The title to last week’s message was “Cyprus, the World.”
Not only did I want to preach the gospel once again,
The gospel has to penetrate the facade of religion that most people have in order to reach the heart.
And so, generally speaking, religion is not an asset, but a curse, to society.
It’s a curse because very often it shields people from the Truth of the gospel.
But first – we are told three times in Acts 13 that Sergius Paulus was the “Deputy” of Cyprus.
It amazes me that there are still people who try to criticize the accuracy of the Bible.
Pilate, Felix & Festus are never called “deputies” because they were only “procurators,” not proconsuls.
Sergius Paulus and other proconsuls, were an appointees, or deputies, of the Roman Senate.
Pilate and Festus, procurators, were appointees of the Roman Emperor.
There is interesting history and politics in regard to the province of Cyprus, but it is crystal clear that Luke was crystal clear about the nature of this man’s office.
The antichrists of the world haven’t got a leg to stand on when they try to criticize the accuracy of Biblical history.
Other than the fact that Sergius Paulus is called a deputy, there is only one other word used to describe him:
The Holy Spirit, through Luke, calls him “a prudent man.”
This is not a common word in the New Testament, and it’s always translated “prudent.”
My English dictionary says that to be prudent is to be:
However I need to point out that when the Bible uses this word it is talking about WORLDLY wisdom,
The Lord Jesus, in prayer once said, “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”
And Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
Sergius Paul was a prudent man.
For the sake of this message, I’d like to attach my own adjective to the other character in this text: Barjesus.
In reading about his reaction to the gospel, and his attempt to deceive Sergius, I would call him “impudent.”
To be impudent is to be offensively bold; it is to be shameless.
The word comes from Latin – “im-pudeere” – “NOT to be ashamed.”
At least initially, until his blindness, Barjesus was impudent toward the Lord’s ambassadors.
Sennacherib, the Syrian was beating on the doors of Jerusalem, and the nation of Judah was in a state of decadent decline.
The judgment of God was beginning to fall on Jerusalem, but only a few people recognized it.
They had nothing to fear, but fear itself.
Verse 14:
“Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.”
To scorn is to show contempt or disdain for something.
King Ahaz was a licentious idolater, who had given himself up to luxury and wickedness.
He was like so many of the people of the United States.
He scorned the rebuke of God’s prophets and the predictions of national judgment.
And of course, he surrounded himself with like-minded people.
Verse 15:
“Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:”
It might be thought at first that Ahaz had actually made some sort of Satanic covenant sealed with blood and the sacrifice of a cat or a virgin,
Only rarely do people knowingly choose to make decisions based on lies.
People do it all the time unknowingly, but rarely is it something intentional.
They had never heard that their earthly lives, like ours, are only a vapour that appear for a little time and then vanish away.
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”
This is one of the greatest of the Messianic prophesies.
He is the foundation of life, of eternity, of eternal life.
That Greek version is called the “Septuagint,” which refers to the seventy.
Often when the New Testament quotes or refers to the Old Testament, it is to the Septuagint version.
In other words, those who put their faith in the Lord Jesus will not be disappointed in what they have done.
Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.”
And it was from the Septuagint.
“Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.”
From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.”
The Lord has made a revelation of His heart and His will.
There is eternal judgment against every sinner; there is the wrath of Almighty God.
“The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Ps. 9).
The wages of sin is eternal death, and the Lord keeps perfect books.
Notice Isaiah 28:20:
“For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.”
Some of you have never tried to sleep on a bed that was too short for you, but others have.
Verse 21:
“For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.”
At Perazim David attacked the Philistines and God poured out His wrath on those idolatrous people.
Now, says Isaiah, is God going to turn that judgment around and pour it out on those who claim to be His people.
Judgment is coming, Judah, judgment is coming.
“Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.”
Stop your mocking and shut your impudent mouths, because the nation is going to be consumed.
Jehovah has determined to judge the wicked all the earth.
The chains and ropes which will drag you into captivity are going to be made strong and tight.
In fact the chains of hell are completely unbreakable.
Isaiah’s prophecy should have driven his generation towards the Saviour,
But it was no more heard by them than it was by Barjesus in Paul’s day.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn that Isaiah 28 was preached a few times across Cyprus.
And when the missionaries came to Paphos where Sergius Paulus was curious to hear the truth,
I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Paul preached this scripture right into his face.
Like King Ahaz and Jotham, his father before him, he knew the Word of God reasonably well.
He knew the Bible as well as any young man raised in Sunday School and worship services of a good Baptist church.
Had he made a covenant with Satan, death and sheol?
Did he still claim to be first and foremost a Jew, before calling himself a sorcerer?
Had he unilaterally decided that he had nothing to fear from the judgment of God?
Whatever was true about these things,
He rejected Jesus as the precious corner stone, the sure foundation of the Kingdom of God.
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”
But from what I know of the heart of that evangelist, I know that he yearned for his salvation.
There isn’t the slightest indication of this.
The Lord gave the deputy a curiosity about Christ and the gospel.
And He gave him the opportunity to hear the teaching and preaching of Paul and Barnabas.
He was permitted to see the miraculous handiwork and judgment of God on Elymus.
And Sergius Paulus believed the doctrine of the Lord.
I must assume that he trusted the Christ Whom Paul preached.
Between Sergius and Elymus we have an illustration of Jesus’ illustration in Matthew 7.
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”
Sergius was told that Jesus Christ is the sure foundation, and that deputy of Rome believed that testimony.
The man or woman who doesn’t believe and rest upon that foundation will be destroyed when the storm of God’s judgment falls.
And that storm is guaranteed.
Now, let me close with one further parallel (or is a contrast?).
The Bible says that Sergius was a prudent man, and I said that Elymus was an impudent man.
To be prudent is to be able to make wise choices, and it appears that is what the deputy did.
To be impudent, on the other hand, is to be offensively bold; it is to be shameless.
As Paul said referring to Isaiah, Sergius Paulus, in putting his faith in Christ, will never be ashamed or regret having made that decision.
Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”
If he thought that it was embarrassing to need the help of some of his deceived disciples to find the kitchen or the bathroom,
How embarrassed will he be when he is cast into Hell?
And how embarrassed will you be on the day of the Great White Throne judgment?
Are you prepared to stand before God, and to thank Him for saving your unworthy soul?
Are you ready to tell world that you are a child of God by faith in Christ Jesus?
Are you impudent or spiritually prudent?