Acts 13-14
November 29, 2014

It's in this passage that Saul is also referred to as Paul.  Paul and Barnabus are selected to leave the people they have been worshiping with and travel to another country.   This couldn't have been an easy decision for the church.  I'm sure they valued the ministry of Paul and Barnabus.  I'm willing to bet that at least one person said "hey, we have a pretty good thing going here, and the Gospel is being preached, people are coming to the Lord.  Why should we send out two of our best teachers when they could be used here?    It is our good fortune that they spent enough time in prayer to recognize that the Holy Spirit was working in their community, and showing them how the faith would grow.

Then, on their journey they have almost constant problems.  Resistance from every conceivable area, including a false teacher who "poisons the well".  John Mark decides to leave somewhere along the line, and in spite of seeing God work powerfully among them, the people are still moved to try and kill the apostles in almost every town.

What would possess someone to try and kill a person that they just admitted is a "god"?   Why would you try and kill a person that just healed a crippled man?   Here lies one of the mysteries of the Christian church....Christians go around doing good, telling people about how they can live eternally in heaven, sharing their belongings and helping where ever they can..and in return they are persecuted.    Some who are immature in their faith have responded with violence, but they don't represent the true body of Christ.

Jesus tells us that disciples will do several things, regardless of what spiritual gifts we are given.   We will worship, share our faith and have problems as we go through the process.    Partners in ministry will come and go, converts will have misunderstandings, resistance from jealous people will certainly follow success in ministry.     Regardless, we should continue to share, serve and suffer.

Blessings,

PR