Paul's first missionary journey I - JSS3 Christian Religious Studies Past Questions and Answers - page 1

John Mark 

Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, the leaders of the church at Antioch chose Paul and Barnabas for the special assignment of ministering to the Gentiles.

The missionaries passed through Seleucia, Cyprus and Salamis and arrived at Paphos, the capital of Cyprus and the seat of government where they met a magician, a Jewish false prophet, named Bar-jesus or Elymas. He was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man who invited Paul and Barnabas over to preach the word of God to him. Elymas, the magician tried all he could to turn the pro-consul away from the Christian faith. Saul who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit looked intently at Elymas and said:

“You son of devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making croocked the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” (Acts 13:10-11)

Immediately, the magician became blind and he went about looking for people to lead him by the hand. The proconsul was surprised at what he saw and he believed the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Here is an account of Paul's mission to Lystra;

- Paul and his companion Barnabas traveled to Lystra, where they healed a man who had been crippled since birth.

- The crowd, who did not speak the same language as Paul and Barnabas, believed them to be gods because of the miracle. They attempted to worship Paul and Barnabas, who were unable to dissuade them.

- A group of Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrived and turned the crowd against Paul, stoning him and leaving him for dead.

- Paul revived and returned to the city, then continued his missionary journey the next day.

- Paul and Barnabas strengthened the faith of the disciples in Lystra and the surrounding areas, encouraging them to endure in their faith despite tribulations.

When they eventually went home to Antioch they gathered members of the church together and gave a good account of their experiences and the wonderful things God used them to do as His instruments and how the door of the Christian faith had been opened to the Gentiles, marking a significant achievement in the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ.