sent and opposed

Good morning brothers and sisters,
This is a strange little passage that gives us an interesting glimpse into the church. A few days ago we read that Saul and Barnabas were sent from Antioch to Jerusalem; in our reading today they are back in Antioch in worship. The Spirit calls the community to set them apart for a mission and they are promptly prayed for and sent. The image of the church as a network of believers with teachers moving from place to place to spread the message is a striking and compelling one.

In their ministry Saul and Barnabas meet someone who wants to learn more about God and a friend of his who wants to prevent that. We see Saul fix his gaze on the opponent and send temporary blindness on him. Of course, Saul knows about being blinded by God's power and we can hope that Bar-Jesus too will find God's light on the other end of that blindness. Certainly the man who initially wanted to hear God's word is strengthened in his faith by this display of power. Then Saul and Barnabas are back on their way, following the Spirit in new directions. May we hear where the Spirit is leading us today.
blessings,
Sam

Acts 13:1-13

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the ruler, and Saul. 2While 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.” 3Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
4So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John also to assist them. 6When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they met a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, named Bar-Jesus. 7He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God.

8But the magician Elymas (for that is the translation of his name) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9But Saul, also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10and 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? 11And now listen—the hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be blind for a while, unable to see the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he went about groping for someone to lead him by the hand.

12When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord. 13Then Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and returned to Jerusalem;