for He made Himself poor that we might be made rich [2CO:8:9]). Upon one occasion, Jesus told a rich young ruler that in order for him to gain eternal life he must sell all that he had, give to the poor, and then follow Him. (See [MAT:19:21].) In that particular case, Jesus desired the young man to be charitable and benevolent by giving of his great wealth to the poor. It was a true test of the quality of his religion, but, unfortunately, it was a test he did not pass, and thus his religion was proved to be of little value. (Read I [JHN:3:16-18] and [JAM:2:15-16].) From these and other verses of Scripture we know that giving to the poor and needy, especially those of the household of faith, has always been expected of God's people. The decision of the saints at Antioch to send relief to the brethren at Jerusalem marked the beginning of the now-established practice of the whole Church of Christ, a practice, which was instituted and ordained of God. Historians say that during the following twenty years there were at least four severe famines. One of these was so severe, one historian said, that it was a divine judgment against the people. Mention is made several times in the New Testament of these famines; and during the later years Paul enlarged upon the doctrine and principle of the saints' giving of their abundance for the need of the saints who had little. Paul stated that they who received spiritual things from others were their debtors to relieve them, if need be, in their physical necessities. He said: "If the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things" [ROM:15:27]). Spiritual goods are more important than physical things, because spiritual things are eternal, whereas earthy possessions are of no value to one after his death. The eighth and ninth chapters of II Corinthians should be studied thoroughly on this subject. The Church at Corinth had evidently committed themselves at an earlier date to give an offering for the relief of the saints elsewhere. In the meantime, the saints at Macedonia had given an offering. They were very poor, and yet had given an offering far beyond what was expected of them. Their benevolence and charity toward their spiritual brethren was great because of the great love of Christ in their hearts; and they gave much of their goods from a willing heart. Corinth was a great city, and the saints there were blessed with an abundance more than that of the rest of the churches. Paul, by reciting to the saints at Corinth of the great liberality of the saints at Macedonia notwithstanding their own poverty, hoped to instil the same liberality into the hearts of the Corinthians. Not only did Paul instruct these saints to give liberally, in appreciation of God's great love and bounty toward them, but he showed them that it was an actual obligation for them to fulfil. Paul summed up the case in a few words: "I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: as it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack" [2CO:8:13-15]). God has ordained that the child of God whom He has abundantly blessed has an obligation to relieve the need of his less fortunate brethren, as God shows him that need. For a Christian to withhold good from a needy brother, when he has in his possession that which will relieve the want of his brother, is tantamount to robbing his brother. (Read [PRO:3:27-28].) It is the express will of God that this is one way in which the needs of the saints will be met. That brother or sister who has an abundance is to supply the need of his brethren in the Lord, that in a time of his own need they who have previously had nothing, but who may then have an abundance, will supply his need. God will never place approval upon a Christian who gains great abundance and then refuses to give of God's own bounty to his needy brethren. Selfish man will do well to remember the words of the Lord spoken to Israel: "Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, . . . and thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day" [DEU:8:11-14], [DEU:8:17-18]). All that is true of giving, in the material sense, is also true in the spiritual. One cannot study the eighth and ninth chapters of II Corinthians very long without becoming convinced that the real depth of Paul's writings on giving is meant to be applied to the spiritual also. The statement, "He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully," has great and wonderful significance if it is interpreted spiritually. (Study [ISA:55:8-13] in conjunction with this subject.)Call to Service
Paul and Barnabas, who had been sent to Jerusalem with the offering of the church at Antioch, brought John Mark with them when they returned to Antioch. After their return they were in prayer and fasting as they ministered to the church at Antioch. During such a period, the Holy Ghost spoke, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." After fasting and praying, the disciples ordained Barnabas and Saul by the laying on of hands, and sent them on to the work of God with their prayers and blessing. It is worthy of notice that when the Lord called Barnabas and Paul to the work of God, it was made known to the leaders and saints at Antioch. God does not call His workers and ministers to other fields of endeavour without making His will known also to the overseers and leaders of the Church. If God did not make His will known to those in authority over the body of the saints, great confusion would be the result. "God is not the author of confusion" [1CO:14:33]). If the call of God, He will make the fact known to the overseers of leaders. In this way, when the person receiving the call goes to his new labours, he will receive the backing and prayers of the saints and the ministry. If a person does not receive the backing and approval of his overseer, he will do well to wait and re-examine his call, to see if it be really of God. When a man is called and sent by God to some work for God, he can proceed without fear for the outcome. That man is in the centre of God's will, and despite the fact that Satan is sure to oppose, victory is sure, for God has gone on before. Jesus, in speaking of His own people, said: "He calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice" [JHN:10:3-4]). One cannot but wonder at the amount of labour and effort that has been wasted in religious schemes because they were the plans of men and not the plan of God. The work of salvation is of God; and as the Captain of our salvation He will lead his people into everlasting triumph. To hasten into some endeavour without the blessing of God upon it is only to insure its failure. Joshua, leading Israel's hosts into Canaan land, was met by a Man with a drawn sword. This Person informed Joshua He had come as Captain of the hosts of the Lord. God did not leave Joshua to his own devices to win the battle, but the Lord was there to go before him and insure the victory. Much could be said of the need for God's people to wait on the will of God in their lives.Satanic Opposition
Paul and Barnabas, having been sent to the work of God by the Holy Ghost, were obeying that call. Upon request of Sergius Paulus, an official of the country they were in, they had gone to him to tell him about Christ. Here was a man who was enough concerned about his soul to desire the Gospel from those who were preaching it. But Sergius Paulus, as were many others before him and since, was not to hear the Gospel without Satan's hindering it as much as he might. Elymas, a sorcerer, who was a confidant of Sergius Paulus, attempted to turn him from the faith. The Word of God does not state just how he attempted to do this malicious deed, but probably he did it through deceit and lies, hoping to prejudice the chief ruler against the Gospel, and so prevent him from accepting the truth. Elymas probably enjoyed privileges from his associations with Sergius Paulus that he feared he would lose if the chief ruler was converted to Christianity. It seems that no one begins to turn from Satan's works to the Kingdom of God without Satan's attempting by some means or another, to dampen and discouraged that soul's ardour in making his peace with God. Paul did not stand idly by and let a soul be lost because the devil sought to prevent the conversion of Sergius Paulus. He rebuked Elymas in the name of the Lord, and Elymas was struck blind for his wickedness. When Satan hinders the preaching of the Gospel, as did Elymas, one should appeal to God to override the opposition as He did for Paul and Barnabas. Our warfare is not carnal, but spiritual; and the weapons of a Christian are mighty, to the pulling down of strongholds. A similar incident occurred when Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent messengers with a letter to Hezekiah, king of Israel, demanding that Hezekiah surrender the country to him. Sennacherib defied the God of Israel, saying He would be as all other gods, unable to deliver from his hands. Hezekiah laid this letter of defiance before God, and prayed for help. The result was that God answered Hezekiah's prayer by sending an angel to smite the camp of Assyria. The angel slew 185,000 men. Sennacherib and his army turned back without shooting an arrow and without entering the city. Upon his return home, his sons slew him as he was in the house of his god. The result of Paul's rebuke to Elymas was that Sergius Paulus was greatly astonished at what was done and believed on the Lord. When the children of God take a bold stand for the Lord, God will strengthen them in their stand and prove the righteousness of their cause, and men will be won to Christ.