I was going over my notes and thoughts on teaching Acts 13 this evening and I was struck by a profound truth that the Lord keeps bringing back to me. But this time He wrapped it two words… Saul/Paul.
Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
The word “separate” (aphorizio) means to divide or sever. The Holy Spirit told them to “sever” Barnabas and Saul so that they could be about the work to which the Lord had “called” them (proskaleomai); invited or summoned. The word called is in the perfect tense, meaning that the two of them had an inner call. The Holy Spirit had created a desire in them and now He was clarifying the direction they were to take. The desire and the clarification were the key parts of their discovering the will of God for their lives.
That’s the message.
It is the same for each one of us. God has called and chosen us and He has separated (consecrated)us and set us apart for His service.
And just like He did for Saul/Paul, He will prepare us for those “strategic” opportunities He has for each one of us. Why do I say Saul/Paul? Read chapter 13 carefully and you will see that his background was all part of God’s preparation for his ministry. Paul was his Latin or Roman name and Saul was his Jewish name. God used the Greek culture to condition him and his Hebraism to train him for a life in Christ.
Truly, Saul/Paul was a man for all nations and all seasons. As Jew he confronted the Jews that were oppressing the Gospel (Bar-Jesus), and as Roman he confronted the Roman proconsul (Sergius Paulus). His preparation in Tarsus and his familiarity with Greek culture and the Roman world prepared him to share the Gospel with many different people at many different levels. And it’s the same for us. The more varied our background and our interests the more people we are able to reach and touch with the Gospel.
We, like Saul/Paul, have been separated and called unto the work the Lord has for us. And that work is unique to us. No one can complete it for us because we have been uniquely prepared and gifted to complete it. Our heritage, cultural background, training, interests, hobbies, and even our sports activities put us in touch with a wide variety of people. And like one of my favorite commentators put it: People are like islands: you have to row around them before you know where to land. And that’s the reason we need to fully live out every day of our life in the Holy Spirit. It’s only under His guidance that we will develop all that we need in order to determine where to land. And it is only after landing that we are given the opportunity to share the reason for the hope that is within us.
If we are committed to the “separation” we have been “called” to, if we are committed to following the Holy Spirit as our prime directive, then we will be fully prepared to meet the Bar-Jesus’ and Sergius Paulus’ that come into our lives. We will know how to row around those islands until we find the perfect beach the Holy Spirit has prepared for our landing. And at that precise moment, we will have exactly what we need in order to make the natural connection that will lead to the spiritual connection.
Separated for the work to which He has called us… sounds like a great plan to me!