Chapter Twenty-nine (Part 1)

The week of August 5


Paul's Mission, part 1, pp 407-21

The good news about Jesus has moved from Jerusalem to synagogues throughout the Roman Empire. At Antioch along the Mediterranean Sea the Way formed a safe haven for Jews and Greeks. Leaders of various backgrounds taught the multi-ethnic church. The Spirit set apart, and the church confirmed Barnabus and Saul to take the message to the rest of the continent that would become Europe.

Pp 407-9 Arriving at Cyprus they went to what they felt would be sympathetic listeners, Jews in the synagogue. As with the miracles of Jesus, they used sign-gifts as billboards to show the truth and love of God. A sorcerer opposed them. The sorcerer was thwarted and became blind, leading to others coming to faith. Saul, who began using the Greek name Paul, preached the death and resurrection of Jesus as attested by witnesses. People could be forgiven and made right with God. On ensuing Sabbaths the whole city heard the message. Some Jews who disbelieved the message stirred up trouble and had Paul & Barnabus expelled from the area. This would become a familiar story.

Pp 410-14 On to Iconium the pair traveled, going to the local synagogues and entering into dialogue. The message had a polarizing affect, with some believing and forming a connecting group, while others were opposed and scandalized the duo with the followers.

At Lystra a lame man was welcomed to walk. While the crowd thought they were the Greek Gods Zeus and Hermes. Paul & Barnabus kept them from making sacrifices to them and the issue went South as people turned on them and stoned Paul. The believer's from Lystra prayed for Paul and helped him find shelter.

At Derbe the next day Paul began revisiting all they had found in Christ at the various cities. It had been a journey well-spent and people were eager to hear about Jesus. If you were with Paul, what would you say were the take-homes from the journey?

A serious breach was beginning to form. Did these Gentiles who were responding to Jesus need to become Jews and follow the whole Law, or was there another way? Serious believers were on both sides. Eventually Paul, Peter, and James, the Lord's half-brother challenged the apostles and elders in Jerusalem that grace through faith meant accepting the Gentiles without pre-qualification of law performance.

Unity in doctrine and fellowship does not necessarily mean unity of purpose. Paul and Barnabus 'departed asunder' (KJV), over whether John Mark should accompany them on the second journey. Each group went their own way but it ultimately meant doubling the witness of the gospel. Paul and his interns went through modern Turkey, and ultimately arrived at Philippi in modern Greece.

Without an identifiable synagogue they went to place of prayer at the river. Lydia, a merchant woman responded to Paul's message and was baptized into Jesus, along with others from her home. Another evil spirit was dismissed from a fortune telling/ slavery scheme and the people affected did not like that the had lost their income.

Paul and Silas, his new companion, were beaten and imprisoned. The two responded with prayer and hymns to God; certainly a strange sight. When an overnight earthquake stuck and the prison doors were flung open, the jailer considered suicide because his life was at-risk. After Paul accounted for all the prisoners, the jailer desperately wanted to know what he must do to be saved. Again, circumstances prompt people to accept the message. The jailer and his family believed and were baptized. Meanwhile Paul was beaten without recourse though being a Roman citizen. Paul appreciated the escort he received out of the city.

Pp 414-6 Paul and his entourage ended up in Thessalonica and they went to the synagogue. The results were predictable. Some believed (though present only three weeks, Paul shared the gospel and his very life (1 Thess 2:8), while others created a riot. The same reasoning as the charges against Jesus came to Paul: he says there is another King called Jesus. City officials did not warm up to potential of riots. Paul escaped this and moved on to Berea, receptive thinkers, and Athens, philosophical panderers, always questioning but never believing.

Paul moved on to Corinth. Aquila & Priscilla, fellow tent-makers and Italian evacuees, co-habitated with Paul and joined in serving God's cause, persuading both Jews and Greeks. When the Jews of the synagogue contested the message, Paul left them to work exclusively with the Gentiles. Nonetheless, some Jews were still intrigued and followed Jesus. Paul stayed in Corinth eighteen months and taught the believers from the Older Covenant. Wouldn’t you like to have been a fly on that wall?

Pp 416-9 Paul had begun to write to some of the churches he had started, both to keep in touch and to instruct them, usually challenging erroneous teaching they were facing. We are very fortunate for these letters as we capture the sense of the New Testament church and have the truth of the Scriptures expanded into this new era. Paul, writing from Corinth, wrote his first epistle to Thessalonica c 51AD.

Beyond the foundational teaching and practical application, they were having issues with the second coming of the Lord Jesus. Some had felt it had happened and that they had missed their own resurrection from the dead. Paul assured that this had not already happened and that they should prepare their hearts and lives, alert for the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God preceding the meeting of our Lord in the air. What was it like to receive that letter?!

Pp 420-1 While in Corinth for eighteen months, Paul encouraged believers not to escape their culture but to avoid being overrun by their world-sotten society. And he always preached Christ and Him crucified. Paul was again attacked for persuading people to worship God in a manner contrary to the Law. As he later stated, Paul was attacked both by his own people, the Jews, and the people God was also seeking, the Gentiles. Extracted from the impending skirmish, Paul was sent out of town by the believers and went to Ephesus. Then on to Jerusalem and Antioch, building the believers and encouraging with stories of people turning to the Living God. Paul's reputation was preceding him and would ultimately become his Achilles heel.