Set Apart for God's Purpose

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 13:2)

Following this dramatic commissioning by the Holy Spirit, Saul and Barnabas went to the island of Cyprus. As a result of their journey, the Roman proconsul at Paphos believed. It’s a fascinating journey that grows even more interesting when you take in the details of Acts 13. I am intrigued by the idea that they were “separated” for the work of God. Sometimes it’s easier to think in terms of physical separation. In the case of Acts 13, Saul and Barnabas departed from Antioch and journeyed to Cyprus. The physical separation from the church in Antioch was obvious. Less obvious is the deeper separation that takes place on the inside. Saul and Barnabas were set apart for God’s purpose. That is a separation that requires me to be willing to sacrifice my will in favor of God’s will. Christian writers have often referred to this as “the way of the cross”.

Kyle Stobel points out that “Paul (Saul) did not see the cross of Christ as merely an event in history or an aspect of his theology that he had to admit happened; the cross represented a revolutionary way of life.” This revolutionary way of life compels me to be set apart for God’s work. I may never be led to go to the island of Cyprus, but the way of the cross is a death march for my selfishness and pride and a gateway to the rule and reign of my Lord. Finally, the way of the cross allows others to see Jesus in me. When Barnabas and Saul left Cyprus, they left behind a Roman proconsul who had encountered the Gospel and believed. That is my mission in life.