The Pilgrim Path---Acts 14: 24 – 28

Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they remained no little time with the disciples.

…AND GATHERED THE CHURCH TOGETHER

This First Missionary Journey was a spiritual “Super Bowl” of Gospel advance, adversity, and adventure. Just consider all we have read about in the Book of Acts since this “trip” started. I’ll give you this crisp summarization by one of my professors, Dr. Simon Kistemaker, on Missionary Journey Number One:

“Two years earlier, the Antiochean church had commissioned the apostles. Presently Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch and call together the members of the church to hear their report. Note that Luke speaks of the church and not of individual congregations or house churches. He stresses the unity of the church, for the Christians in Antioch wish to hear about the expansion of that same church in Cyprus and Asia Minor. Luke employs the imperfect tense of the verb to repeat to indicate that the story Paul and Barnabas had to tell was too lengthy for one sitting. Moreover, he adds that the apostles tell about all their work. Repeatedly, then, they meet with the believers and relate in detail the inroads that the gospel made among the Jews and Gentiles. They give God the honor and glory (see 15: 4). God had worked powerfully through them by performing miracles, giving them the words to speak, blessing their work, and protecting them from danger and death. The initial objective of the missionaries was to proclaim the Good News to the Gentiles. This objective they fully achieved, for Paul and Barnabas report that God had “opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.” Although Cornelius and the people in his house had been welcomed into the Christian church by Peter some years earlier (see 10: 45), no Gentile churches had been founded. Now Paul and Barnabas, as apostles to the Gentiles, had organized non-Jewish churches.”

---What a return it must have been after two years “away” from the Home Church…

---What anticipation must have existed---to hear of “all” the Living Christ was doing!

---What “stories” Paul and Barnabas could share---of God’s provision and protection!

---What lessons “all” the saints would “learn”---Of how hard a “path” God will have you walk!

---What joy the saints will experience in knowing---Jesus is “always” with His Own!

---What great guidance “new” mission candidates---will receive from Paul and Barnabas…

---What sovereign power is the LORD’S: when He opens a door---No man can shut it!

---What needed refreshment Paul and Barnabas will receive at Antioch…

---What encouragement We get---to take time to learn about the missionaries we support---their work / their needs / their hardships / victories / projects ----Our prayers and financial support reach them---day in and day out…Show your Love for them today by prayer. If you have not considered being a “part” of Faith Promise Giving---now is the time. You will never regret the commitment---you will forever relish the investment!

HYMN

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun does his successive journeys run;

His kingdom stretch from shore to shore, till moons shall wax and wane no more.

People and realms of every tongue dwell on his love with sweetest song;

And infant voices shall proclaim their early blessings on his name.

Let every creature rise and bring peculiar honors to our King;

Angels descend with songs again, and earth repeat the loud amen!

Based on Psalm 72, Isaac Watts, 1719

Grace and Peace in Jesus, the Only Redeemer of broken and wretched souls, Pastor Jason