Dgw Ta 1-2: The Journeys Of Paul

Journeys of Paul

ACTS - PART 2

DISCOVERING GOD’S WAY - TEEN/ADULT, YEAR 1, BOOK 2

© Religious Supply Center, 2008. All Rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. Photos © 2008 Leon Mauldin; Greg & Nancy Picogna; Joe & Deborah Cunningham. Used by permission. Selected ClipArt from Corel Draw; Broderbund Clickart; Logos; Nova Art Explosion. Copyright © 2008 Religious Supply Center, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Maps © 2008 S. Scott Richardson, Impressive Image Production, Russellville, Alabama. And Oak Tree Software, Orlando, FL. Used by permission. Unless otherwise stated, scriptures taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scriptures designated by “NIV” taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. The “NIV” and “New International Version” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society. Scriptures designated by “ESV” are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scriptures designated by “NKJV” are from The New King James Bible, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. IT IS ILLEGAL AND UNETHICAL TO DUPLICATE COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL. The material in this book represents a sizable investment in time and finances on the part of the publisher. If lessons from this book are photocopied and distributed to avoid buying a book for each class member, the publisher does not sell enough copies to continue publication. Printed in the United States of America.

Journeys of Paul

Written by Joshua Creel

Editors:

Maps:

Robert Harkrider Arline Harkrider

S. Scott Richardson Oak Tree Software

Photos:

Layout & Design: Joshua Creel

Leon Mauldin Greg & Nancy Picogna Joe & Deborah Cunningham

Lauren Mayeux

Published by:

RC S ©

Religious Supply Center, Inc 4001 Preston Highway Louisville, KY 40213 1-800-626-5348

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction: The travel and works of Paul...........................................1 Lesson #1: “Set apart for Me Barnabas & Saul”...................................4 Lesson #2: Success & Persecution Can Be The Same Thing................10 Lesson #3: What About The Law?......................................................15 Lesson #4: “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”.........................21 Lesson #5: The Jealous, The Noble Minded, & The Philosophers........27 Lesson #6: The Gospel Goes To Corinth............................................33 Lesson #7: The Gospel Is Heard By All Who Live In Asia...................39 Lesson #8: Paul Sets His Eyes On Jerusalem......................................45 Lesson #9: Danger In Jerusalem!?.....................................................51 Lesson #10: Paul on trial!..................................................................57 Lesson #11: Paul appeals to caesar....................................................63 Lesson #12: Paul’s Journeys to Rome.................................................69 Lesson #13: Paul’s Final works..........................................................75

“Even to the remotest part of the earth.”

The Travels & Work Of Paul Acts 13-28

The outline for the book of Acts was given by Jesus in verse 8 of the first chapter. There Jesus “you will receive power told the apostles that they would begin preach- when the Holy Spirit has ing the gospel in Jerusalem, but the gospel would come upon you; and you go out from there until reached even “the remot- shall be My witnesses both est part of the earth.” In Discovering The Early in Jerusalem, and in all Judea Church we learned how the apostle received and Samaria, and even to the the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost and how remotest part of the earth” they began preaching the gospel of Christ in Je(Acts 1:8). rusalem. The gospel was received and obeyed by over three thousand on the Day of Pentecost and the gospel message quickly spread so that by Acts 12 the message of Christ had gone throughout Judea and Samaria. Now the gospel needed to reach the “remotest part of the earth.”

Acts Outline • Witnessing In Jerusalem, Acts 1-7 • Witnessing In Judea & Samaria, Acts 8-12 • Witnessing To The Remotest Part Of The Earth, Acts 13-28

Jesus chose the apostle Paul to be one of the key workers in spreading the gospel throughout the world. We were introduced to Paul, known as Saul, in our study of the early church. What do you remember about him? What was his initial attitude towards the church? What changed his mind? _______ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________

Paul was selected by Jesus for a reason: “he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:15-16). In this workbook we will follow Paul as he travels throughout the known world, preaching the gospel of Christ and suffering for Him. Let’s begin the journey!

Introduction: The Travels and Work of Paul

1

2 Acts: Journeys of Paul

Introduction: The Travels and Work of Paul

3

Lesson 1

The First Missionary Journey

Acts 13-14

“SET APART FOR ME BARNABAS & SAUL” In Acts 11:22-26 we discovered how Barnabas and Saul worked in the city of Antioch for over a year, converting many to Christ and encouraging the Christians. They left Antioch for a short time so they could Used by permission of Leon Mauldin take a contribution from the church in Antioch to the needy brethren in Judea. As Acts 13 begins, Barnabas and Saul are back in Antioch, ministering to the Lord with their brethren. That was about to change: “While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the _____ _____ said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the ____ to which I have called them’” (Acts 13:2). The brethren in Antioch fasted, prayed, then laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul, signifying Antioch of Syria that they were sending these men out to During times of persecution, the Christians do the Lord’s work. The First Missionary in Antioch met in these caves. Journey had begun! Paul’s travels are not called “missionary journeys” in the Bible, but that is the name we give them. The term “missionary” simply refers to one on a mission. Paul and Barnabas were on a mission to do the Lord’s work.

Sites Of The First Journey

The First Journey • Who went: Paul, Barnabas

& Mark (part of the way) • Sent by: the church in

Antioch of Syria • Places visited: Island of

Cyprus, Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe • Dates: ~44-48 A.D. Used by permission of Oak Tree Software

4 Acts: Journeys of Paul

1

The Work In Cyprus, Acts 13:4-12 Barnabas and Saul soon left the city of Antioch, having been sent to do the Lord’s work by the church and by the Holy Spirit (vs. 3-4). They took with them a young man named John Mark who was the cousin of Barnabas (Col. 4:10) and wrote the Gospel according to Mark. From Antioch they went to the port city of Seleucia where they boarded a ship and sailed to the Island of Cyprus. Cyprus was the original home of Barnabas (4:36), which may explain why they went there first. They landed at Salamis on the eastern coast and began proclaiming Used by permission of Oak Tree Software the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. These men were eager to begin teaching people about Christ! They travelled throughout the island until they reached Paphos, the Roman capital of Cyprus located on the western coast. Using Acts 13:6-12 answer the questions below to discover what happened in the city of Paphos.

1. Describe Sergius Paulus: _____________________________________ __________________________________________________________ 2. Describe Bar-Jesus (Elymas): _________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ 3. What did Paul do to Elymas? Why? ____________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ 4. Why did Sergius Paulus believe, vs. 12? ________________________ __________________________________________________________

The Synagogue A synagogue was a place where Jews came to worship and study the Old Testament Scriptures. We saw in Acts 13:5 how Paul and Barnabas went to the synagogues to preach. There they would find an audience already familiar with God’s word and the prophecies of the Messiah. As we continue our study of Paul’s travels we will see how he continued to teach in the synagogues. Lesson 1: “Set apart for Me Barnabas & Saul”

5

Antioch Antiochof ofPisidia, Pisidia,Acts Acts13:4-12 13:4-12 Now that the gospel had been preached throughout Cyprus, Paul and his companions turned their attention north. They set sail from Paphos and landed at Perga on the southern coast of modern day Turkey. What happened when they arrived at Perga, vs. 13? ___ _____________________________ _____________________________

Used by permission of Oak Tree Software

Paul and Barnabas soon left Perga for Antioch of Pisidia. Look at the map and you will see two Antiochs listed. The one on the far right is Antioch of Syria, where Paul and Barnabas began their journey (vs. 1). The one in the upper left is Antioch of Pisidia. Let’s notice a few facts about this city:

•

Antioch was the capital of the Roman province of Pisidia. If you were born in this city you were granted Roman citizenship.

•

Antioch was approximately 100 miles north of Perga. To get there Paul and Barnabas would have either walked or travelled on donkeys.

•

Paul and Barnabas would have crossed over the Taurus Mountains on their journey from Perga to Antioch. These mountains were inhabited by dangerous bands of robbers.

•

The trip would have been dangerous, but these messengers of Christ knew that the people of Antioch needed to hear the gospel!

•

What did they do when they arrived in Antioch, vs. 14? ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________

6 Acts: Journeys of Paul

Used by permission of Leon Mauldin

The Taurus Mountains

“We preach to you the good news...” Acts 13:13-52 A typical synagogue service included a reading from the Law (the first five books of the Old Testament) followed by a reading from the prophets. Next, one of the men in the synagogue would speak, exhorting the people from the Scriptures. On this occasion, Paul was given the honor of speaking to the people and he preached a message they probably were not expecting to hear!

• • • • • •

Paul began by reviewing Israel’s history from the fathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) to king David. Israel’s History: Paul’s focus in all of this was what God had done The Exodus from Egypt, vs. 17. for the people: He had chosen their fathers and The Wilderness Wandering, vs. 18. made the people great. He had delivered them out The Conquest of Canaan, vs. 19. of Egypt and He had destroyed the nations of CaThe Judges, vs. 20. naan and given the land to Israel. However, God The Reign of Saul, vs. 21. had an even greater blessing in store. From the deThe Reign of David, vs. 22. scendants of David a Savior would come. Who was He and how did Paul describe Him, vs. 23-25? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________

“Brethren, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent” (Acts 13:26). Finish reading Paul’s sermon in Acts 13:27-39. Which verses fit each point in Paul’s sermon: vs. 27-28, 29-31, 32-34, 35-37, or 38-39? •

Paul’s message was that the promises to the fathers were fulfilled in Jesus who was raised from the dead according to prophecy. _______

•

Those living in Jerusalem rejected Jesus because they did not recognize Him as the One who fulfilled the prophecies. They condemned Him without cause and asked Pilate to put Him to death. ________

•

Forgiveness of sins is available in Christ Jesus, not in the Law of Moses. _________

•

David prophesied in the Psalms (Psalm 16:10) that the Holy One would not undergo decay. David died and his body decayed. Jesus died, but was raised. His body did not undergo decay. _________

•

Jesus was buried, but God raised Him from the dead. After His resurrection Jesus appeared to the apostles, who would witness to the people. _________ Lesson 1: “Set apart for Me Barnabas & Saul”

7

Section 2 “Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you: ‘BEHOLD, YOU SCOFFERS, AND MARVEL, AND PERISH; FOR I AM ACCOMPLISHING A WORK IN YOUR DAYS, A WORK WHICH YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE, THOUGH SOMEONE SHOULD DESCRIBE IT TO YOU’” (Acts 13:40-41). Paul concluded his sermon with the exhortation above. He knew that Jesus is the only means by which one can be saved from sins, so unless the people heeded the message they would perish, just as the prophets had foretold. We read in vs. 42-43 that many were interested in hearing more from Paul, so they begged him to speak again on the next Sabbath day. He agreed and on that day the whole city gathered to hear Paul preach the word of the Lord. Many would believe the message and be saved from their sins, but some would not believe. Read vs. 44-52 and describe these two groups:

Who Believed The Message Of Paul? Describe Them. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Who Did Not Believe The Message? Describe Them. _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________

What happened in Antioch was typical of what happened in many of the cities where Paul preached: Paul would preach to the Jews first. Some believe, but many do not. • Next, Paul would preach to the Gentiles who were eager to listen. • The Jews would oppose Paul and raise some kind of persecution against him. • Everyone who believed would obey the gospel and be saved from their sins! •

8 Acts: Journeys of Paul

Used by permission of Leon Mauldin

Remains of a synagogue in Antioch.

Reviewing Our Journey Which City? In which city did each of these events occur: Antioch of Syria, Pa-

phos of Cyprus, or Antioch of Pisidia? 1. Paul preached in the synagogue on the Sabbath day. _____________________ 2. The starting point of the First Missionary Journey. ________________________ 3. The whole city gathered to hear Paul preach. ____________________________ 4. Paul struck Elymas with blindness. ____________________________________ 5. Paul and Barnabas turned to the Gentiles after the Jews rejected the gospel. _______________________ 6. The Proconsul, Sergius Paulus, believed the gospel message. ______________ 7. Paul and Barnabas are driven out of the city by the Jews. __________________ 8. The Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ________________________

True or False? Read Paul’s sermon in Acts 13:16-41 again to answer these ques-

tions. Give the verse where each answer is found. 1. God destroyed six nations in the land of Canaan. ________________________ 2. Jesus came from the descendants of Saul. _______________________________ 3. The Jews in Jerusalem rejected Jesus and had Him crucified. _______________ 4. God’s promise to the fathers was fulfilled in the resurrection of Jesus. ____________ 5. David’s body did not undergo decay, but Jesus’ body did decay. _________________ 6. The forgiveness of sins is available only in Jesus Christ. ________________________

Going Deeper... In vs. 48 we read that “as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” Some people believe that man has no choice in his salvation, that God selects whomever He wants to save and there is nothing we can do about it. Is that what vs. 48 is teaching? In this lesson you studied about two different groups in Antioch: the Gentiles who accepted the message and the Jews who rejected it. Who was responsible for their response to the message: God or themselves? Who is responsible for your response to the gospel? ___________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________

Lesson 1: “Set apart for Me Barnabas & Saul”

9