Paul's Odyssey #1 The 3rd Go Round
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Grace Church By John Demo

Paul's Odyssey #1 The 3rd Go Round

The 3rd Missionary Journey of the Apostle Paul

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schedule 14 min read
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Grace Church holds a Meet & Greet for those who are newer to Grace Church on the 4th Sunday of each month. Our next Meet & Greet will be Sunday, July 27th following the service in CJ's coffee shop. It is a great opportunity to meet the staff and leadership of Grace Church and learn a little more about the church. It also gives us an opportunity to learn a little about you! Contact Leslie Booher if you have any questions ([email protected]).
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Sunday, July 6th - Paisley Dykhouse
Tuesday, July 8th - Joe & Emily Mater
Friday, July 11th - Anita Henline, Teresa Tucker, Peter Hoxie
Saturday, July 12th - Gary Nelson, Chessa Joppie, Bernie & Ruth Hickey
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Odyssey: "A long and adventurous journey or experience."
In 2023 & 2024 we spent the summer months on the life of the Apostle Paul and covered his first two missionary journeys as presented in the book of Acts.
A careful study of the book of Acts and the lives of the early Christians should strengthen our faith, spark our imagination, and stir our commitment to the Great Commission and to our church family.
A simple lesson: "If God used Paul, with limited resources in an ungodly world to make disciples, He can use us!"

This summer we'll look at the 3rd missionary journey of the Apostle Paul and can be thought of as a concluding sequel on the life of Paul.
Today we'll do a review of what we've covered the past two years. It can be broken down into three simple sections.
First - Saul who was also known as Paul
Acts 7-12
He was a passionate Jew, trained as a Pharisee, acted as a persecutor of the Christian Church, and became a bold proclaimer of Jesus as Lord. He is also Polyonymous meaning "having or being known by various names."
Depending on his audience and the setting he found himself in, he went by his Hebrew name, Saul, or his Roman name, Paul.
We can understand Paul’s life before the missionary journeys by looking at the locations where Scripture places him.
1. Tarus – Formation (First 12-13 years)
2. Jerusalem – Education (Ages 13 – very early 30’s)
3. Damascus – Conversion (In early 30’s) Blinded by God, Confirmed by Ananias
4. Arabia – Transformation (Quiet 3 years - time with God - Paul was in the Nabatean Petra)
5. Jerusalem – Demonstration (Few weeks – Giving proof of his faith to the church)
6. Syria & Cilicia – Instruction – (10 years learning a trade and how to minister)
7. Antioch – Collaboration (about 1 year teaming up with Barnabas)
Second - First Missionary Journey: Evangelizing and Establishing
Acts 13-14
People are won to Christ, persecution is experienced, and preaching to the Gentiles becomes a thing. Acts 13:46-48
Acts 13:46-48
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46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
BSB
Third - Second Missionary Journey: Encouraging and Enlarging
Acts 15-18
A defining characteristic of this second trip is that Paul began to raise up a team of highly committed individuals to share in the work of proclaiming Christ (Timothy, Luke, Aquilla & Priscilla, Silas, Titus, and others)
Acts 18:18-19
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18 Paul remained in Corinth for quite some time before saying goodbye to the brothers. He had his head shaved in Cenchrea to keep a vow he had made, and then he sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.
19 When they reached Ephesus, Paul parted ways with Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue there and reasoned with the Jews.
BSB
Two simple thoughts:
1. It's good to have partners in ministry who share the vision and the work...may be friends or family.
2. Everyone has a responsibility to share Christ...must be intentional and creative.
Paul was heading to Jerusalem for the Pentecost.
Acts 18:20-22
Acts 18:20-22
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20 When they asked him to stay for a while longer, he declined.
21 But as he left, he said, “I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus.
22 When Paul had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church at Jerusalem. Then he went down to Antioch.
BSB
Two simple thoughts:
1. Our time on planet earth is limited (no guarantees) so we should prioritize God's purpose for our life and God's people in our life.
2. Accountability for our Christian lives and ministry is essential for God's blessings and greater effectiveness.
The church is God's family. He expects that we grow and go together.
Notice the actions of Paul. He spent, he set, and he strengthened.
Acts 18:23
Acts 18:23
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23 After Paul had spent some time in Antioch, he traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
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Two simple thoughts:
1. Socializing and rest are not the reason that God saved us. They are divine opportunities to re-charge us for God's work.
2. A healthy Christian is not a lazy Christian, but one who is actively involved in honoring God and helping people.
God takes us through various stages on our life missionary journey. Each one is to prepare for the next one and the purpose of each is to accomplish His will...not our own.
1. You are encouraged to read and think deeply about our text from today (Acts 18:18-23).
2. Review the six simple thoughts that were presented and determine which one needs your urgent attention.
3. Consider your commitment to God's Church and find a place that will help you grow and equip you to GO and make a difference in the second half of 2025.
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