Sunday June 4 2017

Lesson’s from Paul’s Life Part 3

Pastor Kim Wenzel 

Paul's mission Trips (First Trip)
Saul's Travels:
A. Saul begins to preach Christ immediately after his conversion .
 Acts 26:19-20 (NASB)
¹⁹  "So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision,
²⁰  but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.
  Gossip spreads fast regarding Saul preaching Jesus!
  He had to escape by being lowered over the city wall

B. Saul travels to Arabia, (1-3 years) back to Damascus, to Jerusalem, Caesarea, and to Tarsus preaching (5 years in Tarsus) in the regions of Syria and Cilicia cf. Acts 9:20-31; Galatians 1:18-21

 Acts 9:19-31 (NASB)
¹⁹  and he took food and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus,
²⁰  and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God."
²¹  All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, "Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?"
²²  But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.
²³  When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him,
²⁴  but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death;
²⁵  but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.
²⁶  When he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
²⁷  But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.
²⁸  And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.
²⁹  And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death.
³⁰  But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.
³¹  So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase. 
Galatians 1:18-24 (NASB)
¹⁸  Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days.
¹⁹  But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord's brother.
²⁰  (Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.)
²¹  Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
²²  I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ;
²³  but only, they kept hearing, "He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy."
²⁴  And they were glorifying God because of me.

Barnabas tracks down Saul/Paul to help in Antioch. 

C. Saul and Barnabas travel from Tarsus to Antioch of Syria:

1. A worldwide famine gave way to Saul and Barnabas traveling through Judea to distribute relief funds collected by the brethren in Syria (Acts 11:27-30

Acts 11:27-30 (NASB)
²⁷  Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
²⁸  One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius.
²⁹  And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea.
³⁰  And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.

2. Saul and Barnabas return to Antioch of Syria after distributing relief fundsto needy saints (Acts 12:25)

 Acts 12:25 (NASB)
²⁵  And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark.


   Paul's Travels:

A. First tour of preaching Galatia (Acts 13:4 to 14:28) Please read!!

Lessons learned from first tour!

1. The work of the Christian is to preach the word (cf.Acts 13:5-6 )

   Acts 13:5-6 (NASB)
⁵  When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper.
⁶  When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus,

2. The work of the Christian is to defend the truth (Acts 13:9-12)

Acts 13:8-12 (NASB)
⁸  But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
⁹  But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him,
¹⁰  and said, "You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord?
¹¹  "Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time." And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand.
¹²  Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.

3. The work of the Christian is to rid self of timidity and preach the word (Acts 13:15-16)

Acts 13:15-16 (NASB)
¹⁵  After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, "Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it."
¹⁶  Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: 

4. Churches were established due to the work of preaching (Antioch, Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe).

5. A plurality of elders to be established in every church (Acts 14:23) 

 Acts 14:23 (NASB)
²³  When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.




Today's Verse
 Psalm 116:1-2
I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

The Worship is over. Let the Service Begin!!!