25th May 26 | 06:30
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Choosing Silas
📖 Acts 15:39-40
Acts 15 - Series 3/Episode 16 - Fri, 22nd May 2026 - Choosing Silas - Acts 15:36-41 - THE SEPARATION OF PAUL AND BARNABAS - Acts 16:23-25
Acts 15:39-40 Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; (40) but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God.
Are there lessons for us to learn from Paul choosing Silas to go on the second missionary journey?
Many others were teaching and preaching along with Paul and Barnabas in Antioch. There was also Silas. Acts 15:34-35 However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there. (35) Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
Silas chose to remain in Antioch instead of returning to Jerusalem with Judas, as they had both been sent by the Jerusalem Council to communicate the verdict to the churches. We can now see that Silas's remaining in Antioch was not by chance.
What were the qualities in Silas that made Paul choose Silas to go along with him to the ministry? The unique quality of Silas was that he had completed the task for which the Jerusalem Council had sent him, but now he was ready and available for the Lord to take him further into the ministry. He was not looking to go back to the familiarity of Jerusalem, but he was prepared to be exposed to the opportunities to minister in the kingdom of God. Antioch was the place where he decided to stay for the present. His heart was open and unfettered.
The two qualities that we can distil here are 1. Faithfulness in completing the task that had been assigned. 2. Open and free, ready for fresh opportunities to serve in God's kingdom.
Besides these unique traits of Silas, he was established as one of the leading men among the brethren. Acts 15:22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.
Silas was a prophet. Acts 15:32 Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. He also had a similar gift to Barnabas, which was to exhort and strengthen the Brethren. Paul valued this gift in Barnabas extremely, and we can imagine that Paul was naturally looking for a person to replace Barnabas.
The other quality in Silas that must have resonated with Paul was that Silas was a man of doctrine, just as he and Barnabas were. Acts 15:25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, / Acts 15:27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. Silas was also a good communicator.
For Paul to choose Silas was not difficult because the apostles in Jerusalem had already done the homework in selecting Silas, along with Judas, to be their representative to the churches. Choosing Silas to go with him to the ministry would also be a move that would be approved by the apostles in Jerusalem, for Silas was sent to communicate the verdict of the Council to the churches. Acts 15:23 They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
The task for Silas was not only to communicate the verdict of the Jerusalem Council to the church in Antioch, but also to other places. For him to go along with Paul was in line with the assignment that was entrusted to him.
Silas was very different from Barnabas, yet he also carried some of Barnabas's qualities. He brought in a fresh set of traits to the table that were valuable for the ministry. The church unanimously agreed on the selection of Silas to accompany Paul on the second missionary journey. This must have been of great comfort to Paul to know that the church was commending them to the grace of God.
Paul's concern over John Mark was that he was not willing to go to the work. Acts 15:38 But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. The work that they did included many tribulations. Acts 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."
Silas proved that he was the right choice, for he was ready to accept tribulations in the ministry. Acts 16:23-24 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. (24) Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Silas rejoiced in suffering for the sake of the Gospel. Acts 16:25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
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