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Paul's First Missionary Journey

Question

Acts 13:1-14:28

Key Verse: 14:22

 

“...strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said.”

 

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

1. Read 13:1-4. What was special about the Antioch church? (11:19-21)

   Who were the Bible teachers? Why and how did they send out Barnabas

   and Saul as missionaries?

 

2. Read 13:4-12. Find Cyprus on a map. Who was Sergius Paulus and how

   was he converted? How did Paul deal with enemies of God?  Read

   13:13-15. Trace their journey from Cyprus to Pisidian Antioch. What

   happened to John Mark?

 

3. Read 13:16-25. How and why did God train his people? (Ex.19:5,6) How

   did Paul describe the flow of history? Why does he focus on David?

   What was God's promise and how did he keep it? (13:22-25)

 

4. Read 13:26-31. What is the good news? (26,32,33,38) What does it

   mean that Paul includes the Gentiles as brothers? (26) What did the

   people in Jerusalem do? How did this reveal God's sovereignty? What

   did God do? (30) What does it mean?

 

5. Read 13:32-41. How does Jesus' resurrection fulfill Scripture? What

   does it mean to all who believe? To unbelievers? (38-41; 1Co

   15:54b,55) Read 13:42-52. What was the response to Paul's message?

   The result?

 

6. Read 14:1-7. What happened in Iconium? How did Paul handle a

   critical situation? How did God help him? Read 14:8-20. What

   happened in Lystra? What happened when he tried to teach Genesis?

   How did Paul show his resurrection faith? (19-21a)

 

7. Read 14:21-28. Trace the trip home. How did Paul encourage new

   believers?  What was the report to the church in Antioch?

 

Message

Acts 13:1-14:28

Key Verse: 14:22

 

“...strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said.”

 

   It's good to remember that the Acts of the Apostles is the second

book written by Luke. The life-giving work of God began in the Galilean

district in the land of Palestine. After Jesus' ascension, the handful

of apostles took over his gospel work.  To the eyes of the historian

Luke, it was amazing that gospel work did not perish but grew and grew,

conquering the world progressively. When we study Acts carefully, we

learn that the Holy Spirit is the principle and the apostles were

agents. Acts 13:1-28:31 is primarily concerned with St. Paul's dynamic

work among the Gentiles.  It is so much his work that many call this

section, "The Acts of St. Paul." Basing in the Antioch church, Paul

takes three journeys around the Roman world. At last Paul attains his

goal of preaching at Rome, the heart of the Roman Empire. Today's

passage, chapters 13-14, covers Paul's first missionary journey; it is

commonly called, "Paul's work in Galatia."

 

I. The Antioch church (13:1-3)

 

   As we studied in chapter 9, the early Christians were scattered by

the persecution in connection with Stephen (11:19-24). Some Christians

ran for their lives and came to Antioch, a cosmopolitan meeting place

of Jew, Greek, Roman and Syrian. Here the gospel of Jesus first

attracted pagan attention. The church at Jerusalem sent Barnabas to

Antioch to see about them. The Jerusalem church did not send a bigoted

person, but Barnabas. It is obvious that the Jerusalem church had a

good intention to help the Antioch church, despite racial prejudice.

When Barnabas arrived, he saw that a great number of people were filled

with the Holy Spirit and faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ

(11:22-24). God had already established the Antioch church as the first

headquarters of the Gentile Christian church. A main member of the

church in Antioch was Barnabas, who loved God more than money

(4:36,37), and who had introduced Saul to the apostles. He believed

God's work in Saul. He also recognized the Antioch church as a

legitimate Christian church (11:22-26). Then there were Niger, Lucius,

who came from Cyrene in North Africa; Manaen, who had courtly

connections; and Saul, who was a trained Rabbi. The Antioch church was,

in essence, international. Verse 2 says, "While they were worshiping

the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas

and Saul for the work to which I have called them.'" The Antioch

believers devoted themselves to prayer and Bible study as their

expression of worshiping God. The church was seeking God's will.  As

soon as they heard that they should set apart Barnabas and Saul as

missionaries, they obeyed, even though these two men were two main

pillars in their church.

 

II. The work of God in Cyprus (13:4-12)

 

   Cyprus was a Roman province and the home country of Barnabas

(4:36).  Obviously, Barnabas desired to share the gospel of Jesus first

of all with his own people. Barnabas and Saul, by the guidance of the

Holy Spirit, went down first to Seleucia, a port city of  Antioch. From

there they went to Salamis, a city of Cyprus, and proclaimed the gospel

of Jesus Christ. Cyprus was an island country like the Philippines.

They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There

Sergius Paulus was a Roman governor who kept a Jewish fortune-teller,

Elymas. The governor was an intelligent man. But he was so fearful and

unsure about himself that he hired a fortune-teller. He sent for

Barnabas and Saul to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer

opposed them and tried to turn the governor from the faith.  Where

there was a work of God, there was Satan's hindrance.

 

   What did Paul do with this enemy of God? Paul looked straight at

Elymas and said, "You are a child of the devil and an enemy of

everything that is right!" (10a) At Paul's rebuking, Elymas' eyes were

blinded. The governor believed in Jesus. He was amazed at Paul's

teaching about the Lord, not by the miracle. Paul won a convert when he

had faith in Jesus and a clear attitude toward a child of the devil.

 

III. The work of God in Pisidian Antioch (13:13-52)

 

   In this part Paul explains that Jesus is the Savior of the world,

relating Jewish history to the salvation plan of God. From Paphos, Paul

and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John, later

known as Mark who wrote the gospel of Mark, went back to Jerusalem.

Probably he was homesick and was terrified by Paul's fighting spirit.

After 20 years John Mark joined Paul's ministry again (2Ti 4:11). From

Perga, Paul and his companions went to Pisidian Antioch. On the

Sabbath, as soon as Paul's company entered the synagogue, the synagogue

rulers asked them to say a word of encouragement to the people. Paul

stood up and began to speak. In his speech we learn that Paul had a

clear sense of the work and history of God.

 

First, God sent the Savior of the world from David's root (16-25). In

this part Paul began to teach the tedious history of Israel to the

Gentiles. But it was necessary to explain who Jesus is. Look at verse

17. "The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers; he made the

people prosper during their stay in Egypt, with mighty power he led

them out of that country..." God chose Israel as his firstborn son so

that through them the world might overflow with the knowledge of God

(Ex 19:5,6). For this, God trained his people in Egypt, where they

experienced the cruelty and heartlessness of mankind under godless

rulers. It was humanity study. After the training was over, God brought

them out into the wilderness. To God, humanity study was not enough;

they needed faith training. God gave them daily bread training. They

had to gather one day's portion of manna every day. If they gathered in

their greediness more than that, they found the next day that it had

spoiled. They received this training for 40 long years. Finally God

sent them to the promised land. But his people asked for a king like

other nations. God gave them a king, Saul. After removing him because

of his unbelief, God established David as king because he was a man

after God's own heart and would do everything God wanted him to do

(22). When David obeyed God's will absolutely, God was pleased and

promised that he would send the Savior of the world from his root. As

God promised, John the Baptist came. And then Jesus came. He is the

Savior of the world. His coming changed the world from BC to AD.  These

days many people say history is going nowhere. More educated people say

history is nothing but a vicious cycle. Some stoic people say, "History

is the record of man's sins and injustice." But history is not a

purposeless process, as they say. Here Paul insists that the coming of

Jesus is the consummation of history.

 

Second, God raised Jesus from the dead (26-52). After explaining God's

plan to send a Savior of the world from his chosen people and from the

root of David, Paul exclaimed, "Brothers, children of Abraham, and you

God-fearing Gentiles...!" Paul accepted the Gentiles as his own

brothers in Christ. We can aptly describe Paul's feeling with the

Lord's prayer, "Our Father in heaven..." It was unthinkable for Jews to

call Gentiles "brothers" or "children of Abraham." We can understand

the depth of Paul's faith in God through Jesus' words to Zacchaeus.

Zacchaeus was an outcast among the Jews, abandoned and condemned; his

name was removed from the record book of Israel. Jesus said to him:

"Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a

son of Abraham" (Lk.19:9). Read verse 26. "Brothers, children of

Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of

salvation has been sent." Paul had been an ardent nationalist, but when

he accepted Jesus, the universal brotherhood in Christ came into his

heart.

 

   Next, Paul tells them what the people of Jerusalem and their leaders

had done to Jesus (27-35). Jesus came to that which was his own, but

his people did not recognize him or receive him. When Jesus healed the

sick and preached the good news of the kingdom of God, the religious

rulers should have supported him because his work was to save sinners

from their sins. When Jesus raised 12 disciples, they criticized him

with sarcasm, "They are a band of beggars and breakers of the Sabbath

law." Thomas Carlyle said, "Sarcasm is the language of the devil."

These devils condemned and crucified Jesus on the cross. But his death

was not a tragedy; it was the fulfillment of prophecy that the Messiah

would come as the Lamb of God; his death was to save men from their

sins; ultimately, his death was the Son's obedience to his "Abba

Father" and the fulfillment of the Father's will for world salvation.

 

   What did God do when his one and only Son was buried in a tomb after

crucifixion? God raised him from the dead on the third day (Ps 16:10).

By raising him God proved that he is living and almighty. By raising

him God destroyed the last enemy, death. By raising him God gave a

living hope of the kingdom of God to those who believe in the Son.

 

   In the past all men knelt down before the power of death and were

swallowed up. David was a king who served God's purpose in his own

generation. But he also died and his body decayed (36). Let's see what

happened to the one whom God raised from the dead. Read verse 37. "But

the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay." The

resurrection of Jesus is God's victory as well as victory to all human

beings who believe in him (1Co 15:54b, 55). Not only so, but also

through his Son's death, those who believe in the Son are all pardoned

and accepted as the children of God, regardless of their condemned

state. Read verses 38,39. "Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know

that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.

Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you

could not be justified from by the law of Moses." Therefore we must not

take lightly what the prophets have said (40,41). In this way Paul

explained that Jesus is the Savior of the world.

 

   As Paul and Barnabas were leaving, the people invited them to speak

again (42,43). On the other hand, the Jews who were filled with

jealousy talked abusively against what Paul was saying (45). The Jews

persecuted and expelled Paul's company by making use of God-fearing

women of high standing (49,50). Since fellow Jews rejected the gospel,

Paul and Barnabas decided to turn to the Gentiles (46,47). When the

Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord.

In this way God opened the door for gospel work among Gentiles.

 

IV. In Iconium, Lystra and Derbe (14:1-28)

 

First, the work of God in Iconium (1-7). The work of God in Iconium was

like a bloody battle between Christian soldiers and those of the

devil.  Look at verse 1. "At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual

into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great

number of Jews and Gentiles believed." Then what happened? Enemies of

God poisoned new Christians' minds. Paul and Barnabas did not fight

against the agents of the devil. Instead they only preached the gospel

of Jesus Christ. When the soldiers of Christ were too weak, the Holy

Spirit enabled them to perform miracles before the enemies. Still the

enemies persisted. So there was a division in the city between the

Christian soldiers and the enemies of God (4).  There was a plot afoot

among the Gentiles and Jews; historically they were known to be

enemies, but in doing the devil's work they became friends. Paul and

Barnabas found out about the plot and fled to the cities of Lystra and

Derbe. Here we learn that when Christians are weak, the Holy Spirit

comes to the rescue.

 

Second, God's work in Lystra and Derbe (8-20). In Iconium Paul and

Barnabas met a critical moment because they were badly mistreated. In

Lystra they met another critical moment because the people there wanted

to make them gods. In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who

was lame from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was

speaking (8.9a). Paul healed him because he saw that the man had faith

(9b,10).

 

   What was the response of the crowd when they saw what Paul had

done?  They said, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" They

called Barnabas Zeus--the god of lustful immorality. They called Paul

Hermes--a chief speaker (Kermit the frog). The priests of Zeus prepared

to offer sacrifices to them. These ignorant people tried to deify them,

not based on the gospel, but on a miracle (10-13).

 

   What did Paul do with them? He said, "We are only men, human like

you." Paul began to teach them a simple truth from Genesis: God is the

Creator; he provides for all men's needs; he fills men's hearts with

joy (14-18). But Genesis study did not work in their hearts because

they were superstitious (18). Things went from bad to worse when some

Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and stirred up the crowd. They

stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city and threw him away,

thinking he was dead. But after the disciples gathered around him, he

got up and went back into the city (19,20). In doing gospel work, Paul

participated in the remaining suffering of Jesus Christ, who was killed

and thrown away outside the city walls of Jerusalem.

 

   The next day Paul and Barnabas went to Derbe and won a large number

of disciples. Then they started back to Antioch. On the way, back what

did they do?  They visited the towns where they had been mistreated.

Did they complain?  No.  Read verse 22. "...strengthening the disciples

and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. 'We must go through

many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,' they said." This was their

testimony after their first missionary journey. Through their testimony

they strengthened and encouraged the disciples to remain true to the

faith.  "To enter the kingdom of God" does not necessarily mean

personal salvation; it can also mean to expand the territory of the

kingdom of God and conquer the whole world with the gospel of Jesus

until his kingdom comes. When they arrived in Antioch, they told how

God had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

 

   In this passage we learn that the Christian church is the fellowship

of those who study the Bible and pray earnestly, and that Christians

are not easy-going civilians, but the soldiers of Christ. May God use

us as Christian soldiers, to fight to expand the territory of the

kingdom of God.