Pauls First Missionary Journey Part II Acts 14

Paul’s First Missionary Journey: Part II Acts 14

The First Missionary Journey Acts 14 14: 1 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.

The First Missionary Journey Acts 14 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders. "Brothers, listen! In this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is freed from all guilt and declared right with God—something the Jewish law could never do!” Acts 13: 38 -39 (NLT)

The First Missionary Journey Acts 14 4 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5 There was a plot afoot among the Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6 But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7 where they continued to preach the good news.

The First Missionary Journey Acts 14 8 In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

The First Missionary Journey Acts 14 11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

The First Missionary Journey Acts 14 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 “Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.

The First Missionary Journey Acts 14 16 Through history, he let all nations go their own way. The human condition: • Too many victims… • Cold-hearted… • Pointless… “No one has real understanding; no one is seeking God. All have turned away from God; all have gone wrong. ” Romans 3: 11 -12 (NLT)

The First Missionary Journey Acts 14 Objective General Revelation: 16 For Through history, heoflet nations Rom. 1: 20 since the creation theall world His go invisible attributes, Hisway. eternal power and divine nature, their own have been clearly seen, being understood through what 17 Yet he has not left himself without has been made, so that they are without excuse. The presence of design implies testimony: He has shown kindness bythe presence of aheaven designer …crops in giving you rain from and • Intellect their seasons… • Will • Forethought • Power • Personality • Infinitude

The First Missionary Journey Intuitive General Revelation: Acts 14 that which is known about God Through let allit nations go is evident 16 within them; history, for Godhe made their own way. evident. Without to them. God, our deepest needs remain unfulfilled: he has not left himself without • 17 No. Yet Significance (and freedom of choice ) testimony: He hasnow shown kindness by • No Meaning (beyond ) • No Morality are arbitrary? ) giving you (ethics rain from heaven and crops in • No Love (beyond propagating the species) their seasons… • Death is an unresolved terror (not normal!) he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy. ” Rom. 1: 19

The First Missionary Journey Acts 14 19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

The Fiber of Paul’s Endurance I have o Six traveled cities, many only one weary without miles. persecution! I have faced from flooded rivers and from I have I danger have worked harder, been inrobbers. jailrejection, more o Homecoming: faced withput division, faced danger from own people, Jews, as well slander and ferocious opposition. often, been whipped times without number, and Then, besides all my this, I have thethe daily burden of as from the Gentiles. I rd have faced danger injourneys the cities, nd, 3 th missionary o Launched 2 and 4 faced death again are andgetting again. along. Five different how the churches Who is in the deserts, and on the stormy seas. And I have with. Jews more stress, hardship and suffering… times the gave me thirty-nine lashes. weak without my feeling that weakness? Whobut is faced danger from men who claim to be Christians Three timesand I was with rods. Once I was led I dobeaten not burn with anger? areastray, not. stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I have lived with 11: 28 -29 weariness and pain and sleepless 2 I Corinthians (NLT) nights. a. Often I have thirsty and have spent whole nightbeen andhungry a dayand adrift at sea. gone without food. Often I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

The Fiber of Paul’s Endurance o Six cities, only one without persecution! o Homecoming: faced with division, rejection, slander and ferocious opposition. o Launched 2 nd, 3 rd and 4 th missionary journeys with more stress, hardship and suffering… o Battled with heartbreaking failure… “The time of my death is near. Please come as soon as you can. Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life… Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me… Alexander the coppersmith has done me much harm…The first time I was brought before the judge, no one was with me. Everyone had abandoned me. ” me. 2 Timothy 4: 911 (NLT)

The Fiber of Paul’s Endurance o Six cities, only one without persecution! o Homecoming: faced with division, rejection, slander and ferocious opposition. o Launched 2 nd, 3 rd and 4 th missionary journeys with more stress, hardship and suffering… o Battled with heartbreaking failure… o Always emerging victorious… I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful! …the Lord stood with me and gave me strength, that I might preach the Good News in all its fullness for all the Gentiles to hear…Yes, and the Lord will deliver me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly Kingdom. To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 2 Tim. 4: 7

The Fiber of Paul’s Endurance: not just for Missionaries! It applies to Americans too! o “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God!” o We should never be surprised! o Why are we exempt? 21 They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God, ” they said.

Suffering? What! Me!? WHY BOTHER!!! Suffer for this: Or this: 1. Freedom of Choice. The human condition: 2. Meaningful lives. • Too many victims… 3. Longing for Justice… • Cold-hearted… 4. Love Relationships • Pointless… 5. Eternal significance…

The Fiber of Paul’s Endurance: not just for Missionaries! What does it mean? 1. Volunteer to enter Christ’s suffering! n “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. ” 1 Corinthians 11: 1 “Since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose…” 1 Peter 4: 1

The Fiber of Paul’s Endurance: not just for Missionaries! What does it mean? 1. Volunteer to enter Christ’s suffering! 2. Surrender your controversy with God! “Since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves “Since wethe have so great a cloud of also with same purpose…so as witnesses to live the rest of surrounding us, flesh let us lay for aside the time in the noalso longer theevery lusts of men, but encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, for the will of God. and runalready with endurance the racefor that is to sethave before “For let theus time past is sufficient you us…” carried. Heb. 12: 1 out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality…” 1 Pet. 4: 1 -2

The Fiber of Paul’s Endurance: not just for Missionaries! What does it mean? 1. Volunteer to enter Christ’s suffering! 2. Surrender your controversy with God! 3. Adopt a Vertical Perspective! 1. Let Jesus Christ lead you into real joy! 2. Don’t let crazy people control you! 3. Don’t let circumstances control you! For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men Fixing ourto eyes onbecause Jesus…who forbecome the for joyaus set For momentary, light afflictionwe is have producing an before eternal condemned death; spectacle to weight the “Let us run with endurance the race that is of glory farare beyond all comparison, while we look not at the Him endured the for cross, despising theare shame, and hasthings sat world…We fools Christ's sake…we reviled, we bless; which are seen, buthand atfixing the things which are not seen; for the things setwebefore us, our eyes on Jesus, the when persecuted, we endure; when are slandered, we try down atare the right of the throne ofwe God. Heb. 12: 2 are seen are temporal, but thescum thingsofwhich are not seen are towhich conciliate; we have become as the world, the dregs author and perfecter of faith…” Heb. 12: 1 beternal. of all things, even until now. ” 1 Cor. 4: 8 -13 2 Cor. 4: 17 ff 2 a

The Fiber of Paul’s Endurance: not just for Missionaries! What does it mean? 1. 2. 3. 4. Volunteer to enter Christ’s suffering! Surrender your controversy with God! Adopt a Vertical Perspective! Let God Change you! 1. 2. Stop whining! Quit running and HOLD STILL! No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it is Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of outerliving manfor is decaying, yet trained our inner manway. is being right those who are in this So take day. 2 Cor. 4: 17 arenewed new grip day with by your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs. Hebrews 12: 11 -12 (NLT)

The Fiber of Paul’s Endurance: not just for Missionaries! What does it mean? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Volunteer to enter Christ’s suffering! Surrender your controversy with God! Adopt a Vertical Perspective! Let God Change you! Build a Future! For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison… 2 Cor. 4: 17 ff

Comments? Questions?

The First Missionary Journey Acts 14 Jesus Christ died to “fill our hearts with joy”: 16 Through history, he let all nations go 1. To discover your significance in God’s Kingdom. their own way. 2. To build meaningful lives as God designed. 17 for Yet. Justice, he has not left himself without 3. Longing testimony: He has shown kindness by revulsion of earth’s hideous evil. giving you rain from heaven and crops in 4. Hunger to be Loved, and the joy of loving another person. their seasons… he provides you with ofsignificance food and & 5. “Eternity in their hearts” forplenty lasting fills your hearts with joy. ” relationships