Paul's 1st Missionary Journey

I. A Call To Ministry.

Acts 13:1–3 KJV 1900

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

The Calling

Desire

Opportunity

Feedback

Need

There is one feeling that never goes away if you been called to service by God.

The need to serve.

The inability to walk away.

The Inability to hid from God.

Jonah 1:1–3 KJV 1900

Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

You can not get away from God’s calling.

You can’t run or hid from God.

God knows where you are.

Jonah 1:4–7 KJV 1900

But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

We will conform too God’s commandments.

Jonah 1:12–17 KJV 1900

And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them. Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee. So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows. Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

God will take you to where He wants you to serve.

Jonah 2:10 KJV 1900

And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

Jonah was brought to the shores of Nineveh.

The second part of the calling

Consecration

This is the time spent in preparation getting ready for the service you are called too.

In Paul’s case there was the time of 10 to 12 years after his called on the road to Damascus.

Before he started his ministry.

Education

Training

He spent 3 years in the desert of Arabia studying from the Spirit of Christ.

Galatians 1:11–17 KJV 1900

But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

He went to Jerusalem and then to teach in Tarsus, for an Additional 4 years.

Acts 9

He was recruited by Barnabas, to teach at the Antioch Church.

He was there for a year.

We see Paul’s training consist of

Learning from Jesus Christ in the desert.

Teaching in Jerusalem, Tarsus, and Antioch.

Before being sent out by the church on his first missionary journey.

Today we have various schools to train pastors and missionaries.

Bible colleges

Seminary

Universitys

The confusion with people is they believe they are to start their ministry at the moment of your calling.

That’s a mistake.

The Consecration time is important to see if you really been called.

The 3 part is the Commendation

No Self Appointment

Pastors

Evangelist

Missionaries

Elders

Deacons

God always works through the Church.

We see this by the church by confirming and sending Paul and Barnabas on the first mission journey.

And it’s been the way the New Testament Church works from then on.

It’s the commendation of the that confirms your calling and the consecration to the Lord’s service in and by the church.

II. The First Missionary Journey.

Acts 13:4–5 KJV 1900

So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

They encountered a false prophet.

Acts 13:6–8 KJV 1900

And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus: Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

Acts 13:9–12 KJV 1900

Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.