S. Acts 13:6-13 (NIV)
6 They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7 who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10 “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? 11 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. 12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
O. The Jewish people were God’s people to evangelize the world - yet they rejected the Lord’s plan. In the OT they rejected (numerous times) God’s appointed leaders and then the prophets. In the NT they rejected many of the disciples and apostles as well rejecting Jesus as their Messiah. Because of this, God sets Israel aside and starts a new creation called the Church, The Body of Christ (c.f. Romans 11). In this text, Elymas ried to prevent a gentile ruler from placing his faith in Christ Jesus and for this - Elymas was blinded for a time. Perhaps a picture or symbol of the blindness that Israel is experiencing.
A. Paul remained faithful to his mission to share Christ with the gentiles - yet he also had a great desire to see his fellow Jews receive Jesus. He wrote in Romans 1 that the Gospel of Jesus was the power of God unto salvation to the Jew first and also to the Gentiles (Romans 1:16).
I am so thankful that I have the blessing of leading a church that supports taking the gospel to the Jewish people. I will continue to pray for the Gateway Center for Israel and for Jewish evangelism.
P. Thank you Father for your word today. Thank you for “stirring” my heart to love and reach out to the Jewish people. It’s an honor and privilege to do so. I pray that the prayers and financial support from our church, Better Life Church, will result in a great harvest and that Jesus will be continue to be exalted. I pray this in Jesus’ name.
