PAUL'S FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY

• The Church at Antioch was blessed with abundance of prophets & teachers
• Besides Paul, Barnabas, there also was Simeon, Lucious of Cyrene and
Manaen-Acts 13:1
• After Saul's conversion, he came to realize that he had a calling-Gal 1:15-16
• Later, Paul testified before King Agrippa, he told of his calling which took
place when God brought him to his knees with the blinding light on the road
to Damascus-Acts 26:16-18
• Paul had to wait several years before the door opened for him to fulfil his
chief calling.
• The years between calling and sending were preparation years, and part of
God's plan for his life and ministry.
• After this time, time came for Paul to be sent- Acts 13:2
• 13:1 Who were these men? They were of different races & economic
standing: Greek, African , Roman, and Jewish.
❖Lucius was from Libya in North Africa;
❖Simeon was a man of African descent;
❖Paul was both Roman and Jewish;
❖Barnabas was Greek and Jewish;
❖Manaen was brought up with King Herod.
• The common thread among these 5 men was their deep faith in Christ.
• As in the early church, if believers today do their part to reach out to all who
are lost, churches will resemble the heavenly congregation, consisting of all
races, income levels, education levels, and language backgrounds.
• The men mentioned here represent the social, geographic, and racial
diversity in the Kingdom of God.
• The Holy Spirit moved through them all to appoint Barnabas and Paul to
their next mission.
• In an attitude of fasting and worship the Holy Ghost spoke unto them.
• The word ministered is the Greek word "leitourgeo" which means worship
and prayer and fasting.
• Sincere worship will still allow the gifts of the Holy Spirit to operate in our
churches.
• Read Acts 13:3-4
• This was the beginning of Paul's first missionary journey.
• In this journey, Paul went to several cities preaching the gospel.
1.Cyprus- On the island of Cyprus, they preached in Salamis and Paphos.
• Had a large Jewish population, was Barnabas’s home…familiar territory
2.Salamis-In Salamis they preached the word of God in Jewish synagogues.
• No results from these meetings are mentioned in scripture- Acts 13:5
3.Paphos-Acts 13:6-12
• Sergius Paulus was a proconsul (the deputy of the country;), called for
them desiring to hear the word of God.
• He was a high Roman official and here he functioned as the governor of
the island
• Such leaders often kept private sorcerers.
• A certain Jew, named Bar-Jesus who was both a false prophet and a
sorcerer tried to turn the deputy away from the truth.
• Bar-Jesus realized that if Sergius Paulus believed in Jesus, he would soon
be out of a job.
• Paul filled with the Holy Spirit rebuked him and pronounced that he would
be blind for a season.
• When this took place, the proconsul believed being astonished at the
doctrine of the Lord.
• 13:9-10 Here Luke refers to Saul as Paul for the first time.
• It is possible that this change from a Jewish to a Greek name could signal
a shift in Paul’s calling to focus primarily on reaching the Gentiles.
• This focus becomes more and more pronounced as the book of Acts
progresses.
4.Perga in Pamphylia
• At Perga John Mark, a young and inexperienced man who had
accompanied them, decided missionary life, was too strenuous for him,
and returned home-Acts 13:13
• Luke does not judge John Mark for leaving Paul and Barnabas, but other
references in Scripture point to some possibilities for why he left them: (1)
He was homesick, (2) he resented the change in leadership from
Barnabas (his cousin) to Paul, (3) he became ill (an illness that may have
affected all of them-Gal 4:13),
• (4) he was unable to withstand the rigors and dangers of the missionary
journey, or (5) he may have planned to go only that far but had not
communicated this to Paul and Barnabas.
• After this, Paul implicitly accused John Mark of lacking courage and
commitment, refusing to take him along on another journey (Acts 15:37-38)
• Paul’s later letters reveal, however, that he grew to respect Mark (Col 4:10)
and that he found Mark to be helpful in his work (2 Timothy 4:11).
5.Antioch in Pisidia
• Antioch of Pisidia was a different city from Antioch of Syria, where there
was already a flourishing church (11:26).
• This Antioch, in the region of Pisidia, was a hub of good roads and trade
and had a large Jewish population.
• On the Sabbath they went into the Synagogue and sat down.
• After the reading of the law and the prophets they were invited by the rulers of
the synagogue to speak if they had a word of exhortation.
• Paul’s message to the Jews in the synagogue in Antioch began with an
emphasis on God’s covenant with Israel in Egypt.
• He reminded them of God's goodness and grace, how he had brought them out
of Egypt and into the promised land of Canaan, and narrated their history up to
David.
• This was a point of agreement, because all Jews were proud to be God’s
chosen people.
• When he got to David he began to preach the resurrection of Jesus.
• Paul also explained how Scripture had been fulfilled and how Gentiles are part
of God’s plan…Some Jews found this message hard to accept.
• Acts 13:23-Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto
Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
• After the intense preaching of Jesus, Paul exhorted them not to ignore the truth.
• Paul often began where his listeners were and then introduced them to
Jesus.
• Because Paul was speaking to devout Jews, he began by reminding them
about God’s covenant with Israel and the great ancestors of the faith, like
Abraham and David.
• Later, when speaking to the Greek philosophers in Athens (17:22-32), he
began by talking about what he had observed in their city.
• In both cases, however, he centered the sermon around Jesus and
emphasized the crux of the christian faith-the Resurrection.
• When you share the Good News, begin with what most interests your
audience.
• Then tell them about Jesus. He meets people at their point of need and
shows them how much they need him.
• 13:51-Often Jews would shake the dust off their feet when leaving a Gentile
town on the way back to their own land.
• This symbolized cleansing themselves from the contamination of those who did
not worship God.
• For Paul and Barnabas to do this to Jews demonstrated that Jews who rejected
the Good News were not part of the true Israel and were no better than pagans.
• Jesus had told his disciples to shake from their feet the dust of any town that
would not accept or listen to them (Mark 6:11).
• The disciples were not to blame if the message was rejected as long as they
had faithfully presented it.
• When we share Christ carefully and sensitively, God does not hold us
responsible for our listeners’ decisions.
• Be careful not to misapply this action…“Shaking the dust off your feet” is not the
way to respond to insults, disagreements, or people who simply annoy you.
• This was a specific judgment on a group of people who heard the Good News
and understood it but rejected it.
CONTINUED MINISTRY IN GALATIA -Acts 14:1-28
• Paul and Barnabas, thrown
out of Antioch in Pisidia,
descended the mountains,
going east into Lycaonia.
• They went first to Iconium, a
commercial center on the
road between Asia and Syria.
• After preaching there, they
had to flee to Lystra, 25 miles
south.
• Paul was stoned in Lystra,
but he and Barnabas
travelled the 50 miles to
Derbe, a border town.
• The pair then boldly retraced
their steps
• Read Acts 14:1-5.
• We may wish we could perform a miraculous act that would convince
everyone once and for all that Jesus is Lord.
• But we see here that even if we could perform a miracle, it wouldn’t
convince everyone.
• God gave these men power to do great wonders as confirmation of their
message, but people were still divided.
• Don’t spend your time and energy wishing for miracles.
• Sow the seeds of the Good News in any way you can and trust the Holy
Spirit to do the convicting and the convincing
6. Iconium
• Iconium Lystra, and Derbe were three cities Paul visited in the southern
part of the region of Galatia.
• Paul probably wrote his letter to these churches-the letter to the Galatians-
because many Jewish Christians were claiming that non-Jewish Christians
couldn’t be saved unless they followed Jewish laws and customs.
• Paul’s letter refuted this and brought the believers back to a right
understanding of faith in Jesus (Galatians 3:3, 5).
• He may have written this letter soon after leaving the region
• In Iconium, they preached in the synagogue, where a great multitude, both
of Jews and Greeks believed.
• They remained for quite some time "speaking boldly in the Lord."
• God confirmed his word and granted signs and wonders to be done by
their hands.
• Persecution however came, shortly after and they were forced to leave, to
avoid being stoned to death.
7.Lystra and Derbe
• Paul and his party came to two cities of Lycaonia-Lystra and Derbe, and
the region that lieth round about and preached the gospel there.
• At Lystra, a man who had been lame from his mother's womb, was healed.
• The people of the city, when they saw the great miracle, wanted to worship
Paul and Barnabas and claimed "the gods have come down to us in the
likeness of men."
• They called Barnabas Jupiter and Paul was called Mercurius.
• The prince of Jupiter wanted to lead the people in offering sacrifices to
them
• 14:11-13 Zeus and Hermes (also known as Jupiter and Mercury) were two
popular gods in the Roman world.
• People from Lystra claimed that these gods had once visited their city.
• According to legend, no one had offered them hospitality except an old
couple, so Zeus and Hermes had killed the rest of the people and
rewarded the old couple.
• When the citizens of Lystra saw the miracles of Paul and Barnabas, they
assumed that the gods were visiting them again.
• Remembering the story of the previous citizens, they immediately honored
Paul and Barnabas and showered them with gifts.
• 14:15-18-Paul and Barnabas were horrified and distressed, and they
quickly tried to correct the people’s misunderstanding.
• They reminded them that God never leaves people “without evidence of
himself and his goodness.”
• Later, Paul wrote that this evidence in nature leaves people without an
excuse for unbelief (Romans 1:20).
• Lesson: Regardless of how people idolize you, it is important to continue
to direct all the glory back to the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 14:18-19 Only days after the people in Lystra had thought that Paul and
Barnabas were gods and wanted to offer sacrifices to them, they stoned
Paul and left him for dead…That’s human nature.
• Jesus understood how fickle crowds can be (John 2:24-25).
• The disciples gathered around him and prayed for him and he returned to
spend the night back in the city.
• The next day he and Barnabas came to Derbe, where they preached the
gospel and taught many.
• Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch.
• 14:23-Part of the reason that Paul and Barnabas risked their lives to return
to these cities was to organize the churches’ leadership.
• They were not just
following up on a
loosely knit group;
• they were helping
the believers get
organized with
spiritual leaders who
could help them
grow.
• Churches grow
under Spirit-led
leaders, both
laypersons and
pastors.
• They encouraged the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith,
and that we must through much tribulation to enter into the kingdom of God
• When they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with
fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
• Then they traveled to Perga, where they had landed & they preached the
word of God there & then went down to Attalia, the main port that sent
goods from Asia to Syria & Egypt & they found a ship bound for Seleucia.
• Upon their arrival, there was a special service where Paul and Barnabas
shared with the brethren, what the Lord had done, and how he had opened
"the door of faith unto the Gentiles."
• Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch a while to strengthen the church
there.
• This marked the end of the first missionary journey.
• 14:28-Paul probably wrote his letter to the Galatians while he was staying in
Antioch after completing his first missionary journey (around AD 48 or 49)
• There are several theories about what part of Galatia Paul was addressing,
but most agree that Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe were part of the region for
whom the letter was intended.
• Galatians was probably written before the Jerusalem council (Acts 15),
because in the letter the question of whether Gentile believers should be
required to follow Jewish law was not yet resolved.
• The council met to solve that problem
 THE GENERAL COUNCIL IN JERUSALEM
• The Early Church had no NT to guide them in proper conduct.
• The OT and the Lord's teaching formed the foundation of all they believed.
• The Apostles' doctrine was simply the truth they had received from the
Lord Jesus Christ.
• With the influx of thousands of Gentiles into the Church of Jesus Christ, a
new question emerged that was not covered by these sources.
• 15:1-The question of whether Gentile believers should obey the law of
Moses in order to be saved was extremely critical at this point in
Christianity’s history and could have potentially split the early church if not
handled carefully.
• The controversy had intensified with the success of the new Gentile
churches
• A dispute arose when some Jewish
believers known as the Judaizers taught
that Gentile believers had to be
circumcised to be saved.
• Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to
discuss this situation with the leaders
there.
• After the Jerusalem council made its
decision, Paul and Barnabas returned to
Antioch with the news
• A group called the Judaizers in the Jerusalem church was led by
converted Pharisees who preferred a legalistic religion to one based on
faith alone (15:5).
• If the Judaizers had won, circumcision would have been required as a sign
of conversion.
• In effect, Christianity would have simply become another sect within
Judaism instead of God’s fulfilled plan for all people of every nation and
language.
• There is something of a Pharisee in each one of us.
• We may unwittingly mistake upholding tradition, structure, and legal
requirements for obeying God.
• Make sure the gospel brings freedom and life, not rules and ceremonies,
to those you are trying to reach.
• After Paul & Barnabas had many arguments with them about this matter, it
was decided that Paul & Barnabas & some of the other brethren go to
Jerusalem & meet with the Apostles & teachers to discuss this question.
• 15:2-35-The delegates to the council at Jerusalem came from the churches
in Jerusalem and Antioch.
• The conversion of Gentiles was raising an urgent question for the early
church: The real problem for the Jewish Christians was not whether
Gentiles could be saved but whether Gentile believers had to adhere to the
laws of Moses and other Jewish traditions.
• The test of following these laws was circumcision.
• One group of Jewish Christians, the Judaizers, insisted that following the
law, including submitting to the rite of circumcision, was necessary for
salvation.
• The Gentiles, however, did not think they needed to become Jewish first in
• The Jewish Christians were worried because soon Gentile Christians
would outnumber Jewish Christians.
• They were also afraid that moral standards would weaken among believers
if they did not follow Jewish laws.
• So Paul and Barnabas discussed this problem with the leaders of the
church.
• Paul, Barnabas, and the other church leaders believed that following the
OT law was very important but was not a prerequisite to salvation.
• The law cannot save; only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ can a
person be saved.
• The council ultimately upheld the conviction expressed by Paul and
Barnabas that following the Jewish laws, including being circumcised, was
not essential for salvation.
• Here is an outline of the 3 points of view at the conference.
• Judaizers-Gentiles must become Jews to be eligible for salvation.
1. They were devout, practicing Jews who found it difficult to set aside the
tradition of gaining merit with God by keeping the law.
2. They thought salvation by grace was too easy on the Gentiles.
3. They were afraid of seeming too non-Jewish in the practice of their new
Christian faith, which could lead to death.
4. Putting their demands on the Gentiles was a way of maintaining control
and authority in the movement.
• Gentile-Christians Faith in Christ as Savior is the only requirement for
salvation.
1. To submit to Jewish demands would be to doubt what God had already
done for them by grace alone.
2. They resisted exchanging their pagan rituals for a system of Jewish rituals-
neither of which had power to save.
3. They sought to obey Christ by baptism (rather than by circumcision) as a
sign of their new faith.
• Peter and James -Faith is the only requirement, but there must be evidence
of change by rejecting the old lifestyle.
1.They tried to distinguish between what was true according to God’s Word
and what was just human tradition.
2.They had Christ’s command to preach to all the world.
3.They wanted to preserve unity.
4.They saw that Christianity could never survive as just a sect within Judaism
• 15:23-29 Matters of theology are serious-In this case, the decision was not
based on one person.Paul and Barnabas, then Peter and James, relied on
Scripture and the words of Jesus to guide their decision
• The Apostles met with the elders of the church to discuss the matter...After
much argument Peter spoke…Acts 15:7-11
• Then Paul and Barnabas declared what miracles and wonders God had
wrought among the Gentiles by them.
• After they were finished, James stood up, the pastor of the Jerusalem churc
and evidently the man that was presiding over the conference.
• This James is the Lord's brother, not one of the twelve Apostles.
• Gal 1:19-But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brothe
• Read Acts 15:13-20
• This resolution was accepted whole heartedly by all.
• In fact when letters were written, to the church to tell them of their decision,
they were phrased this way.
• Acts 15:28-29-For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost,& to us, to lay upon
you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29That ye abstain from
meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and
from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare
ye well.
• The letter from the conference in Jerusalem was received in Antioch with
great joy.
• The ministry of Judas and Silas being prophets (speaking forth, foretelling,
speaking on behalf of the Lord) was also a blessing to the Church.
• After spending time in Antioch, they were released to return to the work of
God in Antioch for a while.
• Acts 15:31-34- 31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the
consolation. 32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves,
exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. 33 And after
they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren
unto the apostles. 34 Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.
PAUL'S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY
• Acts 15:36-And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go
again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the
word of the Lord, and see how they do.
• After deciding to visit the brethren in every city and see how they were
doing, Paul and Barnabas ended up in disagreement.
• Barnabas being trusting wanted to take John Mark with them again.
• John Mark had departed to return home after such a short time during
their first journey.
• Paul did not want to take John Mark with him, possibly because he felt
Mark would repeat what he did on the last journey.
• Barnabas felt John Mark had matured.
• It was finally resolved that Barnabas take John Mark and sail for Cyprus,
while Paul would take Silas with Him as a ministerial companion.
• The Holy Ghost used what might have been a serious division in the church to
send forth additional labourers into the harvest.
• Read Acts 15:37-39
• Paul's second missionary trip started from there, where they ‘departed, being
recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God."
• Acts 15:40- And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the
brethren unto the grace of God.
• This time they set out by land rather than sea, traveling the Roman road through
Cilicia and the Cilician Gates then northwest toward Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium.
• The Spirit told them not to go into Asia, so they turned northward toward
Bithynia.
• Again the Spirit said no, so they turned west through Mysia to the harbor city of
Troas.
• Acts 16:1- Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold a certain disciple
was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess,
and believed; but his father was a Greek:
1.TIMOTHY
• Timothy was one of Paul's converts during his first missionary journey.
• He was the offspring of a mixed parentage - a devout Jewish mother
Eunice and a Greek pagan father.
• His grandmother and mother had brought him up in the pure Jewish faith,
teaching him the scriptures-2 Tim 3:15
• When Paul came to Lystra preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ,
grandmother, mother and son were converted to true Christianity.
• When Paul made his second trip to Lystra, he was pleasantly surprised.
• The brethren at Lystra, and Iconium gave a good report of the young man
who had evidently received his call, to preach and perhaps had been
doing some preaching-Acts 16:2
• Paul grew to love Timothy as his own son- Philippians 2:19-22
• Indeed, Timothy was his "own son” in the faith-1 Timothy 1:2.
• Timothy became Paul's companion more than anybody else.
• On this 2nd missionary journey, Paul desired Timothy to accompany him.
• He first took Timothy and circumcised him because all Jews knew that his father
was Greek- Acts 16:3-5
• Timothy was not fully a Jew, as was the case with Samaritans.
• So Paul asked Timothy to be circumcised to remove some of the stigma he may
have had with Jewish believers.
• Timothy was not required to be circumcised (the Jerusalem council had decided
that; see Acts 15), but he voluntarily did this to overcome any barriers to his
witness for Christ.
• Sometimes we need to go beyond the minimum requirements in order to further
the Kingdom of God.
• As they went through cities, they delivered the decrees that were adopted at the
conference in Jerusalem.
• God blessed their ministry and churches were established in the faith, and
increased in number daily.
• Beyond the tensions created by his mixed-race background, Timothy seemed to
struggle with a naturally timid character and a sensitivity to his youthfulness.
• Unfortunately, many who share Timothy’s character traits are quickly dismissed
as too great a risk to deserve much responsibility.
• By God’s grace, Paul saw great potential in Timothy. Paul demonstrated his
confidence in Timothy by entrusting him with important responsibilities.
• Paul sent Timothy as his personal representative to Corinth during a particularly
tense time (1 Corinthians 4:14-17).
• Although Timothy was apparently ineffective in that difficult assignment, Paul did
not give up on him.
• Timothy continued to travel with Paul.
• Paul left Timothy in Ephesus to oversee the young church there (1 Tim 1:3-4).
• He wrote to encourage Timothy and give him needed direction.
• These letters have provided comfort and help to countless other people who can
relate to Timothy through the years.
• The Cities of Antioch (of Pisidia) Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe were all in the
Galatian region.
• 16:6-in certain places they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the
Word of God, as it was not the proper time to minister in those areas.
• This shows the importance of relying on the Spirit.
• We don’t know how the Holy Spirit told Paul that he and his companions
should not go to Asia.
• When you are seeking God’s will, (1) make sure your plan is in harmony
with God’s Word, (2) ask mature Christians for their advice, (3) check your
own motives to see if you are seeking to do what you want or what you
think God wants, and (4) pray for God to open and close doors as he
desires.
2. THE CALL TO MACEDONIA
• When Paul and his company were in Troas City 10 miles for the anoint ruins of
Tray Paul had a vision.
• In the vision he saw a man of Macedonia country North of Greece, on the Balkan
Peninsula pleading with him saying ‘come over into Macedonia & help us”
• At Troas, Paul received the Macedonian call (16:9), and he, Silas, Timothy, and
Luke boarded a ship.
• Alter having been forbidden of the Spirit to preach in the to areas they were
happy to have some divine direction and immediately endeavored to go into
Macedonia.
• The Holy Spirit guides us to the right places, but he also guides us away from the
wrong places.
• They sailed from Troas to Samothrace and the next day is Neapolis, from
Neapolis they travelled to Phillipi, which was the chief city of that part of
Macedonia
MINISTRY IN MACEDONIA Acts 16:11-40
3. LUKE THE BELOVED PHYSICIAN
• Luke joined Paul and his party at the time of their trip to Macedonia from
hence forth Luke used the pronoun we in his writing.
• Acts 16:10-10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we
endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had
called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
• All of the church history before now had been third party but became a
personal witness and partaker from this point.
• Luke is thought to have been a Gentile and a proselyte.
• By his writings he is thought to have been a cultured and educated man,
earning the words of Paul "the beloved physician."
4. VICTORY AT PHILLIPI
• 16:12-Philippi was the key city in the region of Macedonia (northern
Greece today).
• Paul founded a church during this visit (AD 50–51).
• Later, he wrote a letter to this church, the book of Philippians, probably
from a prison in Rome (AD 61).
• The letter was personal and tender, showing Paul’s deep love for and
friendship with the believers there.
• In it he thanked them for a gift they had sent, alerted them to a coming visit
from Timothy and Epaphroditus, urged them to clear up any disunity in the
church, and encouraged them not to give in to persecution.
• Paul and his group were in Phillipi for several days.
• On the Sabbath they went out of the city to the river where it was custom
for people to meet and pray.
• A certain woman named Lydia was present for the prayer meeting.
• She was from the city of Thyatira in Asia were they had been forbidden to
preach.
• Thyatira was a city very famous for its weave and dyeing so it is not
surprising to note that Lydia was a seller of purple.
• As Paul and his group joined the women who had came to pray they also
spoke the word of God to them.
• God opened Lydia's heart and she and her house and was baptized.
• Lydia’s business as a dealer in fine purple cloth and dye probably means she
was wealthy.
• She was responsible for her household, and no husband is mentioned. Lydia
was also a spiritual searcher
• She was among the Gentile women who gathered outside Philippi on each
Sabbath to pray to the God of the Jews.
• She was among the Gentile women who gathered outside Philippi on each
Sabbath to pray to the God of the Jews.
• Lydia’s attendance at the prayer gathering demonstrated her willingness to
respond to God, even if she didn’t know much about him.
• God responded to her quest by providing her with more truth. When she
heard the Good News about Jesus Christ, she listened and believed. She is
remembered as Paul’s first European convert.
• Luke describes the first two steps in Lydia’s life as a disciple: (1) She was
baptized, and (2) she brought the rest of the members of her household to
Paul, and they also believed and were baptized.
• Lydia’s response was both inward and outward
• Then she begged them to come and abide in her house- Acts 16:15
• Thus the missionary party made Lyddia's house the headquarters for their
outreach in Phillipi.
5. VICTORY AT THE PRISON
• Paul's missionary party went to prayer and a young lady followed them
and began to cry, "These are servants of the most high God which shew
us unto the way of salvation"
• Paul discerned the woman was possessed by a spirt of divination, thus a
fortune teller.
• She was a slave girl and her masters made a lot of money with her fortune
telling.
• Nevertheless, after some days of putting up with this girl, Paul being
grieved in his heart cast out the spirit from the girl.
• This made the girl's masters very angry because she lost her power and
they lost the money.
• 16:16 This girl’s fortune-telling ability came from evil spirits.
• Fortune-telling was a common practice in Greek and Roman cultures.
• People used many superstitious methods in their attempts to foretell future
events, from interpreting omens in nature to communicating with the spirits
of the dead.
• This young slave girl had an evil spirit, and she made her masters rich by
interpreting signs and telling people their fortunes.
• The masters were exploiting her unfortunate condition for personal gain
• 16:17-18 -What the slave girl said was true, although the source of her
knowledge was a demon.
• Why did a demon announce the truth about Paul, and why did this annoy
Paul?
• In the spiritual world, demons and angels are actively at war.
• Demons fight to drag as many people away from God as they can and to
diminish the image of God in each person.
• They know God exists and has the power to destroy them.
• If Paul accepted the demon’s words, he would appear to be linking the
Good News with demon-related activities.
• Satan always seeks to twist the truth of God’s Word.
• Allowing the slave girl’s demon to keep announcing their purpose would
damage the communication of Paul’s message about Christ.
• Truth and lies from Satan do not mix
• 16:19 Faced with the loss of their slave girl’s fortune-telling ability, the
Philippian entrepreneurs were furious.
• Never mind that Paul and Silas were speaking eternal truths.
• Never mind that the poor slave girl had been delivered from an awful
existence; her owners could only bemoan their economic loss!
• The gospel would also later hurt Ephesian idol makers financially, resulting
in a citywide riot (Acts 19).
• When people care more about their own economic well-being than the glory
of God and the salvation of lost souls, it is a clear sign that idolatry, greed,
and selfishness have become their masters.
• They brought Paul &Silas before the court that was held in the market place
• False charges were bought against Paul and Silas and they were beaten
with many stripes and cast into prison.
• The jailer was charged to keep them safely.
• 16:22-25-Roman guards stripped and beat Paul and Silas and placed them
in stocks in the inner jail cell.
• Stocks were made of two boards joined with iron clamps, leaving holes just
big enough for the ankles.
• Jailers would place a prisoner’s legs across the lower board and then close
the upper board over them.
• Sometimes both wrists and ankles would be placed in stocks.
• Paul and Silas,men who had committed no crime, were put in stocks
designed for holding the most dangerous prisoners in absolute security.
• Despite this dismal situation, they praised God, praying and singing as the
other prisoners listened.
• No matter what our circumstances are, we should praise God. Others may
come to Christ because of our example.
• Paul preached and taught that we should rejoice in all things: v25-26
• He practiced what he taught
• Praising is still the most volatile of weapons.
• The keeper of the prison awake out of sleep and seeing the prison doors
open was about to commit suicide, thinking that all of the prisoners had left
• 16:27-The jailers were responsible for their prisoners and would be held
accountable for their escape.
• Usually, a jailer would be put to death for failing to keep the prisoners locked
up (Acts 12:19).
• Paul called to him, not to hurt himself as they were all there.
• The jailer called for a light and then rushed in and fell down before Paul and
Silas.
• 16:30-31-Paul and Silas’s reputation in Philippi was well known.
• When the jailer realized his own condition and need, he risked everything to
find the answer to his question.
• Paul and Silas shared with him the Good News of salvation: Believe in the
Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-Rom 10:9;1 Cor 12:3;Eph 2:8-9;Phil 2:11
• When we recognize Jesus as Lord and trust in him with our entire lives, we
receive salvation.
• After salvation life can be filled with joy, just like the jailer’s (Acts 16:34).
• 16:37-38-Roman citizenship carried with it certain privileges.
• These Philippian authorities were alarmed because whipping a Roman
citizen was illegal.
• In addition, every citizen had the right to a fair trial, which Paul and Silas had
not been given.
• Paul refused to take his freedom and run.
• He wanted to teach the city officials in Philippi a lesson, possibly to protect
other believers from the treatment he and Silas had received.
• The word would spread that Paul and Silas had been found innocent and
freed by the leaders, perhaps establishing some precedent for the protection
of believers-especially if they were Roman citizens.
• Read Acts 17:1-3 -From Phillipi Paul travelled to Thessalonica.
• 17:1-Thessalonica was one of the wealthiest and most influential cities in
Macedonia.
• This is the first city Paul visited where his teachings attracted a large group
of socially prominent citizens.
• Paul preached the word for 3 successive Sabbath days reasoning with them
out of the scriptures that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again
from the dead and that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is the Christ.
• Some of the Jews and many of the devout Greeks (Gentiles who had never
been converted into Judaism) accepted the word and joined Paul and Silas.
• There were among these a number of leading women-Acts 17:4
• The unbelieving Jews were envious and gathering together a group of
wicked men, they managed to cause a riot among the people against Paul
and Silas and the new believers.
• The church he planted grew quickly, but in AD 50 or 51, he was forced out
of the city by a mob (17:5-6, 10).
• He later sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to see how the Christians there
were doing.
• Soon afterward, Paul wrote two letters to the Thessalonian believers (1 & 2
Thes), encouraging them to remain faithful and to refuse to listen to false
teachers who tried to refute their beliefs
• 17:1-2-A synagogue, a group of Jews who gathered for teaching and prayer,
could be established wherever ten Jewish males lived.
• Paul’s regular practice was to preach in synagogues as long as he was
welcome.
• 17:5 The Jewish leaders didn’t try to refute the theology of Paul and Silas,
but they were jealous of the popularity of these itinerant preachers not doctrin
purity
• Paul and his company had taken shelter in the house of Jason, at first but
because of the uproar they relocated.
• The mob assaulted Jason's house and they did not find Paul and Silas,
they took Jason and some of other brethren and brought them before the
rulers of city, crying out: These that have turned the world upside down are
come hither also; Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to
the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus
• 17:6 We don’t know much about Jason except that he was evidently the
local host and sponsor of Paul and Silas; thus, he took the heat for all the
problems.
• Jason is just one of many unsung heroes who faithfully played their parts to
help spread the Good News.
• Because of Jason’s courage, Paul and Silas were able to minister more
effectively.
• You may not receive much attention as you serve Jesus (in fact, you may
receive only grief), but God sees you
• 17:7 The Jewish leaders had difficulty manufacturing an accusation that
would be heard by the city government.
• The Romans did not care about theological disagreements between the
Jews and these preachers.
• Treason, however, was a serious offense in the Roman Empire.
• Paul and Silas were not advocating rebellion against Roman law, but their
loyalty to another king sounded suspicious.
• The Jewish leaders twisted the truth purposely to cause trouble
• The people and rulers of the city were troubled at these towns but Jason
and the other brethren were released after bail was paid.
• Then Paul and Silas rose up in the middle of the night and journeyed to
Berea- Acts 17:8-10
6. THE NOBLE BEREANS- Acts 17:11-12
• At the first opportunity, Paul and Silas preached in the synagogues of the
Jews at Berea and found receptive hearts.
• The believers in Berea were called "noble" because they neither rejected
not accepted the truth without first searching the scriptures.
• Many people today will believe everything they hear, while others are so
bound by tradition that it is impossible to teach them the truth because
they will not search the scriptures.
• When the Jews in Thessalonica heard the gospel preached in Berea they
sent men to stir up the people in that city.
• However the brethren immediately sent Paul away while Silas and Timothy
remained a little longer to help strengthen the new believers-Acts 17:13-14
7.THE GOSPEL CAME TO ATHENS GREECE
• When Paul left Berea, he was escorted by some of the brethren to the city
of Athens.
• What he saw and the burden he felt caused him to send for Silas and
Timothy- Acts 17:15
• 17:16-Athens, with its magnificent buildings and many gods, was a center
for Greek culture, philosophy, and education.
• It is a city famous for its history…It was the capital of Attica one of the
states…It is now the capital city of Greece
• It was built mostly upon a Rock Hill called Acropolis just four and half miles
from the sea.
• In ancient times it had a population of about 250 000; a very large city
those days.
• It was the most important University City in the ancient world and was
totally given over to idolatry and this is what stirred Paul.
• Philosophers and other educated people were always ready to hear
something new
• While he waited for Silas& Timothy to come they invited Paul to speak to
them at the meeting of the Areopagus, the high council of the city:v18-19
• He pleaded in the synagogue of the Jews and in the markert places
disputing with some of the devout persons of the city.
• A group of philosophers called him a babbler while others said, “He
seemed to be setter forth of strange gods” they said because he
preached unto them Jesus and the resurrection- Acts 17:16-20
• 17:18-The Epicureans and Stoics were the dominant philosophers in
Greek culture.
• The Epicureans believed that seeking happiness or pleasure was the
primary goal of life.
• By contrast, the Stoics placed thinking above feeling and tried to live in
harmony with nature and reason, suppressing their desire for pleasure.
Thus, they were very disciplined.
• 17:19-For a time, this council, the Areopagus, met on a low hill in Athens
near the Acropolis.
• They brought him to Mars Hill called Areopagus and told him.
• Mars Hill was a barren hill 370 feet high that was used as a gathering
place for public speakers and those that wanted to hear them-Acts 17:21
• There were altars to every known God and just to make sure there was no
God who had not been recognized and worshipped someone had built an
altar with the inscription "TO THE UNKNOWN GOD”-Read Acts 17:22-25
• The Athenians like all idol worshippers placed great emphasis in beautiful
temples and elaborate altars where food and flowers were offered.
• Paul reasoned with the people that the one true God is an omnipresent
Spirit who created all things, and is unconfinable in the temples and
doesn't need or eat food.
• As Paul stood there and spoke about the one true God, his audience could
look down on the city and see the many idols representing gods that Paul
knew were worthless.
• 17:22-Paul was well prepared to speak to this group.
• He came from Tarsus, an educational center, and had the training and
knowledge to present his beliefs clearly and persuasively.
• Paul was a rabbi, taught by the finest scholar of his day, Gamaliel, and he
had spent much of his life thinking and reasoning through the Scriptures.
• Like Paul, we must be prepared to give a defense for what we believe in
any situation.
• 17:23-Paul explained the one true God to these educated men of Athens;
although these men were, in general, very religious, they did not know
God.
• Christianity is talked about a lot today, but to most people, God is still
unknown.
• We need to proclaim who he is and make clear what he has done for
everyone through his Son, Jesus Christ.
• 17:27-28-God is revealed in his creation and is close to every one of us.
• Through his Holy Spirit, he lives within all who believe in Jesus Christ.
• But he is not trapped in his creation—he is transcendent.
• God is the Creator, not the creation.
• This means that God is sovereign and in control, while at the same time he
is close and personal.
• We do not shape God to meet our needs; we serve him as the holy God
who loves us.
• If you find yourself trying to make God fit your expectations, ask him to
reveal himself to you as he really is and to help you find your purpose in
him.
• After showing the people their worshipping that which men have made
with their own hands and he called them to repentance.
• 17:30-31-Paul did not leave his message unfinished.
• He confronted his listeners with Jesus’ resurrection, future return, and
coming judgment.
• The Greeks had no concept of judgment.
• Most of them worshiped many gods instead of just one.
• Paul did not hold back the truth, however, even though the concept of
resurrection seemed unbelievable to them.
• Paul often changed his approach to fit his audience, but he never changed
his basic message.
• Some of the people mocked, when they heard of the resurrection of the
dead while others wanted to explore the subject further.
• Meanwhile there were some who believed including a man named
Dionysius, and a woman named Damaris-Acts 17:32-34
8.MINISTRY IN CORINTH AND EPHESUS Acts 18:1-28
• Paul left Athens & travelled on
to Corinth, one of the greatest
commercial centers of the
empire.
• Located on a narrow neck of
land offering direct passage
between the Aegean and
Adriatic Seas.
• When Paul left from the port
of Corinth at Cenchrea, he
visited Ephesus.
• He then travelled to Caesarea
from there he went on to
Jerusalem to report on his trip
• 18:1-Corinth was the political and commercial center of Greece,
surpassing Athens in importance.
• It had a reputation for great wickedness and immorality.
• A temple to Aphrodite, false goddess of love and war, had been built on
the large hill behind the city.
• In her popular religion, people worshiped the goddess by giving money to
her temple and taking part in sexual acts with male and female temple
prostitutes.
• Paul found Corinth a challenge and a great ministry opportunity.
• Later, he would write a series of letters to the Corinthians dealing in part
with the problems of immorality.
• First and Second Corinthians are two of those letters
8. AQUILLA & PRISCILLA
• One of the outstanding things we note about this couple is that their names are
always mentioned together in the scriptures.
• They seemed to have achieved a oneness in Christ and all they accomplished
was the result of that unity of spirit and purpose.
• When Paul left Athens and came to Corinth, he found this couple and lived with
them.
• Aquilla was born in Pontas and later moved to Italy.
• He was among the Jews who were expelled from the city by Claudius, the
Roman Emperor.
• He then moved with his wife to the city of Corinth where he took up the trade of
tent making.
• Paul was also a tent maker by trade and the two began to work together.
• Paul, however, did not forsake his chief calling at the Sabbath he "reasoned in
the synagogue." "Persuading both Jews and Greeks.
• It was after he came to Corinth that Timothy and Silas joined him again.
• At that time Paul, decided to leave the ministry at Corinth citing
unreceptive Jew-Acts 18:6
• However, that time Crispus the chief ruler of the synagogues and his entire
household, believed on the Lord and were baptized- Acts 18:7-8
• His conversion also caused many other Corinthians to believe & baptized
• The Lord came to Paul, in a night vision and encouraged him.
• 18:11-Paul continued at Corinth for eighteen months, preaching the word
of God among them.
• During the year and a half that Paul stayed in Corinth, he established a
church and wrote two letters to the believers in Thessalonica (the books of
1 and 2 Thessalonians).
• Although Paul had been in Thessalonica for only a short time (Acts 17:1-
15), he commended the believers there for their loving deeds, strong faith,
and endurance inspired by hope.
• While encouraging them to stay away from immorality, he dealt with the
themes of salvation, suffering, and the second coming of Jesus Christ.
• Paul told them to continue to work hard while they awaited Jesus’ return.
9.PAUL IS BROUGHT TO COURT
• 18:12-Gallio, a Roman senator, served as governor (proconsul) of Achaia
(modern Greece) when Paul was in Corinth in AD 51 and was the brother
of Seneca the philosopher
• Historical records say that this man had a very sweet disposition.
• Sometime during Paul's stay in Corinth a group of Jews banded together
and brought Paul to court.
• 18:13-Paul was charged with promoting a religion not approved by Roman
law…This charge amounted to treason.
• They told Gallio" "This fellow persuaded men to worship God contrary to
the law.”…Acts 18:12-13
• Paul was not encouraging obedience to a human king other than Caesar
(see 17:7), nor was he speaking against the Roman Empire.
• Instead, he was speaking about Christ’s eternal Kingdom
• Gallilo defended Paul and drove the Jews out of court-Acts 18:14-15
• 18:14-16-This was an important judicial decision for the spread of the
Good News in the Roman Empire.
• Judaism was a recognized religion under Roman law.
• As long as Christians were seen as part of Judaism, the court refused to
hear cases brought against them.
• If they had claimed to be a new religion, they could easily have been
outlawed by the government.
• In effect, Gallio was saying, “I don’t understand all your terminology and
finer points of theology.
• Gallilo however refused to take sides with the Jews or the Greeks against
Paul and the believers in Corinth…Read Acts 18:17
• He told them to handle the matter amongst themselves & not bother him.”
• Thus, they brought Sosthenes to court and beat him before Gallio
• 18:17-Crispus had been the leader of the synagogue, but he and his family
had been converted and had joined the Christians (18:8).
• Sosthenes had been chosen to take his place.
• The mob could have been made up of Greeks venting their feelings against
the Jews for causing turmoil, or it may have included some Jews.
• In any case, they beat Sosthenes for losing the case and leaving the
synagogue worse off than before.
• A person named Sosthenes is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 1:1, and many
believe this was the same man, in time becoming a convert and a companio
of Paul.
• Luke may have included this detail to show that a man who suffered
persecution for Jesus, even though he didn’t believe in him at the time,
amazingly became a follower of Jesus later.
• 18:18 This vow Paul took was probably a temporary Nazirite vow that ended
with shaving the head & offering the hair as a sacrifice-Numbers 6:18
• 18:18-22-It is thought that the feast he wanted to attend was the feast of
Passover.
• All male Jews were required to go to Jerusalem in order to keep this feast.
• This provided a wonderful opportunity for Paul to share the gospel with
many of his friends whom he had not witnessed to.
• 18:22-This verse marks the end of Paul’s second missionary journey and the
beginning of his third, which lasted from AD 53 to 57.