1) The church in Antioch was fasting and praying when the Holy Spirit called Barnabas and Saul to a special mission. 2) The church ordained Barnabas and Saul through fasting, prayer, and laying hands on them. 3) Barnabas and Saul were then sent out by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the word of God, first traveling to Cyprus and preaching in Jewish synagogues in Salamis with John Mark's assistance.

1. The Acts of the Apostles
Acts 12:11-13:5

2. • 11 When Peter came to himself, he said, "Now I
know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His
angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and
from all that the Jewish people were expecting."
12 And when he realized this, he went to the
house of Mary, the mother of John who was also
called Mark, where many were gathered together
and were praying.

3. • Colossians 4:10 and also Barnabas's cousin Mark
(about whom you received instructions; if he
comes to you, welcome him);

4. • 13 When he knocked at the door of the gate, a
servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14
When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her
joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and
announced that Peter was standing in front of the
gate.

5. • 13 When he knocked at the door of the gate, a
servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14
When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her
joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and
announced that Peter was standing in front of the
gate.
• 15 They said to her, "You are out of your mind!"
But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept
saying, "It is his angel."

6. • 16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they
had opened the door, they saw him and were
amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand
to be silent, he described to them how the Lord
had led him out of the prison. And he said, "Report
these things to James and the brethren." Then he
left and went to another place.

7. • 16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they
had opened the door, they saw him and were
amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand
to be silent, he described to them how the Lord
had led him out of the prison. And he said, "Report
these things to James and the brethren." Then he
left and went to another place.

8. • James 5:16 The effective prayer of a righteous man
can accomplish much.

9. • James 5:16 The effective prayer of a righteous man
can accomplish much.
• Matthew 13:55 "Is not this the carpenter's son? Is
not His mother called Mary, and His brothers,
James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

10. • Galatians 2:9 and recognizing the grace that had
been given to me, James and Cephas and John,
who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and
Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we
might go to the Gentiles and they to the
circumcised.

11. • “When he was stoned to death in A.D. 62, at the
instance of the high priest Ananus II, many of the
people were gravely shocked; and some years later
some ascribed the calamity which overtook the
city and its inhabitants to the cessation of James’s
prayers on their behalf.” FF Bruce

12. • 18 Now when day came, there was no small
disturbance among the soldiers as to what could
have become of Peter. 19 When Herod had
searched for him and had not found him, he
examined the guards and ordered that they be led
away to execution. Then he went down from Judea
to Caesarea and was spending time there.

13. • Acts 16:27 When the jailer awoke and saw the
prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was
about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners
had escaped.

14. • 20 Now he was very angry with the people of Tyre
and Sidon; and with one accord they came to him,
and having won over Blastus the king's
chamberlain, they were asking for peace, because
their country was fed by the king's country.

16. • 21 On an appointed day Herod, having put on his
royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and
began delivering an address to them.

17. • 21 On an appointed day Herod, having put on his
royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and
began delivering an address to them.
• “(according to the Jewish historian Josephus the
occasion was a feast in honor of Herod’s patron,
the Roman Emperor Claudius)” John MacArthur

18. • “[Herod] put on a garment made wholly of silver,
and of a contexture truly wonderful, and came into
the theatre early in the morning; at which time the
silver of his garment being illuminated by the fresh
reflection of the sun’s rays upon it, shone out after
a surprising manner” John MacArthur

19. • 22 The people kept crying out, "The voice of a god
and not of a man!" 23 And immediately an angel
of the Lord struck him because he did not give God
the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.

20. • Jeremiah 13:16 Give glory to the LORD your God,

21. • 24 But the word of the Lord continued to grow
and to be multiplied. 25 And Barnabas and Saul
returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled
their mission, taking along with them John, who
was also called Mark.

22. • 24 But the word of the Lord continued to grow
and to be multiplied. 25 And Barnabas and Saul
returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled
their mission, taking along with them John, who
was also called Mark.
• Acts 11:30 And this they did, sending it in charge of
Barnabas and Saul to the elders.

23. • 13:1 Now there were at Antioch, in the church
that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas,
and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of
Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up
with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

24. • “There is much truth in the humorous adage that
some people make things happen, others watch
things happen, while still others are left wondering
what happened. What is true of individuals is also
true of churches. Some churches are dynamic,
aggressively reaching out with the gospel to make
an impact on the world. Some know God is moving
in other churches and wonder why they aren’t
experiencing that power. Still others just barely
exist, languishing while the spiritual (and maybe
even physical) weeds grow. They make an impact
only on their members’ social lives.” MacArhur

25. • 2 While they were ministering to the Lord and
fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me
Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have
called them."

26. • 2 While they were ministering to the Lord and
fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me
Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have
called them."
• Exodus 28:41 "You shall put them on Aaron your
brother and on his sons with him; and you shall
anoint them and ordain them and consecrate
them, that they may serve Me as priests.

27. • 1 Peter 2:9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal
PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR
God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim
the excellencies of Him who has called you out of
darkness into His marvelous light;

28. • 2 Corinthians 8:3-5 For I testify that according to
their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of
their own accord, 4 begging us with much urging
for the favor of participation in the support of the
saints, 5 and this, not as we had expected, but
they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by
the will of God.

29. • Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, do your work
heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24
knowing that from the Lord you will receive the
reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ
whom you serve.

30. • Matthew 6:16-18 "Whenever you fast, do not put
on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they
neglect their appearance so that they will be
noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say
to you, they have their reward in full. 17 "But
you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash
your face 18 so that your fasting will not be
noticed by men, but by your Father who is in
secret; and your Father who sees what is done in
secret will reward you.

31. • “Saul and Barnabas were deeply involved in
ministering to the Lord when their call to further
service came. God chose experienced, proven men
for the vitally important mission to the Gentiles.”
John MacArthur

32. • 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid
their hands on them, they sent them away.

33. • 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid
their hands on them, they sent them away.
• 4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went
down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to
Cyprus. 5 When they reached Salamis, they began
to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of
the Jews; and they also had John as their helper.