13:4 marks the beginning of the 1st missionary journey of Paul. It will be helpful if you refer to the back pages of your Bible and find the map of Paul’s missionary journeys and follow along:
(1) How important is it that “The two of them (were) sent on their way by the Holy Spirit”? What are the implications? Was John Mark then also sent by the Holy Spirit? Did he, as a helper need to be sent by the Holy Spirit?
(2) It appears that from here onward, Paul’s strategy was to begin their ministry at the Jewish synagogues. Was it for practical reasons or were there any other reasons?
(3) A proconsul was the equivalent of a governor like Pilate. At this stage of the spread of the gospel, how important was it that a Roman governor were converted?
(4) The name of the sorcerer was Bar-Jesus (meaning son of Joshua or Savior), yet Paul called him, “child of the devil”. What might be the reasons that he opposed Paul and tried to turn the proconsul from faith? Was he any worse than Paul (i.e. Saul) before his conversion?
(5) What did the miracle performed by Paul on Bar-Jesus remind you of?
(6) What was the result of this miracle?
(7) Have you noticed that the roles of Paul and Barnabas seem to have switched? Who is now the leader of the team? If you were Barnabas, how would you take it?
(8) What is the main message to you today?
(1) How did Paul take John Mark’s departure from the team (see15:38)? What might be the reason for John’s action?
(2) Here Luke gives us a rather detailed sermon, the first recorded sermon of Paul. Though it is still a summary, it seems to give us a flavor of a more seasoned argument than Peter’s. Let’s give some thoughts to his sermon and reflect on the following:
a. Vv. 16-20: The first 450 years as a people of God; note the verbs being used in these verse.
b. Vv. 21-22: God gave the people judges, prophets and kings, culminating with David, the king after God’s own heart (a king the people respected).
c. Vv. 23-25: Jesus is the Savior, a descendant of David and testified to by John the Baptist (the prophet they respected).
d. V. 26: The message of salvation is introduced.
e. Vv. 27-29: The Jews crucified Jesus in fulfillment of God’s Word.
f. Vv. 30-32: God raised Jesus from the dead with many living witnesses.
g. Vv. 33-37: The Psalms prove Jesus’ resurrection and who He is.
h. Vv. 38-39: The good news, not the Law, offers forgiveness and justification.
i. Vv. 40-41: He warns them of disbelief.
Suppose you were a devout Jew. How would you respond to this message? What might be the things that you are most impressed by in his sermon?
(See if you can also compare this sermon with Peter’s in chapter 2 and chapter 3. What might be the distinct features of Paul’s sermon?)
(3) How would you describe the response of the hearers?
(4) What is the main message to you today?
(1) Why did the Jews who would behave so civilly during the previous Sabbath turn against Paul and his company? What might be the root cause of their problem?
(2) How can you explain the fact that so many gentiles accepted the gospel, and not the Jews?
(3) Luke comments that “all who were appointed for eternal life believed”. Since this is the word of God, how then will you understand what happened in Pisidian Antioch? How then should you understand your own conversion?
(4) Though Paul and his company faced persecution and were driven out of the city, how did the local disciples respond to all of this and why?
(5) Luke mentions that the opposition made use of “women of high standing”. Why did Luke mention the role of women in this context?
(6) What is the main message to you today?
(1) How would you sum up their outreach ministry at Iconium in vv.1-7:
a. How effective was it and to what extent?
b. How did the Lord confirm their messages?
c. What kind of persecution did they face?
d. What was the result of the persecution?
(2) We have so far seen their outreach ministry in Paphos of Cyprus, Pisidian Antioch and Iconium. Spend some time to review the kind of pattern there is in their missionary effort. What can you learn from it?
(3) Luke says the crippled at Lystra “had faith to be healed”(14:9). Is healing always dependent on the faith of the healed, or that of the healer? (What about the crippled healed by Peter in chapter 3, and the ten lepers healed by Jesus in Lk. 17:11-19?) What conclusion about healing can you draw?
(4) If you were Paul and Barnabas, who were mistakenly worshipped as pagan gods, how will you react to it and how will you take the opportunity to point them to Jesus?
(5) What was the immediate reaction by the two? Did they point them to Jesus? Why or why not?
(6) What is the main message to you today?
(1) Why would the crowd be won over so easily by the Jews? Were they not impressed by Barnabas’ and Paul’s miraculous healing of the crippled? What really happened?
(2) How badly was Paul beaten?
(3) After leaving Lystra for Derbe, Paul and Barnabas ended their outreach ministry and now returned to the cities they first visited and evangelized. Vv. 21-23 describes their “follow-up” work. What does it entail and what can we learn from them in terms of missional “follow-up” work of new believers?
(4) Now, they returned to the sending church in Antioch, and gave a report of the first missionary journey. While Luke gives only a very brief summary of their report, it is perhaps helpful for you to imagine yourself as a missionary and write a one-page report on behalf of Paul and Barnabas to the congregation. See what you might include in your report.
(5) What is the main message to you today?
As we come to chapter 15, it is perhaps appropriate for us to recap the account given by Luke so far concerning the obedient response to the Great Commission by the first disciples:
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Chapter 1 |
Jerusalem |
Disciples waited in prayer for Baptism of the Holy Spirit |
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Chapter 2 |
Jerusalem |
Baptism of the Holy Spirit with 3,000+ converts, marks the beginning of the first church |
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Chapter 3 |
Jerusalem |
Evangelism at the temple |
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Chapter 4 |
Jerusalem |
Apostles are arrested by temple officials, but later are released; disciples rejoiced and shared things in commo; |
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Chapter 5 |
Jerusalem |
A phony couple died; believers increased, as well as persecution; |
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Chapter 6 |
Jerusalem |
Encountered first internal strife over compassion ministry to widows with election of 1st deacons |
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Chapter 7 |
Jerusalem |
Stephen became the 1st martyr. |
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Chapter 8 |
Samaria |
Disciples (minus the apostles) spread gospel beyond Jerusalem; Philip converted Samaritans and an Ethiopian; |
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Chapter 9 |
Damascus Judea, Samaria |
Conversion of Saul; Peter began visiting ministry. |
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Chapter 10 |
Caesarea |
Peter is led by Holy Spirit to convert gentile centurion's family. |
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Chapter 11 |
Jerusalem Antioch |
Peter returned to defend evangelizing gentiles. Continued gentile conversion caused the sending of Barnabas to check it out, joined by Saul. Christians being so-called in Antioch |
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Chapter 12 |
Jerusalem |
Persecution resumed by Herod, killing James and imprisoning Peter |
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Chapter 13 |
Antioch |
Holy Spirit prompted church to send Paul and Barnabas on 1st missionary trip to gentile land. |
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Chapter 14 |
Cyprus + Southern Asia Minor |
Paul and Barnabas completed 1st missionary trip with many gentile convert. |
(1) Can you recall what has been the most important evidence supporting the fact that gentiles are truly saved? Why then were some of the Jewish Christians from Judea not satisfied with the evidence? Were they correct? Why or why not?
(2) What did the believers in Antioch decide to do when they considered the debate? What lesson can we learn from their course of action?
(3) It is interesting to note that even some Pharisees in Jerusalem had become believers, but they still insisted on the obedience of the Law of Moses, especially circumcision by the gentiles. Do you think, as converts to being Jesus’ disciples, these Pharisees should still belong to the “party of the Pharisees”? Why or why not?
(4) Try to analyze Peter’s point of view in vv. 6-11
a. Why should Peter’s testimony carry weight?
b. What evidence did Peter appeal to for their being saved?
c. What was Peter’s charge against their opposition?
d. What was the basis of salvation according to Peter?
(5) If you were one of the believers attending this 1st council of the early church, how would you feel? Joyful or sad? Why?
(6) What is the main message to you today?
The New Testament does not give us any reason why James, Jesus’ brother, appeared to hold the highest authoritative position in the Jerusalem church. But we know that he was not one of the Twelve. He did not even believe in Jesus when He was on earth, but he suddenly surfaced as the leader of the first church (see Gal. 2:12). But the fact also is clear that he is now presiding over this important 1st Council.
(1) As Peter presented his argument, Paul and Barnabas presented their testimonies of the miraculous deeds performed among the Gentiles. How did the congregation respond to their report and why?
(2) James is quoting from Amos 9:11-12. About what period of time was the prophet prophesying? How important is it in validating the reports of Peter and Paul?
(3) What did James suggest in resolving this dispute?
a. What was the basis of his suggestion?
b. Was it a compromise?
c. Do you agree with him?
d. Would it be your suggestion or would you suggest something entirely different?
(4) The decision is now endorsed by “the whole church” (v.22). How does it speak to you in terms of resolving disputes in the church?
(5) Read carefully the contents of the letter. If you were a gentile believer, upon hearing the contents of the letter, how would you respond to it and why?
(6) What is the main message to you today?