Acts 13:1-12
13: Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. 6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
Reflection
During a time of worship and fasting, the Holy Spirit tells the church in Antioch to send two of their leaders out for the work he has planned for them (Acts 13:1–3). This launches Barnabas and Saul on a nearly 900-mile disciplemaking journey, recorded for us in Acts 13–14. In fulfillment of Acts 1:8, the gospel has spread though Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria, and now begins the trek to “the end of the earth.”
Revelation 1:4-8
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
0 To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
Reflection
Here in Revelation 1:5, John refers to Jesus as “the firstborn of the dead” because his resurrection guarantees the future resurrection of all his followers (cf. 1 Cor. 15:20–22). John also identifies Jesus as the One “who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood” (Rev. 1:5). Christ loves sinners and has freed us from our sins. This is the wonder of the gospel.
Because of the salvation Jesus has accomplished, he is worthy of praise (cf. 5:5–14; 7:9–12; 14:2–3; 15:2–4). At his second coming with the clouds, “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him” (1:7). This piercing took place at the cross where Jesus suffered (cf. Zech. 12:10), but his coming with the clouds indicates that he is God’s chosen conqueror (cf. Dan. 7:13).
Psalm 146:8
0 8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.
Jesus will return in plain sight for all to see (Rev. 1:7). For now, however, he is only revealed by the Holy Spirit as the gospel is preached. Pray, therefore, that God would use you to share the gospel with others and that his Spirit would open their eyes to see the reality of Jesus.