- Today’s reflections from Acts chapter 14, address the rest of Paul and Barnabas’ first missionary journey and the message they gave to encourage the newly planted churches.
- Acts 14 essentially has 4 main movements: (1) Paul and Barnabas at Iconium (14:1-7); (2) Paul and Barnabas at Lystra (14:8-18); (3) Paul is stoned and the church established (14:19-23); and (4) Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch finishing their first missionary journey (14:24-28).
- Today’s episode will survey the rest of Paul and Barnabas’ experiences on their first missionary journey and focus on how they worked to establish the church.
Part 1: The 2nd half of the 1st Missionary Journey
- After the Jews had stirred up persecution against them, Paul and Barnabas left Pisidian Antioch and came to Iconium. Here — as was their pattern — they entered the synagogue and proclaimed the Gospel! “A great number of both Jews and Greeks believed” (14:1).
- We see something amazing – rather than the people being divided along the Jew / Gentile line, their camps have been redrawn, now the dividing line is whether they believe the Gospel or not.
- “The unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers… the people of the city were divided” (14:2, 4). In fact, “an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat [Paul and Barnabas] and to stone them” (14:5) — but when they learned of it, they fled down the road to the district of Lycaonia, specifically the cities of Lystra and Derbe.
- And what did they do there? Did they lay low for a while? NO! They continued to preach the gospel. But something new will happen to them in Lystra — after healing a man who was crippled from birth, the crowds thought that Paul and Barnabas were gods who had come down to visit them – they called Barnabas, Zeus and Paul, Hermes!
- The priest of Zeus sought to offer sacrifice to them! But once “Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are do doing these things? We are also 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” (14:14-15)
- Contrast their reaction with Herod’s reaction in Acts 12 (see link for that episode).
- They continue to proclaim the gospel to the crowds, but even with their words, they were scarcely restrained from offering sacrifices to them
- While still ministering the Word in Lystra, some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and persuaded the crowds, and they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing he was dead (14:19).
- Friends, don’t rush by those words, the people took stones and hurled them at Paul — he was so pummeled and beaten by the stoning that the people saw no obvious signs of life… then they take his seemingly lifeless body, and drag it over the rough roads – causing further trauma – and dump him outside the city.
- But the disciples gathered around him and Paul got up… WOW! He is alive! And what did he do next? He went back into the city! Then the next day he and Barnabas went on to Derbe and preached the gospel there and made many disciples.
- The priest of Zeus sought to offer sacrifice to them! But once “Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are do doing these things? We are also 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” (14:14-15)
- The rest of the chapter chronicles their journey back. Instead of traveling straight back to Syrian Antioch, they passed back through Lystra, Iconium and Pisidian Antioch. Geographically, it would have been easier to go directly back to Syrian Antioch — but they took the long way home. Why would they travel back through the places where they faced persecution? That leads us to Part 2.
Part 2: Establishing the Church
- I cannot imagine what Paul would have looked like — bloodied, possibly broken bones, covered in bruises, perhaps black eyes, and probably limping as he went. But they traveled back to the city that stoned him and one that wanted to stone them, and to the city that had sent Jews to stir up crowds to persecute them.
- I would like to take careful note of two key verses, 22-23:
- “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. 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”
- In these verses, we see two aspects essential to establishing the church: (1) fortifying believers, and (2) ensuring they have good leadership.
- We see something very similar to what we saw in Acts 11:23 – “to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose.”
- Note the terms used – strengthening their souls — we might say fortifying the believers, similar to what we read in Ephesians 6:13 – “take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”
- The picture is not “you will have a healthy wealthy life right now” — quite the opposite, the picture is one of an embattled unit that is getting their trenches and fox holes ready for the coming battle. And Paul’s words are meant to encourage and strengthen them for the fight!
- This is further established by the phrase, “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” This word “tribulations” is a generic word that can mean afflictions, sufferings, troubles, persecutions, burdens, etc.
- Dear friend – the picture of following Jesus painted by the Bible is not one of ease and comfort (although we can praise God for when we have these). The picture which the Bible paints is one of difficulty. If we would remain faithful to the Lord, it will be through tribulations.
- Those tribulations could be anything from fighting the fallen flesh, wrestling through mental or emotional struggles, enduring the effects of this sin soaked world, natural disasters, persecution by the world, rejection in relationships, etc.
- The question is not if you will face tribulation, but how you will respond to it. And every day, and in every way that you face tribulation, you can be reminded of these words — “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” — remain faithful!
- So, Paul sought to encourage the church. But how could that be sustained?
- Dear friend – the picture of following Jesus painted by the Bible is not one of ease and comfort (although we can praise God for when we have these). The picture which the Bible paints is one of difficulty. If we would remain faithful to the Lord, it will be through tribulations.
- We see that they also appointed elders for every church.
- The language here suggests that each church had a plurality of elders — a group of faithful men to lead the church. These men would be charged with the oversight and shepherding of these new converts. This was an established practice of the church from very early on — we see elders mentioned as early as Acts 11:30; Paul’s charge to both Titus and Timothy (his protégés) was to establish elders for the churches (see 1 Timothy 1; Titus 1); Peter also will address the elders of the church (1 Peter 5).
- We see in all of these things that the goal of Christianity is not merely to ascent, or agree, intellectually to a list of statements regarding who Jesus is. This is an important part of our faith — but the goal is a wholly transformed life, living in a new community of the redeemed, and being active agents in establishing the kingdom of God on earth.
- Paul’s desire was that these new believers would be shepherded as they face the challenges that this world would soon throw at them!
- We see something very similar to what we saw in Acts 11:23 – “to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose.”
Conclusion & Application:
- So, as we conclude our episode today and Acts 14, we see Paul and Barnabas arriving back in Syrian Antioch, the place from which they had been sent out. Once they are there, they “gathered the church together, and they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles” (14:27).
- Friend, as we consider this chapter today, I want to focus on two keys points of application:
- First, how are you being strengthened and how can you seek to be further strengthened in your faith? How are you being fortified in your faith to withstand the pressures of this world, the temptations of the evil one, and the weaknesses of your flesh?!
- One way you can do that is to be regularly in His Word — which I hope these videos have been a part of that process.
- Another way you can do that is the second application point…
- Second, get involved with a group of people who are faithfully centered on the Scriptures and a church that encourages you to remain faithful in the midst of tribulations. An important aspect of being in a church is being led by faithful elders.
- And I will mention here a good piece of advice I was given a while back — don’t go to the church closest to your house, but the one closest to the Bible.
- First, how are you being strengthened and how can you seek to be further strengthened in your faith? How are you being fortified in your faith to withstand the pressures of this world, the temptations of the evil one, and the weaknesses of your flesh?!
- So, how are you currently do these things? What kind of things have been helpful in your Christian walk? Let me know in the comments below — feel free to ask or mention anything!
“ESV Study Bible” (https://amzn.to/3azWAlJ)
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