Lessons from Sergius Paulus

Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the Proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, "O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time." And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord. – Acts 13:6-12

Historical Accuracy of the Account

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Notice the following evidence that demonstrates the historical accuracy of this account:

What Kind of Church Is This?

Suppose a man in the emergency room of a hospital is overheard to say: "You don’t sell tires, change oil, or wash cars? What kind of hospital is this?" Or, "What you mean you don’t have trapeze artists, or lion tamers? What kind of hospital is this?"

Most of us would immediately realize his mistake. Doctors and nurses are skilled and trained to help people with health issues, but repairing automobiles and operating a circus are not the purposes of a hospital. And any hospital that would involve itself in those activities would be neglecting the real purpose for which they exist. If you want someone to repair your car or entertain you, you must go elsewhere.

Few people would make this kind of mistake regarding a hospital, but I once read an article that illustrated that people frequently make this mistake regarding the church. For example, consider the people who think: