1st Journey

Acts 13-14

Antioch –While the leaders were fasting and praying, Paul and Barnabas were set apart by Holy Spirit for the work He had called them for. When they finished fasting, the other leaders laid hands on them and sent them off.

Cyprus - They get into a boat and sail to Cyprus. It's where Barnabas is from and its the mother church of the Antoich church. They arrived at Salmais and proclaim the word of God in the synagogues. They took John Mark, Barnabas nephew, with them as their SHERPA

They go the length of the mountainous island (138 miles) to the Paphos and find the Proconsul or governor, Sergius Paulus. He’s open to the gospel but this Jewish sorcerer tries to live up to his name - Bar-Jesus – by thwarting their efforts. Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looks him eyes, says, “You son of the devil, Why do thwart the ways of God. From now you are going to blind.” Bam, he’s blind. When Sergius Paulus, the procounsel, sees what happened, he believes. Barnabas and Paul do exactly what we would we do if we just led the governor to Christ… they up and leave.

Pamphylia -

They Sail north to modern day turkey and first hit the Pamphylia (pam fihl' ih uh), one of the provinces of Asia Minor, a small district on the coast. In Perga, John called it quits and heads up back to mama in Jerusalem. So they leave Perga. Its okay we will hit you on the way back.

Pisidia

They traveled on to Pisidia > (pih ssih di' uh) Small area in the province of Galatia in southern Asia Minor... Antioch was made the capital. On the Sabbath they went to the meeting place and as outside guests they are asked to speak. Remember Barnabas is a Levite and Paul was a Pharisee so they have a little bit of ethos. So Paul stood up, motions with hands, “listen to me…” and he speaks on the message of Jesus being the Messiah. Service is over, Paul and Barnabas are invited back to preach again the next week. They end up in a discussion with Jews and devout converts to Judaism and seemingly some follow Jesus.

Next Saturday, practically the whole city showed up to hear the Word of God. Some of the Jewish leaders saw the crowds, became jealous and tore into Paul, contradicting him. Paul and Barnabas in boldness say 'look we will go to the Gentiles'. This pumps up the Greeks. Many believe. Gospel spread through whole region as a result. Jewish Leaders incite leading men and women, revoked their visas and force them to leave. B and P, High Five each other as they filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit that they are counted worthy to suffer for Christ.

Travel to Iconium.

Iconium is part of the Roman province of Galatia. They went into the Jewish synagogue; a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. They spent considerable time there speaking boldly for the Lord. Their message was confirmed through miraculous signs and wonders. Town’s split. There’s a plot afoot to mistreat them and stone them. But they found out about it and fled on down a main road to …

LYCAONIA (lihc ay oh' ni uh) - Like Iconium, this is part of larger district of Galatia but also unique part because of the local dialect. First they go to town of Lystra – Paul heals a man lame from birth and the crowd shouts in local language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" They call Barnabas - Zeus, and Paul - Hermes. P & B say, ‘stop, we are humans like you. We are bringing you good news telling you to turn from worthless idols to the living Creator God.” Some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium win the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for…

Derbe. It’s about 60 miles from Lystra; They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Paul writes later to Galatians that because of physical ailment that he preached gospel to them. Maybe it’s because of the stoning or the throne in the flesh, don’t know.
But after launching a movement with DNA to spread, in each of these cities they strengthen the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. They warn them about persecutions and appoint elders for each of them, with prayer and fasting, they commit them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

After going through Pisidia, they came back to Pamphylia, preached the word in Perga, and then they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.