A Crowd Goes Wild in Lystra During Pauls

A Crowd Goes Wild in Lystra (During Paul’s 1 st Missionary Journey the mood of a crowd listening to Paul and Barnabas changes from misplaced worship to violence. ) Acts 13: 1 -3; 14: 8 -20 A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 1

The Antioch church was made up of Christians who loved God and wanted to tell people about Jesus. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 2

Once, when they were praying and worshipping God they heard the voice of the Holy Spirit. Hearing words from the Holy Spirit is the same as hearing from God (the Father) or Jesus (the Son). God never changes but he sometimes shows different parts of himself. Years before, in the Old Testament, people saw God as Jehovah or Father. The apostles and many others saw God as his son, Jesus, when he lived and walked with them. Now, in the early church, Christians knew God through the power of the Holy Spirit. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 3

This is what the voice of the Holy Spirit said to those who were praying and worshipping God, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. ” A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 4

Many people in other places had never heard about Jesus. Now everyone knew that God had a special job for Barnabas and Saul to do. They were going to be missionaries and travel to other places to tell others the good news about Jesus. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 5

So, the Christians in the Antioch church prayed for Barnabas and Saul. They even went without food (fasted) for a certain amount of time so that they could concentrate on this important work of God. To show that they agreed with the Holy Spirit’s instructions they placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them off on their missionary journey. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 6

After setting off from the port of Seleucia on a ship Barnabas and Saul sailed to the island of Cyprus to teach people. Barnabas and his cousin, John Mark, joined them there as a helper. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 7

In the city of Paphos a Roman Proconsul (like a mayor or governor) asked Barnabas and Saul to come and tell him about Jesus. A magician named Elymas started saying bad things about Jesus. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 8

Even though Saul warned him to stop Elymas kept interrupting. Finally, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Saul made him blind. The Proconsul was so amazed that he immediately knew that everything Saul was saying about Jesus was true. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 9

Saul had two names. Saul = His Jewish name. Paul = His Roman name. From this time onward Saul became known as Paul The Stoning of Stephen - Acts 6: 8 -8: 1 www. missionbibleclass. org 10

From Cyprus Paul and Barnabas continued on to Antioch of Pisidia. (This is a different Antioch from the place where they had started their missionary journey). Barnabas’ cousin, John Mark, decided to leave them and go back to Jerusalem. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 11

In Antioch of Pisidia Paul preached about Jesus in the synogugue. Many people listened and began to believe that Jesus was the Son of God. But some of the Jewish leaders did not believe this. They were jealous that the people were listening to Paul and not to them. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 12

So they made Paul and Barnabas leave their city. The same thing happened in the next place they went, Iconium. Some leaders in Iconium were so angry that they made a plan to mistreat them and stone them. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 13

But Paul and Barnabas did not stop preaching about Jesus. They went on to the city of Lystra and began telling about Jesus there. A man who could not walk overheard what they were saying and began to have faith. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 14

By the power of God Paul healed the man so that he could walk. Everyone was amazed. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 15

But some people didn’t understand that Paul and Barnabas were doing this through the power of God. Instead of giving glory to God they began worshipping Paul and Barnabas like they were gods. More and more people started worshipping Paul and Barnabas. The crowd even called them the names of their gods, Hermes and Zeus. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 16

Paul and Barnabas tried and tried to tell the people to stop calling them gods. There is only one God! He made the world everything in it. Just because lots of people are saying something is true it doesn’t make it true. An entire crowd can be wrong. This crowd was wrong! A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 17

Some of the angry Jews from the other cities came and joined the crowd. They started making people believe that Paul and Barnabas were bad. So, first the crowd believed they were gods and then they believed they were bad! They threw stones at Paul until they thought he was dead. Then they drug him out of the city and left him there. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 18

But there were some people who did not follow the crowd. They believed what Paul had been saying about Jesus. While they were gathered around Paul they realised Paul was not dead. He got up and went back into the city. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 19

The next day Paul and Barnabas began revisiting the places they had already been on this missionary journey. They visited the churches and encouraged people to be leaders. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 20

Finally it was time to sail back home to Antioch. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 21

22 When they arrived in Antioch they gathered the church together to tell them everything that God had done through them on this First Missionary Journey. They were glad to be home but they knew that there were still others who needed to hear about Jesus. There would be other missionary journeys in the future. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 22

Teacher Notes Pages Part 1 1 Cover: A Crowd Goes Wild in Lystra (During Paul’s 1 st Missionary Journey the mood of a crowd listening to Paul and Barnabas changes from misplaced worship to violence. ) Acts 13: 1 -3; 14: 8 -20 2 The Antioch church was made up of Christians who loved God and wanted to tell people about Jesus. 3 Once, when they were praying and worshipping God they heard the voice of the Holy Spirit. Hearing words from the Holy Spirit is the same as hearing from God (the Father) or Jesus (the Son). God never changes but he sometimes shows different parts of himself. Years before, in the Old Testament, people saw God as Jehovah or Father. The apostles and many others saw God as his son, Jesus, when he lived and walked with them. Now, in the early church, Christians knew God through the power of the Holy Spirit. 4 This is what the voice of the Holy Spirit said to those who were praying and worshipping God, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. ” 5 Many people in other places had never heard about Jesus. Now everyone knew that God had a special job for Barnabas and Saul to do. They were going to be missionaries and travel to other places to tell others the good news about Jesus. 6 So, the Christians in the Antioch church prayed for Barnabas and Saul. They even went without food (fasted) for a certain amount of time so that they could concentrate on this important work of God. To show that they agreed with the Holy Spirit’s instructions they placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them off on their missionary journey. 7 After setting off from the port of Seleucia on a ship Barnabas and Saul sailed to the island of Cyprus to teach people. Barnabas and his cousin, John Mark, joined them there as a helper. 8 In the city of Paphos a Roman Proconsul (like a mayor or governor) asked Barnabas and Saul to come and tell him about Jesus. A magician named Elymas started saying bad things about Jesus. 9 Even though Saul warned him to stop Elymas kept interrupting. Finally, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Saul made him blind. The Proconsul was so amazed that he immediately knew that everything Saul was saying about Jesus was true. 10 Saul had two names. Saul=His Jewish name. Paul=His Roman name. From this time Saul became known as Paul 11 From Cyprus Paul and Barnabas continued on to Antioch of Pisidia. (This is a different Antioch from the place where they had started their missionary journey). Barnabas’ cousin, John Mark, decided to leave them and go back to Jerusalem. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 23

Teacher Notes Pages Part 2 12 In Antioch of Pisidia Paul preached about Jesus in the synagugue. Many people listened and began to believe that Jesus was the Son of God. But some of the Jewish leaders did not believe this. They were jealous that the people were listening to Paul and not to them. 17 Paul and Barnabas tried and tried to tell the people to stop calling them gods. There is only one God! He made the world everything in it. Just because lots of people are saying something is true it doesn’t make it true. An entire crowd can be wrong. This crowd was wrong! 13 So they made Paul and Barnabas leave their city. The same thing happened in the next place they went, Iconium. Some leaders in Iconium were so angry that they made a plan to mistreat them and stone them. 18 Some of the angry Jews from the other cities came and joined the crowd. They started making people believe that Paul and Barnabas were bad. So, first the crowd believed they were gods and then they believed they were bad! They threw stones at Paul until they thought he was dead. Then they drug him out of the city and left him there. 14 But Paul and Barnabas did not stop preaching about Jesus. They went on to the city of Lystra and began telling about Jesus there. A man who could not walk overheard what they were saying and began to have faith. 15 By the power of God Paul healed the man so that he could walk. Everyone was amazed. 16 But some people didn’t understand that Paul and Barnabas were doing this through the power of God. Instead of giving glory to God they began worshipping Paul and Barnabas like they were gods. More and more people started worshipping Paul and Barnabas. The crowd even called them the names of their gods, Hermes and Zeus. 19 But there were some people who did not follow the crowd. They believed what Paul had been saying about Jesus. While they were gathered around Paul they realised Paul was not dead. He got up and went back into the city. 20 The next day Paul and Barnabas began revisiting the places they had already been on this missionary journey. They visited the churches and encouraged people to be leaders. 21 Finally it was time to sail back home to Antioch. 22 When they arrived in Antioch they gathered the church together to tell them everything that God had done through them on this First Missionary Journey. They were glad to be home but they knew that there were still others who needed to hear about Jesus. There would be other missionary journeys in the future. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 24

This visual aid was constructed by Mary Nelson www. missionbibleclass. org using artwork from http: //sweetpublishing. com Creative Commons Attribution_Share Alike 3. 0 Unreported License. User may reproduce it without permissions. A Wild Crowd in Lystra- Acts 8: 1 -25 www. missionbibleclass. org 25