Seleucia Pieria

This mountain is about five thousand feet in height, rising directly from the sea, and so is a conspicuous object from every direction, and gives an extensive view from its summit.

We could tarry but one day, and descended to the old site of Seleucia at the mouth of the Orontes, and saw some remnants of the old harbour from which Paul set sail more than once.

The Orontes is quite wide and deep near its mouth, and we crossed it on such a wire ferry as I have seen many years before on the Connecticut River in Massachusetts.

The gardens of Swadia were most refreshing with their green verdure, cool shade and rich fruit, after a long day's ride in the heat.

So after fasting and prayer and the laying on of hands, they let them go.

They therefore, being thus sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus.

Having reached Salamis, they began to announce God's message in the synagogues of the Jews, and they had John as their assistant.

When they had gone through the whole length of the island as far as Paphos, they there met with a Jewish magician and false prophet, Bar Jesus by name, who was a friend of the proconsul Sergius Paulus.

Acts chapter 13 verse 4 to 12.

So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, They went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogue of the Jews.

They also had John as their assistant here in Salamis.

While they were worshiping and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.

So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

If you count every branch of the Christian church today, every imaginable branch of the Christian church, there are about 400,000 foreign missionaries in the world.

In 10 years, hundreds of you, I believe, are going to be among that number.

I'm gonna read you from Acts 13:4-5, where we read this.

"So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews.

They also had John as their assistant." Acts chapter 13 is a special chapter.

The Christians of the church at Antioch sent Barnabas and Saul, but more importantly, the Holy Spirit sent them.

Any group of Christians can send someone, but if the Holy Spirit doesn't send them, it won't amount to eternally effective ministry.

Their first stop was Seleucia, near Antioch.

We aren't told of any specific work that took place there.

Well, there it is.

departed to Seleucia, and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

And so, the Holy Ghost is the one that sends laborers into the harvest.

Not the church.

Then after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews, and they had John to assist them.

When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.

It is impossible to travel in North Syria without acquiring a keen interest in the Seleucid kings, backed by a profound respect for their achievements in politics and in the arts.

I was determined, therefore, to visit, before I pushed north, the site of Seleucia Pieria, the port of Antioch and the burial-place of Seleucus Nicator.

Inland capital and seaport sprang into being at the same moment, and were both part of one great conception that turned the lower reaches of the Orontes into a rich and populous market.

In those days kings could create world-famous cities with a wave of the scepter, and the Seleucids were not backward in following the example Alexander had set them.

Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them, and sent them off.

So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

When they arrived at Salamis they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews, and they had John also to assist them.

When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they met a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.