Barnabas and Saul
Now you need a map; there is probably one in the back of your Bible identifying Paul's Missionary Journeys.
Start with Acts 11:19-26 (ESV): "Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians."
Barnabas and Saul traveled together a lot after that. Acts 11 not only finds them going to Antioch but also to Judea (Jerusalem) with a special offering (11:30), then Acts 12 again to Antioch (12:25), and in Acts 13 being set apart as the first missionary team.
Acts 13:4 (ESV): "So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Selucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus"; 13:5 landed at Salamis; 13:6 as far as Paphos; 13:13 Paphos to Perga in Pamphylia; 13:14 from Perga to Antioch in Pisidia.
It appears from Acts 13:16-49 that God did such a work that Barnabas and Paul became persona non grata. How did they respond? Verse 52 (ESV) tells us: "And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit."
Acts 14:1, "Now at Iconium..."; 14:2, "But the unbelieving Jews...."; 14:4, "But the people were divided...."; 14:6, they fled "to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lyconia, and to the surrounding country"; 14:9, "But Jews came from Antioch and Icomium...stoned Paul...." Paul was driven from Lystra, back to Derbe, back to Lystra, Iconium, Antioch (in Pisidia).
Acts 14:22-23 (ESV): "Strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed." Paul and Barnabas traveled through Pisidia to Pamphylia, Perga, Attilia. They sailed from Attilia to Antioch "where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled. And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done for them and how he opened a door of faith in the Gentiles" (Acts 14:26b-27, ESV).
I thought I would comment on the distance Paul and Barnabas traveled and what they did, but the more I considered this trip, the clearer the point became: God used them to accomplish his will. May the same be said of us when people look at our lives, because we too have declared all that he has done for us.
Start with Acts 11:19-26 (ESV): "Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians."
Barnabas and Saul traveled together a lot after that. Acts 11 not only finds them going to Antioch but also to Judea (Jerusalem) with a special offering (11:30), then Acts 12 again to Antioch (12:25), and in Acts 13 being set apart as the first missionary team.
Acts 13:4 (ESV): "So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Selucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus"; 13:5 landed at Salamis; 13:6 as far as Paphos; 13:13 Paphos to Perga in Pamphylia; 13:14 from Perga to Antioch in Pisidia.
It appears from Acts 13:16-49 that God did such a work that Barnabas and Paul became persona non grata. How did they respond? Verse 52 (ESV) tells us: "And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit."
Acts 14:1, "Now at Iconium..."; 14:2, "But the unbelieving Jews...."; 14:4, "But the people were divided...."; 14:6, they fled "to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lyconia, and to the surrounding country"; 14:9, "But Jews came from Antioch and Icomium...stoned Paul...." Paul was driven from Lystra, back to Derbe, back to Lystra, Iconium, Antioch (in Pisidia).
Acts 14:22-23 (ESV): "Strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed." Paul and Barnabas traveled through Pisidia to Pamphylia, Perga, Attilia. They sailed from Attilia to Antioch "where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled. And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done for them and how he opened a door of faith in the Gentiles" (Acts 14:26b-27, ESV).
I thought I would comment on the distance Paul and Barnabas traveled and what they did, but the more I considered this trip, the clearer the point became: God used them to accomplish his will. May the same be said of us when people look at our lives, because we too have declared all that he has done for us.
posted by Ebeth | 4:23 PM
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