Scripture Reading : Acts 13:1-12
Theme : The Beginning of Missions
Acts 1-12 focused on the preaching and ministry of Peter. From Acts 13 to the rest of the book, the narrative focused on Paul.
- Missionaries commissioned. There were still prophets at this time of the Book of Acts (also see 11:27-28), and they received direct revelation from the Holy Spirit that Saul (a.k.a. Paul) and Barnabas were to be sent to do the work that God intended. With the cessation of the temporary gifts, especially after the canon of the New Testament was completed, the role of prophets also ceased.
- Missionaries challenged. There was a false-prophet who sought to mislead the governor (proconsul) and the false-prophet opposed Paul and Barnabas.
- Missionaries championed. But the purpose of God cannot be thwarted and His Word cannot be stopped. With the authority given him by the Holy Spirit (God), Paul made the false-prophet blind, and the proconsul believed in the Gospel.
Praying the Scripture
- There are no more prophets today, as in those who foretell the future. With the completion of the Bible, Christians have the entire counsel of God (2 Tim 3:16-17). Instead of praying for God to give direct revelation, Christians should read God’s Word to know God’s will. God’s will is for all believers to preach the Gospel (Matthew 28:19-20), so, instead of waiting for an audible voice from God that we are to become missionaries, let us begin by sharing the Gospel with people whom we meet daily. Pray that we will be faithful in little things, so that we can be faithful in bigger things.
- Pray that we will not hinder the Gospel by our actions and words.
- The role of miracles was to authenticate the Apostles’ message. Today, there is no more gift of miracles (though God can still grant miracles, according to His will, but not through the hands of a miracle healer). Pray that we will live holy and righteous lives, so that the Gospel message we preach will be effectively displayed through our lives.
经文：使徒行传13:1-12
主题：宣教的开端
使徒行传首十二章经文专注的是彼得的教导与事工。从13章起，保罗则是焦点人物。
- 宣教士的呼召。使徒行传的叙述仍处在教会初期，所以先知还存在（参见11:27-28），而他们直接从圣灵领领受了启示，因而差派扫罗（后称保罗）和巴拿巴去完成神所定意的事工。随着短时性的恩赐的终止，特别是在新约圣经的正典已经完成之后，先知的恩赐也就停止了。
- 宣教士的挑战。有一个假先知存心误导巡抚（方伯），并公开与保罗和巴拿巴对抗。
- 宣教士的胜利。然而，神的旨意既不受阻扰，祂的道也不受捆绑。借着圣灵（神）所赐予的权柄， 保罗叫假先知立时瞎了眼，而方伯就信了福音。
用经文祷告
- 能预知未来的先知已不复存在。圣经正典完成后，信徒有神全备的教导（提后3:16-17）。信徒若要祈求神的直接启示，倒不如读神的话，从而得知神的旨意。神的旨意是要所有信徒传福音（太28:19-20），所有与其等待神出声吩咐我们作宣教士，不如开始向我们每日所遇的人传讲福音。祈求我们能在小事上忠心，叫我们也能在大事上如此。
- 祈求福音不会因着我们的言行举止受阻。
- 行神迹奇事的恩赐是要应证使徒的信息为真。如今，行神迹的恩赐已不复存在了（当然，神仍能按祂的旨意行神迹，但绝对不会借着神迹医术者来）。祈求我们能过圣洁与公义的生活，叫我们所传的福音信息能借着我们的生命有效地展现于世。
