my head is aching

my heart is beating…

I love you

3rd Missionary Journey (Acts 18:23-20:38): During Paul’s third journey, he fervently preached in Asia Minor. God confirmed his message with miracles. Acts 20:7-12 tells of Paul at Troas preaching an exceptionally long sermon. A young man, sitting in an upstairs window sill, went to sleep and fell out the window. He was thought to be dead, but Paul revived him.

Once involved in the occult, the new believers at Ephesus burned their magic books. Idol-makers, on the other hand, were not pleased with their loss of business on account of this one true God and His Son. One silversmith named Demetrius started a city-wide riot, praising their goddess Diana. Trials always followed Paul. The persecution and opposition ultimately strengthened true Christians and spread the Gospel.

At the end of Paul’s third missionary journey, he knew he would soon be imprisoned and probably killed. His final words to the church at Ephesus displays his devotion to Christ: “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:18-24).

Some Bible scholars see a fourth missionary journey as well, and early Christian history does seem to attest to the idea. At the same time, there is no explicit evidence for a fourth journey in the Bible, as it would have occurred after the close of the Book of Acts.

The purpose of all of Paul’s missionary journeys was the same: proclaiming God’s grace in forgiving sin through Christ. God used Paul’s ministry to bring the gospel to the Gentiles and establish the church. His letters to the churches, recorded in the New Testament, still support church life and doctrine. Although he sacrificed everything, Paul’s missionary journeys were worth the cost (Philippians 3:7-11).

St Paul’s Third Missionary Journey
(Around the year 53-58 A.D.) (Acts, 19-26)

Before we begin the description of the third missionary journey, it is worth mentioning two events that took place just when the journey was about to start.

1. The arrival of Apollos in Ephesus.

Apollos was an Overseas Jew from Alexandria in Egypt. He must have heard of Jesus in Alexandria from some believers, and being a devout Jew, well acquainted with the Scriptures, he quickly identified Jesus with the Messiah. His knowledge of Jesus’ teaching though, was very limited, but his zeal for Evangelization urged him to leave his community and begin his missionary journey. It is to be noted here that Luke is using “the Way of the Lord”, to describe the teachings of Jesus. “The Way of the Lord” was the first name to indicate Christianity in the early Church. Luke says:

“Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had just arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. He had been taught the way of the Lord and talked to others with great enthusiasm and accuracy about Jesus. However, he knew only about John’s baptism. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God more accurately.”(Acts,18:24-26)

It is amazing to see how lay missionaries can help each other. Aquila and Priscilla are willing to share with Apollos all they had learned from St. Paul, and Apollos is happy to learn more.

Apollos is determined to carry on his Evangelization work, and all the believers encourage and help him.

“Apollos had been thinking about going to Achaia, and the brothers and sisters in Ephesus encouraged him in this. They wrote to the believers in Achaia, asking them to welcome him. When he arrived there, he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God’s grace, had believed. He refuted all the Jews with powerful arguments in public debate. Using the Scriptures, he explained to them, ‘The Messiah you are looking for is Jesus’.”(Acts,18:27-28)

2. A group of Christians in Ephesus, who had only received John’s baptism.
Maybe this group of believers was formed by Apollos, or some other missionary, who didn’t impart a full instruction.

“While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior provinces. Finally, he came to Ephesus, where he found several believers. ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ he asked them.
‘No,’ they replied, ‘we don’t know what you mean. We haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’
‘Then what baptism did you experience?’ he asked.
And they replied, ‘The baptism of John.’
Paul said, ‘John’s baptism was to demonstrate a desire to turn from sin and turn to God. John himself told the people to believe in Jesus, the one John said would come later.’

As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.”(Acts,19:1-7)
These two incidents reported with so many details by Luke, offer us a better picture of the Evangelization work in the early years of the Church. There was a tremendous amount of enthusiasm, all believers joined in the work of proclaiming the Gospel. Evidently there was no set catechism for all to follow. All felt the need of having the writings of the Apostles. The Gospels, the letters of St. Paul and of other Apostles, were treasured by all communities and read to all in their assemblies.
The New Testament was formed in this feverish Evangelization atmosphere.

FIRST STOP. Ephesus

For the first few months, Paul and his team concentrate on the synagogue, but with very little result. Luke says that ” some rejected Paul’s message and publicly spoke against the Way, so Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he began preaching daily at the lecture hall of Tyrannus.”(Acts,19:9)
Ephesus was a multi-racial, multi-religious, very prosperous Roman colony. Schools or lecture halls, like the one mentioned here, must have been abundant. Paul invents a new way of doing Evangelization. A school of Evangelization. For more than two years he and his team teach daily the “Way”, in this school.
“This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the Lord’s message.”(Acts,19:10)

The power of healing and casting devils, that the Lord had granted Paul, helped the Evangelization work. Luke writes:
“A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored. Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. A number of them who had been practicing magic brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. When they calculated the value of the books, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas (several million dollars). So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.”(Acts,19:17-20)

We have seen how the Evangelization plan of Paul included two important centres: Athens (Greek culture) and Rome (the capital of the Empire)
This is how Luke writes:
“Afterward Paul felt impelled by the Holy Spirit to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before returning to Jerusalem. ‘And after that,’ he said, ‘I must go on to Rome!’”(Acts,19:21)
“But about that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way. It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy. He called the craftsmen together, along with others employed in related trades, and addressed them as follows:

‘Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. As you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t gods at all. And this is happening not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province!,”(Acts,19:23-26)

The silversmith Demetrius’ words hit the right cord. He added that Paul’s message not only damaged their business, it also “robbed the magnificent goddess Artemis of her prestige”(Acts,19:27)

“At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting, ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’ A crowd began to gather, and soon the city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. Paul wanted to go in, but the believers wouldn’t let him. Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater.”(Acts,19:28-31)

“Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there.”
(Acts,19:32)

After hours of shouting and confusion, the mayor of the city, who feared that the Roman soldiers would take action against the riot, convinced the crowds to disperse.

SECOND STOP. Troas

“When it was all over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia.”(Acts,20:1)
“As soon as the Passover season ended, we boarded a ship at Philippi in Macedonia and five days later arrived in Troas, where we stayed a week.”(Acts,20:6)

Troas is the very important place where Paul and his missionary team had begun the journey to Europe. Now from Philippi in Macedonia, they sail back to Troas.
“On the first day of the week, we gathered to observe the Lord’s Supper.”(Acts,20:7)
The first day of the week is Sunday. This is one of the first record of the Christian custom of celebrating Sunday with the Eucharist. This custom spread very quickly among the Greek-Christians, who were not accustomed to the Saturday celebration Saturday (the Sabbath day) remained always “the holy day of rest”, but Sunday, the day of Jesus’ resurrection, was being celebrated as well, by Christians.
Luke relates a few interesting details of this Sunday celebration:

“Paul was preaching; and since he was leaving the next day, he talked until midnight. The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps. As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he sank into a deep sleep and fell three stories to his death below. Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. ‘Don’t worry,’ he said, ‘he’s alive!’ Then they all went back upstairs and ate the Lord’s Supper together. And Paul continued talking to them until dawn; then he left. Meanwhile, the young man was taken home unhurt, and everyone was greatly relieved.”(Acts,20:7-12)

THIRD STOP. Miletus

“Paul had decided against stopping at Ephesus this time because he didn’t want to spend further time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if possible, for the Festival of Pentecost. But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come down to meet him.”(Acts,20:16-17)

Paul had spent almost three years at Ephesus. The Church there was well established. The Miletus meeting was a farewell and the last recommendations to the leaders of that Church. It is a meeting of friends, of brothers, of people of responsibility.
“Now I am going to Jerusalem, drawn there irresistibly by the Holy Spirit, not knowing what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit has told me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about God’s wonderful kindness and love.

And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again.”(Acts, 20:22-25)
“And now beware! Be sure that you feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his blood—over whom the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.
(Acts,20:28)

“When he had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them. They wept aloud as they embraced him in farewell, sad most of all because he had said that they would never see him again. Then they accompanied him down to the ship.”(Acts,20:36-38)

PAUL’S JOUNEY TO JERUSALEM

After saying farewell to the Ephesian elders, Paul and his missionary team after a few days of sailing, “landed at the harbor of Tyre, in Syria, where the ship was to unload. We went ashore, found the local believers, and stayed with them a week.”(Acts,21:3-4) These disciples prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem. When we returned to the ship at the end of the week, the entire congregation, including wives and children, came down to the shore with us. There we knelt, prayed, and said our farewells. Then we went aboard, and they returned home.”(Acts,21:5-6)

“The next stop after leaving Tyre was Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters but stayed only one day. Then we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven men who had been chosen to distribute food.”(Acts,21:7-8)

As in the previous stop, many believers of Caesarea prophesized that Paul should not go to Jerusalem . Luke adds:
“When we heard this, we who were traveling with him, as well as the local believers, begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

But he said, ‘Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! For I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but also to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.’ When it was clear that we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said, ‘The will of the Lord be done’.”(Acts, 21:12-14)
“Shortly afterward we packed our things and left for Jerusalem. Some believers from Caesarea accompanied us, and they took us to the home of Mnason, a man originally from Cyprus and one of the early disciples. All the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem welcomed us cordially.”(Acts,21:15-17)

PAUL’S REPORT TO THE CHURCH OF JERUSALEM.

The third missionary journey begun at Antioch, ends at Jerusalem, which was not the sending Church. But Paul gives a detailed account of his journey.
“The next day Paul went in with us to meet with James, and all the elders of the Jerusalem church were present. After greetings were exchanged, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his ministry.”(Acts,21:18-19)

Paul knows very well that the believers in Jerusalem were mainly Jewish people, very attached to the law of Moses. He must not have been surprised when he heard these words:
“They said to Paul, ‘You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they all take the law of Moses very seriously. Our Jewish Christians here at Jerusalem have been told that you are teaching all the Jews living in the Gentile world to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. They say that you teach people not to circumcise their children or follow other Jewish customs. Now what can be done? For they will certainly hear that you have come. Here’s our suggestion.
(Acts,21:20-23)

They invite Paul to go to the Temple together with some local believers, and take part in a Jewish purification ceremony, “then everyone will know that the rumors are all false and that you yourself observe the Jewish laws.”(Acts,21:24)
“Paul agreed to their request, and the next day he went through the purification ritual with the men and went to the Temple.” (Acts,21:26)

But this very conciliatory gesture of Paul, became the long awaited occasion by some Jews to incite the crowds against Paul. Many people had seen Paul in Jerusalem together with a Gentile by the name of Trophimus from Ephesus. Some Jews from the province of Asia, who were in Jerusalem at that time, started shouting that Paul had taken that Gentile into the Temple, which is against the Law. Paul had not done it, but
“the whole population of the city was rocked by these accusations, and a great riot followed. Paul was dragged out of the Temple, and immediately the gates were closed behind him. As they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the Roman regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.”(Acts,21:30-31)

It was the year 58 A.D. Less than thirty years has passed since Jesus had been accused and condemned in Jerusalem. Luke’s description of the location and the circumstances is very similar to that of Jesus’ trial.

The same “crowds followed behind shouting, ‘Kill him, kill him!’(Acts,21:36)
At this point, the Roman authorities intervene for fear of a riot. There is a short dialogue between Paul and the Roman commander, who as usual does not understand what’s all about, and is surprised to hear Paul speak Greek.
“‘Do you know Greek?’ the commander asked, surprised.”(Acts,21:37)
Greek was the common language in the Roman Empire. It was the language of cultured people.

The Roman commander later asked Paul:” ‘Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?’
‘Yes, I certainly am,’ Paul replied.”(Acts,22:27)
Afterwards, the attitude of the commander changes, because under Roman Law, every Roman citizen had the right to be properly judged before any punishment could be inflicted.

Paul, who always grasped any occasion to do Evangelization, asked the Roman commander to allow him to speak to the crowds.
“The commander agreed, so Paul stood on the stairs and motioned to the people to be quiet. Soon a deep silence enveloped the crowd, and he addressed them in their own language, Aramaic.”(Acts,21:40)
Paul explains to the crowds that he was educated in the Jewish law in Jerusalem,
and became a very staunch defender of the Law of Moses.
“I persecuted the followers of the Way, hounding some to death, binding and delivering both men and women to prison.”(Acts,22:4)

Then Paul shares with the crowds his experience on the way to Damascus. How
the Risen Lord appeared to him, and showed him the new way to follow.
The crowds were listening to Paul, until he mentioned that Jesus had sent him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. At this point the crowds started shouting again.
The Roman commander took Paul to prison, and “the next day he freed Paul from his chains and ordered the leading priests into session with the Jewish high council. He had Paul brought in before them to try to find out what the trouble was all about.”
(Acts,22:30)

Paul defends himself before the Sanhedrin (the high council) in a very clever way.
“Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, ‘Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were all my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!’
This divided the council—the Pharisees against the Sadducees— for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these. So a great clamor arose. Some of the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees jumped up to argue that Paul was all right. ‘We see nothing wrong with him,’ they shouted. ‘Perhaps a spirit or an angel spoke to him.’ The shouting grew louder and louder, and the men were tugging at Paul from both sides, pulling him this way and that. Finally, the commander, fearing they would tear him apart, ordered his soldiers to take him away from them and bring him back to the fortress.
That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, ‘Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have told the people about me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome’.”(Acts,23:6-11)

Paul slowly understands that his imprisonment is the way to get to Rome.
The following events will prove he was right!
The Roman commander feels that the presence of Paul in Jerusalem can be a cause
of new riots and assassination attempts. He then orders Paul to be sent, under escort, to Caesaria, where the governor Felix (whose wife Drusilla was Jewish) would make a final judgement.

In Caesaria, Felix listens to the accusers of Paul and to Paul’ defense. Luke notes:
“Felix, who was quite familiar with the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, ‘I will decide the case later’. He ordered an officer to keep Paul in custody but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to visit him and take care of his needs.”(Acts,24:22-23)

The governor Felix, as many other Roman officials, used bribery to enrich themselves. “Felix hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for him quite often and talked with him. Two years went by in this way, and because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish leaders, he left Paul in prison. Then Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus.
(Acts,24:26-27)

A new trial is organized, and Paul has to defend himself in front of Festus.
At the end of this trial, Paul resorts to his right, as a Roman citizen, to be judged directly by the Emperor in Rome.

“Paul said, ‘I appeal to Caesar!’ Festus conferred with his advisers and then replied, ‘Very well! You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you shall go!’”
(Acts,25:11-12)
Finally Paul has the chance of going to Rome, in chains!
Before Festus can arrange how to send Paul to Rome, King Agrippa (a puppet king made by the Romans) comes to Caesaria to pay his respects to the new governor Festus. (Acts,25:13)

King Agrippa is interested to meet Paul and understand why he has been accused by the Jews. Festus gladly brings Paul before King Agrippa. Festus adds:
“In my opinion this man has done nothing worthy of death. However, he appealed his case to the emperor, and I decided to send him. But what shall I write the emperor? For there is no real charge against him. So I have brought him before all of you, and especially you, King Agrippa, so that after we examine him, I might have something to write. For it doesn’t seem reasonable to send a prisoner to the emperor without specifying the charges against him!”(Acts,25:25-27)

Paul starts his defense before king Agrippa in the form of a proclamation of the Gospel. He gets so excited that “suddenly, Festus shouted, ‘Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!’
But Paul replied, ‘I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. I am speaking the sober truth. And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak frankly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do-‘
Agrippa interrupted him. ‘Do you think you can make me a Christian so quickly?’
Paul replied, ‘Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.’”
(Acts,26:24-29)
“When they left, they all agreed, ‘This man hasn’t done anything worthy of death or imprisonment.’ And Agrippa said to Festus, ‘He could be set free if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar!’” (Acts,26:31-32)

St. Paul’s third missionary journey starts at Antioch and ends in the prison of Caesaria, where Paul after two years of imprisonment will finally begin his fourth missionary journey (in chains) from Caesaria to Rome.

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

by Wayne Blank

“After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.” (Acts 18:23)

And so Paul began the third of his missionary journeys. See also Paul’s First Missionary Journey, Paul’s Second Missionary Journey, and Paul In Athens and On The Road To Damascus.

The first stage of the journey was overland in Asia Minor, through the cities of the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, including Tarsus and Iconium. He eventually reached Ephesus, where he remained for nearly three years (Acts 19:1-41). The apostle John would later include Ephesus as one of the seven cities in the Prophecy of The Seven Churches of Asia - Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. (Revelation chapters 2 and 3).

Paul did tremendous work in Ephesus, preaching and teaching The Gospel of Jesus Christ. God permitted many miracles to be done through him, including the healing of the sick and casting out of Demons (Acts 19:11-12). Even Sorcerers turned from their evil practices and repented upon witnessing the power of God (Acts 19:17-20).

As was so often the case, Paul eventually found himself in grave danger from idol worshipers (see Images and Idols), in this case that of the pagan god Artemis (also known as “Diana of the Ephesians”), and those who were in the business of supplying them (Acts 19:24-27). He exposed their fraud, and in return they nearly killed him (Acts 19:28-41).

Paul then left for Macedonia, and after traveling through the area, arrived in Greece, where he remained for three months (Acts 20:1-3). Very shortly before his departure from Ephesus, Paul wrote his First Epistle to the Corinthians (see By The Book).

While awaiting to sail for Syria, Paul discovered another plot against him, so he instead returned through Macedonia (Acts 20:3). Upon reaching Philippi, and after observing the Feast of Unleavened Bread there, he sailed across to Troas (Acts 20:6).

From Troas, Paul made his way through Assos, Mitylene, Kios, Samos and Miletus (Acts 20:13-16). It was at Miletus that the church elders from Ephesus came up to meet with him for the last time (Acts 20:17-38).

Paul then made the final stage of the voyage, by way of Cos, Rhodes, Patara, Cyprus, and then over to Syria where he landed at Tyre. From there he made his way through Ptolemais, Caesarea, and finally up to Jerusalem.

Fact Finder: What was the name of the young man who Paul (by The Holy Spirit) raised from the dead after he fell from a third-floor window in Troas while listening to one of Paul’s sermons?

What’s wrong  with my hair!!And i’m shy to show it off!!godness

i miss my tumbly.. thumbs- up!!!

i love the feeling that somebody adores me for what I am and amazed of being how naughty i am but then, feel so sorry for those whom I can’t be with the whole true me, for those (just) seeing the untold( pretensions)  part of my personality.

I hate those friends that were so much into trouble on how to be with me when I’m not in my own doldrums!

  sometimes, they’re just only existing but emptied from within..