In Cyprus, Luke focused on Paphos where the gospel was preached among people who had a distorted view of God thanks to the Jewish sorceror, Elymas. In Pisidian Antioch he shows us a context in which the truth is clearly known, but Christ still causes division. Some receive the fulfilment of all they have hoped for with joy, others reject it out of jealousy that it diminishes how special their truth makes them feel.

As part of our Association Sunday we have David Cameron from Carr Baptist Church preaching for us

Barnabas and Saul, sent out from the church in Antioch, travel first to Cyprus where an encounter with a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet whose message has just enough truth in it to snare the ear of a Roman proconsul teaches them two lessons:

• We must never see Christ as a means to an end
• We must be all things to all men to save some

It’s often assumed that Acts 12:25-13:3 marks Paul’s call into missionary activity. However the truth is that he had been working as a missionary for over a decade. This is not the beginning of missionary work, this is the beginning of an unprecedented period of growth in the Church. That growth is …

• Growth out of Preparation
• Growth through Apprenticeship
• Growth by Sacrifice

Acts 12:1-24 is both a profound wound to the church, and a glorious victory for the church, as …

• One Dies
• One Lives
• One is Lost