the    sides

This is part of our journey through Acts. Today is from Acts 13.

The highlights:
Barnabas and Saul are confirmed as missionaries.
John Mark decides to go with them.
Saul changes his name to Paul.
John Mark goes home in the middle of the trip. (We’ll come back to this later.)
Paul starts debating Jesus in the synagogues.
Jewish people get mad.
Paul takes the Gospel to the Gentiles.
Jewish people get madder.
Paul and Barnabas move on the next town.

If it hasn’t been clear thus far, this chapter makes it crystal - Saul/Paul is one fierce intellectual. Calls one guy the work of the devil and blinds him. Argues the Jewish scholars into the ground. Travels all over the world. Can relate to almost any culture he finds himself in. Fierce in debate and dialog. No obstacle is too big or insurmountable. He’s not going to accept “no” and he’s not going to take the easy route to anythinig. Apparently John Mark got sick of it and wanted home.

He’s relentless.

Paul would have never made it on most church staffs. Way too abrasive and opinionated.

Barnabas is the nice guy. He’s the relational one. He befriends Saul. He befriends John Mark. We see him constantly being the one to bridge gaps. Barnabas is the velvet. Paul is the hammer.

Here’s the awesome thing - God uses both of them. That’s a huge stumbling block to some of you.

I’ve talked to a lot of students who didn’t think they could do ministry because they didn’t have the “right” personality. They were too loud, opinionated, edgy - whatever. Some students thought they had to be Mr. or Mrs. Charisma to be in student ministry and play guitar. I now have a standard response to such presuppositions.

From what level of hell did that come from?

Seriously. God has some moral markers for us. Things that should and will be apparent in our life if He’s working in us but He doesn’t have a personality profile. Look at all the different kinds of personalities He uses in Acts. It’s not just ridiculous, it should give us great hope and humble us when we think we’ve figured out who exactly the Spirit can use.

And here’s the other observation - God doesn’t just use pastors/missionaries. Paulos stays in political leadership after he follows Jesus. Marketplace converts will stay in their field. Why? Because it takes all kinds.

Had a student once who was struggling whether or not he should go in ministry. He love Jesus but he also loved law.

“Try this on for size - You love Jesus AND you love law therefore…”

“I’m going to be a lawyer for Jesus!”

“No - that’s impossible. They make you revoke your salvation at law school.”

Seriously, how about “with” Jesus? Do law with Jesus. Do ministry WITH Jesus. Do whatever you do WITH Him.