Paul’s First Missionary Trip | Pr Matthew Chang

I'm gonna go through. You're listening to a message to go from axt church.

We hope this message will light up your tea. Do a series which

I actually have been teaching uh in other plants as well. I call it

the Poll's Missionary Trips, okay, and it's basically you look at it as

if like you're going on a road trip. How many of you like to

go on road trips? Yeah, I'd like to driver. You know,

I love road trips, you know, when I was young. You know,

I actually still enjoy and I love road trips when you know, you

know, all the excitement and all the people you get on board, You

get to share, the places that you visit, play on your music playlist,

buy all the junk and the snack pool and the drinks you want to

put in the car after the cast things, you know. But then after

that you arrive at your journey as well. So today we're gonna take on

a little trip, okay. And along the way, you're gonna see some

things and you're gonna learn some things. Uh, And truly I hope that

you will see learn something for your life. How church is actually done at

the very you know, at the very beginning, how church expanded, what

is the role of the church and God's heart? And okay, for his

message to be shared with the people, you will get to see how God

speaks to the leaders, how God speaks to the people as well, and

you realize that, oh, I have no idea that Paul's missionary trip is

so relevant to me and to my situation and to the church and the nation

right now, Okay, cool, So before I do that, let's start

with a world prayer. Okay, come earlier, Father, I thank you

for this time that we can gather here. Lord, we never take the

mornings that we wake up, every breath that we have and every privilege.

All right, So turn with me to Acts chapter thirteen, and I really

need you to open up your Bibles, and I hope you are ready to

highlight you know my style. You know I tend to go line by line,

word by word, you know every part of it. I will go

through it. And we're gonna go on a journey. And first of all,

okay, so we're gonna start in the middle of the way. We're

gonna start with the first missionary trip. Okay, how many trips missionary trips

did Paul, have how many say three? How many say four? See,

all all the other students are relying on the smart students in the class.

And now let the smart students and let the one in the front row

answer you. All the rest of our just agree only I tell you,

and those of you who answer, can I answer again. I'm gonna pick

students later on. Okay, let's get it on. Okay. So there

are three missionary trips, So we're gonna go on the first one. But

before we go on the first one, we've got to understand how the trip

started, why they want to go on the trip, who started it,

who called for it, and what was the purpose? Amen? All right?

So letter read from extirteen verse one. It says, here, now,

in the church that was at Antioch, there were certain prophets and teachers

Barnabas Simeon, who was called Niger Lucius or Siren Munayan, and who had

been brought up with Herod the tetruck and Saul. Okay, they're basically talking

about the leaders and the teachers that were there and Antioch. And in verse

two he says, as they minister to the Lord and faster, Oh,

that's what we're doing. Right now as well, And the Holy Spirit said,

now separate to me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I've called

them. Then, having fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they

send them away. Now a lot of times when we read the Bible,

we just look at it. Okay, these are the people. This is

what happened. Move on, then you foresee reading or reading, isn't it.

I can tell you there's a lot of things happening here. A lot

of lessons have to be learned here. Okay. Now, first of all,

we learned there's a church in Antioch. How many of you know what

was the first church planted outside our Jerusalem? Hey, the answer is there

ready church in Antioch. Did you know how it was planted? Okay,

some apostles were saying and planted the church like ex monear XBJX, Edinburgh.

We sent people there homes, we pray, and then legal say, plant

the church here, and it started? Was that how it started in Antioch?

Why if I tell you that church what the first church outside Jerusalem was

not planted in that way. In fact, the church Antio was not even

planet all. And oh, did you realize that the Church wasn't even even

planet all. Can you have a map up the first like, can you

guys see that? Okay? So for you guys to understand a bit of

church history, first of all, you need to know where Jerusalem is.

Okay. You see the bottom there, you see Judea and the lake there,

okay, and then you see Jerusalem the bottom. From there, we're

only going we're gonna go up north. Only it's like we're starting from Johor

okay, Jehor all the way. Okay, We're gonna go up now,

all the way. Then we're gonna meet there in kl we see Antioch,

okay, Antioch, see Antioch. Between ju Jerusalem and Jo it's quite a

far distance, you know, okay. And the reason Antioch even started was

because Jerusalem, Okay, in that time you can read in XT Chapter twelve

eleven, they were persecuted, okay, because of this guy, this guy

Stephen. Stephen cost a lot of problem, you know, okay, not

literally him, but his name. Now because of him, you know,

so Jesus already again Jesus died and everybody in Jerusalem thought like, oh,

this guy who has been doing a miracles, prophesizing, healing, the plane

and then a lot of causing a lot of controversy. They nail him on

the cross, you know, but then everybody thought that was done ready,

But then they thought that all his circle, his smooth, his followers would

have just quietened down. We knailt and then we crucified the worst torture and

that that could be put on any founder you know, has been done.

You will think that everybody would have died down it. But no. Then

after a while, certain group of followers rose up again in the Temple of

Jerusalem, started preaching, started healing, and then they came about this young

guy called Stephen, who was a deacon, you know, very young guy

called deacon, started to speak to the crowd and even in his speech,

in his speech and he's preaching, he judged the people and the elders of

the temple, and they were found guilty and could not with him. And

what did they do? They're push him? You know, how he you

know how Stephen was executed. Actually, oh, should I go into details?

It's quite difficult. You know, there was stone you know that Stephen

was stoned to death, right, but stoning was not Hey you put it

and throwstone it you know, that was not how it was done. That's

what they did. Actually, they will walk push you to the edge of

a cliff okay or a mount okay, and there will be at least like

ten twelve feet fourteen feet were you. Eventually the first person who will actually

push you to fall down. So the hand that pushed is the hand that

consents. Ah. After you fall down, ready and if you survive the

fall, then the stoning begins. The stoning is not throwing. Now they

will start to carry the big ones over the cliff. The first one to

lay their hands drops and you be crushed under it. Ooh, you remember

right now where Jesus realized that Jesus was once also cornered to the cliff,

that he actually then eventually he pushed past. Ah. That was how stoning

was done. There are many versions of stoning. This was one of those

versions. It was very painful, as you can imagine, very cruel,

okay. And so Stephen was martyred as the first matter. But because you

see Jesus died okay, and he rose again. By then Stephen came along.

I was like, what is this movement, what is this power?

What is this so called they think it's a cult coming up. There is

preaching in the name of Jesus, but not only preaching the name of it.

There is powers and going on, which is if you remember the last

time I came here, I talked about what the power of the name of

Jesus. I spoke about the power the name of Jesus. You can preach

about someone's there, but there is a problem when there is power, you

get I mean right, it's not just for there's power. People are getting

healed and not It's like you know, so it's it's so the temple and

the people elders could not withstand. There is power, there is power,

and people are following. There was the word of God, and there is

the work of God. There is the word of God, and there's the

work of God. I call it the two punch. You know, the

word of God and the works of God. And throughout the Book of X

you will continue to see the word of God bring priage. People resist,

but then the works of God give you a power. They cannot be stand.

Okay, the word of God and the works of God. The word

of God and the works of God. Okay. So it keeps coming out

again and again in the Book of Acts, especially in Paul's missionary treat as

well. Okay, but then because of what this fellow did, okay,

they will go upset. And so then what did they do? They cannot

withstand. They went violent, They went violence. Okay, So they went

violent. And who was this guy who was the main leader who went violent

and led this group? Saw Okay, And because of this violence that was

happening in Jerusalem, okay, a lot of believers went up north from Jerusalem.

They fled up all the way to Antiochy okay, Antioch in different places

as well. Now in Jerusalem, as they were praying and fast thing,

they suddenly realized that, hey, you know, thank God, you know

that Peter is safe, you know from you know, from being persecutor.

I thought we thought he were gonna die. He came up from from from

from prison. Ready. But then they started hearing news. Okay, they

started hearing news that they were believers up north in Jerusalem. Okay, you

know what I'm saying. In Jerusalem, basically in Jeha, they were hearing

Ay, gose people in k you know, not feel the Holy Spirit.

They were teaching about Jesus. But then you never planted it. You never

organized it, you know, it's like what is going on? You know?

And so the lead, the elders, the apostles in Jerusalem, they

became very concerned because they were concerned because they never started it. What if

they were teaching the wrong things, Give me what they're teaching the wrong day,

using Jesus name, using Peter's name, and someone they will prosecute at

that timing. On what if something happened in the north, did they didn't

they were not aware with and then they blame on them. Ah, there

was a riot there, there was a murder there, there was no going

against the Roman. If they could not recognize it, they will experience the

same, what they call it, the consequences what happened in the north.

They will be held responsible for it. And so what did they do?

What did they do? They are said, ah, soul and Barnabus to

go and actually Barnabus first bannerbus to go up north to verify, to audit,

to check. Ah, they sent Barnabus to go up north to go

ahead and check. Hey, what is this going on? So Barnabus the

very good quality, he's a rich dude, the only man. He's a

rich guy, very generous, but he is known to be a man of

faith as well. He's a great encourager, so it means that he does.

He doesn't just want to audit them, but if if the Word the

Lord is really working and stucking them, he wants to be a partner with

God. A amazing He wants to partner with God. If you have planted

DC, I want to help to water it as much as I can as

well. I want to encourage it because maybe God is showing us away.

And so Bannaburush went up to the north and he says, like, whoa,

it's not just Jews believing. There were people from all other faiths.

We're also believing as well. And whatever they're taught. Even though we didn't

send MTG to them, we didn't send Bible class to them, we didn't

send leaders to them. They profess the same faith as us, and they

believe theologically sound things. It's amazing, isn't it. It's like you plant

urenteing you never planned during there suddenly are in Carell. They're God Durian.

How did the seed grow from here today? You get? I mean right,

how did they grow? It's because of the Lord and God, we

can even use persecut to bring good message to the north. You know,

God can bring something good out of the suffering, amazing things. We cannot

understand. Why God, we only had Stephen doing the good thing? Why

prossecure as because of this gy? Maybe Steven should have spoken now, you

know, maybe Steven should have not been so bold and courageous so they all

may know. You know, why did you have to come out with that

title? Why do you have to come out with that theme? Give us

so much grief and inconvenience? But God has a plan. God has a

plan greater than our understanding, greater than our need to know why and how

true or not greater they you need to know why and how. God say,

you don't need to know. I'm just gonna do and you watch and

you follow. Okay, So that's what's how Antioch started, Okay, beyond

the disciples, beyond the apostles. So when Barnabas, when he was so

encouraged, he joined them, but then he realized, hey, and it's

not Jerusalem, and know where they are mostly Jews in Antioch. It's like

I don't know. It's like, hey, Ela, you know you got

expats. You know, you got different people from different places. You go

Greeks, you go Romans, you got people from Asia minor, you got

Egyptians as well. So it was hot pot, you know. Okay,

not my la hot pot, Okay, it was a hot pot of different

people coming together. Said who can I recruit? Who is who is familiar

with the Roman culture, who is familiar with the Greek knowledge, who is

familiar with Egyptian and history? Who can speak and minister to these people so

that the work of the Lord can continue? And then he realized, oh,

yes, I remember this guy, this guy I used to vouch for,

this guy I used to recommend, you know, and his name is

Paul. And if you look at the map there he turned on the map,

Paul. What was Paul doing at that time? Where was Paul?

Was he in johan Was he in Jerusalem? He was not in Jerusalem?

Or he was he was in Kadah? Okay, yea, he was in

Tarsars, getting away from the disciples, away from the apostles, away from

the ministry work. Why such a guy there was so smart, so not

powerful, being put in, you know, in a place Tarsus. Why

why wasn't he Why wasn't he in Jerusalem? Why wasn't he in Antiochy?

Any question? It's like no on the most powerful preacher. You know.

The reason he is there because people were scared of him. You must understand,

Saw used to be the golden boy of Jerusalem. He's like literally the

golden boy. He's like the messy you know of Argentina. Everybody is like

looking for Messy, you know, because he was the most what they call

it, what they call it, uh, what they call it promising,

a young guy who would take over the temple and also the teacher gamello the

time. But then in just overnight he came out and he changed your Z

know and now I'm with I'm with Team Christianity. You know, I'm no

longer with team Temple already, I'm doing Team Christianity. So I suddenly he

changed your c you know, you know, so suddenly like not Messy from

Barcelona to know it Miami or Galaxy, I don't know what is it,

Glexy, you know, so no longer support my messy anymore, support another

fella ready, So he became the most hated guy and wherever he went he

was going to cause controversy. So the disciples say that we believe that you

have received, you know, the apostleship from Jesus, But can you not

stay with us? Can you go up to your home place? So he

was in tasks for a few for some time. You know, he was

basically put in cold storage. Okay, cold storage can promising, but cannot

be used. Promising but cannot be used. And sometimes in your life it's

like that. I was like, God, call me to this church,

you call me to these homes, and you give me talents. I want

to serve earth. But then the leadership say no, God, I hate

these leaders I hate these people. They don't recognize me. You put me

on this cold storage. Why you know why? I tell you? You're

not alone? Okay, it's okay. One. You know, there's a

season when when you're put into places that you don't understand. But then when

Barnabas went to Antioch, he remembered, oh see, if if Paul was

not in Tarcasa, he could not be in Antioch. So every season of

your life is never a coincidence. Even when you failed, even when you're

messed up, God can still use it. You know what I mean?

Right, It's not like chess. You not when you check make that you're

done for already. You think God cannot use you, then it's not like

that got rules and got over rules over everything in your life. Amazing,

isn't it? God can use one, I tell you? Okay, So

Paul was recruited to antiop and both Saul and Paul came into Antioch and established

the church. Now I just started the introduction on me. Okay, how

is everybody doing so far? Okay? You fin any interesting? Soufout this

road trip? Very interesting? Now you see the story, isn't it.

You realize that, Hey, it's not just facts you now, Hey,

you know, but you realist it's a story. But more importantly, you

see and hear the reality of God at work. Isn't it God working in

the past? You can see God working right now in our lives as well.

Amen. Now, how I'm gonna introduce Saul okay and Banner bas and

you know, into a further deeper understanding of missions here Okay, it says

here in verse two, as the Minister to the Lord and Fastest, the

Holy Spirit said, now separate to me, banner bus and Saw for the

work to which I've called them now this is amazing. You know why at

that time did you think there was a Bible. There was a Bible?

There were no bibles. You know, Bibles was collected much much later.

Even talking about scripture, okay, I'll just talk about all Testama scripture.

Do you think they were cheap? You know that a normal book okay,

just a normal book are okay? It takes years to compound one or another,

and all two books are ever the same one. Books are are only

owned by rich people or owned by the collective community, only either by a

church or the community as a whole. If you have a book in your

life, you are rich. It's like you own a Mercedes Bentz. That's

how expensive one book is. Okay, because the book it's not paper,

and it's animal skin, a plan you know, from magician and all this

parchments collected one and it's very expensive. And not only you must be literate,

you must write and it's beautiful. Okay. So later on, when

you read the Book of X, right, you will see this one part

that actually a lot of people own books, but they were not the Bible.

There were books of arts and magics, and when they saw the work

of Paul they took their books and they burned it. You know, Minza,

they decide to burn their Mercedes Benz. You know. Can you imagine

now all the community. I brought all the Mercedes Benzer into the junkyard and

they decide toh millions and millions of dollars burned one night because they gave their

life to Christ. So there were no books, okay, And there's a

problem here when there's no books. It's like I asked you to come to

university, but I'm not gonna give you textbooks, and I'm gonna gonna give

you any PDF. But you're gonna learn how We're gonna study engineering with no

textbooks and no laptops. Okay, no Internet. Let's study engineering. Yeah,

let's do that. How how in Antioch it's the same you all,

no Jerusalem Temper? And how did the church grew in stature? How did

the church grew in knowledge and understanding of the truth of God? How?

This is very very important for you ask And how did the church at the

time gruel, How do they know that if somebody, someone, some joker

comes through the door to dare to examineer there? Hey, hey, today

I have the word of the Lord and God has said this, And then

you need to have ten guitarists. You don't need XTIV, you don't need

kids ministry. I'm going to hire this person, this person, this person,

because this is what the Lord said. Oh, how do you know

this guy is a true or false teacher? How do you know he's a

wolf or he is not? How do you verify without the Bible? How

does the church protect itself? How do you know it's not a spy trying

to spy on you? And the moment you speak the name just he's going

to report you and prosecute you and drag you back to Jerusalem. How do

you not know that this is a problem, isn't it? He relates.

It's a big problem, isn't it? And so the church? How did

God provider? How did God grew his church? Oh? How do you

know that the word has power? I told you before two hands, the

word of God and the works of God. When you preach the word of

God in truth and in baldness, what happens? God comes into the picture.

God bears weakness of his word. The way that God bears witness to

his word is by his works. Jesus was not just a teacher, he

was a healer. He was a miracle worker. So wherever Jesus said he

preached, he performed in the miracle, could not overcome him. In the

same way, when Jesus has now read and not a center to heaven,

who did he give this power to apostles? That's why we have the apostles.

The apostles. You can't just inm to claim you have the word of

God. You need to preach and you need to work the works of God.

Ah, there is where the authority splits the face and the true teachers.

You must have works you get mean right, And so the apostles they

were verified, you get I mean right from Peter all the way. That's

why there works from from from Jose and Temple all the way to Paul as

well. The works of it they're bad witness. And so the church depended

on the apostles, teachings and letters. Okay, so that they are.

Their teachings and letters were very very important because they have authority, very authority.

And so now what is this problem with Antioch right now? Antioch is

a new church is in there? I told you guys planted church there and

they just had the best gift ever. They get two apostles, two great

teachers someone they get who Barnabas and get so best? Ever, I know

you get the best teacher that whoa every day I come, I got the

best preacher and best teacher. By the way that some people are in churches,

they only go to church when their favorite preacher shows up. Oh,

some people them. I don't want to go to physical church. I only

attend online church because my favorite preacher is there. Maybe it's John Piper,

maybe it's John MacArthur. I don't know who do you like? Okay your

celebrity lists, who are? Maybe you gotta ten to five ser visits.

I don't need physical church. So andil Oh God, Saul and Barnabas and

all. And then what did what did? Immediately? What? What?

What did? And they went into fast and pray it? And what did

the Holy Spirit say? Set apart from me, Barnerbus and Saul for the

word which I call them God, we asked. We feel like a young

child. You know, you just give us two good gifts, you know,

good too, good teachers, you know, protecting us. But and

when we pray for your will to be done, we want to be used

by you. And as we pray, you sent away two of our most

important assets away. Yeah. Yeah, See, when you prayer you want

to be used by God. I have to ask you. Are you ready

to pay the price? Are you ready to let go wow some of your

fast in prayer? God, I want this and are you ready? You

know you might. It's gonna cost you something. You know. They think

like, oh, the good things in life, the God things in life

will never be taken away from me. The Bible speaks differently, you know.

The Bible teaches differently that God works in ways, mysterious ways. Can

you understand God? I cannot no. If there's a case I know I'm

going to attend church anymore? This church going on? A proper musician one

and all? You know this? Why this worship the plank keep on and

sing at the same time. Cannot my singer and keep on separate one and

no four piece drum kit? Cannot? I don't want to. I think

this church anymore? How can be like that? Why me in the same

place again and we're all squeezing? Really? How can like that? One?

God works in mysterious ways even when the best of things are taken away

from God still works? Two are the best teachers taken away from them?

You know people miracle work good? You know our greatest here, our greatest

teacher taken away from us? Is this really? God? Are you speaking?

You say you want to hear from God, and God speaks. You

say I cannot hear, and you doubt, You get confused, you struggle,

you push back. But then did the church do that? What did

the church do? If first threat they were smart? They say? Then

having then they fast praise for the God. Is it sure or not?

Are you sure you want to send away Stephen? Care? You want to

Stephen and our team caught in a way? Who are we them? Then

pray? God confirms and they send them away. So my question church,

are you like Antioch? It's a church and as an individual you can mean

right as a church as an individual, are you sending church or are you

a keeping church? Why is God calling the church to be sending church or

a keeping church? It's very powerful. The man go to that slide that

where I talked highlighted the on the points. First of all, there were

a generous church, good things. Don't just keep to ourselves and are best

people our resources. It's not just for us. Why now even if to

give away at our expense, we give you can mean right? Actually,

if you don't read, the earlier verses in the chapters are when Jerusalem experienced

the family and the people are poor, until it became the one that gave

money, not to them, you know, sall, Hey, where's our

money? You mean I will were the planted church man, we should be

asking money from Jerusalem from headquarters. You No, they were the one who

gave money, true apostleble Okay, there were generations. There were an obedient

and submitted church. Even though they were not planted by plan, they still

recognized Jerusalem as the headquarter. Oh amazing. You know nowadays are people about

entitlement? Am I right? You didn't plan us, you didn't find brother

us. Why should we commit? Where should we follow? No? They

were submitted, They were obedient. They weren't saying that north is north,

south, east south, no such thing. And they were sending church.

Even they have so much they said that, No, there might be other

churches. If Holy Spirit has spoken, we sent. Okay, you learned

something there in your life for your own life as well for your own family.

Oh God in this time of Caesar. I'm so comfortable. I've been

receiving so much. But then somehow you have they're hagging, feeling, Hey,

maybe I need to do something. I need to serve. It's gonna

cost me my time, my energy, It's gonna cost me a price.

How fast and pray and listen the best things in life are that's gonna happen

when you are obedient. The test for the church is not whether they know

the world God, whether they are obedient to the world of God. Ah,

it's not the lack of word that we have nowadays, you know,

it's the obedience of the Word that we lack. People one more preachers,

one more summons, how many obedience? Okay? Cool? Amazing, isn't

it? So until it has a testimony, the church ntil has a testimony.

Now let me move on verse four. Okay, So now we have

another part here. Okay, this I'm not gonna go. I'm gonna go

through some parts of it. Be quicker. Okay. Now, so they're

left and the first place they're gonna go is an island called Cyprus. Okay,

They're gonna be nine for a while, Okay, benaying, Okay,

I don't know whether go go for I don't know that. But so in

verse four is say so being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went

down to Silucia, and from there they sell to Cyprus. And when they

arrived in salami and salamis Okay, they ate pizza. Okay. You know.

They preached the Word of God in the synagogue of the Jews. They

also had John as their assistant. John is Mark. Okay, John Mark,

John mank is basically the author for the Book of Mark. Oh,

now you know, okay, now things are coming together. Okay. John

Maunt was with them in Cyprus, but he only was with them in Cyprus,

and then they fell apart from there. Okay. Verse six, Now,

when they had gone through the island of Paphos, they found a certain

sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was bar Jesus. Well,

I cannot be more forced than dead man, Jesus, cannot I sell

you, I said Bar Jesus. Okay, okay. Who was the pro

consul, who was with the pro consul Okay, Surgus Paulus, and intelligent

man. I don't know how he is intelligent when he hits someone like that,

Okay. But he says that this man called for Barnabas and saw and

sought to hear the word of God by Elion, master sorcerer, who is

basically the same guy, but Jesus foresaw. His name is translated we stood

them and seeking to turn the pro counsul away from the faith. Who themn

saw, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy spirit, look

intended at him. Okay, turn to your neighbor and look intended. Don't

blink, don't bink. Okay, just stayed there until the horst of that

year came and said, oh, full of this seed and all fraud.

Okay, now turn to your neighbor, not aka turned your neighbor. Oh

full of this seed and fraud. Nowadays, if you say that on social

media, you can not ready, isn't it? You cannot be more directly

full of this seed than fraud. And not again, Oh full of this

seed and fraud, you son of the devil. Or this is uncensored.

You know, this is uncensored. And he called them all around. You

know it's like you new enemy of all righteousness, enemy of all righteousness.

Will you not cease? Okay, perverting the straight ways of the Lord.

And now indeed the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall

be blind, not seeing the sun for a time. And immediately a dark

misfell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the

hand. Then the procouns are believed. You see, there's the preaching of

the Word, isn't it. But evil men will come and what this stort,

pervert, dilute, whatever they want to do with the word of God,

they will stand. But then when you preach in truth and in boldness

the work of God I told you in the second hand ish ish, they

cannot overcome. Cannot overcome. Okay, see it again. Okay. Then

the proconst believed when he's when he saw what had been done, being astonished

at the teaching of the Lord. Man. Okay, let's move on.

Now, this is the main part that I want to go through. Okay.

I don't know what stop you want to call it? Okay, I

lost that Okay maybe like okay? Okay. Now where Paul and his party

set help from Pathos, they came to Proga in Panphilia, and John,

departing from them, returned to Jerusalem. So Mark had sort of like a

fall out with Paul and Barnabas here and it later will come into a bit

of contention. But the good thing is they eventually reconcile. Okay, there's

a good thing. Okay, now in verse fourteen. But when they departed

from Proga, they came to Anti Improsidia and went into the synagogue on the

Sabbath day and sat down. Okay, let's go back to the map so

that you kind of know why it's going on, because there's two times the

name Antio appeared. Okay. So from Antioch on the right there, okay,

in the top there, they went down okay, in to Salamis the

Cyprus day. And actually from there I didn't have the map. They actually

went up north, Okay, up north into the northern part of Silicia.

They can't see there, the northwestern part there, okay, and there's under

Antioch Anti of Syria, and there's two Antioch okay, antil Prosidia until of

Syria. Okay, so this is another Antioch there. Okay. So arrived

there, and you notice that everywhere they went. What was their first action,

what was what was the first thing they do? Oh? Oh coo,

Okay, Antioch and the Galicia Pasidia there okay. And then there's Anti

of Syria there okay. So they went up they landed and the program which

is the port city, and then went up north to Antioch. Okay.

In the next chapter we will cover Iconium like like case, like Lestra Derby.

And then from there they go back the same road okay, and then

went back okay. It's like they go back all the way and then they

come back in the same place as they stopped by as well. So their

first missionary treat they went quiet a lot of places okay. So now okay,

and then now Pasidia okay, the area of Galicia where they will meet

Timothy later on as well. Now okay, the really awesome Timothy is there

as well. And there is why in the later I think in the second

Machionery treat, you will write the book of Galicians, the first book from

Paul. First book of Paul is not Roman, No, it's Galicia.

Okay. They go by length on, not by chronological or the one.

Ah, now you understand, okay, So the Galician book is the earliest

book to be written. Now let me okay where they stop okay. Verse

fourteen, he says about when they departed from Pergaard, they came to ancient

Pasidia and they went into the synagogue on the Sabbath and sat down. So

every place, Okay, the way their mission work is there they go to

the place where there's a synagogue. You know why it's a synagogue. It's

a temple, but not just a temple. It's God is unique. Okay,

that can. I can teach a lot of things, but synagogue.

For you to have a synagogue, you'll need to have at least ten Jewish

men. Ah. If you don't have enough men, you cannot form the

quorum. So you need to have another alternative. So sometimes when there's a

lot of ladies, they will meet at the riverside. Later on, when

you read in the books in the seventeen I think you will see they when

they they couldn't find a synagogue. So Paul and Barnabas Ultimitty will go to

the riverside to meet with the Jewish ladies. Okay, why they go to

the riverside, you know that? Why a riverside? Huh? Washing their

clothes the only thing they can think of. Ah, Because unlike traditional church,

right, a synagogue must have a source of war. So a lot

of times before the enterances go, they must wash themselves. It's their hands,

their fee, their faces to present themselves clean. Maybe should do this

in a mania, we propose to sbo before you come out, all of

you must wash yourself, you know, shower before you present yourself. Some

of them you really go and and the water cannot be any kind of water,

you know. They cannot be a river water or tap water. They

don't tap water, by the way. Okay. So a lot of households,

okay, if you go in ancient times, they have a roof okay,

and the roof has a hole, okay, and the whole if your

house is really if it's normal house, the water will drip and they will

have a sort of like a big what they call it vast or storage you

know, a vessel okay to collect the water. Okay. But if you're

rich house, okay, you have a four yer and the four yer there

is what we call the water will go down to an underneath system. A

system is an underground storage for water. And on top of the system,

either there's a well or there's a if you're really rich, there's a fountain.

So when Jesus says I am the living water. Okay. Okay,

by the way, they there are two types of water. No, there

is normal water and there is living water. Okay. Water from the river

is not considered living water because it's murky, okay. Or water from the

from you all, there's still and that it's not it's dirty, you know.

Water. The highest source of water is either from the from from the

spring or from the rain. It's called living work, pure and collected.

So that's that's that's the best water. Okay. So when Jesus says Jesus

says I am the living water, he is saying that I am the water

that comes from not from the sky, but from heaven. That you don't

have to go up, but it's stored up in the system of your life,

and you will never thirst again if you comes out living water again and

again it's leaving. You don't have to go to a place by the cistern.

And they're living water is literally inside you. You have a water system

inside your whole soul. Jesus, is that system amazing, isn't it?

That's what he means. But I am the living water. Whoh okay.

So this is this is understanding of what a lot of ancient what the people

in the old times they live and recognize by so it says here, So

they go to the synagogue. So so they need a source of water.

But they went there, and then he says it in verse fifteen. And

after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue

said to them, saying, man and brethren, if you have any word

of celebrate of exhortation for the people, say on okay. So they'll be

prayer, and there'll be the reading of the scripture. Okay, the reading.

And then after that they were passed mic around. Anyone you got anything

nice to say? You want to encourage one another? Is their testimony you

want to share? Okay? So you gave Paul the mic. That's it.

Ready, You're not gonna get it back. Ready, You're not gonna

get it back ready. So Paul stood up, okay, and he went

to a long nap. Should I go? Should I have time? And

I go to with you? Okay? Okay, I go to very quickly.

Okay. Then pos stood up. I want you as you read through

this, I don't just reach you as words. I want you to read

and then observe a trend. I want you to observe. What is a

consistency in the theme, a theme that is coming in the message? Here?

What is he leading up? What is the theme that he's trying to

tell the people? Here? He says, here, motioning with his hand,

men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen. The God

of this people, Israel, chose our fathers and exalted the people when they

do all as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm,

he brought them out of it. Now for a time, or for

about forty years, he put up with their ways in the wilderness. And

when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he distributed their

land to the to them by allotment. Okay. After that he gave them

judges for about four hundred and fifty years until Samuel the prophet. Okay.

And afterward they asked for a king. So God gave them Sort the son

of Cash, a man of the tribe of Benjamin. For forty years,

and we had removed, and he raised up for them David as king,

to whom also he gave testimony and said, I have found David, the

son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all

my will. From this man, said, which is King David. According

to the promise, God raised up for Israel a savior, Jesus. After

John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people

of Israel. And as John was finishing his cause, he said, what

do you think I am? I am not here, But behold, there

comes one after me, the sendals of whose feet I am not worthy to

lose. Men of brethren, men and brethren, sons of the family of

Abraham, and those among you who fear God. To you, the word

of this salvation has been sent for those who dwelt in Jerusalem and their rulers,

because they did not know him, which is Jesus, or even the

voices of the prophets, which are read every saber, have fulfilled them in

condemning him. And though they found no cause for death in him, they

asked Pilot that he should be put to death. Now, when they had

fulfilled all that was written concerning him, they took him down from the tree

and laid him in the tomb. But God raised him from the dead.

He was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee

to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people. And we declare to

you glad tidings, that promise which was made to the fathers. God has

fulfilled this for us their children, in that he has raised up Jesus.

As it is also written in the second Psalm, you are my son today

I have begotten you, and that he raised him from the dead, nor

more to return to corruption. He has spoken, thus, I will give

you the show mercies of David. Therefore he also said in another sum you

will not allow your holy one to see corruption. For David, after he

had served his own generation, by the will of God, fell asleep and

was buried with his father, and saw corruption. But he whom God raised

up, saw no corruption. Therefore, let it be known to you,

brethren, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins,

and by him, everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you

could be justific could not be justified by the loves of Moses. Okay,

beware, therefore, less what has been spoken in the prophets, come upon

you. Behold you despises, marvel and perish for I work a work in

your days, A work, a work which you were by no means believe

the one word to declare it to you. Wow, there's a very long

one. Let me summarize it for you. Okay. So Power's message consists

of three parts. First, it's an Old Testament summary. Okay, it's

a summary. Second, he talks about Jesus, how Jesus comes into the

picture. And the third part is an invitation Okay, talks about the past,

talks about Jesus, and talks about how we should respond, how every

message should be. Okay. Now there is a pattern. Okay, if

you look at the Old testamenty, it's not just history. You know there

is a pattern in your own life as well. When God brings to your

memory to reflect and you think about it's not just there's a past. There's

a theme. There is a tendency. What has happened? Okay? And

what is that tendency? What is that theme that Paul is trying to highlight

to them? Okay? That theme is God is faithful to raise a leader.

Okay. God is always faithful to raise a leader. But every time

he raised a leader, his people rejected them. Always and now why is

it so important? Because they were in the temple, they were reading the

scriptures. They were reading. It's like, oh, we are Jews.

We have the benefit of God's oracles, and we have the benefits of all

the prophets, and were really as if the world of God in front of

the Jews, in front of the Greeks, better than all the philosophers.

They're really so proudly, but they don't realize that what are they when they

read they are also judging themselves. Say that if you read it so proudly,

why is it that generation after generation your forefathers rejected and killed their own

leaders. Oh it's so powerful, right. It's like you go by and

you read your former lovers letters, you know, or your exes, ex

wife, ex girlfriend. You read all their letters. Oh they love me

so much, they say, Hey, if you love them white, is

that? Why are they your excess? Are? Why you reject them and

you dumb them? True or not? Oh? No, youo'ld understand what

I'm talking about here, right? Every time God raised okay, what what?

What? What? Whom? Did God raise? God raised prophets,

God raised Abraham, Okay, raise our belieader God raised judges. And then

God raised kings, and kings were not enough for them. Raised Jesus among

them, fulfill everything, all the prophesies they're raised, You still could not

recognize. You keep asking for a savior. Why should I give you a

savior when all your generations have rejected them? It is not the non The

responsibility is not on God to raise another leader. The responsibility is on you

to open your eyes. You fail to see. You are blinded in your

sin. Oh there's a judgment against them, isn't it? And now you're

dare to read their scriptures, You're dare to read their words. You read

their words, but you better repent. There was a judgment against them.

You know. That's why when you read true all of it, when it's

like, ohh, such a nice sermonner annoyed, it's proclaiming a judgment and

a wake up call to all the people in the synagogue. Whoa. And

then there's another theme, not just God raised leaders. What DePaul said,

Abraham God raised wa see now that the word they used they said they saw

corruption, their body died, Raise the prophets dead, judges that saw that,

David dead, geez alive. And there were witnesses. Not only witnesses.

Miracles will perform in his name. You will not I kill you in

the name of Abraham. I will not heal you in the name of King

David. So he tried to be chooser. Heal in the name of Elijah.

No, you will only use one name, the name of Jesus.

Why in the name of Jesus, because if the person is not alive,

it cannot be recognized. Makes sense or not? When you sign a check,

if that person is that long time ago, you use your great grandgrandfather's

name. I don't care. Your great grandfather is a billionaire trill name,

Okay, it's the long lost You are the long lost cousin or some in

a prince or king. You know from somewhere the person is there earlier you

sign you using your name, and no point why But even if your father

is far away, he's alive. He's far away on the other parts of

the country. In his alive so far you've never seen him before. The

fact that you see his signature. You can take that check to the bank

Granta. Some of you, you can even go back to your whole house.

But then your father and mother send you money did you say no,

because I'm not singing. You cannot bank in. No, the person is

alive, The signatory can be recognized. There is power in the name of

Jesus. All other prophets and kings cannot compare. Because Jesus is alive.

There are witnesses and they are works, Okay, witnesses and works that Jesus

is alive. So do you still dubt that Jesus is alive? If that

is the case when you're in trouble, why do you say Jesus, please

help me? What you call out the name of Jesus? Because deep down

you know God is alive. God is alive. So do you need God

if you need to show it in my face? On it that I believe.

No, the works everywhere bears witness. The work's bear witness, true

or not some of your Did you see your company before you receive your salary?

Boss, I knew your signature before I received my salary. No,

you went back home the first thirty first of March. You're wake up.

Oh, the salary in my bank grate praise the Lord Gray and I because

the company is not bankrupt yet you believe in it. But yet you dubbed

the name of Jesus amazing at the hypocrisy of humanity, sinner. Okay,

but everyone on them saw corruption. But Jesus is alive. Jesus is a

life, and they're preach it, and they were preaching out in boldness for

it. Okay. So on hence Jesus, why he's trying to say,

Jesus is greater than Abraham. You call yourself the sons and daughters of April.

I want to tell you, Abraham believe in God, but died and

he saw corruption. Jesus is still alive. Jesus is greater than Abraham.

Jesus is greater than your prophet. Jesus is great, greater than King Daby.

In fact, he is the one that was promised, and he is

the one that you if you want, if you read that scripture and you

want to take all, you must believe in Jesus. Amen. That was

the message to them. If you truly are a son of Abraham, you

must believe the messenger that God has sent. You must believe him. Okay,

And so as I close this part, So what happens then, what's

the reaction and what is our response? Say say in verse for the two

as I close. So when the Jews went off of the synagogue, the

gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next war. So

Nisah, after one's servisa passitive and people come to you, can we have

more? So? Cool? Right? But these were the days. You

know just what the day is not that after one savisa people to beg can

we have more? Okay? Now, when the congregation had broken up,

many of the Jews and developed proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas. Wow, it

doesn't have to take all. We need a processor to follow out of people.

Then we believe. You know, people decided to believe. People decided

to follow because the Holy Spirit convicted them and convinced them. You follow,

no changing back. The church doesn't need to convince. You want to know

our church. Our job as pastor and past that is not to convince and

to persuade in the manner. Yes, in a way we want to project,

but really not in all. The job is really the Holy Spirit one

and all. If every word is prob is pretty t readier. You have

to respond, we are not here to give you. Hey, give you

a lat Maybe you're convinced I want to come and join our church. And

doesn't work that way. On the truth is preach and you must respond to

the conviction of your heart, to the witness of God that is working in

your life. You respond. I don't care how young you are, you

respond because that is the truth. Amen. And then verse forty four,

and on the next Sabbath, almost the whole. You know, one weekend,

on a one weekend, then the next next way I semoney, are

you ready or not? You preach this way, next way, the whole.

Many commo, But those were the times we were living in people.

Such times you were living the wholesome. Many came, okay, coming to

hear the world of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they

were filled with envy and contradicting and blaspheming. So the enemy is always at

work, isn't it to stir up people? What do they do contradicting and

blaspheming. Let me give you as I know, I'm adding different things.

You know why it's blasphemy means not what is the exact uh meaning of blasphemy?

Is it just saying bad things? Blasphemy? Okay, if you want

to write this down. Okay. It's basically calling what is eve what God

has called evil good, and calling what God has called good evil, okay,

right is now blasphemy is calling what God has ordained and called good evil

and calling what God is called evil good. Okay. So you become the

decided and the determinant of what is good and evil in your own life and

in the world. Now when you look into this world right now, when

you go to social media, when you go to news, do you see

a lot of blasphemy? You see right now? Blas for me, it's

not just saying bad thing, you know, that's to me against God.

If the Holy Spirit has done a work and you say this is not the

Holy Spirit is the devil, there is blaspheming. You know. You know

what I'm saying. One saying, but God is called good and you call

it evil, that's blaspheming. Jesus has been proven ready raised from that God

it's called good, and raised him up out of his merit, and you

call evil. That is blaspheming. Okay. And you look into this world

right now, everything that God has done and containing his work called good,

Man has decided to call it evil? And what God is called evil.

Man has decided to call it good transition. Transitioning you from male to female

or female to male good thing because it's about your rights. They will turn

it around, said, love is love. Nothing is sacred anymore, isn't

it. It is the root of blasphemy. Now when that's I say,

when you see that, Wow, it's so clear right now. The blasphemy

is everywhere, and this is what they did. They will contradict what you

say, and they will call blaspheme the atmost level, the worst level of

cousin. It's called blasphemy. Contradicting running bay to blasphema is the next level

blasphemous. Okay, so they were blaspheming everything now that Paul and Barnabas were

saying okay, and then Boss forty six. Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold

and said, it was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to

you first. But since you rejected and judge yourself unworthy of everlasting life,

behold, we turned to the gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us.

I set you as a light to the gentiles, that you should be

for salvation to the ends of the earth. Now, when the Gentiles heard

this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. The gentiles

meaning non Jewish, of course, they were upset. They were not upset

with the miracle, They were not upset with the preaching of the world.

They were upset that the gentiles can now become safe without being a Jew.

First, okay, So the last time the Jews, okay, they had

they had direct relationship with God and said, oh, we are the sons

of Abraham. God has saved us. God has given us commandments. We

must do the works of God to be safe. But now only on their

left side they have the Gentiles that you do not know God. You can

only look at us. We are superior to you. But if now the

words has been pretty to you, you gentiles must first become a Jew before

you can become a Christian. Get mean, right, So they hold this

title as a Jew with such utmost reverence. We are circumcised, we have

the law, you must be circumcised, and all these things. Right,

So they say we cannot push this message. This message is giving them a

highway to God. They get me right, They're giving them a highway,

They're giving them free passports, free visas to go there. How can that

be? They were upset God, that's why I say that no. But

but God said, no, you became a Jew, okay, so that

you can shine the way for them to go. You were supposed to love

them and to bring them into my house, but now you have become a

stumbling block for them. You're supposed to be a light, but you have

fed yourselves. That's why it says there. Now I've said you as a

light to gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the

earth. So when the people say, and that's for the air. When

the gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord,

because why they have seen the light. And as many has been appointed

to eternal life believed, and the word of the Lord was being spread throughout

all the regions. But the Jews stood up, the devout and prominent women

and the chief men of the city. See what's happening. When they are

outnumbered? What do that? Just the enemy do? They will try to

black now, they will try to contradict their blaspheme, and they will go

to places of authority. Always, always they go to men or people are

now they always go to authority. That's the time. Don't target you and

I. They target people of authority because this where they chook. This where

they control. And you see that everywhere in politics in Malaysia, in the

other parts of the world. In US, you can see it regularly,

the control places of authority. They prosecute you. Okay, they will control

you. They put fear among you, all the media, everything they will

do. It has never changed. The people and the playbook has never changed.

Okay, and raise a person and expelled them from the region. They

will try to push you away. But they shook off the DUTs from their

feet against them and came to Iconyum, and that the disciples were filled with

joy and with the Holy Spirit. Amen. When you finish this long road

trip, how do you feel? Do you believe? Sometimes you go through

a journey and you see things more vividly, isn't it? Life is like

that? You know, your faith is not defined by one just more money.

Now, it's by the entire story and journey that God has done in

your li You know, people tell me that I read the Bible, I'm

not believer. I find it hard to believe in all isn't it When you

read the book verse by verse, page by pature, it's so evident that

God is at work. It's not something that you write like a Shakespeare one

and all, hey writing so well, No, it's testimony after testimony after

testimony. Your life is the same as well. Okay, God is at

work when you're fast, when you pray, I pray that you will also

when you read the rue to the Word, that faith will arise and you

say God, I sometimes I see it, sometimes I don't see it.

Help me to increase in my faith, Help me to believe, help me

to trust, Help me to lay whold or what you have spoken. Though

I cannot see it, though I cannot understand, though I don't know how

and why, I realize that the power to my life is by obedience.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more Infamy Church, please

visit aschurch do Org. We are also active on Facebook and Instagram. We're

believing that this week is going to be a good week, a hit for

you. God bless