“You are a child of the devil.” Acts 13:10 (Acts 13:6-12)
When tha Apostle Paul showed up on tha island of Seleucia, he met a sorcerer named Bar-Jesus, which means “Son of Salvation.” This feller whar an attendant ter tha proconsul, Sergius Paulus. Sergius whar an intelligent man and ’cause he wanted to hear tha words of Skipper, he sent fer Saul Paul and Barnabas.
Soon as Bar-Jesus heard that his boss wanted ter meet with Saul Paul and Barnabas, he opposed tha pair and tried to turn Sergius from the faith. This always be tha goal of false teachers. Some frauds know thar true motives. Others be ignorant of tha havoc they wreck on folks’ faith. But tha outcome be tha same: them new ter tha faith or weak in thar faith get led astray down tha path that leads ter destruction.
Saul Paul, filled with tha Holy Ghost of Truth, looked straight at tha sorcerer and said, “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. You pervert the right ways of the Lord.”
Deceit, trickery, perversion are but three test ter verify if someone be speaking tha truth of Skipper or be a false prophet and “magician of darkness.” See if ya kin detect the subtle differences ‘tween these three comments of tha Son.
“ I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners (Matthew 9:13).”
“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners (Mark 2:17).”
“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Luke 5:31-32).”
In tha first two tha Son seems content ter simply call sinners, but in Luke he goes on ter say he be calling sinners ter repent. I once heard a preacher say how glad he whar that tha Son left off “to repentance” in John Mark and Matthew’s versions. Tha preacher said, “He is calling us to be us in the place and space we find ourself now, not to be some created entity that we appear to be everywhere else.”
It be as though tha preacher whar glad that tha Son leaves us broken, addicted ter sin, tormented by dark thoughts. If ah ship’s surgeon whar ter call tha afflicted ter sick bay and only give ’em ah kind word be fer sending ’em back ter thar station, he would be relieved of command. Yet this be exactly tha sort of snake oil false prophets peddle under tha banner of tha Son.
Tha Son began his ministry with these words: “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news (Mark 1:15)!”
Tha Son began ter preach by saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17).”
Saul Paul said, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).”
In calling sinners, tha Son first be calling, inviting, asking that we come as we be. Bring all yer baggage, all yer wounds, all yer filthy living ways. Tha Son healed tha sick, drove out demons, opened eyes, ears, mouths. He came ter restore us, not leave us ter rust and rot on deck in our sorry state.
Tha warning ter all who ‘ave tha spirit of Bar-Jesus the Sorcerer be this: after Paul witnessed tha false teachings of tha sorcerer he said, “Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”
This be ah physical curse ter coincide with tha sorcerer’s spiritual curse of blindness. Every time and all tha time our sin leaves up blind in both eyes.
Immediately mist and darkness came over tha sorcerer. Bar-Jesus groped about, seeking a feller or lass ter lead him by tha hand. This be tha state of all who fall under tha influence of false prophets and sorcerers who promote dark teaching. Thar victims grope about confused, stumbling, falling deeper in ter distress.
When tha proconsul seen tha state of his sorcerer attendant, he believed, fer he was amazed at tha teaching ’bout tha Lord.
When we hear all tha words of tha Son, all tha words of Skipper—not simply those we find comforting—we ‘ill also be amazed and believe.
If ya wish ter be healed by tha Son, accept his words—all his words—without shedding some because they make ya feel uncomfortable. Healing from sin should make us uncomfortable.
If we be in tha white-hot glare of tha Son and doth not feel pain, some discomfort, there be a good chance we not really be in his presence ah tall, but simply under tha influence of a sorcerer’s spell.
Check yer physician’s treatment and if it leaves out repentance fer sins, seek a new doctor.