27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
01 Acts 13 01-03 THE COMMISSIONING OF BARNABAS AND PAUL 14 Acts 13 03 Inauguration for the task of the Gospel
📖 Acts 13:01-03
14 – Fri, 28 Feb 2025 – *Inauguration for the task of the Gospel* - _Acts 13:01-03_ – THE COMMISSIONING OF BARNABAS AND PAUL – _Numbers 27:18-20_
_Acts 13:3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away._
The church continued to fast and pray. They did not act in haste but waited in the presence of the Lord before they were all sure that this direction was from the Lord. They then laid hands on them to bless them and send them away.
Fasting, praying, and then taking the next step demonstrates trust in the Lord. *Our whole life is a life of trusting God and then taking action*. _Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; (6) In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths._
It is crucial to wait on the Lord and move forward in His ways. We live no more for ourselves but for Him. _II Corinthians 5:15 and He died for all, *that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him* who died for them and rose again._ If only this truth would register in the hearts and minds of His people it would be glorious. Sadly, we see so many of God’s people acting in haste in their life decisions. They are basing their decisions on the currents of the world. When we do so, we will be carried by the currents of the world and will end our lives, wasted.
_Psalm 27:14 Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!_
It requires courage to wait on the Lord and not be carried by the flow. The Lord warns us not to act hastily. _Isaiah 30:1-3 "Woe to the rebellious children," says the LORD, "Who take counsel, but not of Me, And *who devise plans, but not of My Spirit*, That they may add sin to sin; (2) Who walk to go down to Egypt, And have not asked My advice, To strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, And to trust in the shadow of Egypt! (3) Therefore the strength of Pharaoh Shall be your shame, And trust in the shadow of Egypt Shall be your humiliation._
This courage to wait on the Lord is provided to us by His grace. _Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint._
What happens to those who wait on the Lord? Blessed are all those who wait on the Lord and then take action. _Isaiah 30:18 Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; *Blessed are all those who wait for Him*._
The ones who wait on the Lord will inherit the land. _Psalm 37:34 Wait on the LORD, And keep His way, And *He shall exalt you to inherit the land*; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it._
The church waited in the presence of the Lord with fasting and prayer. Then they blessed Barnabas and Saul and sent them away. We can see the blessed result of this step of the church. 2000 years have passed and the blessing of that step continues to unfold before our eyes.
Though we know this truth in our hearts, yet, in practice, we act in haste. The result is a disaster. _Jeremiah 17:5-6 Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, *Whose heart departs from the LORD*. (6) For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited._
The church in Antioch is teaching us a precious lesson of waiting in the presence of the Lord with fasting and prayer before moving forward. They blessed Barnabas and Saul.
They then laid hands on them. The laying on of hands, in the word of God, is of high significance. The laying on of hands is imparting God’s blessing, which is the greatest gift to give. Jesus laid His hands on little children and blessed them. _Mark 10:16 And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them._
Laying on of hands symbolizes the transfer of authority. _Numbers 27:18-20 And the LORD said to Moses: "Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, *and lay your hand on him*; (19) set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and *inaugurate him* in their sight. (20) And *you shall give some of your authority to him*, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient._
Laying on of hands also symbolised ordination and commissioning Barnabas and Saul for the task of the Gospel.
The church in Antioch was blessing, ordaining, commissioning and giving authority to Barnabas and Saul to be their extension. They could now go out into the world and establish many more churches in the same model as the church in Antioch. This was a great honour as this meant that the church trusted Barnabas and Saul to be their extended arm.
A crucial step in the growth of the church was taking place.