PART FOUR: PHASE THREE—The Birth of Missions IDEAL CITY ...

THE GREAT MANDATE
God’s Plan for Reaching the World
PART FOUR: PHASE THREE—The Birth of Missions

SUNDAY OCTOBER 26, 2008

IDEAL CITY: ANTIOCH
1. Founded around 300 BC by Seleucus, one of Alexander the Great’s top generals.
2. Capital of the Seleucid Empire till 64 BC and capital of the Roman Province of SYRIA under the Romans.
3. Strategically located at the northeastern end of the Mediterranean near the border of Syria and Turkey (Asia
Minor).
4. A Roman “Free-City” with a mixed ethnic population.
5. Birthplace of the term “CHRISTIAN.”

IDEAL CHURCH: THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH
1. Enjoyed good support from the Jerusalem church from the very beginning; Barnabas played a key role. Acts
11:19-30

2. First church to freely share the Gospel with both GREEKS and JEWS.

3. RICH in capable leadership: Prophets, teachers, etc. Acts 11:22-26; 13:1

4. Site of the Apostle’s Paul’s first recorded ministry assignment; he and BARNABAS taught large numbers of
people for a year as the church continued to grow. Acts 11:25,26

5. Birthplace and launch-pad of missions; it was from here that Paul and Barnabas were first sent out and it
served as home base to Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journeys, the place they left from and the place
they returned to after each journey. Acts 13:1-5; 14:21-28; 15:36-41; 18:18-23; 18:23-28; 19:1-10

6. Instrumental in keeping mission work and the gentile church free from the stifling restrictions of conservative
Judaism. Acts 15:1-35

7. Supportive of their Jewish brothers in Jerusalem in times of need. Acts 11:25-30

8. Beginning at Antioch, Paul would undertake THREE separate missionary journeys spanning ten to eleven
years and covering the bulk of Asia Minor and Greece (Acts chapters 13 through 28). Ultimately he would wind
up in Rome, where under house arrest he was allowed to proclaim the Gospel FREELY and without interference
for TWO whole years (Acts 28:30,31).

IDEAL MEN: PAUL AND BARNABAS
1. Paul was from TARSUS and Barnabas was from CYPRUS.

2. Paul was a JEW with ROMAN citizenship.

3. Barnabas was a Levite and Paul was a Rabbi.

4. Both men were fully conversant in both GREEK and JEWISH culture.

5. Both men had strong ties to the Jewish community in JERUSALEM.
6. Paul’s dominant characteristic were ZEAL and BOLDNESS and Barnabas’ dominant characteristics were
ENCOURAGEMENT and compassion.
7. Both men were able teachers of the WORD.
8. Both men were SPIRIT-FILLED and fully committed to the Lord.

Related Scriptures: Acts 11:19-30; 13:1-3; 14:21-28; 15:36-41; 18:18-28; Acts 19:1-10; Acts 4:36,37; 9:26-28;
11:22-30; 12:25; 13:1-7; 15:1-4,30-41; Acts 7:54-58; 8:1-3; 9:1-31; 11:26-30; 12:25; 13:1-12; 22:1-21; 26:1-20;
28:30,31

AND IT ALL STARTED AT THE CHURCH IN ANTIOCH!

NOTES

RESPONSIVE READING
Acts 11:19-26a; 13:1,2,4; 14:26a

Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia,
Cyprus and Antioch, telling the Message only to Jews.

Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks
also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.

The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this
reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to
remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a
great number of people were brought to the Lord.

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch.

So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people.

In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and
Saul for the work to which I have called them."

The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.

From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the
work they had now completed.