8-12-18 Sermon Notes
“Beaten – But Not Broken”
Acts 14:1-28
This is week eleven of our thirteen week series, “All In – The Early Church” from the book of Acts. The goal of the series is to inform us of the principles of the early church and to apply them to today’s church.
Introduction
Last week we traveled with Paul and Barnabas to another Antioch. This time, it was Antioch of Pisidia. There, we found Paul ‘preaching’ in the local synagogue and the responses of the people.
Read Acts 14:1-28
Growth and Persecution in Iconium
14 “The same thing happened in Iconium; they entered the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against the brothers. 3 So they stayed there for some time and spoke boldly in reliance on the Lord, who testified to the message of His grace by granting that signs and wonders be performed through them. 4 But the people of the city were divided, some siding with the Jews and some with the apostles.5 When an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to assault and stone them, 6 they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian towns called Lystra and Derbe, and to the surrounding countryside. 7 And there they kept evangelizing.
Mistaken for Gods in Lystra
8 In Lystra a man without strength in his feet, lame from birth, and who had never walked, sat 9 and heard Paul speaking. After observing him closely and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 Paul said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet!” And he jumped up and started to walk around.
11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the form of men!” 12 And they started to call Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the main speaker. 13 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the town, brought oxen and garlands to the gates. He, with the crowds, intended to offer sacrifice.
14 The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their robes when they heard this and rushed into the crowd, shouting: 15 “Men! Why are you doing these things? We are men also, with the same nature as you, and we are proclaiming good news to you, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. 16 In past generations He allowed all the nations to go their own way, 17 although He did not leave Himself without a witness, since He did what is good by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons and satisfying your hearts with food and happiness.” 18 Even though they said these things, they barely stopped the crowds from sacrificing to them.
19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and when they had won over the crowds and stoned Paul, they dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. 20 After the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
Church Planting
21 After they had evangelized that town and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, “It is necessary to pass through many troubles on our way into the kingdom of God.”
23 When they had appointed elders in every church and prayed with fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. 24 Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25 After they spoke the message in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed back to Antioch where they had been entrusted to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27 After they arrived and gathered the church together, they reported everything God had done with them and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they spent a considerable time with the disciples.”
Message
The message breaks into three parts.
Part 1 – Growth and Persecution in Iconium
Part 2 – Mistaken for Gods in Lystra
Part 3 – Church Planting
Part 1 – First, Iconium was about 100 miles from Antioch of Pisidia. Notice that the same thing happens there as happened in Antioch (great many believed, but there was strong opposition from the Jewish leaders. Again, Paul and Barnabas met this opposition head-on with boldness. Perhaps there is a message for us in that we should be bold when the Gospel is opposed and not to retreat in the ‘fear’ of being less popular or ‘politically correct.’
So, they spend considerable time there and did miraculous signs and wonders
Even with the signs and wonders, people picked sides – some with the Jews and others with Paul and Barnabas. We certainly see people picking sides in the political arena. One can only wonder when sides will be taken in the spiritual arena. Perhaps it is already happening.
Paul and Barnabas get wind of the plot to stone them (in effect – kill them). As a result, they fled and went to Lystra and Derbe and continued to preach the good news.
Part 2 – Go back and read verses 8-19 again.
In Ovid, Metamorphoses 8.626ff there is a legend that Zeus and Hermes had visited the towns and villages of the region in human form, but did not receive any hospitality. When they came to the home of the poor and elderly Baucis and Philemon they were invited in, the couple gave them the last of their food and the best comfort they could. As Baucis prepared the meal, there was plenty of food and the wine kept “welling up of itself.” The couple became greatly afraid because of the miracle, so the gods revealed themselves and told them that they were the only people to welcome them; they would be blessed while the whole region was destroyed. The couple asked only to be priests in the temple of Zeus and that they die at the same time so that neither had to see the tomb of the other.
This may explain why the people wanted to worship Paul and Barnabas because they wanted to be ‘blessed.’
Contrast how Paul and Barnabas reacted to being referred to as gods to how King Herod (the one with the worms) reacted when he was referred to as a god. Hmmm…
Once again, the opposition peaks when in verse 19, we find that Paul is actually stoned and left for dead (dragged him outside the city after stoning him). Check out verse 20 – “After the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.” He went back into town – that must have caused a stir! Imagine a dead man walking on his own going back to the place of the attempt on his life!
Part 3 – Off to Derbe. Once again, a large number of disciples came about. Then Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and then on to Antioch. When we look at the map, we cannot help but notice that all they had to do was keep on going east and they would have arrived at the Antioch of Syria. In fact, they were not far from Paul’s hometown, Tarsus. Instead, they made a u-turn and went back “strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith…”
We can gather from this u-turn that there are no short cuts in church planting.
Concluding Thoughts and Application
As Paul and Barnabas continued on their mission tour they encountered varied responses from many who believed, others who threatened them, and even those who mistook them for gods themselves.
We should expect varied responses and perhaps even persecution with who we share the Gospel message. We must not be deterred or discouraged by those responses, but witness faithfully entrusting all the results to the Lord.
Ministry can be hard, but when we’re faithful, it can be fruitful.