The apostle Paul proclaimed, evangelized, and preached the Lord Jesus Christ, Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension in this city's synagogue and founded the Universal Church there during his first missionary journey.
The others carried on from Perga till they reached Antioch in Pisidia. Here they went to synagogue on the Sabbath and took their seats. After the lessons from the Law and the Prophets had been read, the presidents of the synagogue sent them a message: 'Brothers, if you would like to address some words of encouragement to the congregation, please do so' Paul stood up, held up a hand for silence and began to speak:............ For this is what the Lord commanded us to do when he said:
I have made you a light for the nations,
so that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth.
It made the pagans very happy to hear this and they thanked the Lord for his message; all who were destined for eternal life became believers. Thus, the word of the Lord spread through the whole countryside.
But the Jews worked upon some of the devour women of the upper classes and the leading men of the city and persuaded them to turned against Paul and Barnabas and expel them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in defiance and went off to Iconium; but the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. - Acts 13:1-52 -
Antioch of Syria - the capital of the Roman province of Syria which played an important part in the first-century expansion of the Universal Church. Antioch, the city was founded about 300 B.C. by Seleucus I Nicator, one of the three successors to Alexander the Great, and named for his father Antiochus.
The early history of the Universal Church is closely connected with Antioch of Syria. One of the first seven 'deacons' Nicolas, was a 'proselyte from Antioch.' - Acts 6:5 - After the stoning of Saint Stephen - Acts 7:54-60, 8:1 - great persecution caused certain disciples to flee from Jerusalem to Antioch where they evangelized, preached, proclaimed the Gospels to the Jews as well as to the Greeks. Others arrived later and had success preaching to the Gentiles.
Those who had escaped during the persecution that happened because of Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, but they usually proclaimed the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, who came from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch where they started Preaching to the Greeks, proclaiming the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ to them as well. The Lord helped them, a great number believed and were converted to the Lord. - Acts 11:19-21 -
When the Church's leaders at Jerusalem heard of this success in Antioch, they sent apostle Barnabas to Antioch of Syria. There he could see for himself that God had given grace, and this pleased him, and he urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion; for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people were won over to the Lord. Barnabas then left for Tarsus to look for apostle Paul, and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. As things turned out they were to live together in that Church a whole year, instructing a large number of people. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called "CHRISTIANS."
Apparently, apostle Barnabas and Paul used Antioch as the base for their missionary journeys into Asia Minor. In the Church at Antioch the following were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. One day while they were offering worship to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, 'I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.' So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid their hands on them and sent them off. - Acts 13:1-3 -
Following the first missionary journey, Antioch became the scene of an important dispute. Certain peoples from Judea taught that Gentile converts must be circumcised and follow other rules for converts to Judaism before becoming Christians. This theological disagreement led to the Universal Church Council at Jerusalem. Apostle Paul and Barnabas were sent here to report how God had given them success in bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles. The Universal Church Council of Jerusalem decided that Gentile converts did not have to be circumcised. - Acts 15:1-41 -
Antioch is now known as (Ankara/Antakya) in modern day Turkey.
Page 1
If you wish to donate. Thank You. God bless.
By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -
No comments:
Post a Comment