Paul Story

Apostle of Jesus Christ Paul

Christianity Oasis provides this Paul's First Journey study on the Apostle of Jesus Christ Paul story on the First Journey bringing forth truth and understanding.


Daily Bread Devotional Bible Study
The Acts of the Apostles
Chapter 13


Paul's First Journey

Apostle of Jesus Christ Paul Story

Welcome to our Christianity Oasis Daily Bread study program. This is our thought provoking Paul's First Journey Bible study taking a look into the Apostle of Jesus Christ Paul Story - The First Journey. Apostle of Jesus Paul story message will truly bring a smile to the lips and heart and shine the LIGHT of Truth upon your be-YOU-tiful Christian walk path.

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.