This week, Paul embarks on his Third Missionary Journey! He will visit a few old friends along the way to strengthen and encourage them, and we will see him shift his strategies and model for mission work. Up to this point, Paul has been 'the traveling missionary,' but in Ephesus, he slows down and takes on a new role in his missionary work.
Paul's Missionary Journey
Paul's Missionary Journey
Week 3 (June 2): The establishment of early Christian theology and how the fledgling church handled internal disagreements.
In this second week of Paul’s missionary journeys, we continue following Paul on his first journey as he travels into Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. In these cities, we start to discover the extreme persecution that Paul and Barnabas would find as they carried out the mission. An uprising occurs and Paul is stoned and left for dead. Believers took his body and found him alive. They restored him and set him back on his way. Even after this horrible attack, Paul would not be denied. He and his companions circle back around and make their way through the cities that they originally met in ultimately leading them back home by boat.
The lessons we learn in Acts 14 are hard lessons to learn. Not everyone will receive the message of Jesus with joy. Not everyone is willing to stand beside or politely disagree with you. Paul learned that some people will attack and might even try to silence your voice. How will we respond in moments like this?
In this first week of our series, we will learn about Paul and what makes him the perfect person to champion the message of Christ. The idea of, “missionary journey” would not have been widely thought of. For our purposes, the Holy Spirit picked Paul and Barnabas to tell the story of Jesus. The community of Antioch prayed and sent them out.
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On this first journey, we learn of their tactics to spread the Gospel, we hear the actual message and how Paul justifies his belief and we come face to face with the leading of the Holy Spirit. This chapter causes us to consider our journey. Do we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us? Do we understand the sacrifice that was made for us to know God? And are we willing to be sent so that 2000 years from now, the message will continue to ring in the hearts of believers?
Have you ever wondered how the Gospel Message survived for over 2000 years? The events surrounding the life of Jesus of Nazareth happened in a definitive time and place and yet, they didn’t stay there. Those who believed that Jesus was sent by God, carried the message to the ends of the world. The Apostle Paul was one such messenger and this series chronicles his journey.
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Starting in Antioch in Acts 13, we will journey with Paul as he makes Jesus known. For 8 weeks, we will learn Paul’s tactics, read about his opposition and meet the folks that joined their hearts to the cause. We will follow all 3 of the missionary journeys and close the series in Acts 21 when Paul is arrested and awaits his final transport to Rome.
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This series will hopefully cause us to consider our journey. What is God teaching us? What new places is God taking us? What role do we play in leading others and doing our part to make Jesus known?
Bloom Where You Are Planted
Join us this Sunday for Mother’s Day and be inspired by our one-off message, “Embracing Grace: Beauty in Chaos.” Don’t just settle for the idea that God’s grace is sufficient – it is so much more than that! When we face challenges, God is all we need. He is our all-sufficient God, El-Shaddai, who is more than enough for us.
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Let God use your weaknesses and difficulties to make you strong. This message of hope will bring peace and beauty into the chaos you may be facing. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to experience God’s amazing grace.
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Join us in person at 8:30am, 10:00am, 11:30am or online at www.clc.life/messages. We look forward to seeing you and your family there!
Week 5 (5/5/24): After striking a Covenant with Israel, God moved his people to the edge of the land that he promised to give them. In this story found in Numbers 13 and 14, God allows 12 of the leading men of Israel to spy out the land. After 40 days of searching, they determined that the land did indeed flow with Milk and Honey but that it would be impossible to conquer because of the inhabitants. Two of the twelve leaders pushed back on the report and felt that God would honor Israel and give them possession if they remained faithful. This is where Israel falls short and is blocked from entering the land except those children under 20 years of age.
How often do we forget about God’s goodness in our lives? We see the challenges in front of us but forget that God goes before us to fight our battles. What are some areas of our lives that we have not trusted God with?
