The Acts of the Apostles
Chapter 13
Map of St. Paul First Journey Adventures
Paul's First Journey for the Lord
Apostle of Jesus Christ Paul Story Adventure
Happy to see you here at Daily Bread! We're following the Apostles of
Jesus as they establish the church, and as you've seen, they had some
very unique experiences.
Some of the prophets that were in the church at Antioch at that time,
were Barnabas, who you've been acquainted with already, Simeon, who
was known as Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who was Herod's foster
brother, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the
Holy Ghost said, Send out Barnabas and Saul for the work I have
chosen for them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their
hands on them, they sent them away.
Being led by the Holy
Ghost, they left for Seleucia, and from there they sailed to
Cyprus. In the city of Samamis, on the island of Cyprus, they
preached the Word of God in the Jewish synagogues, and they also had
John (Mark) to assist them. When they had gone through the isle to
Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jewish man
known as Elymas. He accompanied the deputy of the country whose name
was Sergius Paulus.
Paul's First Journey Path
Apostle of Jesus Christ Paul Story Saga
Here's a little Daily Bread Crumb for ya. A deputy is person who is
second in command, or substitute in power when his superior is
absent. The Roman empire was so large, that there were many different
levels of leadership in different countries. A proconsul, or deputy,
of that time and era, was a governor or military commander of an
ancient Roman province.
Okay now, Sergius Paulus, was a prudent man (someone concerned about the future), and he called for
Barnabas and Saul, desiring to hear the Word of God, but Elymas
didn't like the idea, trying to turn the deputy away from the faith. Then
Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, directed his attention to
Elymas:
Acts 13:10-11
10 And [Paul] said, O full of all subtilty [craftiness]
and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all
righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the
Lord?
11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and
thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately
there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking
some to lead him by the hand.
When the deputy saw what happened, he believed, being astonished at
the doctrine of the Lord.
Paul's First Journey of Truth
Apostle of Jesus Christ Paul Story Overview
Here is a Bread stock for ya ... We see that Saul is now called Paul
and will be from this point on, in the Bible. As you recall, when
Jesus first spoke to Paul, He brought blindness on him, and now
through Paul, the Holy Spirit brought blindness on another who
was also trying to hinder the Word of God. This also brings to mind
the question I asked a few studies ago ... Why would Jesus choose
Paul to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles? Here's a perfect example.
Because he used to be like them, so he knew how to reach in and touch
their hearts better than someone who hadn't been in those shoes
before.
Paul's First Journey to Preach of Jesus
The Apostle of Jesus Christ Paul Story Outline
When Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos in Cyprus, they
went to Perga in Pamphylia, and John (Mark) returned to Jerusalem.
Then they left Perga and they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went
into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. (This is a
different Antioch than the city in Syria where they started their
journey from.)
After the reading of the scriptures, the rulers of the synagogue said
to them, You men and brethren, if you have any words of encouragement
for the people, speak up. Sooooooo:
Acts 13:16-41
16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said,
Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience [listen closely].
17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and
exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt,
and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
18 And about the time of forty years suffered He [put up
with] their manners in the wilderness.
19 And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of
Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
20 And after that He gave unto them judges about the space
of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto
them Saul the son of Cis [Kish], a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the
space of forty years.
22 And when He had removed him, He raised up unto them
David to be their king; to whom also He gave their testimony, and
said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart
[special], which shall fulfil all my Will.
23 Of this man's seed hath God according to His promise
raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
24 When John had first preached before His coming the
baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think
ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me,
whose shoes of His feet I am not worthy to loose.
26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and
whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the Word of this salvation
sent.
27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers,
because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which
are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning
Him.
28 And though they found no cause of death in Him, yet
desired they Pilate that He should be slain.
29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of
Him, they took Him down from the tree, and laid Him in a sepulchre.
30 But God raised Him from the dead:
31 And He was seen many days of them which came up with
Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses unto the people.
32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the
promise which was made unto the fathers,
33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in
that He hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the
second psalm [Psalms
2:7], Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
34 And as concerning that He raised Him up from the dead,
now no more to return to corruption [death], He said on this wise, I
will give you the sure mercies of David [Isaiah
55:3].
35 Wherefore He saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt
not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption [Psalms
16:10].
36 For David, after he had served his own generation by
the Will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and
saw corruption:
37 But He, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that
through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
39 And by him all that believe are justified from all
things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses [Isaiah
53:11].
40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is
spoken of in the prophets;
41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I
work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe,
though a man declare it unto you [Habakkuk
1:5].
Paul's First Journey for God
Apostle of Jesus Christ Paul Story Truth
And when the Jewish people left the synagogue, the Gentiles asked
that these words might be preached again to them the next Sabbath.
Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jewish people
and religious converts followed Paul and Barnabas: who, encouraged
them to stay with them, in the Grace of God. The next Sabbath day
came, and almost the whole city gathered to hear the Word of God. But
when the Jewish people saw the great turnout, they were filled with
jealousy, and spoke against the things that Paul said, contradicting
and blaspheming him.
Then Paul and Barnabas clearly explained that it was only right that
Word of God should be presented to the Jewish people first: but being
that they dismissed it, and judged themselves unworthy of everlasting
life, they must offer it to the Gentiles.
Acts 13:47
For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a
light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the
ends of the earth.
When the Gentiles heard this, they were happy, and celebrated the Word
of the Lord, and as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed.
The Word of the Lord spread throughout the whole area, but the
Jewish people conspired with the devout and honorable women and the
prominent men of the city, and started persecution against Paul and
Barnabas, and kicked them out of their cities. But they shook off the
dust of their feet against them, and went to Iconium, and the
disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy
Ghost.
Paul's First Journey of Love
Apostle of Jesus Christ Paul Story of Faith
There's a great lesson here. Not only the powerful words that Paul
spoke, but the fact that they weren't accepted by everyone, just as
every Christian today experiences. When that happens, do you ever
find yourself feeling a little dejected and saddened? But that's just
the opposite of what Jesus taught. Paul and Barnabas had the right
idea.
They wiped their feet against them, like Jesus told the apostles the
very first time He sent them out. What does that mean? Well here's a
little closing Daily Bread Stick for ya. If you step in something
undesirable, you wipe your feet, because you don't want it sticking
to ya. Jesus said the place that was "dusted" would suffer much.
Next time you're unaccepted for your beliefs, fill your heart with
joy, and with the Holy Spirit, and see if it doesn't feel like a more
righteous response than the other way. Go ahead and even take a
glance down at your shoes and smile that there's nothing under them,
except the right path!
Paul's First Journey Conclusion
Apostle of Jesus Christ Paul Story Summary
I hope our paths cross again at Daily Bread, as we continue on
through the book of Acts, and learn all we can from the apostles and
the early disciples of Jesus, and how to spread His Word and do His
will, better every day.
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