Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they remained no little time with the disciples.
Paul and Barnabas were sent out to declare the gospel. This has been known as their first missionary journey. Note how their first missionary journey began:
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
In the above passage we read the end of that missionary journey. When they left they had no idea what the work would look like. No one had ever completed a missionary journey before. They didn’t know what “for the work which I have called them,” even meant. But, they faithfully followed Christ’s call and went from city to city. When they went to each city, there was something that happened consistently:
1. They preached the Gospel to the Jews in synagogues and then to any Gentiles that would hear it.
2. They were persecuted each time they went.
3. God did great miracles (either physical or spiritual) in each place they went.
4. People (Jews and Gentiles) converted to Christianity.
5. The powers of the places there were in did not like losing their power (no matter what type of power they had over the people).
The key to this missionary journey is what is said about it at the end: “... where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled.” They fulfilled their ministry. They had no idea when it started what it would look like. They had no idea when they started how it would unfold. They only knew the God who called them and the message of Christ that compelled them. They fulfilled their ministry!! May that be said of all of us.
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