This morning, I invite you to take your Bibles and turn with me to the maps, to the maps inside the back cover of most Bibles are a set of maps, a very valuable tool that we seldom use. And I would ask that you find the map that traces Paul's first missionary journey. At times, Paul's three missionary journeys are plotted on a single map. Other times, they are plotted on separate maps. But in either case, a key will be given so that you can trace Paul's missionary journeys around the Mediterranean world. The first missionary journey begins in Antioch of Syria, located near the northeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea. If you can find that, Antioch of Syria, the northeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea. And from there, Paul and Barnabas and John Mark traveled to the cities of Salamis and Paphos on the island of Cyprus. If you can find that there on your map. And after the conversion of Sergius Paulus, the Roman governor, they then continued to the mainland of Asia, to the city of Perga in Pamphylia, and then to Antioch of Pisidia And then finally they visited the cities of Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe before returning back again through Perga and across the sea back to Antioch of Syria. I trust that you're able to follow that there on the map. I would ask you to bookmark that map for quick reference and then go to Acts chapters number 13 and 14. Acts 13 and 14. We know the book of Acts to be the historical record of the expansion of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the church of Jesus Christ. And toward that end, God used the preaching, used the preaching of the evangelist Philip, the preaching of the deacon Stephen, the preaching of the apostle Peter, and of course, the preaching of Saul of Tarsus, who we now call Paul. You see, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching. to save them that belief. And beginning in Acts 13, the church of Antioch in Syria separated Paul and Barnabas and sent them away to preach. To preach the gospel as missionaries, which they did, beginning on the island of Cyprus. And then to the mainland of Asia Minor, visiting all of the places that we just identified on your map. And after preaching in those cities, they returned home to Antioch, of Syria as we just read in our corporate scripture reading a moment ago. We call this Paul's first missionary journey. And I thought to myself this week as I was preparing, studying in my office, wouldn't it be great if Paul and Barnabas and John Mark were with us now to show us pictures from that first missions trip? Wouldn't it be great to see the images of the people and the places where Paul and Barnabas and John Mark traveled. Wouldn't it be great to see those pictures on the big screen? But alas, Paul and Barnabas and John Mark are not with us. And of course, there were no cameras in those days to capture those images. However, we do have a written record. And that is in Acts 13 and 14. And this morning, I want us to use our imagination to picture those scenes, those images from this first mission trip. And in the end, we can piece all of those images together so that we might understand the big picture, the big picture this morning of Paul's first missionary journey from Acts 13 and 14. I prepared a message titled Picture This, a missionary presentation. Let's pause briefly for prayer, shall we? Before we before we begin, Lord God. We ask in Jesus name and by your spirit that you will speak to us, speak to us, O Lord. And I pray that you would reveal to us from your scriptures the things that we need to learn this morning, and I pray that by your spirit you will change us. And God, I have no doubt this morning that the wicked one would like to thwart our attention, distract us, from the Holy Scriptures, I pray that you would arrest our attention and give us clarity and focus on this text. And Lord, as we survey a large portion of text, help us to see the big picture and understand your purpose for us in these same ways. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen. A burden this morning is to present the big picture the large scene of Paul's first missionary journey and consequently I'm going to summarize much of what we've studied over the last number of weeks and survey all of Acts 13 and 14. Early in chapter 13, Paul and Barnabas were separated for the work to which God had called them by the Holy Spirit, and they were sent out from the church in Antioch of Syria. Their first stop, you'll recall, as you looked at your map just a moment ago, the island of Cyprus. And we have previously studied how that Paul and Barnabas and John Mark preached the Word of God in synagogues across the island of Cyprus, from Salamis, the port city, to Paphos, the capital city, where in Acts 13, verse number 12, the Roman governor Servius Paulus believed, it says he believed when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord. Picture this. Picture this after traveling all of their traveling and after all of their preaching, one is saved. And the word of God was planted like a seed there in the soil of men's minds and hearts on the island of Cyprus, and it bore fruit and the conversion of one Sergius Paulus. Praise the Lord for that. And under this picture, I would put the caption number one in your notes, reception in Cyprus. reception in Cyprus, if you have ever participated in an organized area of ministry or an effort of personal evangelism, and one person receives the gospel and is saved, it makes it worth it all. Many times it takes a lot of human effort or human time or human money, but when one receives the gospel and puts their faith in Jesus Christ, we can rejoice. That's what took place on the island of Cyprus, and that's what Paul wrote up to the Thessalonians. For this reason, we also thank God without ceasing, because when you receive the word of God, which we preach to you, you welcomed it not as the word of man, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually works in you who believe. And the gospel was received. on the island of Cyprus. That's what happened there. Paul and Barnabas then sailed north from Cyprus to Asia Minor without John Mark, who you remember had left the missionary team and returned to Jerusalem. Acts 13 details how Paul and Barnabas went to Antioch and Pisidia. in Asia Minor there, where they once again preached in the synagogues. Beginning in verse number 13, Acts 13, I'm sorry, Acts 13, verse 17, we have a transcript, beginning in verse 17, of Paul's message. He began by tracing Israel's history from Moses all the way to Jesus Christ. Then he declared the good news of the gospel, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Look at chapter 13, verse 38. Verse 38. Therefore, let it be known to you, brethren, that through this man, Jesus is preached to you, the forgiveness of sins. And by him, everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. Paul's preaching is outstanding here. His message is clear. It's Christo centric. But alas, while his message was received by the Roman governor in Papos of Cyprus, it was rejected by the Jews in Antioch of Asia Minor. Look at verse 44. On the next Sabbath day, almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, contradicting and blaspheming. They opposed the things spoken by Paul. Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said it was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first to the Jews. But since you Jews reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life. Behold, we turn to the Gentiles under this picture. I would write the caption number two in your notes. Rejection in Antioch of Asia Minor. There was reception in Cyprus. There is now rejection in Antioch. The Jews rejected the gospel message so that the Gentiles would now become the target of Paul's missionary efforts going forward. Look at verse forty seven. For the Lord, for so the Lord has commanded us, I have sent you as a light to the Gentiles that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth. Now, when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout the whole region. What do you do when someone rejects? The gospel. You witness to them, perhaps you share your testimony, you give a gospel track, you walk them through the Romans road. But in the end, they say no. If they're polite, they say, no, thank you. What do you do? I would counsel you to persist in praying for them. I would counsel you to persist in presenting the truths of them, however, there there may be times, as in this case, when Paul and Barnabas walked away. And they moved on. Verse 51 explains that because of the hostility of the Jews in verse 50, they shook the dust from off their feet and they they went to the next town. Now, all of this is review for us, since many of you were away last week and some midsummer vacation, I suppose. I thought it was worthwhile for us to review some of these early stops on Paul's missionary journey. But take a quick look again at your map, your map of Paul's first missionary journey after Antioch and Pisidia of Asia Minor. The next stop, do you see it there in your map? The next stop is Iconium. Iconium, and that's there in chapter 14, beginning in verse 1. Now, it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, as was their practice, and so spoke that a great multitude, both of the Jews and Greeks, believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. Therefore, they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the multitude of the cities was divided. part sided with the Jews and part sided with the apostles. And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers to abuse and stone them, they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derby, cities of Lyconia and to the surrounding region. And they were preaching the gospel there. If we have reception in Cyprus, If we have rejection in Antioch, number three, under this picture, I would put the caption Riot in Iconium. Riot in Iconium, verse two there, says that the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned or embittered their minds and their souls against the brethren. And this is one of Satan's greatest tactics. to have some criticize and complain and gossip and slander so that in verse number four, the multitude of the city was divided. If you ever want to split this church, if you ever want to split Fourth Baptist Church, I'll tell you how. Slander and gossip and complain and criticize this place or its people or its pastors. If you ever want to turn the city of Plymouth, Minnesota, against the things of God or the things of the Lord in his church, then criticize and complain and gossip and slander. This here is an early case of propaganda. This is a propaganda machine that polarized the people so that in the end there was a riot. And Paul and Barnabas had to flee. They were run out of the city of Iconium. I think at this point we would say that this mission strip isn't working out so well, is it? They're one for three, if you will, Cyprus, Antioch, and now Iconium. But I so appreciate the diligence and the discipline of Paul and Barnabas in verse six. Look there, and in verse seven, they continued preaching the gospel. They were not deterred and fulfilling that great commission that Jesus gave to his disciples in Matthew 28 and also early in Acts chapter 1, verse 8, to take the gospel. They carried on. The quick point of application for us this morning, opposition or persecution or discomfort does not absolve us from the mission to preach the gospel to every creature. to be witnesses to the end of the earth. Next stop after Iconium, verse six tells us you can plot it there on your map, Lystra and Derby, the cities of Lytonia. Look at verse number eight. And in Lystra, a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting a cripple from his mother's womb who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking, Paul observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, Stand up straight on your feet. And he leaped and walked. Now, when the people saw that Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying, In the Lyconian language, the gods have come down to us in the likeness of men. And Barnabas they called Zeus and Paul Hermes because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gate, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out and saying, Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things that are in them, who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless, he did not leave himself without a witness and that he did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons. This is common grace, filling our hearts with goodness, with food and gladness. And with these things, they could scarcely restrain the multitude from sacrificing to them. than the Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there. They followed Paul and Barnabas there, and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city, and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. Picture this now! Picture this on a big screen! Paul and Barnabas are heroes in Lystra, so much that they are called Zeus and Hermes. Zeus was the chief of the Olympian gods and Hermes was his spokesman. And it was assumed that because of the miracle that Paul did in healing the cripple, that the Greek god Zeus and Hermes had come to them so the people made preparations to sacrifice to them. But, of course, Paul and Barnabas put a stop to that as quickly as possible in verse number 15, just as Peter had done with Cornelius back in Acts chapter 10 when Cornelius tried to worship Peter. You recall that. You see, folks, it doesn't matter if you are an evangelical superstar with a big church. Or if you have authored a dozen books or or have a Christian recording as a platinum record. Man is not to be worshipped or idolized. You hear me, there's a lot of man centered ministry that takes place here in the West and even around the world, and sometimes it's no fault of man, but do not ever be impressed with a man. Listen to the message. And as always, he must increase and we must decrease, but the strangest thing is happening here. After their near worship of Paul and Barnabas, after they made preparation to sacrifice the Paul and Barnabas because of the miracle that had taken place, the same people were persuaded to drag Paul and Barnabas out of the city and stone them. Under this picture, I would write the caption number for rebellion in Lystra. Now, how does this happen, this 180 degree turn, this about face, this flip flop, this complete change? Let me remind you that this happened to Jesus Christ as well. The same crowd that shouted Hosanna. Just a few days later to crucify. That's what's taking place here, but in a miraculous way, God spared Paul's life so that he could continue on to the next town preaching And that's beginning in verse 20, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went to the end of the city. The next day he departed with Barnabas to Derby, they preach the gospel in that city were 21 and made many disciples. They returned back to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the cycles, exhorting them to continue in the faith, appointing elders in verse 23. And they pass through verse 24, the city, they came to Pamphylia when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Atilia. Picture this. Paul is nearly killed. martyred for preaching the gospel. Yet he continues to Derby to preach the gospel in verse 21. He returns back to the very same cities. He's retracing his steps. And if you look at that map, you'll see perhaps the arrows that plot his course. There are arrows on either side of those lines because he had gone to these cities and now he's returning back through these very same cities. What is he thinking? And under this picture, I would put the caption number five. Review in Galatia. Review in Galatia, and if you look at your Bible map, you find that these cities. Are a region called Galatia. Now, the believers in these cities would later become the recipients of Paul's letter. To the Galatians, we know it as the epistle to the Galatians or the Book of Galatians. But why did Paul revisit these cities? Verses 22 and 23 explain it to us, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith. And saying, and here is their message. We must, through many tribulations, enter the kingdom of God. So when they appointed elders, they established leadership in the churches and prayed with fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Paul went back again to strengthen them and to teach them and to disciple them. Do you hear me? The great commission of Jesus Christ is not to make converts. But it's to make disciples. And that is what's taking place here in this text. And Paul identified spiritual leadership over them. Elders were chosen to rule and to shepherd each of the assembly of believers. And this is a powerful model for missions. This is a great model for ministry. And this is a model of review and rehearsal and repetition and teaching and re-teaching and discipleship. This week in your summer home Bible fellowships, as you meet on Wednesday evenings in your homes, in your communities, I want you to discuss this model of ministry, this model of missions. It's not simply to blow in, blow up and blow out. It's not only to make converts, but ultimately to make disciples of Jesus Christ. And this demands. A lot of labor. And a lot of instruction and a lot of teaching and a lot of time. Finally, verses 26 to 28. From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God. This is Antioch in Syria. This is back on the northeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea, where they had been commended to the grace of God. They were commissioned there. They were sent out as missionaries from that church for the work which they had completed. Now, when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them and that he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. So they stayed there a long time. with the disciples. There was reception in Cyprus. There was rejection in Antioch of Asia Minor. There was a riot in Iconium. There was rebellion in Lystra. There was a review in Galatia, back through those cities of Galatia. And then finally now, number six, there is a report, a report in Antioch of Syria. And imagine Paul and Barnabas returning home and giving a report, showing their missionary slides, if you will. And imagine the horror in the darkened room there in Antioch of Syria when he showed them the pictures of the Jews in Antioch of Asia Minor who rejected the gospel. And imagine, if you will, the pictures that he showed of those in Iconium who tried to stone Paul and Barnabas. And perhaps when giving this report, there is a gasp and a hush when they hear that report. Or imagine the tears when he showed the pictures of those in Lystra. who stoned Paul and left him for dead. And then imagine the oohs and the ahhs when he when he finished his missionary presentation and showed pictures of the sunset on the Mediterranean Sea as he sailed back on his way home to Antioch of Syria. And imagine those pictures that Paul would have shown Of the people and the places that he visited, the faces of of new converts, both Jews and Gentiles, and perhaps the pictures of a small group who trusted Christ or perhaps a little girl or perhaps a husband and a wife on the very same day. And Paul and Barnabas's report. There, back in the Antioch of Syria, represented a one year missionary journey. Can you see the big picture? One year. Here's the report. Here are the places and the people. The gospel has gone to the Gentiles now. Picture this. Picture this with me. What if? What if each of us were to go on a missions trip, on a missionary journey, not around the world or across the sea, not by plane or by ship, not to another culture with a different language and funny food. But what if we went on a missions trip, a missionary journey across the streets or across the yard? Or to our neighbors or to our family around the corner preaching the gospel, no matter what the cost. And then what if this, what if at the end of one year, one year, next summer. We were to gather back together in this place for a report. And what if you were to show us your pictures on the big screen? What would you have to show? Would you have? A place or a person. What would we see? Folks, I have often said that the church gathered is for edification, that's what we're doing this morning. The church scattered. Is for evangelism. And that's what you know, that's what we do. When we dismiss from this place. You know that by God's grace, we would have the courage to go and to tell. And that we might have opportunity to report, to show a picture of the grace of God among us. Let's pray. Oh, dear God, we are convicted this morning. We are rebuked this morning. Lord, we're embarrassed. Because if we were called upon to report on our missionary activity from this last year, we would have very little to show. And we might only have a single picture or maybe two. What I pray that you would give the people of Fourth Baptist Church the courage to go and tell in Plymouth, in Golden Valley, in New Hope and Crystal, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Or these are our communities and Lord, you have given us this day and we presume that you may give us a few more days to take the gospel. What I thank you for, Paul and Barnabas, and I thank you for the written record of their first missionary journey in Acts 13 and 14. God, this morning, as we have surveyed a large narrative. Many, many, many verses. We have come to understand how the gospel was taken to the Gentiles and how that your purpose is not simply to save man, but to sanctify man, not only the conversion of man, but the discipleship of man. And may we be committed to those very same things. I pray this in Jesus name.