Study From the Book of Acts,13

Study From the Book of Acts,13  

Today we study the thirteenth chapter of the Book of Acts and we choose two biblical principles and their lessons which are useful in Biblical Counselling.

Sent out from the church at Antioch under the instruction of the Holy Spirit, Paul and Barnabas went to Cyprus then to the cities of Galatia in Asia Minor. The Jewish synagogues in these cities provided Paul a platform for preaching the gospel. However, at times, he encountered opposition from the synagogues.

Luke, the writer of the Book of Acts, presents Sergius Paulus as the first Gentile ruler to believe the gospel. Unlike Cornelius, there is no evidence that Sergius attended the temple or a God fearer. This pagan government-official amazed at the power of God and believed the truth.

Whatever the trouble was between Paul and John Mark, it was enough for Paul not to want John Mark to accompany him on a later journey. However, John Mark would prove faithful later in Paul’s ministry as shown in 2 Tim.4:11.

At Antioch Pisidia, Paul preached the gospel from the OT and related to David in Psalm 16:10. Paul argued that David could not have been speaking of himself. So, when David died, his body returned to dust just like everyone else’s. David was speaking of the Messiah, who would be raised from the dead as the final proof of His divine Sonship.

Justification is a legal term meaning “declared innocent.” It is a legal declaration that a person is acquitted and absolved. It is by justification that a person is righteous and acceptable to God. The death of Christ was the payment of our sin debt, so we are forgiven. A person who convicts himself that he does not need forgiveness from the Holy One has already condemned himself.

When Luke refers to the Jews, he is not speaking of all Jews. The Jews mentioned in v.43, those who were urging Paul and Barnabas “to continue in the grace of God,” honestly wanted to know the truth. The Jews in this verse were the Jewish leaders, those in the positions of religious authority. When the Jewish leaders saw the crowds following Paul, they changed their minds about Paul and became filled with jealousy, especially since many of the people who had gathered were Jews.

Structure:

Verses 1-: 3: Barnabas and Saul appointed.

Verses 4-12: preaching in Cyprus.  

Verses 13-41: at Antioch Pisidia

Verses 42-52: blessing and conflict at Antioch.

Principle 25: verse 13-2: --“As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’”

Lesson 25: Paul and Barnabas found that life calling in the midst of praying and worshiping among their fellow believers, not on their own. God calls us to serve Him together, to show the world how relationships are supposed to work.

Principle 26: verse 13:48: ----“And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”

Lesson 26:  We never understand how the sovereignty of God works with the free choice of man to bring people to Christ, but both truths are clearly taught in Scripture. God chooses, and so must we.4/5/2025.