So, we journeyed northward from Perge, and it sure was easy going down the Via Sebaste - those Roman roads made life so much easier! Praise G-d. We needed all the help we could get to, as it was a week-long, 100-mile journey into Pisidian Antioch and from what we knew, it was extremely dangerous.The moutains were rough going, thieves around every corner, cliffs that just dropped away into nothingness - no wonder Antioch was such an isolated place! The mountain pass was the only way in and the only way out. I was inwardly glad that John Mark had chosen to depart beforehand - I don't know if he could have made the journey if his whole heart hadn't been into it.
Once we arrived, though, the city was a sight to see - the majority of buildings were constructed on the slopes of small hills or in the valleys. The view was something else! We were glad to have taken the advice of our new brother in Christ, Sergius Paulus. He had family here that he said would help to provide for our physical needs as we set about our preaching and teaching ministry.
We started at the synagogue on the west side of town. There was a sizeable Jewish population (over 2000 families!) that had been planted here intentionally by Antiochus III directly from Babylonians exile to settle and populate the area. And as we Jews always do - they adapted as best they could in a foreign land, and flourished.
The sermon Paul preached here was the first one that anyone ever wrote down - why didn't we think of THAT before?!
ANYways, after we had done the announcements and Scripture reading, and were welcomed as guests in the synagogue, the elders invited us to share an encouraging word for the people gathered there. It was a healthy blend of Jews and God-fearers (those who had adopted some aspects of Judaism, but not others)
Paul really went to town - he laid the foundation with a brief history of our people Israel from our Exodus from Egypt, to the crossing of the Jordan River, through judges and kings up to King David. This is where it got interesting - because we all knew that God had promised to send a Messiah through David's line that would bring salvation to the entire world.
Now, up until then - every head in the place is nodding in agreement. THEN Paul dropped the bombshell - and announced that God had fulfilled this promise in Yeshua whose coming was foretold by John the Baptist. At this, folks began to stir uncomfortably and whisper to one another...but Paul continued drilling the Gospel message.
He spoke of how Yeshua had been condemned and crucified, but then resurrected so that all believers - including those right there in that synagogue - could have eternal life.
Well! If THAT didn't bring the house down! You know how it is with the Gospel - some reject it outright as nonsense, others need to think on what they've just heard - to let it all sink in. Many wanted to hear more, and so we were invited back for the next Saabbath.
In the week that followed, the word of our message spread like wildfire throughout the city. When the Sabbath came, the synagogue was packed. Of course - you had the typical orthodox Jewish crowd who did their best to disprove every point Paul made for Christ. It got pretty heated in there, but it was good for people to have all the questions answered, and the Scriptures reasoned out.
There came a point though, when it was just argumentative and confusing to those who wanted to believe. So we just put it to them plainly - we came to the Jews first with the Word of G-d, but since they rejected it and weren't interested in G-d's gift of eternal life we were just going to march on out to the gentiles and tell them too. We held fast to Yeshua HaMashiach's words to us:
"I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth"
Naturally, the Gentiles in the audience were tickled pink at that, and a congregation practically sprang up in that very moment. The Jews...well...not so much. You see, some of us have this complex where we feel elite because we're "G-d's chosen people" and we don't like the idea of sharing the benefits of G-d with 'mere' gentiles.
So, those same Jews got together with some of their ritzier and influential friends in the city and we were forced to leave. It wasn't ideal, but again, we followed the words of Yeshua and 'shook the dust from our feet' and hit the road. We trusted that the seeds of the Gospel would bear fruit for the Kingdom - fruit that would last. These thoughts filled us with Holy Spirit joy as we made our way to Iconium.
Paul really went to town - he laid the foundation with a brief history of our people Israel from our Exodus from Egypt, to the crossing of the Jordan River, through judges and kings up to King David. This is where it got interesting - because we all knew that God had promised to send a Messiah through David's line that would bring salvation to the entire world.
Now, up until then - every head in the place is nodding in agreement. THEN Paul dropped the bombshell - and announced that God had fulfilled this promise in Yeshua whose coming was foretold by John the Baptist. At this, folks began to stir uncomfortably and whisper to one another...but Paul continued drilling the Gospel message.
He spoke of how Yeshua had been condemned and crucified, but then resurrected so that all believers - including those right there in that synagogue - could have eternal life.
Well! If THAT didn't bring the house down! You know how it is with the Gospel - some reject it outright as nonsense, others need to think on what they've just heard - to let it all sink in. Many wanted to hear more, and so we were invited back for the next Saabbath.
In the week that followed, the word of our message spread like wildfire throughout the city. When the Sabbath came, the synagogue was packed. Of course - you had the typical orthodox Jewish crowd who did their best to disprove every point Paul made for Christ. It got pretty heated in there, but it was good for people to have all the questions answered, and the Scriptures reasoned out.
There came a point though, when it was just argumentative and confusing to those who wanted to believe. So we just put it to them plainly - we came to the Jews first with the Word of G-d, but since they rejected it and weren't interested in G-d's gift of eternal life we were just going to march on out to the gentiles and tell them too. We held fast to Yeshua HaMashiach's words to us:
"I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth"
Naturally, the Gentiles in the audience were tickled pink at that, and a congregation practically sprang up in that very moment. The Jews...well...not so much. You see, some of us have this complex where we feel elite because we're "G-d's chosen people" and we don't like the idea of sharing the benefits of G-d with 'mere' gentiles.
So, those same Jews got together with some of their ritzier and influential friends in the city and we were forced to leave. It wasn't ideal, but again, we followed the words of Yeshua and 'shook the dust from our feet' and hit the road. We trusted that the seeds of the Gospel would bear fruit for the Kingdom - fruit that would last. These thoughts filled us with Holy Spirit joy as we made our way to Iconium.
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