PAUL THE APOSTLE ( Part 10) | THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY ( AD 47 )

Pastor Christopher Choo

Lesson 3109

PAUL THE APOSTLE ( Part 10)

THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY ( AD 47 ).
#2.  THE TWO CITIES OF PERGA IN PAMPHLIA AND PISIDIAN ANTIOCH IN GALATIA

From Paphos in Cyprus, they sailed back to the mainland of Asia Minor.

But when they reached Perga in Pamphylia, the young John Mark decided to leave them and return to Jerusalem... much to Paul's indignation. Such was their breach in a relationship that they reconciled only 20 years later ( 2 Timothy 4:11 ).

Scholars speculate that Paul was sick as the lowland swamps abounded in dreaded malaria. The sight of a sick or dying Paul may have frightened John Mark away as there was no known cure for malaria. Or he was daunted by the need to climb the high Tauran mountains from Perga to Pisidian Antioch. Or he was unhappy that Paul took over the leadership from Barnabus or that Paul was going to minister to the Gentiles and not the Jews.

We can only speculate why John Mark left the missionary team.

But at any rate, Paul and Barnabus took to the cooler highlands which lay the principal Roman city of Pisidian Antioch  ( not to be confused with the Antioch of Syria ). This Roman colony stood out in the Greek-speaking cities of the Eastern Roman Empire.

There Paul preached to the local populace and was met with great success. But opposition soon came from the Jews who thought he was promoting a deviant cult that proclaimed Jesus as God. They incited the city officials to declare Paul and Barnabus as disturbers of the peace and got them expelled from the city.

When they left Pisidian Antioch in the highlands of Galatia, Paul and Barnabus "shook the dust from their feet" in protest and left for the city of Iconium.

ABBA FATHER, in the island of Cyprus, Paul and Barnabus faced many external attacks - from humans and evil spirits. 

But back in Asia Minor,  they suffered two internal setbacks:

1. The desertion of John Mark from their ministry team.

2. The rejection of their fellow Jews of the gospel of Christ. 

But Paul and Barnabus did not give up but pressed on. The rejection of the Jews gave Paul the newfound freedom to preach whole-heartedly to the Gentiles as was his original calling in the first place. 

Indeed Man may close one door but You will open another door which no one can close!