Transcript Class 7 ~ Gentile Mission: Paul

Class 7 ~
Gentile Mission: Paul
Introduction to the Apostle Paul
and the First Missionary Journey
A New Protaganist
• From Acts 1 through 12, the main character is Peter;
• Beginning in Acts 13, Saul of Tarsus, also called the Apostle Paul,
takes over as main character for the rest of Luke’s narrative.
• We will see Peter one more time in Acts 16 with the council at
Jerusalem, but he is not mentioned again in Acts.
• This reflects the changing focus in the Christian movement from a
Jewish sect to a worldwide faith of all nations.
• ALSO, IMO, Peter probably fulfilled the God-given role of
shepherding apostle for the Christian movement (elder at the
Jerusalem, and probably subsequent churches), while Paul fulfilled
the role of missionary apostle for the Christian movement (trainer of
evangelists).
• The LORD had a different role for them to build up the church.
TIMELINE
• My preference is to put the
events of this work in a
timeline context and
understand dates –it helps me
put my Christian experience in
context as well, and makes for
some interesting observations
about Christian life.
• For instance: John, some 20
years younger than Peter, a
mere teenager when Jesus
called him -Jesus’ 12 disciples
must have had a wide range of
ages.
Meet Saul of Tarsus
• Born Saul in the City of Tarsus around 2-5 Anno Domini
(“in the year of our LORD,” the beginning of the Christian
era). (About 6-10 years younger than Jesus).
• Tribe of Benjamin (named after a famous Benjaminite?)
• Father a Pharisee and a Roman citizen.
• Saul was his Hebrew name –also given the Latin name
Paul. Circumcised on the 8th day (Phil 3:5)
• We’ll look more into the influences on Saul when we talk
about the church council next week.
• The First Missionary Journey is a plateful this week.
Preparing for the Journey
• Building up the church in Antioch -3
years since Acts 11:25, 41 AD to Acts
13:1, 44 AD –Saul trained in this
church of new Gentile converts for
his work.
• Went to Jerusalem for Famine Relief
with Barnabas –John Mark came
back with them from Jerusalem
• The revelations he alludes to in 2
Cor 12 probably occurred while he
was in Jerusalem
• The movement has been around for
about 14 years- Jerusalem, Samaria,
Ethiopia, Phoenicia, Cyprus, Antioch
• Holy Spirit calls Barnabas and Saul,
44 AD Acts 13:1-4
Holy Spirit Calls Barnabas & Saul
• God told Ananias that Saul was His chosen instrument to
“carry my name before the Gentiles…” (7 years before
Peter & Cornelius)
• Paul in Galatians 1:15 –”set me apart from birth to
preach to the Gentiles”
• Are we prepared for the tasks that the Holy Spirit has for
us? I’m talking about life defining tasks –How do we
prepare –by serving the Lord and His church NOW
• Worshipping and Fasting part of getting the Lord to move
in your life
• Laid hands on them –A blessing of the church –The
entire church was invested in this effort –not just the
missionaries –We’ll see this at the end of the journey.
“The First Missionary Journey”
• “Brother Paul, I want to write a book to my
friend Theophilus”
• “Tell me about your first missionary
journey…”
• These are the impressions the journey
made on Paul –Let’s see what Paul (and
by extension) the Lord wants us to know
about these places…
1st Stop ~ CYPRUS
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Acts 13:4-12
Salamis –Preached
in the Synagogue
God has provided a
means to get the
word out –the
centuries of
preparation of the
synagogue to be the
basic forum to get
His gospel out to His
people, the Jews
Paphos –The
episode with BarJesus and the
proconsul, Sergius
Paulus
Bar-Jesus & Sergius Paulus
• Bar-Jesus, or Son of
Jesus, also known as
Elymas, which means
“the Sorcerer”
• Despite the “Miracle” of
Elymas’ blindness, what
impacted Sergius Paulus
was the TEACHING
about the Lord. Luke16 31 The rich man and
Lazarus
• Saul now adopts his Latin
name Paul
2nd Stop ~ Antioch, Pisidia
• Another Antioch
• John Mark left
at Perga (must
have stayed on
the ship bound
for Jerusalem)
• Went to the
Jewish
Synagogue and
were invited to
speak (Acts
13:15)
• Acts 13:38-52
Paul’s Message to the House of
Israel
• Similarly to Peter at Pentecost, he alludes to
Jesus as the heir of David’s throne and royalty
• Warns them not to scoff, but to believe ~Hab 1:5
• Significant interest –particularly among the
Gentile converts to Judaism
• They were begged to come back next Sabbath
• Entire town came out!
• Paul must have been studying Isaiah that week
–He quotes Isaiah 49
• Isaiah 49:5-6
Isaiah 49:5-6 ~
Paul, the light to the Gentiles
• Paul sees himself as fulfilling this
prophecy –he sees the prophecy as a
“command” (Acts 13:47)
• See also Galatians 2:7
• The word will divide the crowd.
• Word spread throughout the region.
• Great joy and the Holy Spirit!
3rd Stop -GALATIA
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Acts 14:1-7
Galatia –a province that
the Roman empire
connected to the
Lycaonian region
Iconium –Similar pattern to
Antioch Go to the Jewish
synagogue–divide the
crowd
This time, did not just
expel, but tried to stone
(increasing level of
persecution)
A cottage industry of
persecution is created
~2Tim 3:12
Cross over into Lycaonican
region –Lystra, Derbe and
the surrounding country
Lystra –as we will see later
in Galatians, they are
easily “bewitched”
Lystra’s Fluid Allegiances
The good and gentle town folk of Locker C-18
• Acts 14:8-20
Lystra, Galatia –A City of
“Mercurial” People
• Probably no Synagogue –they performed signs and wonders as a
way of introducing the teaching
• Paul & Barnabas are gods!
• “Right on time,” here come the Jews…
• This time the Jews were “successful” and Lystrans just stoned those
who they had earlier wanted to deify as gods
• Adapt the gospel to their own religious desires/ agenda
• Very shallow convictions and more interested in being religious than
repenting –Easily swayed The rocky soil of the Bible Talk Parable
• Galatians –In the later letter to the Galatians, we see that even the
disciples carried traces of their community with them Gal 1:6, 3:1
• Do not underestimate how influenced we are by the world around
us.
Return to the Flock
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Acts 14:21-28
As Paul & Barnabas
passed back through
the cities they passed
this message: Must
pass through many
troubles to enter the
Kingdom of God
This message was
intended to strengthen
the churches
Appointed elders –less
than two years since
churches were born –
first mention of elders
being appointed –Paul
established the process
and guidelines for
appointing elders that
we have today.
Elders are also called
bishops, overseers and
pastors
Sailed from Attalia and
arrived at Antioch in
Autumn of 46 AD
Rejoice at the News
• The church in Antioch rejoiced at the news
• Their hearts were in the missionary effort
• Pray, support missionary efforts to reach
the lost
• NEXT WEEK ~ Read Acts 15, we’ll talk
about the Church Council and look more in
depth at Paul’s early years.