Sergius Paulus and Elymas part 1

Sergius Paulus and Elymas part 1 by ric gustafson.


My name is John Mark and I am on a boat along with my brothers in Christ, Paul and Barnabas. We had just left the city of Seleucia, which is a port city of Antioch of Syria. I came to Antioch from Jerusalem with Paul and Barnabas to visit the Antioch church. When we arrived, we noticed members of the church fasting and praising the Lord. The local church was praying for guidance as they considered an overseas mission beyond the confines of Antioch. All of us prayed and felt that the Holy Spirit gave us the answer.
The three of us decided to go and preach to the Gentiles whereever we could reach them. The first decision was where to go and how to get there. Barnabas suggested the island of Cyprus which was his native land. We all agreed to that and made plans to acquire a boat, stock up on provisions and sail from Seleucia which is about sixteen miles west of Antioch.
As we traveled, Barnabas told us a little bit about Cyprus. The island is about 140 miles in length and 60 miles wide. Barnabas said that the island was administered by a Roman proconsul by the name of Sergius Paulus. He also said that some christian communities had sprung up on the island and that they could serve as bases of operation.
When we arrived at Cyprus, Barnabas suggested we go to Salamis, which is in the eastern part of the island. We had a warm welcome there and the people were receptive to our message. Next, Barnabas suggested Paphos which was the provincial capital and the home of the proconsul.





Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.