After the stoning of Stephen
in Jerusalem, the believers
00:01:35.78\00:01:38.70
were scattered
throughout Judea and Samaria.
00:01:38.74\00:01:42.14
They traveled up through
the regions Phoenicia to the
00:01:42.17\00:01:45.72
island of Cyprus,
and even as far north as
00:01:45.75\00:01:48.53
Antioch and Syria.
00:01:48.56\00:01:51.05
They were sharing the good
news about Jesus to all of the
00:01:51.08\00:01:54.97
places that they visited.
00:01:55.00\00:01:57.12
Antioch was the queen of
the Eastern Mediterranean world.
00:01:57.16\00:02:01.02
The third largest city of
the Roman Empire after Rome
00:02:01.06\00:02:04.89
and Alexandria.
00:02:04.92\00:02:06.61
Today it is known as Antakya
and it is a modern city on
00:02:06.65\00:02:11.11
the Eastern coast of
the Mediterranean in Turkey.
00:02:11.14\00:02:14.04
It was founded by Seleucus
Nicator I, one of the generals
00:02:14.08\00:02:18.62
who succeeded
Alexander the Great.
00:02:18.65\00:02:21.26
He built this
city and named it after
00:02:21.29\00:02:23.81
his father, Antiochus.
00:02:23.85\00:02:25.78
Off in the distance you
can see through the haze the
00:02:25.82\00:02:29.62
Mediterranean Sea where
Seleucus found a port and named
00:02:29.65\00:02:33.42
it after
himself, Seleucus Piraeus.
00:02:33.45\00:02:37.18
That is 12 miles from
here, but it was connected in
00:02:37.22\00:02:39.98
ancient times to
this city that was built
00:02:40.02\00:02:42.55
against the mountain.
00:02:42.59\00:02:44.34
Alexander the Great
defeated the Persians just a few
00:02:44.37\00:02:47.67
miles north of here
on the plains of Issus.
00:02:47.71\00:02:51.01
The Jews supported Alexander
during that time and so he
00:02:51.04\00:02:55.08
extended to them the
offer of large tracts of land to
00:02:55.12\00:02:59.12
settle this area.
00:02:59.16\00:03:00.95
Seleucus granted them
citizenship here in Antioch,
00:03:00.98\00:03:04.23
putting them on an
equal level with the Greeks in
00:03:04.26\00:03:07.48
Macedonians that
was living in this city.
00:03:07.51\00:03:10.36
The Greeks had a
great respect for the Jews.
00:03:10.39\00:03:13.17
They called them the people
of the book because both nations
00:03:13.21\00:03:17.43
had an ancient history
and an ancient language.
00:03:17.46\00:03:21.08
The Greeks respect the
Jews and gave them wide latitude
00:03:21.12\00:03:25.89
in their practices.
00:03:25.92\00:03:27.40
They allow them to
observe the Sabbath, to practice
00:03:27.43\00:03:30.75
circumcision, to practice
ritual baths, as long as they
00:03:30.79\00:03:34.07
did not try to
convert the Greeks.
00:03:34.11\00:03:36.84
That would be crossing
the line, and so they were
00:03:36.88\00:03:40.16
exempt from the Greek
holidays, religious festivals,
00:03:40.20\00:03:43.24
and they could practice
their religion focusing upon
00:03:43.27\00:03:46.27
the one true God.
00:03:46.31\00:03:47.95
The Romans continued the
same policy of tolerance towards
00:03:47.98\00:03:51.93
the Jews, even while they
were crushing the rebellion
00:03:51.97\00:03:55.38
down in Jerusalem, the
citizens of this city, who were
00:03:55.42\00:03:58.80
Jewish, continued to
enjoy their full rights.
00:03:58.83\00:04:02.15
The Gospel took
deep root in this city.
00:04:02.19\00:04:05.95
As the believers came here
preaching and sharing Jesus,
00:04:05.99\00:04:10.20
they began sharing Jesus
not only people of a Jewish
00:04:10.24\00:04:14.42
background, but also Greeks.
00:04:14.46\00:04:17.64
Notice how Luke describes
what happens in Acts 11:20.
00:04:17.68\00:04:23.17
After the stoning of
Stephen in Jerusalem, the
00:04:50.94\00:04:53.73
persecution caused Christians
to scatter throughout the
00:04:53.76\00:04:57.32
areas of Judea and
Samaria and although up here to
00:04:57.35\00:05:00.61
Antioch modern-day Antakya.
00:05:00.65\00:05:03.41
They were preaching
the good news to Jews
00:05:03.45\00:05:05.90
in all of these cities.
00:05:05.94\00:05:07.58
Some authorities estimate
over 1/10 of the Roman world
00:05:07.62\00:05:12.00
were Jews, that is one
out of every 10 people in the
00:05:12.03\00:05:16.38
Roman Empire was a Jew.
00:05:16.41\00:05:18.42
A very large statistic,
but there was even a larger
00:05:18.45\00:05:22.73
percentage of the
population, here in Antioch,
00:05:22.77\00:05:26.03
that was Jewish.
00:05:26.06\00:05:27.66
The disciples began to share
the good news, not only with
00:05:27.70\00:05:31.58
Jews, here in this city
of Antioch, but they began to
00:05:31.62\00:05:35.46
share it with
the Greeks as well.
00:05:35.50\00:05:37.38
You see there are many people
in the Roman world who were
00:05:37.41\00:05:40.57
tired of the
polytheism of Greece and Rome.
00:05:40.60\00:05:43.76
They were tired of multiplied
gods, and they saw in the
00:05:43.80\00:05:47.83
one God of the Jews a
simplicity of worship.
00:05:47.87\00:05:51.27
They were attracted to
monotheism, they preferred the
00:05:51.31\00:05:54.60
God of the Jews.
00:05:54.64\00:05:56.33
We will see them refer
to, throughout our series,
00:05:56.36\00:05:58.82
as God's fearers.
00:05:58.86\00:06:00.97
Some authorities estimate
that 25% of the Roman world
00:06:01.00\00:06:05.26
were God fearers.
00:06:05.30\00:06:07.26
That is one out of four
that preferred the Jewish
00:06:07.30\00:06:10.45
religion, but they did
not go all the way to becoming
00:06:10.49\00:06:13.61
Jews by being circumcised.
00:06:13.64\00:06:15.56
So the Gospel takes
deep root here in Antioch.
00:06:15.59\00:06:20.91
A number of people
in this city believe.
00:06:20.94\00:06:24.69
Let's read on in our passage.
00:06:24.73\00:06:26.86
The church was exploding.
00:07:05.92\00:07:07.85
The Apostles down in Jerusalem
asked Barnabas to go up to
00:07:07.89\00:07:11.68
Antioch and to
examine the situation.
00:07:11.72\00:07:15.29
To organize a church that
was growing and developing
00:07:15.33\00:07:18.33
here in this great metropolis.
00:07:18.37\00:07:20.33
When Barnabas reached the
city, that was nearly 300 miles
00:07:20.36\00:07:24.23
away, he was
overwhelmed by what he saw.
00:07:24.27\00:07:27.54
Tremendous numbers
of both Greeks and Jews
00:07:27.57\00:07:30.81
believing in Jesus as Messiah.
00:07:30.84\00:07:33.32
Barnabas traveled the 90 miles
up the coast to the city of
00:07:33.36\00:07:37.44
Tarsus and looked
for his old friend Saul.
00:07:37.47\00:07:40.12
He asked Saul to come back
and help him to teach in this
00:07:40.15\00:07:43.66
new church that
was growing in Antioch.
00:07:43.69\00:07:46.22
The two men walked back
the 90 miles, to the metropolis
00:07:46.26\00:07:50.05
of Antioch, and here
they taught the disciples
00:07:50.09\00:07:53.45
for over a year, it
was a thrilling time.
00:07:53.49\00:07:56.92
The believers became so
numerous, that they were first
00:07:56.96\00:08:01.41
nicknamed
Christians, here in this city.
00:08:01.45\00:08:04.58
Yes, they were so odd and
peculiar, followers of someone
00:08:04.61\00:08:08.88
name the Christ,
that the Romans and Greeks
00:08:08.91\00:08:11.71
called them Christians.
00:08:11.74\00:08:13.82
This cave could be called
the first Christian Church
00:08:13.86\00:08:17.53
because this is the
place where the people who were
00:08:17.56\00:08:21.20
nicknamed
Christians used to meet.
00:08:21.23\00:08:23.54
It is the earliest church
here in Antioch, and it is
00:08:23.58\00:08:26.64
actually a cave in
the side of a mountain.
00:08:26.67\00:08:29.11
It is a very special
spot to walk in this cave.
00:08:29.15\00:08:33.75
To see the stone altar, to
examine the tunnel on the side
00:08:33.79\00:08:39.08
where believers could escape
and go through passageways
00:08:39.12\00:08:44.38
to various
parts of the mountain.
00:08:44.42\00:08:46.40
Yes it is a very special
spot, a very sacred spot.
00:08:46.44\00:08:50.20
By the end of the century
the church and the city became
00:08:50.23\00:08:54.88
the second strongest and
most influential center of
00:08:54.91\00:08:58.62
Christianity in the world.
00:08:58.65\00:09:00.12
When Jerusalem fell to
the Romans, and Jews and
00:09:00.15\00:09:03.34
Christians were banned
from the sacred city by Hadrian,
00:09:03.38\00:09:06.99
Antioch became the strongest
center of Christian teaching
00:09:07.02\00:09:10.60
in the world.
00:09:10.64\00:09:12.62
The sad reality is that as
you wander through the streets
00:09:12.66\00:09:16.35
today looking for a Christian
church, you look in vain.
00:09:16.39\00:09:20.10
There are scarcely a
believer in Jesus to be found in
00:09:20.14\00:09:23.82
the city that granted
the followers of Jesus,
00:09:23.85\00:09:26.63
their special name.
00:09:26.67\00:09:28.52
There is hardly a believer
to be found in the city that
00:09:28.56\00:09:31.84
sent the apostle out on
his three missionary journeys.
00:09:31.88\00:09:35.22
When it was predicted
that a famine would take place
00:09:35.25\00:09:38.82
in the Roman world, a relief
offering was taken up here
00:09:38.86\00:09:43.04
in Antioch and sent by Barnabas
and Saul down to Jerusalem.
00:09:43.08\00:09:47.22
When Saul and Barnabas
returned from Jerusalem and
00:09:47.26\00:09:50.42
came to Antioch, the
church was rejoicing.
00:09:50.46\00:09:53.96
During a prayer meeting a
special Revelation was given.
00:09:54.00\00:09:57.79
Luke describes how the
church at Antioch set apart Saul
00:10:14.02\00:10:17.66
and Barnabas by the laying
on of hands and commissioned
00:10:17.70\00:10:21.32
them to go out to new
areas, proclaiming that Jesus
00:10:21.35\00:10:24.94
Christ was Lord.
00:10:24.98\00:10:26.82
Acts 13:4 says.
00:10:26.86\00:10:28.67
Yes they walked 12 miles
down from Antioch to this port.
00:10:36.47\00:10:40.68
In ancient times this was
a bustling harbor serving as
00:10:40.71\00:10:44.89
a port for the Roman
capital of Syria Antioch.
00:10:44.92\00:10:50.19
It would have been filled
with ships, as it was also
00:10:50.23\00:10:53.84
the home of the Roman
fleet based in the eastern
00:10:53.87\00:10:57.44
Mediterranean Sea.
00:10:57.48\00:10:59.42
From this port, Saul and
Barnabas would take their
00:10:59.46\00:11:03.63
journey to the island of
Cyprus to proclaim the good news
00:11:03.67\00:11:08.38
that Jesus Christ is Lord.
00:11:08.42\00:11:10.67
They landed at the
eastern port of Salamis where
00:11:17.22\00:11:20.67
Barnabas was from.
00:11:20.71\00:11:22.60
They shared the gospel
with his family and friends and
00:11:22.64\00:11:26.59
the cross was established,
the Gospel was planted
00:11:26.62\00:11:30.11
on this island.
00:11:30.14\00:11:32.17
Luke describes how they walked
across the island visiting
00:11:32.20\00:11:36.01
the towns and villages
and sharing the good news that
00:11:36.05\00:11:39.82
Jesus was the
Christ, or the Messiah.
00:11:39.86\00:11:42.55
When Saul and Barnabas and
John Mark reached the Western
00:11:42.58\00:11:46.62
end of the island,
they came to the provincial
00:11:46.66\00:11:48.84
capital of Paphos.
00:11:48.87\00:11:51.52
Here the Roman governor Sergius
Paulus had his residence.
00:11:51.55\00:11:56.19
Luke describes how
there was a Jewish sorcerer
00:11:56.22\00:11:59.76
named Bar-Jesus, who was
trying to oppose the work
00:11:59.80\00:12:03.31
of Saul and Barnabas.
00:12:03.34\00:12:05.33
The Roman governor
wanted to hear what these men
00:12:05.37\00:12:07.96
had to say, and this
man kept opposing them.
00:12:07.99\00:12:10.55
Acts 13:6.
00:12:10.58\00:12:13.74
What a fascinating
miracle happens here at Paphos,
00:13:16.59\00:13:20.33
on the island of Cyprus.
00:13:20.36\00:13:21.87
This sorcerer goes blind,
he was rejecting the light
00:13:21.90\00:13:25.02
and now he walks
around in the darkness that
00:13:25.06\00:13:27.50
he had preferred.
00:13:27.54\00:13:29.00
Notice the impact
upon the Roman governor.
00:13:29.03\00:13:31.85
Luke describes how the proconsul
believed because of this
00:13:38.76\00:13:43.25
miracle that took place
on the island province of
00:13:43.28\00:13:46.63
Cyprus at Paphos.
00:13:46.66\00:13:49.20
Sergius Paulus was the
first major Roman official to
00:13:49.24\00:13:53.25
accept the gospel through
Paul and Barnabas preaching
00:13:53.29\00:13:57.27
in their missionary journeys.
00:13:57.30\00:13:59.47
He opens his heart
becomes a believer.
00:13:59.51\00:14:02.16
From this point onward,
Luke refers to Saul as Paul.
00:14:02.19\00:14:06.73
Apparently he adopted the
name Paul, perhaps in honor
00:14:06.76\00:14:11.26
of this Roman official
who had been converted.
00:14:11.30\00:14:14.24
Or perhaps he began to recognize
that the gospel is going
00:14:14.27\00:14:18.20
to go more to the Roman world,
more to the Gentile world.
00:14:18.23\00:14:22.12
So he adopted this
more popular Roman name.
00:14:22.16\00:14:26.44
We do know from this point
onward he is referred to as
00:14:26.48\00:14:30.12
Paul in the
narrative of the book of Acts.
00:14:30.16\00:14:33.24
Paul and Barnabas and John
Mark sail from the province
00:14:33.27\00:14:38.80
of Cyprus across the
Mediterranean to Pamphylia.
00:14:38.84\00:14:43.54
Notice the next
verse in Luke's account.
00:14:43.58\00:14:46.60
Luke describes how
they sailed across to Perga.
00:14:55.85\00:14:59.73
I am sitting here on the
edge of the Acropolis high above
00:14:59.76\00:15:04.03
the ancient ruins of
Perga, on the southwestern coast
00:15:04.07\00:15:08.31
of modern Turkey.
00:15:08.34\00:15:10.28
The ruins of this
city are spectacular.
00:15:10.32\00:15:13.04
There is a theater that
would seat 14,000 people.
00:15:13.08\00:15:16.66
It was built in the Greek
style and remodeled by the
00:15:16.70\00:15:20.60
Romans and there is an
unusual raised stadium which
00:15:20.64\00:15:24.51
seats 12,000 people.
00:15:24.54\00:15:27.05
The monumental fountain
was one of the most splendid
00:15:27.08\00:15:31.42
buildings of the
ancient city of Perga.
00:15:31.46\00:15:34.77
Built at the foot of the
Acropolis, water from the spring
00:15:34.80\00:15:38.50
was channeled and
focused underneath the river god
00:15:38.54\00:15:42.56
Sestos where it would cascade
down as a waterfall, fill
00:15:42.59\00:15:46.46
this pool where the great
columns of the statues were
00:15:46.49\00:15:50.18
standing, and then it
would flow over again, rippling
00:15:50.22\00:15:54.09
down and going down aqueduct
that ran down through the
00:15:54.13\00:15:57.96
center of the city.
00:15:58.00\00:16:00.04
The main street that
ran, from north to south,
00:16:00.07\00:16:03.48
was a double
colonnaded straight.
00:16:03.52\00:16:05.36
That meant there were
columns running down both sides
00:16:05.39\00:16:08.34
with the portico with shops.
00:16:08.37\00:16:10.79
Then they had the
modern convenience of air
00:16:10.82\00:16:14.17
conditioning, as it were,
with the water running down
00:16:14.21\00:16:17.94
the center of the street
to cool the city on this hot
00:16:17.97\00:16:21.67
humid coastal plain.
00:16:21.70\00:16:24.06
It was to this city that
Paul and Barnabas and John Mark
00:16:24.09\00:16:28.66
came to proclaim the Gospel.
00:16:28.69\00:16:31.26
And from this city John
Mark would return to his mother
00:16:31.29\00:16:35.70
and Peter in Jerusalem, and Paul
and Barnabas would depart and go
00:16:35.74\00:16:40.02
into the high lands to the
regions of Galatia and Phrygia
00:16:40.06\00:16:44.31
proclaiming the good news there.
00:16:44.34\00:16:46.95
We've come here to the
modern village of Kovanlik where
00:16:50.15\00:16:53.72
this excellent section of
the ancient Roman road has
00:16:53.75\00:16:57.29
been preserved.
00:16:57.32\00:16:58.84
It was known as the vivia
sansoota, this road connected
00:16:58.88\00:17:04.32
Pamphylia along the coast
with the uplands of Phrygia,
00:17:04.35\00:17:09.76
Galatia and Pisidian.
00:17:09.79\00:17:12.17
Paul and Barnabas would
have walked along this road,
00:17:12.20\00:17:15.12
climbing the steep mountain
pass on their way to take the
00:17:15.16\00:17:19.91
gospel to Pisidian Antioch.
00:17:19.94\00:17:22.37
Pisidian Antioch was a
Roman colony, that means it had
00:17:22.41\00:17:27.23
been settled by Roman veterans.
00:17:27.26\00:17:29.59
It was known as the
colony of Augustus Antioquia.
00:17:29.62\00:17:33.62
It was named after Seleucus
father and called Antioch of
00:17:33.65\00:17:39.21
Pisidia to distinguish it
from Antioch Alvaronties from
00:17:39.25\00:17:44.77
which Paul and
Barnabas had sailed.
00:17:44.81\00:17:47.69
Paul says it was because
of an illness that I came to
00:17:47.73\00:17:52.77
preach the gospel
amongst you, the Galatians,
00:17:52.80\00:17:55.69
Galatians 4:13.
00:17:55.73\00:17:58.43
Many have wondered, did
Paul contract malaria down
00:17:58.46\00:18:02.33
along the swampy
coast of Pamphylia?
00:18:02.37\00:18:05.33
Is that why he chose
to go inland to the rather
00:18:05.37\00:18:09.53
isolated villages of
Pisidia, Antioch and Iconium,
00:18:09.56\00:18:13.69
Derbe and Lystra?
00:18:13.73\00:18:15.57
These are very small
towns in comparison to Perge
00:18:15.60\00:18:20.14
or Ephesus or
Corinth or even Tarsus.
00:18:20.18\00:18:25.63
Perhaps it was because of
the illness of malaria, seeking
00:18:25.66\00:18:31.09
relief from the hot humid
plain along the coast, often
00:18:31.12\00:18:36.02
the high lands where it
was much cooler and less humid.
00:18:36.06\00:18:41.01
It has also been suggested
that perhaps Sergius Paulus
00:18:41.05\00:18:46.24
was from Antioch of Pisidia,
and that the Roman governor
00:18:46.28\00:18:51.74
of Cyprus gave Paul and
Barnabas letters of introduction
00:18:51.78\00:18:56.97
references, asking him to
go to his family and friends
00:18:57.00\00:19:02.15
in the area of his birth.
00:19:02.19\00:19:05.20
For whatever reason the
two apostles left the coast,
00:19:05.23\00:19:09.84
they left the major city
of Pergy and they began the
00:19:09.87\00:19:14.62
steep ascent up this mountain
pass and over it into the
00:19:14.65\00:19:18.94
Anatolian Plateau where
they went to Pisidian Antioch
00:19:18.97\00:19:23.22
and preach the gospel
there in the synagogue.
00:19:23.26\00:19:26.78
That is where we are
going next, we want to go to
00:19:26.81\00:19:30.26
Pisidian Antioch where
Paul shared, with both Jews and
00:19:30.30\00:19:34.97
Gentiles, in the
synagogue on the Sabbath day.
00:19:35.00\00:19:38.33
I am walking in the
ruins of the Church of Paul in
00:19:42.44\00:19:47.38
Pisidian Antioch.
00:19:47.42\00:19:49.88
This church was constructed
in the fourth century upon
00:19:49.92\00:19:54.10
the foundation of the early
Jewish synagogue where Paul
00:19:54.13\00:19:58.46
and Barnabas preached to
the Jews and the God-fearing
00:19:58.49\00:20:02.78
Gentiles of this city.
00:20:02.81\00:20:05.51
Luke records how they
came into the synagogue on the
00:20:05.54\00:20:09.51
Sabbath, and after the
Scripture reading they were
00:20:09.55\00:20:13.45
asked if they had anything
to share with the congregation.
00:20:13.48\00:20:17.46
Did they have anything
to share! You bet they did.
00:20:17.50\00:20:21.43
Paul and Barnabas came
into the synagogue that has been
00:20:35.60\00:20:39.53
located at this site.
00:20:39.57\00:20:41.69
They came in on the Sabbath,
and after the reading of
00:20:41.72\00:20:45.05
the law and the
prophets, they were asked by the
00:20:45.09\00:20:48.04
synagogue ruler, or
leader, if they had anything to
00:20:48.08\00:20:51.00
share of encouragement
for the congregation.
00:20:51.03\00:20:54.23
Did they have anything to
share? Their hearts were full.
00:20:54.26\00:20:57.90
Paul stood up and began to
teach here in the synagogue.
00:20:57.93\00:21:01.32
Rehearsing the great
history of God's people Israel.
00:21:01.36\00:21:04.88
Beginning there with
the exodus at how God worked
00:21:04.91\00:21:08.37
marvelously to deliver His
people from bondage in Egypt.
00:21:08.40\00:21:11.90
He brought them into the
land of Canaan displacing
00:21:11.94\00:21:15.38
seven nations, and he
shared how God established
00:21:15.41\00:21:18.82
Judges to rule over the people.
00:21:18.85\00:21:20.59
Then how He raised up Saul
as the first king of Israel.
00:21:20.62\00:21:24.97
Then David as the second King.
00:21:25.01\00:21:27.45
Then Paul shares with them the
mighty moving in recent times.
00:21:27.48\00:21:32.01
Of the preaching
of John the Baptist.
00:21:32.04\00:21:34.96
How the nation was stirred
and went to the banks of the
00:21:34.99\00:21:38.17
Jordan to hear His message.
00:21:38.21\00:21:40.22
Then how John identified
Jesus of Nazareth as the Jewish
00:21:40.26\00:21:45.39
Messiah, as the Christ.
00:21:45.42\00:21:48.25
Paul had something to
share with them, he shared Jesus
00:21:48.28\00:21:54.19
as the Messiah, the Christ.
00:21:54.23\00:21:56.57
Then he came down and
focused upon Jesus, and how the
00:21:56.61\00:22:01.26
people of Jerusalem, the
leadership had rejected Him
00:22:01.29\00:22:05.90
as the Messiah.
00:22:05.94\00:22:07.36
Although He was proclaimed
to be innocent, by the
00:22:07.40\00:22:12.02
governor Pilot, He was
executed, an innocent man
00:22:12.05\00:22:16.60
executed, but then Paul
comes down to the focus of his
00:22:16.64\00:22:20.76
message, it is what he
shared in city after city, in
00:22:20.79\00:22:24.87
synagogue after synagogue
that although Jesus was
00:22:24.91\00:22:28.96
executed, He came back to life.
00:22:28.99\00:22:32.14
Paul appeals to the Psalms,
the 16th Psalm where it says
00:22:32.17\00:22:36.51
you will not allow your
Holy One to stay in the grave,
00:22:36.55\00:22:40.85
nor to suffer corruption.
00:22:40.89\00:22:42.77
While it may have originally
referred to David as king,
00:22:42.80\00:22:46.31
David's grave is still
in Jerusalem to this day.
00:22:46.35\00:22:50.67
But Jesus came back to
life, He could not be contained
00:22:50.70\00:22:55.14
in the grave, but was
resurrected and appeared to many
00:22:55.18\00:22:59.58
people throughout the
city and to His disciples.
00:22:59.62\00:23:03.69
Paul had something to
share, and the people's hearts
00:23:03.72\00:23:07.17
were opened, they believed
and responded and notice
00:23:07.21\00:23:10.63
what Luke says.
00:23:10.66\00:23:11.90
Do you get the picture?
00:23:30.32\00:23:31.61
Here on this site both
Jews and God-fearing Gentiles
00:23:31.64\00:23:35.86
came together on the Sabbath.
00:23:35.89\00:23:38.19
While they were there,
Paul shared Jesus with them.
00:23:38.22\00:23:42.17
He presented the messages
of the gospel here in this
00:23:42.21\00:23:46.28
setting, and many asked if
he would come back the next
00:23:46.32\00:23:50.36
week and continue the message.
00:23:50.39\00:23:52.94
When they left the synagogue
many continued to inquire about
00:23:52.97\00:23:57.37
the message from
Paul and Barnabas.
00:23:57.40\00:23:59.27
But notice verse 44.
00:23:59.31\00:24:01.20
most amazing passage.
00:24:01.24\00:24:03.09
The next week, almost
the entire city, the word had
00:24:08.79\00:24:12.01
spread throughout this
great Roman colony Pisidian
00:24:12.05\00:24:15.20
Antioch, and the next Sabbath
the entire city almost came
00:24:15.23\00:24:18.42
together, as Luke said,
to hear the word of the Lord.
00:24:18.45\00:24:22.82
Again Paul and Barnabas
preached Jesus to them and
00:24:22.86\00:24:27.16
shared about His
resurrection from the dead.
00:24:27.20\00:24:29.12
This was an amazing event.
00:24:29.15\00:24:32.78
It was a gathering of the
city as a result of Paul's
00:24:32.81\00:24:37.84
preaching the first Sabbath?
00:24:37.87\00:24:39.49
Or was it the result
of the letters that Paul
00:24:39.53\00:24:42.98
might have brought
from Sergius Paulus,
00:24:43.01\00:24:46.01
the Roman governor of Cyprus?
00:24:46.04\00:24:48.31
Was it just a mighty
moving of the Holy Spirit,
00:24:48.34\00:24:51.56
or a combination of the three?
00:24:51.60\00:24:54.19
All we know is what Luke
says, that the whole city
00:24:54.22\00:24:57.50
gathered to hear Paul
present Jesus the next Sabbath.
00:24:57.54\00:25:00.78
God was moving, but
the devil was threatened,
00:25:00.82\00:25:03.93
notice verse 45.
00:25:03.97\00:25:05.87
Yes when the Jews saw
the great crowds of people,
00:25:12.48\00:25:15.50
Gentiles coming to hear
what Paul was preaching,
00:25:15.53\00:25:18.52
they became jealous.
00:25:18.56\00:25:21.00
The word jealous is
perhaps strange in this setting.
00:25:21.04\00:25:23.93
Were they jealous of the
bigger crowd coming to hear Paul
00:25:23.96\00:25:26.97
in the synagogue?
00:25:27.01\00:25:28.83
The actual root of the word
is the same word as zealous.
00:25:28.87\00:25:32.89
The Jews were zealous,
they were zealous for the
00:25:32.92\00:25:36.42
traditions of the father.
00:25:36.46\00:25:38.30
They were concerned that
Paul was presenting Jesus to
00:25:38.33\00:25:41.76
Gentiles, and allowing
them to believe in the Jewish
00:25:41.80\00:25:45.20
Messiah without
first making them Jews.
00:25:45.23\00:25:49.30
He did not require that
they become circumcised and
00:25:49.34\00:25:54.46
to become Jews before they
could accept Jesus as Messiah.
00:25:54.49\00:25:58.68
This caused a spirit of
agitation within the Jewish
00:25:58.72\00:26:03.08
community and we
read on in verse 46.
00:26:03.11\00:26:05.89
Paul said that we had to
first come and preach to you
00:26:26.20\00:26:29.01
the Jews, but since you
are rejecting this message,
00:26:29.05\00:26:31.83
we now turn to the Gentiles.
00:26:31.86\00:26:34.52
From this point, in the
city of Pisidian Antioch,
00:26:34.55\00:26:38.42
Paul and Barnabas
preached Jesus to the Gentiles.
00:26:38.45\00:26:42.25
The Gentiles were thrilled
and were responding to the
00:26:42.28\00:26:45.91
message, a mighty revival
was spreading through this
00:26:45.95\00:26:49.55
Roman colony and
people were being converted.
00:26:49.58\00:26:52.47
We read on in verse 48.
00:26:52.51\00:26:54.93
Yes the Gentiles responded
and were glad in their hearts.
00:27:02.69\00:27:06.79
For they were
accepting Jesus as their Lord
00:27:06.83\00:27:09.46
and they had peace.
00:27:09.50\00:27:11.24
Up on the top of the
hill is the Roman temple to
00:27:11.27\00:27:15.71
Augustus Caesar, discovered
there was his testament which
00:27:15.75\00:27:21.02
declared him to be the
prince of peace, but now Paul
00:27:21.05\00:27:25.14
is teaching that true
Prince of peace, Jesus as the
00:27:25.17\00:27:28.76
Messiah, the Christ,
to the people in the city.
00:27:28.79\00:27:32.35
For the first
time their hearts are
00:27:32.38\00:27:35.11
being filled with peace.
00:27:35.15\00:27:36.77
Have you received the
peace of Christ in your heart?
00:27:36.80\00:27:40.86
You can if you will open
your heart to Him just now.
00:27:40.89\00:27:44.91
He will come in and
bring you His peace.
00:27:44.95\00:27:48.73
Let's pray together,
eternal God we thank You so much
00:27:48.76\00:27:52.26
for the way which you led
Saul and Barnabas to leave
00:27:52.30\00:27:55.45
the comforts of Antioch
and to travel to distant lands
00:27:55.48\00:27:58.60
proclaiming that
Jesus Christ was Lord.
00:27:58.63\00:28:01.60
And Lord Jesus we see
that these Gentiles and Jewish
00:28:01.63\00:28:05.01
believers accepted You as
the true Prince of peace and how
00:28:05.04\00:28:09.24
You brought peace and
joy into their hearts and
00:28:09.28\00:28:11.76
into their souls.
00:28:11.79\00:28:13.16
I pray just now that You
will do that for each one that
00:28:13.20\00:28:16.94
is hearing this teaching,
I pray in Jesus name, Amen!
00:28:16.98\00:28:21.50
From here in Pisidian Antioch,
Barnabas and Paul travel
00:28:21.53\00:28:25.54
out to the regions of
Laconia where they proclaim that
00:28:25.58\00:28:29.33
Jesus Christ is Lord in
the cities of Lystra and Derbe.
00:28:29.37\00:28:33.09
They were identified as
Hermes and Zeus in Lystra,
00:28:33.12\00:28:36.70
tremendous crowds believed
and then they turned and dragged
00:28:36.74\00:28:40.70
Paul this from the city and
stoned him leaving him for dead.
00:28:40.73\00:28:44.66
Don't miss the next thrilling
chapter, in this series,
00:28:44.69\00:28:47.82
when Paul got stoned.
00:28:47.86\00:28:50.55