24 And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. 25 Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed. 27 Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 So they stayed there a long time with the disciples.
14:24
And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.
Paul and Barnabas left Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch for Pamphylia.
14:25
Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia [Antalya today].
From Pamphylia, the apostles went to Perga and to the seaport of Attalia on the Mediterranean Sea. Perga was the chief city of Pamphylia. The first time they passed through Perga the team did not preach there (Acts 13:13). This time, they took the opportunity to minister there.
14:26
From there [Attalia in Pamphylia] they sailed to Antioch,
From Attalia, they sailed to Antioch of Syria, their home base.
where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.
The church at Antioch of Syria is where they first commissioned the apostles for their first mission enterprise (Acts 13:1-3). The Antioch church handed Paul and Barnabas over to the grace of God—that is, to God’s protective care. God did just that by bringing the team back to their home base.
14:27
Now when they had come and gathered the church together,
Upon their return from their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas called for a church meeting to report on the results of their ministry.
they reported all that God had done with them,
It was clear on their journey that God opened the door to reach Gentiles for Christ.
and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
It was God who was the ultimate Cause for Gentiles coming to faith in Christ.
14:28
So they stayed there a long time with the disciples.
Paul and Barnabas spent an extended time with the church at Antioch of Syria, their home base.
PRINCIPLE:
Christian leaders need to keep the primary thing first in ministry.
APPLICATION:
The first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas took upwards of two years. They traveled about 1,400 miles by sea and land. But with all their travels and ministry, they gave credit to the Lord for what He had done through it all. Many today would have bragged about how they did so much for the Lord. Not Paul and Barnabas; they gave all the glory to God. The primary purpose of any ministry is to give God credit for what He has done.
