Acts 14

• Paul’s missionary journey
  • Ministry at Iconium (Acts 14:1-7)
    • The pattern of ministry continues (Acts 14: 1&2)
      • To the Jews first (Acts 14:1)
      • The predictable outcome (Acts 14:2)
        • Jesus said, “if they hated me, they will hate you.”
      • Effective ministry (Acts 14:3)
        • The power of the Gospel is not the messenger, but the message
      • A conspiracy (Acts 14:4-5)
      • Safety provided (Acts 14:6-7)
        • Observe how God, through the Holy Spirit, orchestrated the advance of the spread of the Gospel
  • On to Lystra and Derbe (Acts 14:7-20)
    • See the consistencies of missionary work (Acts 14:7)
      • They had one purpose and resistance would not deter them
    • The lame man healed (Acts 14:8-10)
      • What does this show us to be the key to having God’s work manifested in our lives?
    • The crowd’s response (Acts 14:11-13)
      • The Roman poet, Ovid, told of an ancient legend in which Zeus and Hermes came to the Phrygian hill country disguised as mortals seeking lodging. After being turned away from thousands of homes, they found refuge in a humble cottage of an elderly couple. In appreciation, they turned the humble cottage into a temple with a golden roof. All the houses of the inhospitable people were destroyed. This legend may have been the reason the people treated Paul and Barnabus as they did.
    • Correcting the record (Acts 14:14-18)
      • Tearing of the robes is a Jewish expression of distress and grief which shows us how Paul and Barnabus felt about the crowd’s response
      • They held to their message (Acts 14:15-17)
        • These Gentiles were not versed in the Scriptures as the Jews would be, so Paul brought truths to them that are self-evident to everyone
        • General revelation is so-called because it comes to everyone, just through their being alive in God’s world. God has revealed Himself this way from the start of human history. He actively discloses these aspects of Himself to everyone, so that failure to thank and serve the Creator is always a sin against knowledge. In the end, no denial of having received this knowledge will be admitted. Paul uses God’s universal revelation of His power and goodness as the basis for his indictment of the whole human race as sinful and guilty before God for our failure to serve Him as we should. Romans 1:18-3:19 *source unknown
    • The stoning (Acts 14:19-21a)
      • This is the first time we know of physical harm coming to Paul, but it would not be the last
  • Strengthening the Christians (Acts 14:21b-28)
    • From Derbe, they retrace their travels
      • Their purpose (Acts 14:22a)
      • Their message (Acts 14:22b)
      • Organizing for ministry (Acts 14:23)
        • Appointing leaders was an important part of continuing the ministry in these cities
  • Return to home base (Acts 14:24-28)

Things to note:

• We do not enter the kingdom of God through hardships. There will be hardships, but faith gives us salvation
• There is great power in the message of the Gospel
• The Gospel received changes lives
• There is always resistance to the Gospel
• The power of the Gospel is always greater than all of the forces that oppose it