Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles
8 - Paul's Fellow Workers
We continue our study of the life and work of the Apostle Paul as we come to Acts chapter 15 and verses 36 to 41. Here we read of the commencement of his “Second Missionary Journey”.
Before the story of this journey begins in chapter 16, we see something of Paul’s strong and often determined character and his passionate concern for God’s work. We are told that a sharp disagreement occurred between Paul and Barnabas as to whether John Mark should accompany them. Paul did not think it wise to take him because he had deserted them on their previous mission and not continued with them in the work. Barnabas disagreed and so they parted company, Barnabas taking John Mark with him, home to Cyprus. Sometimes Christian workers will strongly disagree, as did Paul and Barnabas in this instance, but the important thing to note is that later we find there is a reconciliation, and Mark is accepted by Paul as part of his team. In 2 Timothy 4 verse 11, Timothy is instructed by Paul to “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.”
So, on this second journey, Paul was accompanied by two new helpers, Silas and Timothy along with the faithful Doctor Luke. This second journey was to cover some three thousand two hundred miles and would be the longest which he undertook. Let’s look for a moment at Paul’s two new travelling companions and co-workers.
Silas is described, in Acts chapter 15 verse 22, as one of the leaders among the believers in Jerusalem. He is further noted as being one of the men chosen to be entrusted with a message from the church at Jerusalem to the church in Antioch. In verse 32 he described as being a prophet, someone who was gifted by the Holy Spirit to declare the mind and word of God to the people. We see further, in chapter 16 verse 26, that Silas was one of those who hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and his gospel. He clearly was prepared to be a witness and even a martyr in the fullest sense. Such committed believers have been vital to the work of the Lord in every generation, and we give thanks for those even in our day who are giving their lives for their faith. We know that their reward will be great in the coming day of glory. We see that Paul’s choice of Silas was a wise one, Silas having all the qualifications necessary for such an undertaking.
Timothy, the second new member of Paul’s missionary team, stands in special relationship to Paul. He calls him, “My own genuine son in the faith”. We read, in Acts chapter 16 verse 2, that “the brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him”, and that Paul wanted to take him on the journey. Much later Timothy would be the recipient of two personal letters from the Apostle in which he would be encouraged in his faith and given teaching about order in the church. Paul was ever conscious of the need to encourage young men to follow in his steps as he endeavoured to pioneer the gospel. This is a good principle that should be the aim of all church leaders today.
So Paul took with him on this second journey one who was experienced and gifted in the things of God, and one who was a new believer showing promise in his walk with the Lord. And of course, there was dedicated and travel experienced Luke who was a steadfast companion and dear friend of Paul and the one whose account of Paul’s great ministry we have in the Acts.
In Acts chapter 16 verses 6 to 10 we are told of a vision that Paul had of a man of Macedonia pleading for him to come and help the people there. Up to that point Paul’s intention had been to go eastwards, but now the Holy Spirit was directing them westwards into Europe. This change of direction was to have a momentous effect on the subsequent history of the continent.
Someone has said of it: “In its issues it far outrivalled the expedition of Alexander the Great when he carried the aims and civilisation of Greece into the heart of Asia.” It is being realistic and stating a sober fact that because of this change of direction by Paul a continent was turned from the worship of idols to the worship of the true and living God.
The gospel which Paul loved to preach was now to try its strength with the keenest philosophers and the most seductive fascinations of immorality masquerading under the guise of religion. What could this missionary for Christ do? What message could he preach? If philosophy or art or beauty could have saved the souls of men then they would not have needed Paul’s message; but they could not! The good news that Paul was to take to the people living in what someone has called a “charmed circle of civilisation” was the same message that he had preached in the rough mountain towns of Asia Minor. Human nature, whether under a rough or a polished exterior, is the same the world over. Paul’s purpose was to bring men and women to a knowledge of their alienation from the only true God because of their sin, and to show them the way of salvation through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
If you are following in your Bible, look now at Acts chapter 16 verses 11 to 15. So, obedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading, Paul and his companions, Silas and Doctor Luke, crossed the sea from Asia Minor to what is modern day Greece. Greece at that time was under the dominion of Rome and had been divided into two regions: Achaia in the south and Macedonia to the north. A great Roman road ran from east to west through Macedonia and it was by this road that Paul would have travelled to the important city of Philippi. This city will be forever memorable as the first city in Europe in which a Christian church was established. Philippi had the rank of a Roman colony; both the civil and military authorities being Roman.
The beginning of the work in Philippi was at first encouraging, but as we shall see this soon changed.
However, Luke tells us that “on the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.” We are told that one of them was a business woman from Thyatira whose name was Lydia. Luke notes that she was “a worshipper of God” and goes on to say, one feels with some delight, “the Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.” It appears that the others at that riverside prayer meeting were members of her household and they along with Lydia were baptised there and then as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Listening friend, has the Lord opened your heart to respond to the gospel of Christ? Have you acknowledged your need of the Saviour and placed your faith in the One who died on the cross to bear the punishment for all your sins? And having believed have you, like Lydia, been baptised as a confession of your faith and a declaration of the new life that you intend to live as a Christian believer?
After this Lydia invited the men of God into her home saying “If you consider me to be a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” Paul and his companions were so persuaded and stayed in Philippi several days.
So we have this record of the first converts to Christ in Europe through the witness of the great Apostle Paul.