· Paul’s Name Change
o Acts 13:1 “Saul”.
o Acts 13:2 “Saul”.
o Acts 13:9 “But Saul, who was also known as Paul”.
- After verse 9, Saul is always referred to as Paul for the rest of the Book of Acts
o Why the name change?
- The name change does not come from God.
- The name Saul means “Asked for, sought after, desired one”.
- The name Paul means “Small”.
- Paul went from someone who was prominent, important, sought after, to someone who was made small.
- Do you view yourself as the desirable one, or do you view yourself as small?
o Prophets? (Acts 13:1)
- The Office of Prophet in the Old Testament and the gift of Prophecy in the New Testament are not the same thing.
· Jesus helps us to understand that the OT office of Prophet was over with in Matthew 11:13.
o John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament prophets.
- The Holy Spirit indwells all believers in the Church Age, but it would come upon prophets in the Old Testament.
· 1 Corinthians 14:3 gives a clear picture of what the gift of prophecy is for: edification, exhortation, and consolation.
o The Leaders in Antioch (Acts 13:1)
- Barnabas
· Acts 4:36-37
· His real name is Joseph, but his nickname was Barnabas (which means son of encouragement or exhortation)
o This is the same word used in 1 Cor. 14:3 for something the gift of prophecy was supposed to do.
- Simeon who was called Niger
· Most likely Simon of Cyrene, the man who carried Jesus’ cross.
o Simeon and Simon are different Greek Spellings of the same Hebrew name.
o The Church at Antioch was founded by men from Cyprus and Cyrene (Acts 11:2).
o Niger means “Black” (Cyrene is in Northern Africa).
o Mark’s Gospel share details about Simon of Cyrene.
- Mark 15:21
- Acts 12:25 says John Mark went to Antioch with Saul and Barnabas.
- Lucius of Cyrene
· In my opinion, is Luke the author of Acts. See Intro to the Book of Acts Sermon.
- Manaen
· He was brought up in the household of Herod I with his son Herod Antipas (the tetrarch).
· He would have had an elite Greek education and been from a very prominent family.
- Saul
- The church in Antioch was very diverse.
- Application: Do we welcome diversity in church?

· Barnabas and Saul Commissioned (Acts 13:2-3)
o The Holy Spirit speaks and initiates this new Missionary work.
o The church responds by praying/fasting and laying hands on Barnabas and Saul, then they send them out.

· Barnabas and Saul Sent Out (Acts 13:4-8)
o Cyprus
- An island in the Mediterranean Sea, east of Syria.
- A Roman Province.
- Barnabas was from Cyprus (Acts 4:36).
o Salamis is a city on the east side of the Island of Cyprus.
- Why was John Mark with them?
o Paphos was the Roman capital of Cyprus (located on the west side of the island).
o The Jewish false prophet/Sorcerer Bar-Jesus opposes Paul and Barnabas
o The Proconsul Sergius Paulus summons Paul and Barnabas to hear what they were preaching.

· Bar-Jesus Punished (Acts 13:9-11)
o Paul, full of the Holy Spirit, speaks the truth of who Bar-Jesus was.
- Full of deceit
- A fraud
- Son of the devil
- Enemy of all righteousness
- Making the straight crooked
o We need to call out false teaching and false teachers.
- Acts 20:28-30
o Paul tells Bar-Jesus that he would go completely blind, and it immediately happened.
- This same thing had happened to Paul in Acts 9:8
- It is possible that Paul believed Bar-Jesus needed to be struck blind/to be humbled so that he would turn from his wickedness and believe in Jesus.
- If you are not a believer in Jesus, what does God need to do to get your attention?

· Sergius Paulus Responds (Acts 13:12)
o Sergius Paulus believes the teaching of Paul and Barnabas after this miraculous blinding.
o Sergius Paulus is attested as a historical figure in Pliny the Elders’ Natural History, as well as many archeological artifacts.

Application:
· What is the work that the Holy Spirit has called you to do this coming week?