Monthly Archives: April 2026

AFTER THE SEQUEL…HEAVEN MEETS HELL – 27

Bible Study

“The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.”

Following the leading of the Holy Spirit, the first port of call for these two unseasoned missionaries, Barnabas and Saul.  was the island of Cyprus. 

First detail…they went to the synagogues. You have to admire their courage. Despite their calling to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, Saul and Barnabas went first to the Jews. It had to be because the good news was always for God‘s own covenant people first and then the Gentiles. It seems there was no opposition to the gospel from these Jews. Perhaps they were more open-minded than their counterparts in Israel. 

Second detail…John Mark! Obviously, Barnabas included him in the party. However, like Lot in Abraham’s story, John Mark eventually became a liability according to Paul, and caused a rift in the partnership. 

Next detail…Elymas, the sorcerer. 

“They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. 

Why Paphos?

“Paphos is a historic coastal city in southwestern Cyprus, renowned as the mythical birthplace of Aphrodite and a major UNESCO World Heritage site. Historically, it was a vital religious center for the goddess’s cult and served as the island’s capital during Roman times. It boasts ancient ruins, including mosaics and the Tombs of the Kings.” (Source: Google AI)

None other than a henchman of the devil himself…and his name? Bar-Jesus! What a deception! The son of Jesus? Nothing could have been farther from the truth. 

In the hotbed of pagan worship in the capital city of Cyprus, this imposter was in league with the devil and claiming, according to his name, to be a son of Jesus, using Satan’s power to gain attention and influence. Quite comfortable in this environment, he was both a sorcerer and a false prophet. 

“The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.”

Elymas was not comfortable in the present of Jesus. He clashed with his superior, the proconsul. by trying to oppose them and block the missionaries from speaking to his boss. He wanted none of this Jesus-thing!

“Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬-‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Paul quickly assessed the situation. This was war! The battle lines were drawn. Unfortunately for Elymas, he was up against more than he bargained for…! Paul, on the learning curve, in the power of the Spirit, spoke the word that changed everything. Here was a demonstration of the power of the kingdom he and Barnabas represented…the power of the spoken word. 

Elymas became blind, exactly as Paul had declared. His evil heart exposed, Paul spoke darkness over him…the darkness of unseeing eyes that mirrored the darkness in his soul. 

Well! That did it! The proconsul was convinced…not because of the judgment on Elymas but because of the truth about Jesus. 

“When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭13‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Luke did not divulge the content of Paul’s message to the Roman officer but, together with God’s power through the spoken word, he was convinced and believed the truth. 

What a battle! What a victory!  

Paul was learning to use the power of the Word of God and the kingdom of which he and Barnabas were representatives. Their equip equipment was infallible. 

So, another seed planted…another soul won…another branch of God’s kingdom established on an island in the Mediterranean  sea! The flame was burning in the Roman Empire and would soon spread, against all odds, throughout the known world. The power of the gospel is unstoppable!

To be continued 

ACTS THE SEQUEL…PREPARATION AND PRACTICE – 26

Bible Study, ,

“Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 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.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

From chapter one, Luke had set the scene for the kingdom of God to spread from Jerusalem into Asia Minor and finally to reach Rome. God had  chosen and prepared His men. The church was firmly established in Israel and Syria, and a slender branch had sprouted in Africa.  The apostles had clearly understood and taught the gospel of grace, linking the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus with the Old Covenant and its prophetic message of salvation to the whole world. 

The moment had arrived…the Holy Spirit moved with clarity and purpose…hand-picking Barnabas and Saul, from a group of leaders in Antioch, for their new task. These two men had been honed through the discipline of hardship and testing, and moulded together into a partnership that would be vitally important as they faced the wall of Jewish and Roman push-back against the gospel. The power of Jewish religion and Roman imperial paganism that seemed like an impenetrable barrier, would stand between them and their calling.

But…they had the Word and the Spirit…and no power on earth or in hell could neutralise their strategy or their weapons, or kill their zeal for Jesus and His church. 

So. the Holy Spirit called…and the leaders answered with prompt obedience. With prayer and fasting, they set Barnabas and Saul aside for the mammoth task that lay ahead of them. Finally, Saul, the soon-to-be Paul…the “little” man…would be let loose on the Roman world, with the explosive message of Jesus, to turn that world upside down. 

Up to this point, it was Barnabas in the lead, and Saul tagging behind, following and supporting Barnabas in their pioneer work of spearheading the mission of the kingdom in a hostile environment. However, slowly…the leadership changed. Saul became the leader and Barnabas the follower because it was Saul…the chosen replacement for the renegade Judas Iscariot…who had fallen from his position in the Apostolic band…who would become the greatest apostle and missionary in the history of the early church. 

The two men…chosen, called, and equipped…set out, with the church in Antioch at their backs, on the first leg of their long and eventful journey into the Roman world, the island of Cyprus their first port of call. 

It wasn’t long before they hit the first obstacle. 

To be continued

ACTS THE SEQUEL…ENTER JOHN MARK – 25

Bible Study, ,

“When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭12‬:‭25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Luke added, at this point in his story, by the way, the name of a young man who would play an important role in breaking up the partnership of Paul and Barnabas as the story unfolds. Who was John Mark?

If we go back a chapter, the prayer meeting that resulted in Peter’s rescue took place in the home of John Mark’s mother, Mary. It seems that this family played an important role in the early church. 

John Mark, in Mark’s gospel, may have been the unnamed young man who fled naked when Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. 

So, John Mark has a history in the story of the early church…first, a coward, 

“A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭14‬:‭51‬-‭52‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…then a quitter and splitter… 

“Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭15‬:‭36‬-‭40‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…but, finally, in Paul’s own words, helpful…

“Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What had happened to John Mark that transformed his life? According to Paul, he was changed from a quitter to “helpful”. A second chance? A “Barnabas” in his life? 

How much the church needs the “Barnabas” kind of people who see the potential when others see only failure…who recognise the face of Jesus in the faces of mere humans. 

John Mark’s story is echoed in the lives of many believers down the centuries. Without the “Barnabas’s” who saw light when others saw only darkness…who saw potential when others saw failure…how many of God’s precious children might have been lost to His kingdom. The church still needs those who stand by the weak ones, propping them up until they can stand. Thank God for grace that still  reaches out to pick those up who fall by the wayside. 

To be continued 

ACTS THE SEQUEL…DON’T MESS WITH GOD’S GLORY – 24

Bible Study, ,

“After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply. On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.”

‭‭Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God continued to spread and flourish.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭12‬:‭19‬-24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Peter’s mysterious disappearance from the prison caused no end of a stir. The unsuspecting guards had to pay the price. 

Meanwhile, Herod was on his own mission…he was asked to make peace with the people of Tyre and Sidon with whom he had quarrelled. His speech was so moving on the day that they hailed him as a god! 

Well! That did it! Herod had to learn a good lesson…to his great loss. Never mess with God‘s glory. Never take credit for anything because God is the source of everything. To Him alone belongs all the glory. 

Herod paid the price for his foolishness with his life…not just death but a most humiliating demise. This pompous fool loved the limelight…and the accolades of humans. His pride cost him his life…in a most horrific way… and it will cost the lives of all who follow in his steps. 

If there is anything God hates, it is pride because pride takes the glory from Him and gives it to those whom He created. How can a creature take credit for what he did not do? 

So, God rightfully removed a man who had not respect for Him. Herod would no longer be able to harass God‘s people, although…in His sovereignty, there would be many others in the coming days whom the Father would use to refine the faith of His servants. 

And so, against all odds, God’s Spirit continued to work deeply in human hearts…bringing to faith many who were steeped in paganism. 

To be continued

ACTS THE SEQUEL…EXIT PETER – 23

Bible Study, ,

For a short while, the attention shifted…back to Jerusalem. Peter and his fellow believers became the target. First James, then Peter,  were in the firing line…

“It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

To please the Jews, Herod Agrippa, grandson of Herod the Great, who was appointed by the Emperor Claudius as king of Judea, became the proxy for the Jewish rulers. He had James, John’s brother, killed…then he went for Peter.  If he could wipe out the leaders, perhaps the movement would die. 

So, first, James exterminated…then Peter…arrested and put in jail, awaiting the inevitable verdict of “guilty”! For what?

 “He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.”

What kind of trial? The same kind that had condemned Jesus to death…had Stephen stoned…and James slaughtered with a sword? But…Peter had a backup…a body of faithful people who cared about him…a people who believed in prayer…so they appealed to a higher authority. They went straight to mission headquarters…to God the Father.  They prayed…earnestly…all through the night…to the Father…to intervene!

“So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God heard their cries…and acted…with a flourish. He delighted in messing with a corrupt Roman government and an impenetrable prison system. He did it more than once! He sent an angel…a heavenly messenger with heaven’s power and heaven’s authority, to do the impossible. 

Before Peter could blink, he was standing in the street outside the jail, his chains miraculously gone, and all the prison doors open while the guards slept! Just like that, he was free! Was he dreaming? Would he wake up to the same fate that befell his beloved fellow disciple, James…the one who had been Jesus’ companion with him when they walked with Him on earth?

No, it was true. Peter was not dreaming. He was really free! Best he get away from the prison before the guards woke up. The angel who had rescued him was gone…he was on his own now. 

“Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.” When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.”

The church was fervently praying, calling on the Lord for help…firmly believing that He wouid answer them. When it happened, they were gobsmacked, incredulous! Well! So much for their faith!

“Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!” 

“You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.” But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭12‬:‭11‬-‭16 NIV‬‬

Isn’t the reaction of these people just typical of human nature and true to life! We pray believing and…when God answers, we are shocked and surprised. We act like our faith was somewhat shaky to begin with…but God answered anyway. How gracious He is and how accommodating to our human frailty! Jesus said that all we need is faith as miniscule as a grain of mustard seed for  Him to answer…and He does.

There we have it… in black and white…their unbelief on record! When Peter stepped through the door, the result was deafening. He has to use hand signals to get their attention. 

“Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭12‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A quick explanation…and then he was gone. In the dead of night…under cover of darkness…Peter disappeared. Luke gives no details. Peter had another mission to fulfil but, for Luke’s purpose…of telling the story of the church from Jerusalem to Rome, the hub of the known world…Peter’s part must fade into the background and Saul/Paul must take centre stage. 

Peter would briefly emerge once more…in Paul’s story in Antioch… in a spat between him and Peter. Peter, still a Jew at heart, was not above correction. He slipped for a moment, back into Jewish scruples. Paul quickly spoke in defence of the gospel of grace. 

“When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Even good old Barnabas was caught up in the error. 

Paul, using truth as his weapon, pulled Peter and Barnabas back to reality…and, in the process, made one of the most profound statements in the New Testament…not only a testimony of his own life but also also a directive for the way of life of all believers. 

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, Peter was left to fulfil his ministry to the Jewish arm of the church while the focus shifted to Saul. 

To be continued