Acts 13: Faithfully preaching the word
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Acts 13: Read the chapter here.
When we reach Acts 13 we reach another significant event in the story of the early church. It seems fairly inauspicious, but in verses 2-3 we learn of the Holy Spirit's commissioning of Barnabas and Saul (more commonly known as Paul). As the events of Acts 13 and the rest of the book, and also from Paul's letters, we learn of the purpose of the their mission - to bring the Good News to the non-Jewish world (the 'Gentiles'). It explains why Saul becomes Paul: this wasn't a change of name to signify conversion as some believe, but because it was a Latin name, rather than a Jewish one. In the same way that sometimes people today might adopt a name from a different language when operating in that country or context (I have heard of Chinese individuals adopting a 'Western' name, and I'm sure there are other examples), Paul, who is a Roman Citizen, goes by a Gentile name rather than a Jewish one.
It is wonderful to think of the 'great crowd of witnesses' that have formed a link, through their passing on of the Gospel, from the Apostles right through to us today, and for much of the world - particularly in Europe - this was a key point in our story. It's humbling to think of how they must have felt, going off into lands that may or may not have been familiar to them, not knowing where the Holy Spirit was going to send them next.
Acts 13 covers Paul's and Barnabas's activities on Cyrpus and in Pisidian Antioch. The significance of their interactions with the Jewish leaders I do not intend to go into today. But without that extra layer of meaning which certainly has its place, there is a simple story which is repeated time and time again throughout the Apostles' and early Church's mission: they preach the word faithfully and diligently everywhere they go, both publicly (in this case in the Synagogues) and privately in their interactions with people (such as Sergius Paulus and Bar-Jesus on Cyprus). People listen, some follow and others are angry. The church grows, but so does persecution, and the early Christians just keep preaching the word wherever they go.
Paul later writes to Timothy, another church leader:
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. (2 Timothy 4:1-2)
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