Very Different Results

Acts 13:4-14 KJV

 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:

Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.

But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,

And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

(Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.

There are, listed in this very first description of missionary endeavor, five towns:

·       Seleucia

·       Salamis

·       Paphos

·       Perga

·       Antioch in Pisidia

The missionaries were the same but the circumstances in every place were different.

·       They merely passed through the first

·       They preached in the next but with no consequence

·       In Paphos they ran into resistance, but with fruit nonetheless

·       In Perga they suffered a loss

·       In Antioch Saul's testimony led to his name being changed

Same men. Same God. Same calling. But with very different results.

Why would we expect different?

·       There will be seasons of life we just pass through

·       There will be times we are faithful but bear no fruit

·       There will be attacks that lead to victories

·       There will be heartaches as those we have come to lean on leave the work

·       There will be life-altering circumstances

None of this in any way altered their vision or purpose. They continued on in obedience to Christ.

That's the very best any of us can do.