Session 5

Roman Empire c. 115 AD

Roman Empire c. 115 AD

The First Missionary JourneyThis was the first of many forays Paul would take into Gentile territory.

It was an immense task that lay before him.

Working against his mission efforts were:- The contemporary climate of thought – religion wasn’t seen as essential.- The great philosophies of the world (Epicurean, Stoic, etc.).- The popular religious practices of the area – primarily paganism.

Working for him was the age-old search for truth and security.

The First Missionary JourneyThis was the first of many forays Paul would take into Gentile territory.

Some of the people were devout in their religious observances.

Some were superstitious.

Most only paid lip service to the gods.

But beneath it all there lay that same anxiety and hope.

The First Missionary JourneyPaul, Barnabas and John Mark would have probably landed in Attalia a port city just west of Perga.

Beyond Attalia lay the Gentile mission field.

The First Missionary JourneyAttalia was the typical Roman sea port. The terrain beyond Attalia was a bit foreboding and difficult.

This may have been one reason John Mark chose not to continue his journey with Paul and Barnabas.

The First Missionary JourneyPaul and Barnabas set out from Perga to Pisidian Antioch

The time between the Peace of Augustus (c. 27BC) and

the reign of Nero (c. 54AD) saw the Roman highways safer than any other time in history.

The First Missionary JourneyPaul and Barnabas set out from Perga to Antioch

Their journey from the coastal plains into the mountains made took them into a region where Roman safety and Roman law were in short supply.

Brigands and wild tribesmen made short work of lone travelers. Paul and Barnabas would have certainly join a caravan.

The First Missionary JourneyPaul and Barnabas set out from Perga to Antioch

The journey would have been slow covering only about 15 miles each day. Perhaps this journey was partially described eight years later in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 11:26 - I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.

The First Missionary JourneyPaul and Barnabas set out from Perga to Antioch

At some point their journey crossed into the Roman province of Galatia.

The terrain would have flattened out and the caravans dispersed as travel was no longer dangerous.

Shortly after coming down out of the mountains, Paul and Barnabas would have passed by Lake Limnai (today Lake Egirdis). It would have taken about three days to walk around.

The First Missionary JourneyPaul and Barnabas set out from Perga to Antioch

Finally they arrive at Pisidian Antioch

The First Missionary JourneyHere Paul began to evangelize.

Following his well-established pattern, he began in the synagogues.

First century synagogues would have blended racial Jews, proselytes, and pagan God fearers.

It was to this mixed audience that Paul spoke.

But here Paul did something different.

Previously, he had only stayed a short while in each town, he and Barnabas would end up spending a great deal of time in Gentile cities.

The First Missionary JourneyBeginning with Moses, Paul told about how God had provided a savior in Jesus Christ.

His words fell on fertile soil. And after the service, Paul and Barnabas were asked to return next week and continue their message.

The next week and even larger crowd gathered at the synagogue – the whole city.

The First Missionary JourneyPaul’s message told root and spread

Acts 13:49 – The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.

Pagans turned from their gods and Jews from the grip of he Law.

Galatians 6:15 – Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.

For a society that valued one’s social position above all else, this was a radical message indeed.

The First Missionary JourneyPaul’s message told root and spread

Paul was adamant that this new creation found expression in the lives of the new Christians:Galatians 5:22-23a – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Paul also knew that each convert had a conflict, that the new nature did not automatically erase the old.

Galatians 5:19-21 – The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

And so Paul and Barnabas worked to build them up in Christ.

The First Missionary JourneyBeginning with Moses, Paul told about how God had provided a savior in Jesus Christ.

One would think that the synagogue leaders would have been pleased to have such huge crowds at their services.

But they plotted against Paul and Barnabas. The God-fearing women of the city were stirred up against them and they were ultimately expelled from Pisidian Antioch.

The First Missionary JourneyWe don’t know how long Paul and Barnabas stayed in Pisidian Antioch.

At some point in their stay in Antioch Paul got sick. He probably wasn’t ill when he arrived or the synagogue leaders would not have allowed him to speak.

Galatians 4:13-14 – As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.

The First Missionary JourneyAfter the unpleasantness in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet and once again hit the road. This time they go to Iconium

The First Missionary JourneyThough a little bit longer than the trip between Perga and Antioch, the journey was much less arduous.

The First Missionary JourneyOnce they entered Iconium, guess where Paul headed first?

That’s right – the synagogue.

Once again, their message landed on fertile soil. Paul and Barnabas stayed for some time teaching and preaching.

The First Missionary JourneyTheir stay in Iconium was much different that the stay in Antioch.

Paul and Barnabas met with opposition to be sure, but they chose to stick it out.

Acts 14:3 – So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.

The fact that Paul and Barnabas were able to perform signs and wonders is confirmation that their message was from God (see Acts 2:22 and Galatians 3:5).

The First Missionary JourneyTheir stay in Iconium was not much different than the stay in Antioch.

As you might expect, those opposing Paul and his message got the upper hand and a plot formed to stone the to missionaries.

Paul and Barnabas flee Iconium and head for the near-by town of Lystra and then Derbe.

The First Missionary JourneyLocated in the neighboring district of Lycaonia, Paul and Barnabas moved out of the reach of the magistrates in Iconium.

The First Missionary JourneyAs they made their way to the city gates, they found a man lame from birth.

Acts 14:9-10 – He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

The First Missionary JourneyThe crowd went wild!

The people shouted, “The gods have come down to us in human form”

Almost immediately the chief priest from the temple of Zeus brought out bulls to sacrifice.

The First Missionary JourneyPaul and Barnabas run from the crowd

In Lystra’s legendary past, Zeus and his herald, Hermes disguised themselves as poor travelers and sought shelter among the Lycaonians. Both rich and poor turned them away. Finally, an old couple named, Philemon and Baucis took them in and sheltered and fed them. The gods revealed themselves and turned the inhospitable Lycoanians into frogs and the cottage of Philemon and Baucis into a gold an marble temple that stood just outside the city walls. Lycaonians from that day forward looked forward to when the two gods would return, this time to be treated with honor.

The First Missionary JourneyThe crowd went wild!

The people shouted, “The gods have come down to us in human form”

Almost immediately the chief priest from the temple of Zeus brought out bulls to sacrifice.

Of course Paul and Barnabas did everything they could to stop the blasphemous behavior.

The First Missionary JourneyJust when they thought they had things under control …

Some Jews from Iconium and Antioch showed up. They were probably merchants who arrived in Lystra to trade. Recognizing Paul and Barnabas, they stirred up he crowd against them.

They incite the crowd to stone the two apostles.

The First Missionary JourneyThey dragged the two men outside the city gates and left them for dead.

Thankfully, the few converts in Lystra, surrounded them and helped them to their feet.

The next day they leave at first light to go to Derbe.

The First Missionary JourneyHere they have a better reception. We don’t know how long they stayed, but we can assume it was probably over the winder of 47-48AD.

As sailing season approaches, Paul and Barnabas say their goodbyes and retrace their route through Lycaonia and on to Iconium and Pisidian Antioch.

In each location they found the churches well established and appointed leaders to shepherd the growing flocks.

The First Missionary JourneyRetracing their steps they reach the port city of Attalia and board and boat bound for Syrian Antioch.

The First Missionary JourneyThere they reported all the wonderful things that had been done in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.