## Study of the Book of Acts - Part 17

(Acts 1:8b) "…Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Tonight we continue to look at the development of Christianity to the Uttermost Part of the Earth.

I. Christianity in Jerusalem 1:1-8:3

II. Christianity in Judea and Samaria 8:4- 12:25

III. Christianity to the Uttermost Part of the World 13:1-28:31

A. The First Missionary Journey 13:1-14:28

B. The Council at Jerusalem 15:1-35

C. The Second Missionary Journey 15:36-18:22

1. The personnel chosen 15:36-40

a. As they prepared to return to the churches they had established, Barnabas wanted to take John-Mark with them again

b. Paul objected to taking him on the basis of what happened back in Chapter 13 when he left them and returned home

c. There was an argument which resulted in two missionary teams: Barnabas and Mark went to Cyprus

d. Paul chose Silas to travel through Syria to Cilicia

e. NOTE: This is the last we hear of Mark or Barnabas in Acts - Luke obviously went along with Paul

2. The churches revisited 15:41-16:4

a. Paul's purpose for this second journey was mentioned in verse 36 - "to see how they do"

b. Paul wanted to go back to the churches that God had used him to establish and see what their needs might be - possibly to clear up any questions about the Judeaizers

c. As they came to Derbe and Lystra (where he had previously been stoned and left for dead) a young man was recommended to Paul by the brethren in that area.

d. Paul desired to take him with them on their journey but there was a problem

1) Timothy was a product of a mixed marriage - His mother was Jewish but his father was a Greek

2) He had never been circumcised - which would be offensive to the Jews because of his Jewish heritage

3) So Paul took him and circumcised him - not to please the Judeaizers but to keep their ministry from being hindered.

e. As they traveled from church to church and from city to city - they delivered the decisions made by the Jerusalem council

f. God blessed their journey as churches were established in faith and increased in number daily

3. The call to Europe 16:6-10

a. Their initial desire was to extend their ministry into Asia but God directed against that notion - after traveling some more they attempted to go to Asia again but God said no!

b. Then they received positive direction from the Lord to go on to Macedonia and preach the gospel

4. The work at Philippi 16:11-40

a. The conversion of Lydia v11-15

1) Apparently there was no synagogue in Philippi which indicated a very limited Jewish population 10 Jewish men were required to establish a synagogue -

2) Paul and his group went down to the riverside prayer meeting and spoke to the women

3) There he met Lydia - one who had worshipped God - but now God opened her heart to receive the Gospel

4) She was obedient to be baptized along with her household

5) She immediately desired to serve by caring for the missionaries in her own home

b. The deliverance of the soothsayer v16-18

1) A demon-possessed slave girl, who was being exploited by her masters, began to follow Paul and his group.

2) She would cry out that these men were servants of the Most High God and could show the way of salvation

3) Although the message she delivered was essentially true - it was not good that she be identified with their ministry

4) After a few days - Paul exorcised the demon from her and God gave the victory

c. The conversion of the jailer v 19-34

1) Their arrest and trial v 19-21

2) Their sentencing v 22-24

3) Their deliverance v 25-26

4) The jailer's deliverance v 27-34

d. The deliverance of Paul and Silas v35-40

1) The magistrates reversed their decision

a) It is not given why they changed their minds

b) Perhaps due to the earthquake or maybe the testimony of the jailer

c) In any event they were set free

2) Paul demanded open restitution

a) This was done not from a vindictive heart

b) But to prevent further harassment of believers in Philippi

c) He revealed his Roman citizenship at this time sort of his ace-in-the- hole.

NOTE: As a Roman citizen, he was entitled certain privileges one was the right to a public hearing - which the magistrates violated - another was that they were forbidden to be scourged - also violated

d) The officials were compelled to do as Paul requested and offer an official escort from prison

e) After their release they went to Lydia's house and encouraged their Philippian brothers - and then continued their journey

Next time: The Journey and the Work Continues