Kids Blog-Paul's missionary journeys
Last two weeks, kids explored Paul's missionary journeys in the Book of Acts.
Bible Story: Paul's missionary journeys
Bible Passages: Acts 13-16
The Word of God continued to spread and floursh. Barnabas and Saul were set apart and sent off for the work God has called them. They were sent on their way by the Holy Spirit. They traveled to Cyprus, Perga, Pisidian Antoich, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, and returned to Antioch in Syria. They preached the gospel boldly, strengtened the disciples and encouraged them to remain faithful. On their second missionary journey, Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus and Paul chose Silas and went through Syria and Cilicia. The churches were strengtened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. Paul and his companions traveled to Derbe, Lystra and traveled throughout the region of Phyrgia and Galatia. Then they went to Macedonia after seeing the vision, realizing that God had called them to preach the gospel to the people there.
Once when they were going to the place of prayer, they met a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." She kept this up for many days. Finally, Paul became annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her. When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and draged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. Paul and Silas were stripped, beaten with rods, severely flogged and thrown into prison with their feet fastened in the stocks. Even in prison, Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns to God and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, there was a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken and the prison doors flew open. Everyone's chains came loose but Paul and Silas did not run away. When the jailer woke up, he was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" The jailer asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. The jailer took them and washed their wounds, and he and all his household were baptized. He brought them to his house and set a meal before Paul and Silas. He was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God!
When Paul and Silas were arrested and thrown into prison, they could have easily given up and stay disappointed, frustrated. Instead, they prayed and sang hyms to God. They rejoiced and praised God! Regardless of their situations, they remembered Jesus who suffered on the cross for their sins and gave them joy of salvation! They were relentless and grateful that they get to partake in Christ' suffering and ready to face persecution and death for the sake of the Gospel. And because they stayed, God used even their time in prison and saved the jailer and his household!
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