Title:  Paul's 1st Missionary Journey 

TEXT:  Acts 13:3-14:28

Objective:  The job of the church is to start churches.  Evangelize and make disciples.  We must always remember that.  Let us never fall into the trap for forgetting our purpose. If we do, we  will fail miserably.

INTRODUCTION: 

1.  What is the job of the church?

        a.  Plant Churches

        b.  Yes, reach individuals

        c.  Create a community of believers to serve the Lord

        d.  We really do need one another.

2.  Truth to life is always the goal

        a.  Information for information sake is worthless

        b.  Faith come by Hearing the Word of God

        c.  Must have information-That will lead to faith

        d.  Faith always leads to action

James 2:14-17 NLT 14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

3.  Just because you are in God's will does not mean road of ease

4.  Look at the 1st missionary journey

5.  Pattern

        a.  Went into the synagogues

        b.  Preached to the Jews

        c.  Jews rejected the message

        d.  Went and preached to the Gentiles

        e.  Church started—an assembly of believers

Read the Acts 13-14—Use Recording

Have map on screen as this is read.

I.  Cyprus    13:4-12

A.  Salamis  13:5

1.  Proclaimed in Jewish synagogues

--John was with them as a helper

2.  Traveled the whole island to Paphos

B.  Paphos  13:6

1.  Preaching the Gospel

2.  Opposition from Satan

3.  Leader - Sergius Paulus - sent to hear

4.  Opposition from Elymas--

--Look at verses 10-12

II.  Paphos to Antioch Pasidia—Put Map on Screen

A.  Perga

1.  John left and returned to Jerusalem

B.  Antioch of Pasidia

1.  Paul's sermon  13:16-41

2.  Opposition from the Jews

-- A crowd gathers and Jews become jealous

3.  Jews reject Paul's message because of Jealousy

4.  Gentiles - Accepted the message

5.  Paul and Barnabas run out of town 51

--Disciples filled with Joy and Holy Spirit v. 52

III.  Iconium, Lystra, Derbe  14:1-20

A.  Iconium  14:1-7

1.  Went as usual to the synagogue

2.  Jews refused to believe the truth

3.  God used them

--Holy Spirit worked

--Signs and wonders

4.  Plot to mistreat them

5.  Fled to Lystra and Derbe

B.  Lystra

1.  Lame man healed  8-10

2.  Treated them like gods  11-13

3.  Stopped the sacrifices to them  14-18

4.  Stoned and dragged them out of the city for dead

5.  God saved them alive

C.  Derbe  14:21

1.  Preached the gospel

2.  won a large number of disciples

IV.  Retraced their steps  14:21-28

A.  Message to them  22

 B.  Elders appointed  23

Process

--Paul and Barnabas appointed elders

--Prayer and fasting

--Committed them to the Lord

C.  Committed them to the grace of God  v. 26

V.  Report to the sending church  14:27-28

A.  reported all God had done

B.  Explained how the God had worked

C.  Stayed for a long time  v. 28

VI.  Practical lesson:

We must learn to practice truth and not be sidetracked.

Titus teaches us how to make the church practical in our community

Time is needed in fasting and prayer

Older must teach younger

Intergenerational is essential

LESSON:

1.  We need to seriously consider sending people from our church out

2.  We need to be watching to see how God is working in the lives of our people

3.  Right in getting report from people.

4.  Need to spend time in prayer and fasting

--Prayer--Asking God to work in people's lives

5.  Show video—

        Purpose in church is to glorify God and disciple people.  Discipling includes both soul winning and also Maturing.

We must always keep the main thing the main thing.  Buildings and property are tools to be used to keep the main thing the main thing.

This video is a story that was repeated in Judges and our human nature will push towards it.