Unit 8, Lesson 1 Paul Begins His First Missionary Journey

Lesson Highlights  Christians today are a living part of the story of the church that began at Pentecost.  The Spirit has empowered and guided the church at every crucial point, including the new stage of outreach to the Gentiles chronicled in the Book of Acts.  God set the stage for this new mission by preparing the Gentile world and by raising up Paul as his special envoy to that audience.

Paul Begins His First Missionary Journey  I encourage you to reflect upon how our study of the Book of Acts relates to our lives.  Q: How are you own stories connected to the of the early church?  Q: What factors do our situation today and the situation in the Roman Empire at the time of Acts have in common?  A: Maybe common language, mobility, & diversity.

Paul Begins His First Missionary Journey  Please thoughtfully complete at least two of the following sentences on a sheet of paper:  Pentecost is important to me because…  It matters to me that Peter baptized Cornelius because…  From reading the Book of Acts, I’ve learned that to follow Jesus means…  Many people in the Book of Acts came to Jesus because the first Christians told them about Jesus. I came to Jesus through…

Paul Begins His First Missionary Journey  Please turn to Did You See? Hear? Touch?” (page 83) in the student text.  Q: How do our stories relate to the story of the church in the Book of Acts?  For those of us who are of European of Asian descent, our faith’s journey was initiated by Paul’s trip to Europe and Asia Minor.  See the last line of the text: “What do you think your part in the church’s story may be as your life progresses?”

Paul Begins His First Missionary Journey  Please read “The Acts of the Spirit” (page 84) in the student text, a section that emphasizes and reviews the Spirit’s role in the church’s expansion and that leads into the lesson’s Scripture passage.

Paul Begins His First Missionary Journey  Please turn to Acts 13:1-14.  These verses recount an important new step in outreach: Barnabas and Paul were being sent out on a mission specifically targeted to the Gentiles – a critical milestone in the church’s development.

Paul Begins His First Missionary Journey  Q:Who suggested sending Barnabas and Paul off on an extended preaching mission, and how does this fit in with the emphasis of the Book of Acts so far?  Notice the Holy Spirit’s continuing, direct guidance.  Q: What do the names listed in Acts 13:1 suggest about the Christians in Antioch?  A: The description indicates diversity, showing Christianity cutting across social and ethnic divisions.

Paul Begins His First Missionary Journey  Q: What role did the Antioch church play in this new step?  A: Paul and Barnabas did not head off on their own; the worshipping community in Antioch was the context for the decisions to send them.  Q: Why did church members place their hands on Barnabas and Paul? What is the significance of this action in the church today?  A: As discussed in Unit 7, Lesson 5, this sign of blessing was requested and signified empowerment by the Holy Spirit. It was like saying, “the Lord is with you.” “Laying on of hands” is still commonly practiced in churches when pastors are ordained, church members are installed in offices, or missionaries are sent out.

Paul Begins His First Missionary Journey  Please read “Bridging Two Worlds” (page 84) and the sidebars “The Roman World” (page 85) and “Barnabas” (page 84) in the student text.  Distribute the activity sheet.  You may work individually or in pairs to answer the five questions, using the student text and Bible for reference. In the “want ad” on the back, please have clearly in mind the details of the position and be prepared to explain why you have chosen the specific qualifications.