THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY

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THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY

• Acts 141-28

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WE HAVE SEEN

• Pauls journey to Cyprus, with the conversion of
  Sergius Paulus, and the blinding of Elymas Acts
  134-12
• Pauls Journey to Perga, and the defection of
  John Mark back to Jerusalem
• Pauls Journey to Antioch of Pisidia, and the
  sermon that he preached 1314-52
• Some obeyed, others rejected the message
• The persecution that began here, and then spread

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CONTINUED JOURNEY

• Acts 141-7 Now it happened in Iconium that they
  went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and
  so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews
  and of the Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving
  Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their
  minds against the brethren. 3 Therefore they
  stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the
  Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His
  grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by
  their hands. 4 But the multitude of the city was
  divided part sided with the Jews, and part with
  the apostles. 5 And when a violent attempt was
  made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their
  rulers, to abuse and stone them, 6 they became
  aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities
  of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. 7 And
  they were preaching the gospel there. NKJV

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PLAN

• Paul spoke first in the synagogues open
  receptive hearts
• Many believed
• Others refused the message poisoned the hearts
  of people
• God helped them in the message by the miracles
  and signs which were done
• They then go on to Lystra

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THEY DID NOT QUIT

• How many of us would quit when we had the first
  bit of opposition from the world to our
  preaching?
• Notice that they heard the plans to destroy them,
  YET THEY GO ON TO THE NEXT PLACE AND PREACHED THE
  GOSPEL.
• WHAT ABOUT US?

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AT LYSTRA

• Acts 148-13 And in Lystra a certain man without
  strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from
  his mother's womb, who had never walked. 9 This
  man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him
  intently and seeing that he had faith to be
  healed, 10 said with a loud voice,"Stand up
  straight on your feet!" And he leaped and walked.
  11 Now when the people saw what Paul had done,
  they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian
  language, "The gods have come down to us in the
  likeness of men!" 12 And Barnabas they called
  Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief
  speaker. 13 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple
  was in front of their city, brought oxen and
  garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice
  with the multitudes. NKJV

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GREEK GODS?

• Barnabas Zeus the head god of the Greeks.
  Did they see him as the leader?
• Greek God Zeus is depicted in many stories in
  Greek Mythology as the Supreme Ruler of the
  universe, an all-knowing and all-powerful greek
  god. But with this power also came many
  responsibilities
• Zeus handed down the laws that governed the
  behavior of mortals and immortals and ensure they
  were obeyed.
• Zeus enforced any oaths sworn upon the gods.
• Zeus pronounced certain oracles for, like many of
  the greek gods, Zeus often knew what the future
  held.
• As ruler of heavens, Zeus imposed order on the
  universe. He placed all the planets and stars in
  the sky.
• He also commanded meterological phenomena.
  Thunder and lightning are his most powerful
  weapons.

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HERMES

• When Zeus called Hermes to Olympus to reprimand
  him for stealing and lying, he promised not to do
  it again if Zeus named him as his messenger and
  herald. Zeus quickly accepted this offer and told
  his son that his duties also include protecting
  travellers, promoting trade, and negotiating
  treaties.
• To ensure speedy delivery of his messages, Zeus
  gave Hermes golden winged sandals as swift as the
  wind. He also gave him a round hat to protect him
  from the sun and a herald's staff.
• Hades soon asked Hermes to serve as his herald as
  well. As the herald of death , he collects and
  guides the dead to the Underworld.
• Usually in disguise, Hermes often visited earth
  on his own. Despite his rougishness, he truly
  enjoyed helping travelers. Word of his acts of
  kindness soon spread. Many travelers who became
  lost or suffered hardship called upon Hermes to
  help and he often assisted them quickly.

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THE TRUTH!

• Acts 1414-18 14 But when the apostles Barnabas
  and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and
  ran in among the multitude, crying out 15 and
  saying, "Men, why are you doing these things? We
  also are men with the same nature as you, and
  preach to you that you should turn from these
  useless things to the living God, who made the
  heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that
  are in them, 16 who in bygone generations allowed
  all nations to walk in their own ways. 17
  Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without
  witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from
  heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts
  with food and gladness." 18 And with these
  sayings they could scarcely restrain the
  multitudes from sacrificing to them. NKJV

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THEY USED THIS TO POINT TO JESUS

• They stopped them from sacrificing to them!
• They preached the truth concerning Jesus.
• THIS SHOWS THE FICKLENESS OF HUMANS! At one
  moment we find that they want to sacrifice to
  them, but before it is over they take Paul out
  and stone him to death!
• WHY WE CANNOT PUT FAITH IN HUMAN BEINGS! ONLY IN
  GOD!

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PAUL STONED

• Acts 1419-20 Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium
  came there and having persuaded the multitudes,
  they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city,
  supposing him to be dead. 20 However, when the
  disciples gathered around him, he rose up and
  went into the city. And the next day he departed
  with Barnabas to Derbe. NKJV

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DID PAUL DIE?

• We have to assume they would not have stopped
  stoning him if they thought he was still alive
• Could God have raised Paul up from the dead?
• Or was he stoned short of death, and then healed
  and raised?
• PERSECUTION!

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THE RETURN

• Acts 1421-28 And when they had preached the
  gospel to that city and made many disciples, they
  returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 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." 23 So when they had
  appointed elders in every church, and prayed with
  fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom
  they had believed. 24 And after they had passed
  through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. 25 Now
  when they had preached the word in Perga, they
  went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed
  to Antioch, where they had been commended to the
  grace of God for the work which they had
  completed.

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DERBE

• And when they had preached the gospel to that
  city and made many disciples
• Obviously much good work was done in Derbe, many
  became disciples
• The importance of one soul, and the need to
  preach to all.

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They Returned

• 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." 23 So when they had
  appointed elders in every church, and prayed with
  fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom
  they had believed

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Strengthen the Souls

• In the church it is vital that we strengthen each
  other
• How? By preaching truth which causes men to grow
• Why? Because we all get discouraged, we all need
  others to help us stay faithful to the Lord
• When? Every chance we get!
• Are we strengthening one another as the Lord
  demands?

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Exhorting the Brethren

• We need encouragement to stay in the faith!
• Exhorting paraklountes to implore, beseech
• We need to stay in the faith! And we need
  encouragement to do it!

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TRIBULATION

• "We must through many tribulations enter the
  kingdom of God.
• It will not be easy to be in the kingdom the
  world, Satan, temptations . . . Will all try
  their best to keep us from the kingdom
• Persecution on Paul, others

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Appointed Elders

• when they had appointed elders in every church
• This is Gods way of qualifying a church in
  organization
• How soon? We dont know! Obviously men mature
  enough from the Jewish religion to become elders
  soon 1 Timothy 31-8
• Elders in every church not elders over 3 4
  churches.
• Appoint those who were qualified
• 1 Timothy 522 Support!

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Appointed Elders

• In this age of the church Paul had ability to
  know if a man was qualified or not
• Perhaps this had been given to Timothy as well.
• Bottom line Timothy was not to show support to
  any man as an elder give them some time.
• DO PREACHERS CHOOSE ELDERS?
• DOES THE CONGREGATION CHOSE ELDERS?

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PRAYED WITH FASTING

• Interesting to note that they began this
  missionary journey with prayer and fasting, and
  now they end it with prayer and fasting
• We need to bathe everything in prayer! DO WE?

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LEAVE THEM WITH THE LORD

• they commended them to the Lord in whom they had
  believed.
• Who better can we leave new converts with than
  the Lord?

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The Missionaries Were commended

• From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had
  been commended to the grace of God for the work
  which they had completed.
• A job well done, and God commended them through
  the church at Antioch
• The church commended them do we commend our
  missionaries for the work they do? Do we support
  them?

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THE SLIDES

• 27 Now when they had come and gathered the church
  together, they reported all that God had done
  with them, and that He had opened the door of
  faith to the Gentiles. 28 So they stayed there a
  long time with the disciples. NKJV
• Reported all God had done with them
• How God opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
• Continuing to encourage the church in Antioch!