Paul's First Missionary Journey - The Lord's Seminary, Reformed Missiology 101, Week 6 

Paul's First Missionary Journey - The Lord's Seminary, Reformed Missiology 101, Week 6
Paul’s First Missionary Journey
INTRODUCTION
Overview of Paul's first missionary journey:
❖Key themes: Method of evangelism, nature of mission, opposition, and resolution
❖Scriptures covered: Acts 11:19-26, Acts 13:1-15:35
THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH: A MISSION CHURCH
❖Antioch's role in the spread of Christianity
❖Distinction from Jerusalem's church
❖Acts 11:19-26: Antioch's cosmopolitan nature and mission
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ANTIOCH CHURCH
❖Cosmopolitan and diverse
❖Growth and the blessing of the Lord
❖Caring and compassionate community
❖Gifted leadership
HE SENDING OF BARNABAS AND SAUL
❖Spirit-driven mission
❖Role of the church in mission
❖Authority in mission: Holy Spirit and the church
❖The Church’s Authority in Missions
PRINCIPLE 9
Mission is Spirit driven and
He acts through the Church
PRINCIPLE 10
Mission is the activity of the churches; they should send out their missionaries.
Churches are the only New Testament sending agencies recognized by the Scriptures.
MISSIONARIES' QUALIFICATIONS AND GIFTS
❖Selection by the Holy Spirit
❖Backgrounds of Paul and Barnabas suitable for mission
PRINCIPLE 11
There is a strong presumption that missionaries need to be recognized
leaders (probably officers) in the local church before going to the field.
THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY: OVERVIEW
❖Strategy: Focus on major centers
❖Principle of spreading the Gospel
PRINCIPLE 12
Paul centered upon the major centers of Pisidian Antioch, Ephesus, Athens, and Corinth. He could reach the maximum number of people and maximum number of people could reach others.
CYPRUS: THE STARTING POINT
❖Link between Antioch and Cyprus
❖Mission work and opposition
❖Saul becomes Paul, the mission leader
PRINCIPLE 13
Paul went to the Jews first, then to the Gentiles
PRINCIPLE 14
Paul changed his name to better identify with the Greeks. He did what he could to better communicate the Gospel.
PISIDIAN ANTIOCH: TO THE JEW FIRST, THEN TO THE GENTILE
❖Preaching in South Galatia
❖Jewish evangelism and rejection
❖Turning to the Gentiles
PRINCIPLE 15
Paul preached differently to the Jews and to the Gentiles. He adapted his message to his audience.
PRINCIPLE 16
To the Jews Paul focused on how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament Scriptures.
TO LYSTRA
❖Preaching and opposition in Iconium
❖Cross-cultural ministry in Lystra
❖Jewish opposition intensifies
PRINCIPLE 17
Paul suffered great persecution in his ministry, yet he continued.
RETURNING TO STRENGTHEN THE BRETHREN
❖Paul's commitment to newly founded churches
❖Strengthening through visits and letters
PRINCIPLE 18
Paul always followed-up his work by returning to visit the churches and by letters. If he could not return in person, he sent others.
OPPOSITION WITHIN THE CHURCH
❖Challenges from within: Gentile inclusion
❖The Judaisers' influence
❖The incident with Peter and Barnabas
THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL
❖Decision-making by elders and apostles
❖Peter's, Barnabas's, Paul's, and James's contributions
❖Resolution: Inclusion of Gentiles without Jewish customs
PRINCIPLE 19
The elders made the decision in Jerusalem.
The decision was based upon the Scriptures and the evidence.
CONCLUSION
❖Impact of the first missionary journey
❖The role of the Antioch church in formalizing missions
❖Paul's leadership and the pattern for future missions
Rev. John Owen Butler
The Lord's Seminary
Reformed Missiology 101