Evidence of Faith (Continued): Acts 13

"When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord…" Acts 13:48

        Honor. An outward expression of tribute. A transparent display of respect. A desire to preserve or enhance a legacy.

Honor indicates a person, tradition, or object is worthy of esteem. To offer up homage to something, or someone, is a pursuit that is not taken lightly. Such an activity flows from a heart that carefully discerns who, or what, is deserving of salutation, as was the case a few years ago when I was inspired to formally honor my mother.

Mom has been a constant source of encouragement throughout my life. She is in many ways a Proverbs 31 woman, a woman who fears the Lord and has earned recognition because of her unwaveringly godly disposition. Although I continually strive to compliment her with my words and actions, one year I had a yearning to do something more to commemorate her. The genesis of my motivation was my recent admission into the parenthood fraternity, where I quickly learned fatherhood is no small endeavor. It is a demanding undertaking, riddled with blessings and challenges. I was reminded of my mother’s incredible example. Her many admirable parental qualities merit recognition and replication. The loving environment she formed for me and my sister fostered our physical, emotional, and spiritual growth as children.  Mom was compassionate when we were in hurtful states. She was stern when we were in defiant states. She was comforting when we were in doubtful states.

Becoming a father compelled me to see this world through a fresh set of eyes. Life is too short and too precious to leave thoughts and feelings unexpressed. More than ever, I wanted to show Mom that knowing her was a treasure because she had blessed my life in countless ways. I deeply longed to convey that. I asked my wife, Dawn, for advice and input. She mentioned we could make a living memory scrapbook, a book containing testimonies and stories of how Mom had positively impacted our lives. What made the suggestion even better was the fact that my mother’s birthday was just a few months away. Why not present her with the living memory book then?

Dawn recommended that I contact my sister, Karen, about developing Mom’s keepsake. Karen is extremely creative and would contribute a great deal to the living memory scrapbook project. I called Karen to discuss the idea. She thought it was an excellent proposal. During the course of our conversation, we decided to broaden the scope of the effort. We recognized that our personal examples of Mom’s tenderness were not enough to adequately express how much of a difference Mom has made in the world. She has touched numerous lives with her kindness, graciousness, and love. Karen, Dawn, and I sent out a letter to over fifty people, inviting them to honor Mom by submitting a testimony for Mom’s memory scrapbook. We asked each contributor to offer a memory he or she felt encapsulated Mom’s godly character. We titled the project the “I Remember When” journal because we wanted every entry to open with the line “I remember when.” My personal contribution to the “I remember when” journal captured the sentiment of my heart:

I remember when I was a college sophomore you would meet me weekly for lunch at a little café near campus. I cannot recall the name of the restaurant we ate at, but I am mindful of how I felt when our fellowship concluded: grateful. Grateful that you would take the time to drive across town and be with me. There are simply no words to describe how much those conversations meant to me. We have shared so many exchanges throughout my life, but those discussions are especially precious to me because for one hour a week I found some solace in the midst of a dizzying and draining college life.

College, as wonderful and exciting as it was for me, was equally exhausting and complex. It felt like the weight of life’s destiny was resting on my shoulders. I was journeying from childhood to manhood. I was laying the foundation of a yet-to-be-determined career path. But when you would meet at the café, all of that faded into the background. Somehow my problems were not as big as God. Somehow you helped inspire me to deepen my faith. 

My voyage from college to a career was akin to being in a sailboat at sea. There were moments where I felt lost, disoriented, and stationary. Your endearing words and actions were like gusts of wind that propelled me forward. In time, and in large part to you, I landed safely ashore.

You are joy personified. You always find a way to stay positive and inspire hope, even against insurmountable odds. You always find a way to laugh. You possess an abiding faith in the Maker of your magnificent heart. I have long sought to model your generosity and your outlook. This world would look drastically different if people practiced just a fraction of the resolve and character you exhibit day in and day out. Your example has not gone unnoticed. Thank you for being genuine, gracious, and godly. I love you.

Kevin

“A wife of noble character who can find?....Her children arise and call her blessed.” (Pr. 31:10, 28)     

The response to this endeavor was remarkable. We received a host of testimonies. People were elated to have the opportunity to honor my mother’s life. Karen compiled the entries and fashioned a beautifully decorative scrapbook. She brought it, along with her three children, from California to Oklahoma for a surprise birthday party at Mom’s church. The celebration included many of the people who had presented memories for Mom’s keepsake. When we gave the scrapbook to Mom, I told her that it was a small sampling of what she has done for Christ’s glory. I mentioned life is not measured by the possessions we own, the positions we hold, or the stature we attain; life is measured by our relationship with Christ and the legacy we leave. I asked her to look around the room and see her legacy. She had uplifted every one present at one time or another to lean on God’s Word and discover the joy that comes from knowing the Lord.

Honor requires both abundant consideration and ample contribution. It is not easily earned, but, consequently, it is not easily lost. It endures because the one it is applied to commands a character of integrity. A character of consistency. A character of nobility. Coincidentally, integrity, consistency, and nobility describe God’s character. Truly, there is no greater receiver of our respect than God. He is the worthiest beneficiary of honor.

Honor abounded in Acts 13, which begins by returning to the work in Antioch (Syria). Barnabas and Saul actively trained disciples and brought new people to faith in the Lord. Luke identifies certain believers by name who occupied vital roles in the growth and development of the church in Antioch. He records that these individuals were either teachers or prophets. This detail accentuates the order and structure that was quickly taking shape within the church. 

The roles and offices were becoming more and more diversified as the church expanded. Acts 11:30 revealed that elders were already in place at Jerusalem, the keystone church. The early disciples and believers trusted in God’s direction, but also instilled a ministerial composition that effectively utilized peoples’ abilities and gifts for the advancement of Christ’s legacy. The teachers preached the life of Jesus. The prophets interpreted Old Testament passages and transmitted heavenly-ordained messages (as was the case with Agabus in Acts 11:28). The elders comprised a pastoral and decision-making role, which will be explored at greater length in Acts 14.          

It came about one day that as the church ministers in Antioch were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit requested Barnabas and Saul be set aside for a select mission. They were charged with planting the gospel seeds of salvation to territories beyond the Judean landscape, where Christianity had principally settled at that time. Knowing it was time for Saul and Barnabas to leave Antioch and witness abroad, the disciples laid their hands on them (a practice we have observed before in Scripture) and prayed that God would bless their ministry.

Barnabas and Saul, along with John Mark, set out for the island of Cyprus, Barnabas’s birthplace (Acts 4:36). This voyage marked the beginning of three missionary journeys by Saul. Saul, Barnabas, and John Mark traveled throughout Cyprus and eventually came to Paphos, a coastal city on the southwest side of Cyprus. A civil authority in Paphos, named Sergius Paulus, called for Saul and Barnabas so that he could hear the word of God. Scripture states Sergius Paulus was an intelligent man, who apparently had an open mind to the teachings Saul and Barnabas had shared in Cyprus. But when Saul and Barnabas arrived at the appointed place to speak to Sergius Paulus, a Jewish attendant named Bar-Jesus (meaning son of Joshua), who was a sorcerer and a false prophet, intercepted them and unleashed a barrage of criticism, intending to prevent Sergius Paulus from receiving the word of truth. Such is the unending scheme of the devil: to stop humanity from knowing and following God’s life-giving and life-sustaining words.  

Saul looked directly at Bar-Jesus and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, rebuked him for attempting to thwart God’s work. Saul condemned Bar-Jesus for maliciously misleading people through deceptive magic arts. The apostle prophesied that Bar-Jesus would be temporarily blind, unable to see sunlight. Perhaps this punishment represented the havoc Bar-Jesus had brought upon Paphos. For a time, the counterfeit messenger had concealed the light of God’s Word and caused a condition of spiritual blindness to pervade. Now he was a victim to physical blindness. Interestingly, this was the same fate Saul, who too once fiercely opposed Christianity, experienced after he met Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:8). Bar-Jesus’s momentary loss of vision was laced with grace in that it was not an unending sightlessness, thereby leaving room for repentance. After Bar-Jesus was dumbfounded, blinded, and silenced, Sergius Paulus believed. Although Sergius Paulus saw firsthand the supernatural correction of Bar-Jesus, Scripture points out that it was the teaching and the doctrine that drew him into faith. 

From Paphos, Saul, Barnabas, and other ministers set out for Pisidian Antioch in Asia Minor, which should not be confused with the Antioch that was located in Syria. Asia Minor, which largely rests in modern-day Turkey, would soon become an area of emphasis for Saul and Barnabas. Before continuing on with the remaining exploits listed in Acts 13, two critical considerations should be addressed in this section of Scripture. One, Saul’s name for the remainder of Acts is referred to as Paul, symbolizing his commitment to preach to non-Jewish people. Saul is a Hebrew birth name, a name the apostle carried proudly. Paul is the Roman equivalent of Saul, which connected and endeared the missionary to a global evangelistic obligation. Jesus called Saul to be a witness to Gentile people in Acts 9:15. Saul fully embraced this labor and embodied it with a dual designation of his name. 
Two, John Mark left Paul and Barnabas before they set out for Pisidian Antioch, opting to return to Jerusalem. We are not told why John Mark did not continue on with Paul and Barnabas. Perhaps he was homesick, or maybe he was too spiritually immature to handle the responsibilities of the mission field. Regardless, his departure would later be labeled a desertion in Acts 15:38, ultimately causing Barnabas and Paul to disagree and divide over John Mark’s ministry reinstatement. 
Returning to the narrative in Acts 13, we find Paul, Barnabas, and other unnamed disciples in Pisidian Antioch, where they attended a Sabbath service at the local synagogue. During the service, Paul was asked to speak after biblical excerpts had been read aloud. This is Paul’s first public address documented in Acts. Before he addressed the crowd, Paul motioned with his hand. This was likely a gesture to excite the people and call them to attention for what they were about to be told was vitally important. 

Paul’s opening statement was a brief history of the Hebrew nation after their exodus from Egypt, which to the Jewish attendees would have been a word of affirmation and honor. Paul highlighted the change in Israel’s governance through the ages. They were once guided by judges until their forefathers told Samuel the prophet that they wanted a king so that they could resemble other kingdoms. Saul, son of Kish, was crowned their first king, but was subsequently removed by God after ruling for forty years. God then anointed David, son of Jesse, to replace Saul as king. Immediately, Paul transitioned to the story of Jesus since Christ was a descendant of David’s line. He touched on the high points of Jesus’ life and concluded his message by proclaiming Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice is the only way to achieve everlasting forgiveness of sin. In essence, Paul underscored faith in Jesus is more desirable than the perpetual sacrifices outlined in the Mosaic law for the redemption found in Jesus yields permanent salvation.

After the service, some synagogue participants expressed a need to hear more about Paul’s message. Paul and Barnabas agreed to return for the next Sabbath service so that they could further clarify their beliefs. When Paul and Barnabas reconvened the following week practically the whole city was there, which certainly included a large Gentile gathering. When the Jewish people glimpsed the huge Gentile base, they became envious and spoke abusively against Paul as he preached.

Paul and Barnabas responded to the verbal assaults with humble spirits. They said they had taken the gospel message to the Jewish community first, but since it had been largely rejected they were now obliged to deliver it elsewhere. When the Gentiles heard this they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord (Acts 13:48). The Gentile reaction at Pisidian Antioch to the invitation of salvation provides much encouragement as the people cherished the gospel. They honored God’s Word and made obeying it a paramount pursuit. They wanted to know God’s truth so that they could abide by it, as well as bring recognition to it. Reverence for Christ allowed them to understand that a lifestyle which contradicted the tenets of God’s Word was no longer desirable or acceptable.
The believers’ longing to honor God’s Word in Acts 13:48 provides three critical attributes that prompt reflection. One, honor generates accord. When the Gentiles in Pisidian Antioch discovered that redemption’s offer was now made available to them, they honored the word of the Lord. It did not sever them; it connected them. The atoning love of Christ and the teaching of God’s Word have the ability to bring about harmony and association among believers. It rallies us to the cross, where we experience salvation and learn how to adequately submit ourselves to God’s holy headship.    
Does this mean the church at Pisidian Antioch was able to avert future discord? Probably not. In the years that ensued, there were certainly bouts of derision and disagreement. But what this passage signifies is that what brought these people together and kept them in accord was the mutual desire to render appreciation to the Maker of heaven and earth. Acknowledging that Jesus was their Messiah and that He had saved them from their transgressions were the primary considerations in their fellowship, reminding us that when minds center on Christ and make Him the consuming focus (rather than church structure, policy or hierarchy), accord can be realized. 
Two, honor generates appreciation. The proof that believers in Pisidian Antioch appreciated God was evident by their willingness to honor the word of the Lord. They did not enter into the analysis or study of Scripture nonchalantly. They treated God’s Word like it was heavenly manna for their souls. It not only helped them survive; it helped them thrive. They knew without a steady diet of God’s wisdom and discipline their spirit would starve, which spurred a yearning for truth, an appetite for authenticity, and a hunger for holiness.
Honoring God entails more than just an audible reception or visual review of His Word. It requires more than just routinely attending worship services. Honoring God employs the purposeful celebration of God’s sovereignty, as well as praiseful gratitude of Christ’s sacrificial sufficiency. When these pursuits are at the forefront of believers’ minds, worship becomes more meaningful. Daily examination of the Bible becomes more necessary. Serving others becomes more pleasing. Loving humanity, even the seemingly unlovable ones, becomes more significant. When believers appreciate God, they honor God by emulating His character.
Three, honor generates articulation. If appreciation can be defined as recognizing someone’s worth, articulation can be thought of as the act of doing something about it. Articulation materializes when mental contemplation produces a physical response. What was the physical response of the disciples at Pisidian Antioch? They told others about Jesus. Acts 13:49 says, “The word of the Lord spread though the whole region.” There was an inherently exciting atmosphere brought about as a result of the believers sharing their faith. Neighbors, extended family members, and others across the community were introduced to God’s devoted message, which was powerfully conveyed and displayed through His Son: Jesus. Remarkably, we do not read of miracles taking place in Pisidian Antioch, although they might have occurred. The primary focus was the conviction of the believers, not the signs and wonders. Jesus and the word of God became so appealing because they caused an obvious change in the behavior and outlook of the disciples, who were happily held captive to it. 
The Pisidian Antioch Christians understood they had been rescued from spiritual darkness. Because they found the beauty of heaven’s light they enjoyed the assurance, hope, and direction it brings, and sought to help others break free from the shadow of wickedness. Admittance into God’s kingdom kindles a most glorious delight and a cheerful conduct, which was discernible to the residents in Pisidian Antioch as the word of the Lord made its way through the entire city. 
The treasure of a reconciling relationship with Jesus is one that should be cherished. One that should be honored. The believers at Pisidian Antioch had a firm grasp on this aspiration. They expressed their respect for God, as well as His Word. They appreciated and embraced His precepts, promises, and propitiation. They exalted Jesus for being the way, the truth, and the life. Their dedication to honor the word of the Lord is a pattern every present-day believer and church should seek to imitate.
Acts 13 closes by noting that as the word of the Lord spread throughout Pisidian Antioch, the Jewish people incited high-ranking men and women of the city to reject and run off Paul and Barnabas. They hoped that in expelling the chief messengers, the Christian movement that had suddenly overtaken the region would just as quickly vanish because of Paul and Barnabas’s departure. But the closing verse of Acts 13 says the disciples in Pisidian Antioch were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Even though they were likely saddened by the exit of Paul and Barnabas, two of God’s finest ministers, the believers still possessed the unshakable presence of the Holy Spirit. Thus they had reason to rejoice and reason to honor the life-altering word of the Lord.  

In what ways do you honor the word of the Lord?