GOSPEL MEDITATION # 42

Paul & Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia, part 3

Acts 13:44-52

1. Find a quiet place without distractions.
2. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace.
3. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer.
4. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
5. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.
6. The second Sabbath many from the city came to the synagogue to hear more from the missionaries.
7. However, opposition from some fellow Jews was inevitable. Both the message and messengers were attacked since so very much was at stake.
8. Paul and Barnabas countered their opponents boldly stating that the consequences of rejecting the message is of upmost concern, to the point of
9. It was, and is, necessary that the message of Messiah’s salvation be presented to the Jews first, then secondly to the Gentiles. (see Romans 1:16)
10. Paul quotes Isaiah 49:6 to show the necessity of presenting the Word of the Lord to Gentiles.
11. The Gentiles in the crowd rejoiced to hear this and many of these are now converted, those that were appointed to believer. Here we encounter the Biblical doctrine of election.
12. An awakening is under way now and the “word of the Lord” spread throughout the region.
13. The missionary’s enemies persuaded women God-fearers to apply political pressure upon the Gospel preachers. These women were likely connected to Roman officials.
14. Paul and Barnabas are “expelled” from the area and as a result “shook the dust off their feet” as a sign of both regret and judgment to follow. (see Luke 9:1-5)
15. The “disciples” Luke says indicating that indeed some are now believing in Jesus as Messiah and Savior, born again of the Holy Spirit and with the joy of salvation.

GOSPEL MEDITATION # 41

Paul & Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia part 2

Acts 13:34-43

1. Find a quiet place without distractions.
2. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace.
3. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer.
4. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
5. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.
6. Now the second phase of the Paul’s first missionary journal: the apostles are in a synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia (modern day Turkey), Paul is invited to speak. After recounting a brief history of God’s dealings with Israel Paul moves to the work of Jesus.
7. Paul’s focus is on the crucifixion and resurrection. For Jew and Gentile alike, how could it be that the Messiah would die the death of a criminal and this on a Roman cross. But this death, Paul points out, was prophesied.
8. Now the resurrection, and Paul quotes passages from Psalm 16 and Isaiah 55 that point to resurrection.
9. This established Paul goes to the heart of the matter: forgiveness of sin. Jews knew well that God is holy and no sin may be in His presence. Thus sin must be atoned for and this Jesus did once for all on the cross. That which is horrible beyond imagination becomes the very instrument of God for the forgiveness of sin. This incredible event and truth is the point of Habakkuk 1:5.
10. The synagogue congregation is so struck by the message they “begged” the missionaries to return next Sabbath day.
11. After the service many Jews and devout Gentiles were “following” Paul and Barnabas, wanting to hear more.
12. Luke does not tell us whether any of these who wanted more from the apostles were born again or not. But when they urged these to “continue in the grace of God” may well indicate that true conversion was in place.
13. That one sermon in the synagogue was just the beginning.

GOSPEL MEDITATION # 40

Acts 13:13-33

Paul and Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia, Part 1

1. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace.
2. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer.
3. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
4. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.
5. This the second leg of the first missionary journey; from Cyprus, Paul and Barnabas, sail northeast to Antioch of Pisidia in the Roman province of Galatia. John Mark, for reasons not explained, returns home to Jerusalem.
6. “To the Jew first” is Paul’s methodology proven by his entering a synagogue to begin the ministry in Antioch.
7. After the traditional call to worship, some prayers recited, and Scripture read, Paul would have stood at the Bema or pulpit to deliver the early kerygma preaching points.
8. Politely and clearly Paul addresses his audience, made up of Both Jews and Gentile God-fearers. Paul proceeds to present the time honored account of God’s dealings with those he had called out, His chosen ones.
9. The focus of the message goes to King David, a man after God’s own heart, who would do His will. The major point is that from David’s offspring, God has brought forth a Savior, namely Jesus. (No need to say, Jesus of Nazareth as the hearers must have know of whom Paul spoke).
10. Paul speaks of John the Baptist, whom so many regarded as a prophet, who pointed to Jesus as the Messiah. Yet the rulers did not recognize Him.
11. Then there is the recounting of the betrayal and the role that the Romans played. Jesus is crucified and is buried.
12. But, God raised Him from the dead and He Appeared to many over a period of days.

Paul and Barnabas are then messengers of Good News; God has fulfilled what He had promised to the fathers.

GOSPEL MEDITATION # 39

Acts 13:1-12

Barnabas & Saul Sent Off & Barnabas & Saul on Cyprus

1. Find a quiet place without distractions.
2. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace.
3. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer.
4. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
5. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.
6. Barnabas and Saul, having completed their mission to Jerusalem (relief from the famine), are back at their home base, Antioch.
7. Luke lists the “prophets and teachers” at the church at Antioch: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,, Nanaen, and Saul.
8. While “worshipping and fasting” the Holy Spirit directs the church to set Barnabas and Saul aside for a “work” they have been “called” to.
9. After prayer and fasting then, these two first to be designated as missionaries are sent off.
10. From Antioch they set off for Seleucia, the port city of Antioch, 10 miles to the east, from which they board a ship for Cyprus. Barnabas is from this Mediterranean island.
11. They arrive at Salamis, a major city, and go directly to the Jewish synagogue where they “proclaimed the word of God.” (We note “word” is from the Greek Logos.)
12. Luke is careful to point out that John, otherwise known as John Mark, is with the missionaries.
13. In Paphos the trio come across a sorcerer or magician name Bar-Jesus, a Jewish false prophet, who had somehow connected with the Roman proconsul Sergius Paulos, who wanted to hear their “word of God” message.
14. Elymas (name means magician), or Bar-Jesus, oppose the preachers. Saul, empowered by the Holy Spirit, causes Elymas to go blind. Seeing the miracle, the proconsul becomes a believer.

GOSPEL MEDITATION # 38

Peter is Rescued & The Death of Herod

Acts 12:6-25

1. Find a quiet place without distractions.
2. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace.
3. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer.
4. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
5. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.
6. From memory, determine the central points.
7. Peter, in prison and to be executed the next day, is woken by

     an angel, chains binding Peter are broken and fall off him, and Peter is lead out of the prison

by the angel.

8. Peter thought at first he had merely seen a vision while

asleep. Finding himself on the street alone, he proceeds to the place where the church is praying for him.

9. The place of the prayer meeting is the home of Mary, the

mother of John, whose other name is Mark. This home is

likely the place where the Passover/Last Supper was taken.

10. Answering Peter’s knocking at the door is a servant girl

named Rhoda. She knew Peter’s voice, and in her excitement

she rushes in the tell the rest Peter is at the door. For unknown reasons she does not open the door.

11. Rhoda is not believed; rather the church people think she

is delusional.

12. Rhoda, however, was insistent and Peter kept knocking at

the door. Finally they do find it is Peter after all and Peter

then tells everyone of his miraculous escape.

13. Peter, concluding his story, wants the account of events told

to “James and the brothers.” This James is the half brother of

Jesus, who had emerged as the head of the early church in

Jerusalem and is the author of the letter of James.

14. Peter now goes into hiding at an undisclosed location. Herod tried to find him but to no avail. And according to Roman law, the jail keepers guarding Peter are put to death.

This Herod Agrippa I, thinking more highly of himself than he ought, dies a miserable death

some short time later.