Choice 1: Acts 13-14. Paul’s First Mission

Using the map “Paul’s First Mission” found in the New Testament institute student manual on page 218, I will list some of the cities that Paul went through. He left from the city of Seleucia and first stopped on the island of Cyprus. On his way to the first major city he stopped at, Paphos, he went through Salamis. He then traveled north to the mainland and stopped in cities like Antioch, Iconium, Derbe, and Lystra. He then made his way back to Seleucia after visiting those cities and a couple of others.

In Acts 13:1-5, there are at least three points that could help a missionary who is discouraged. Those three that  I have chosen are to fast, to pray and to go out and preach “the word of God”. Those, I believe are three of the best things a missionary can do when they have a discouraging time/moment. Fasting and prayer, especially when you do them together are miracle workers. Going out and preaching the gospel is also one of the best medicines, because it helps the missionary focus on what he is called and needs to do instead of allowing him to focus on the discouragements that he faces.

Barnabas was Paul’s companion during Paul’s first mission. From what is said about him, he played an integral part in Paul’s life. He was the one who got Paul into the ministry. His history before Paul was that he was part of those who sold their possessions in order to help other saints and to have everything in common. They had one contention about a new third companion and separated for a time, but got back together later on.

There are a few blessings and advantages of the Lord sending missionaries out by twos. One of them is that the companions can support each other’s teachings and testify that they are true. This advantage reminds me of Alma in the Book of Mormon. He had his companion, Amulek. In Alma 12:1, it says, “Now Alma, seeing that the words of Amulek had silenced Zeezrom, for he beheld that Amulek had caught him in his lying and deceiving to destroy him, and seeing that he began to tremble under a consciousness of his guilt, he opened his mouth and began to speak unto him, and to establish the words of Amulek, and to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done.”

In Acts 14:8-18, Paul and Barnabas heal a man crippled since birth in the city of Lystra. The people see this and think that they are Gods. They call them Jupiter and Mercurius. Then, the priest of Jupiter rally the people to perform sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas. Paul and Barnabas get mad and chastise them for turning away from their only one true God, Heavenly Father. After chastising the people, the people repented and didn’t make sacrifices.

In Acts 14:19, certain Jews came into the city and persuaded the people to stone Paul. Paul was dragged out of the city and taken care of by disciples. He then enters back and builds up the saints of that city. It was interesting that in this second experience the people were easily turned to believe oppositely from verses 8-18. As Paul was building up the saints in that city, he said that only through much tribulation can we enter the kingdom of God. Both of these experiences are examples of what he taught about entering the kingdom of God because of the tribulation that he and Barnabas went through. I think he saw it as a great teaching experience for all those who followed him in that city. They saw all that he went through and yet he was still strong in the gospel and hadn’t given up.