The end Of the first missionary journey: God’s door for the gospel still remains open

Today’s sermon focuses on the end of Paul and Barnabas first missionary journey, the trails they endured while sharing the gospel and ultimate triumph by God’s grace. I want you to be encouraged despite facing trails for your faith and while you are actively sharing the gospel with those who are without Jesus Christ, remember that the God’s door for the gospel still remains open, by His grace He will protect you to accomplish His will. 

When Paul and Barnabas finished proclaiming the gospel in Derbe and made many disciples, they traveled back to Lystra, and to Iconium, and then to Antioch of Pisidia. These cities were dangerous territories for them because of they were sharing the gospel and Gentiles were being saved. At Lystra Paul was stoned and was thought to be dead, and was dragged out of the city. In the city of Iconium Paul and Barnabas escaped an attempt on their life, and In Antioch of Pisidia they were kicked out of that city for sharing the gospel. Yet they were willing to die for the cause of the gospel and to return to those cities to strengthen the lives of those disciples, to encourage them to continue in the faith, and to make them aware that as believers we must go through many afflictions to enter the kingdom of God. It vitally important to encourage believers in the faith, but also to warn them what comes with being a Christian in a world that hates them.

2 Timothy 3:12“Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” 

Then in v. 23 we are told that Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in every church, knowing that each church needed strong leadership to continue the work of preaching and teaching the believers of the church after they had gone. Once the elders were appointed Paul and Barnabas commended them to the care and protection of the Lord in whom they had believed.

Dedication to share the gospel

Acts 14:24–25“And when they passed through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia. And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.”

Having finished their missionary journey Paul and Barnabas start their trip back to the church in Antioch of Syria.

Paul and Barnabas passed through Pisidia, when they arrived in Pamphylia they made it a point to go into the city of Perga to preach the gospel there. Now remember Luke writes in Acts 13:13 that it was at Perga John Mark, Barnabas cousin, abandon Paul and Barnabas and returned to Jerusalem. And Paul and Barnabas went to Antioch Pisidia and didn’t preach the gospel at Perga. Now upon their return to Perga they were dedicated to reach the lost for Christ and they preached the word.

Don’t miss this. although Paul and Barnabas had missed their opportunity to preach the gospel at Perga the first time, they were not going to allow this next opportunity to pass them up again. That’s dedication. This is the type of dedication that is needed by all of us. When you miss an opportunity to share your faith in Christ with someone remain dedicated and pray that God will give you another opportunity reach that person with the gospel.

God’s Grace

Acts 14:26 “And from there they sailed to Antioch, from where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled.”

When Paul and Barnabas left Perga, they sailed to the coastal sea port city of Attalia. And from there they sailed to their home base where it all started Antioch of Syria. It was there that the Holy Spirit had set apart Paul and Barnabas for the work for which the Holy Spirit had called them. The Antioch church - who were the first to be called Christians - had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them and sent them on their missionary journey. The word committed means to entrust, give over, hand over. The church entrusted,  handed Paul and Barnabas over to the grace of God for the work they had fulfilled. Who better hands to be in? It was God’s grace that protected Paul and Barnabas against their trails and enabled them to be triumphant. Souls were saved, disciples were made by the teaching of God’s word, elders were appointed in every church all of this was fulfilled by the grace of God.

This is a lesson for all of us. God’s grace will protect you when trails come, He will enable you to triumph through those trials. God’s grace He has preserved your life from dangers seen and unseen. God’s grace is sufficient for us anywhere his providence places us. Never forget that by God’s grace He has saved you, from eternal hell. Don’t take God’s grace for granted, don’t waste God’s grace that He has given you, be a witness to the grace of God and share the gospel with others who are in need of God’s grace of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Glory Belongs To God

Acts 14:27 “And when they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.”

Two years had passed, they had covered over 1,400 miles by land and sea and Paul and Barnabas had finally arrived at Antioch. There was no time for them to unpack and rest.

No, it was important for them to first gather the church together to give them a report of all the things that God had done and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

Paul and Barnabas are not like some today who boast about what they have done in ministry, how they have built their church, or built their media platform, ignoring the fact that it is God who has done it and not them. Glory belongs to God alone, He adds to His church as He sees fit, He alone builds His church.

Psalm 127:1“Unless Yahweh builds the house, They labor in vain who build it.”

Paul and Barnabas did the preaching, but God alone had open the door of faith to the Gentiles to hear and believe the gospel.

Glory belongs to God for he opens a door for the gospel even against your many adversaries. The Bible says,

1 Corinthians 16:9“for a wide and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.”

Glory belongs to God because He opens for the gospel.

2 Corinthians 2:12“Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord,”

Prayer will open a door for you to share the gospel.

Colossians 4:3“praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been bound,”

This report we just read ought to serve as a word of strength and encouragement of what God can do. God will fulfill what He has promised that all the people of the earth will be blessed through the seed of Abraham, that is Christ.

Genesis 12:3“And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.””

Galatians 3:16“Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.”

Be encouraged church that trails are no match against God. God will be triumphant in saving all those whom He has called before foundation of the world.

God’s door of the gospel still remains open to all people. Share the good news about Jesus Christ to everyone who is in dire need of salvation. And give God the glory for every soul He saves.