So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
After fasting, prayer, laying on of hands, ordination and setting apart by the believers and church at Antioch, Saul or Paul and Barnabas were sent forth by the Holy Spirit on their first missionary journey. The Spirit's direction and guidance with the church's prayerful commissioning accompanied their labor for God. They departed from Antioch to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. They took John Mark with them as companion to Cyprus.
Cyprus was a fitting field where the gospel had already been preached to an established Christian community. Believers had fled there from Jerusalem after the persecution following Stephen's death, people from Cyprus had carried the message of Jesus to Antioch, and Barnabas himself was from Cyprus. At Salamis on Cyprus they preached in the Jewish synagogues.
The verse shows that the Holy Spirit selects laborers for the work of saving souls, and no one is to be pushed into traveling labor by human encouragement if God has not called him. The one the Lord moves to labor feels the burden of the work resting on him, cares for souls rather than for his own support, does not settle into other men's labors but strikes out into new places and enters new ground, labors on through want and privation, gives full proof of his ministry, and brings out souls as fruit of his labor. Ability to exhort and pray with freedom in conference meetings is good and needed in the church, but by itself does not qualify a person to labor in the vineyard. Sending out those who lack the call and experience leaves churches lower and discourages them.
Being thus sent by the Holy Spirit calls for a higher moral standard, earnest seeking of the Lord, and humbled hearts, because the Lord will not encourage false theories and a low standard. The sending belongs to a refining, enlightening, sanctifying and purifying work that removes dross, converts the church, reforms sanitariums, printing offices and every line of work throughout America, and sends the warning message forth. The Holy Spirit's presence, guidance and help continue with workers who seek God's counsel, earnestly seek Him, humble themselves, and surrender their will to His guidance.
After fasting, prayer, laying on of hands, ordination and setting apart by the believers and church at Antioch, Saul or Paul and Barnabas were sent forth by the Holy Spirit on their first missionary journey. The Spirit's direction and guidance with the church's prayerful commissioning accompanied their labor for God. They departed from Antioch to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. They took John Mark with them as companion to Cyprus.
Cyprus was a fitting field where the gospel had already been preached to an established Christian community. Believers had fled there from Jerusalem after the persecution following Stephen's death, people from Cyprus had carried the message of Jesus to Antioch, and Barnabas himself was from Cyprus. At Salamis on Cyprus they preached in the Jewish synagogues.
The verse shows that the Holy Spirit selects laborers for the work of saving souls, and no one is to be pushed into traveling labor by human encouragement if God has not called him. The one the Lord moves to labor feels the burden of the work resting on him, cares for souls rather than for his own support, does not settle into other men's labors but strikes out into new places and enters new ground, labors on through want and privation, gives full proof of his ministry, and brings out souls as fruit of his labor. Ability to exhort and pray with freedom in conference meetings is good and needed in the church, but by itself does not qualify a person to labor in the vineyard. Sending out those who lack the call and experience leaves churches lower and discourages them.
Being thus sent by the Holy Spirit calls for a higher moral standard, earnest seeking of the Lord, and humbled hearts, because the Lord will not encourage false theories and a low standard. The sending belongs to a refining, enlightening, sanctifying and purifying work that removes dross, converts the church, reforms sanitariums, printing offices and every line of work throughout America, and sends the warning message forth. The Holy Spirit's presence, guidance and help continue with workers who seek God's counsel, earnestly seek Him, humble themselves, and surrender their will to His guidance.