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Acts 13:13-14
‘From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down.’
There are lots of complicated places named here, and if we struggle to pronounce them, it is even more difficult for us to point them out on a map. What we can be sure of is that Paul and Barnabas went a long way - to travel to Pisidian Antioch was a journey a third of the way across Asia Minor. In fact it has been estimated that all in all Paul would have travelled ten thousand miles on his various missionary journeys.
Once they get to Antioch Paul and Barnabas attend a synagogue service and Paul is invited to speak. Paul tells the assembled Jews that Jesus is a descendent of David, that the teachers of Israel did not recognise him for who he was as revealed through the words of their own prophets, and so they had him killed. However the death of Jesus, and more importantly his subsequent resurrection from the dead, proved that Jesus is the Messiah. His death showed him to be a willing servant of his Father God, and his resurrection is an act of God toward humanity, showing us that life is not futile and that salvation is here and now. This also means that forgiveness is offered now.
Paul then warns the congregation of this synagogue to take heed of this message (verse 41). Paul knows that this salvation is for everyone, but he doesn’t want the Jewish people to miss out. Paul and Barnabas have already been to Paphos (Acts 13:6-12) and have proclaimed the Gospel to pagans. Now their mission to preach the Gospel takes them to the synagogue where they demonstrate the Gospel in a very different way. It doesn’t matter where they are, they will find a way to share with others the life that Christ brings.
