Acts 14 Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, 6 they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.
8 Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, 10 said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking.11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” 18 Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.
19 But Jews came from (Pisidian) Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to
Derbe. 21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. 23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
24 Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25 And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, 26 and from there they sailed to
Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. 27 And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they remained no little time with the disciples.
Introduction
Acts 14 opens half-way through the first trip Paul and Barnabas and John Mark took in order to bring the knowledge of Christ to what is now Central Turkey.
This map will help us see where we are in the journey.
Last week we heard about how they were sent out by the church in Antioch, which is right on the border with Syria. As the crow flies, Antioch is a little more than 300 miles north of Jerusalem, on the upper corner of the Mediterranean Sea.
The first part of the trip took them by boat to Cyprus where they preached the gospel in the Jewish synagogues on that island. They had brought John Mark along, and he only went as far as Paphos with them and then, for no given reason, returned to Jerusalem. We will learn later that Paul had been unhappy with this move. When it came time for them to travel again, Paul felt strongly that bringing John Mark was not a good idea.
Last week’s teaching ended as Paul and Barnabas left Pisidian Antioch and took the relatively short trip across to Iconium (85 miles). In the second half of their journey they find:
[PP Slides]
Factions at Iconium
Fantasies at Lysrta
Faith at Derbe
Follow-up in each place
Fellowship at Antioch
1) Factions at Iconium
a) Spiritual factions rise wherever there is spiritual pluralism
i) This is the first time we hear of preaching to Jews and Greeks simultaneously. They were both present in one place (how would this play in a church today?)
ii) The synagogue at Iconium was an “open” synagogue, and had adopted the Greek model of discourse, inviting speakers to come with new ideas to help them stay cutting edge. Any learned man was welcome to come and speak to the congregation on the Sabbath (can you imagine?)
iii) The synagogue had Jews, proselytes, God-fearers, and skeptics all in one room (How would we handle this kind of pluralism at PCC today?)
b) Spiritual factions are remedied through the preaching of Jesus
i) The positive remedy to spiritual factions is the preaching of Christ. Paul’s preaching was beginning to accomplish this unity
Ephesians 2:11-16 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is calledthe circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—rememberthat you were at that time separated from Christ,alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers tothe covenants of promise,having no hope and without God in the world.But now in Christ Jesus you who once werefar off have been brought nearby the blood of Christ.Forhe himself is our peace,who has made us both one and has broken downin his flesh the dividing wall of hostilityby abolishing the law of commandments expressed inordinances, that he might create in himself onenew man in place of the two, so making peace,and mightreconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
ii) The “negative remedy” also came about as unbelieving Jews allied with Greeks against “the brothers” rather than against “the Lord”
c) Spiritual factions can seemingly block even forceful preaching
i) Healings and miracles attended this preaching (balanced: witness to the word of his grace)
ii) Even so, the divisions in Iconium were so great Paul and Barnabas fled rather than continue to try to overcome the competing voices
d) Questions:
i) Is God not sovereign?
ii) Was the preaching mission at Iconium a failure?
iii) Did the word not go forth for God’s purpose? (Isaiah 55:10-11)
iv) How would you build a church in such an environment? At this point, Paul and Barnabas simply leave and do nothing.
2) Fantasies at Lystra
a) The fact of a healing provoked…
i) The fantasy of Greek Mythology
ii) Zeus was capricious, sometimes bringing good, sometimes evil and
iii) Hermes was the messenger of the gods, who moved freely between the realm of the gods and the human realm.
b) To combat this, Paul & Barnabas Focus on the truth
i) Spiritual truth in the witness of nature
ii) God causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust
Mat. 5:43-45 Jesus said, “Love your enemies andpray for those who persecute you,so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, andsends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Isaiah 55:10-11 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, butit shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
c) Forceful preaching often provokes a forceful response
i) Some people will dig in their heals when their fantasies are challenged
ii) The factionalists at Iconium wanted to stone Paul. The mythologists at Lystra succeeded in stoning Paul.
3) Faith at Derbe
a) Finally! A quite orderly model of preaching and church planting
b) This is so simple. We make it so complex.
i) Preach the gospel
ii) Make disciples
4) Follow-up (back to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch) in two kinds:
a) Individual
i) Strengthen souls – getting as much of Jesus in each as possible
ii) Encourage to continue in the faith
iii) Warn
(1) through tribulation we enter the kingdom
(2) NOT “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life”
Colossians 1:27-29 God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles arethe riches of the glory ofthis mystery, which is Christ in you,the hope of glory.Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, thatwe may present everyonemature in Christ.For thisI toil,strugglingwith all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
b) Corporate
i) Appoint Elders in each church
ii) Commend them to the Lord
(1) With prayer
(2) With fasting
5) Fellowship at Antioch (the work fulfilled)
a) The church gathered together
b) The church shared stories together
c) The church remained together
Conclusion
This is the work of ministry. The only difference between the trip Paul and Barnabas took and the journey we are on here at PCC is that we have yet to send a team on extended mission. But this is the work. Amid all the people needs, human situations, financial questions, and physical plant maintenance, this is what Chris and I and the other leaders are doing. In a local church, we are always working through these same things, sometimes all at the same time:
Combat factions with the preaching of Christ
Counter fantasies with the truth of Christ
Consolidate faith, preaching Christ and making disciples
Coordinate by empowering leaders
Celebrate the work fulfilled