Title Paul's Evangelism Policy (Acts 14:20-28)
Contents
Paul's Evangelism Policy (Acts 14:20-28)
We have continued to look at Paul's 1st missionary journey. This text we read today is the last part of the 1st missionary journey. We would like to share the grace with you.
Paul's first missionary journey is recorded in Acts 13:4-14:28. If you list the areas visited during this period, it starts from Antioch in Syria, Silucia (13:4), and Cyprus (13:4). ), Salami (14:5), Fool (14:6), Bambilia Perga (13:13), Pisidian Antioch (14:14), Iconium (14:51), Lygaonia (14: 6), Lystra (14:8), Derbe (14:20), Lystra, Iconium, Pisidian Antioch (14:21), Bambilia (14:24), Perga ( 14:25), Addahlia (14:25), and Antioch in Syria (14:26). Biblical scholars say that the period of this first missionary journey is about one year and four months. Let's take a look at it.
1. We found and evangelized people directly.
Although Paul's evangelistic journey is a long distance, it is evangelism that goes to those who do not know the Gospel and preaches directly. It is an evangelism method that even tries to spread the Gospel by going to places with different cultures and different lifestyles. There was persecution and persecution wherever they went, but it is a policy of diligently seeking out and evangelizing. When Paul returns from his first evangelistic journey, he sees that he visits the area he preached again. This is also an aspect of Paul's evangelism policy. After that, 2 The most important motive for the car missionary trip is recorded in Acts 15:36, "A few days later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's go back to each city where we preached the word of the Lord, and let's visit the brothers." Evangelism is not just evangelism with words, but it is about visiting them, meeting them, and preaching the gospel.
2. I wrote a letter to them when I couldn't go directly.
Paul sent many letters to various places during his missionary journey. In the New Testament, if we include Paul's epistles to Hebrews, we will see 14 books. Many of those letters were sent to the church that Paul preached or planned to evangelize. They were sent to the place where they had been, and they were sent to solve the difficult problems of the church that they evangelized. The Bible called 'Galatians' refers to Paul's letters to the saints in Galatia. The Bible called '1 Corinthians' refers to Paul Paul sent two letters to , which means the first of them. Also, while Paul was preaching, he went to prison, and even in prison he sent four letters. Those are the prison epistles: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
From this fact, it can be seen that Paul strives to spread the gospel even under various difficult circumstances. Among Paul's letters to his disciple Timothy, 2 Timothy 4:1-2 contains this verse: “Before God and with As regards his appearing and his kingdom in the presence of Christ Jesus, who will judge the dead, I solemnly command you to preach the word; do your best in season and out of season; rebuke, rebuke, exhort with all patience and teaching." We are setting the example of striving to spread the gospel whether we get it or not.
3. One of Paul's evangelistic policies is prayer.
Paul knew that evangelism was difficult and difficult. Therefore, he prayed constantly for this difficult and difficult evangelism. He himself continued to pray.
In Philippians 1:4, Paul's letter to the Philippian church, he wrote, "Whenever I make supplications, I always make intercession for you all with joy." I do not cease to pray for you, but I beg you that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding."
Ephesians 6:18-20 also clearly asks for prayers for evangelism. "With all prayers and supplications, pray in the Holy Spirit at all times. Lord, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mysteries of the gospel. For this purpose I have become an ambassador in chains, so that I may be bold in what I should say in this matter.
In this way, Paul worked hard to spread the gospel. Because he correctly realized that preaching the gospel is more important and precious than anything in this world. What is the most rewarding and joyous thing for us? If we clearly confess, 'There is nothing more precious than the Lord Jesus,' then we too will have to work hard for evangelism.