Acts chapter number 14 we'll get right into it here it says in verse 1 it came
to pass an iconium that they were both together of course Paul and Barnabas is
those that the the boat that we're talking about they're into the synagogue
of the Jews and so spank that a great multitude both of the Jews also the
Greeks believed so if you remember chapter 13 Paul and Barnabas have been
separated and sent out by the church and they're coming in to from Antioch and
they're coming into these different places last week they were chased out
and now they're coming into iconium and this week it's kind of a repeat it's
kind of a repeating of the same thing that we saw in chapter number 13 it's
almost the exact same thing is playing out again where they're going and
they're preaching of the Jews and then they're being rejected this time there's
a little bit more severe persecution here but what we see with Paul and
really at this point in the book it's gonna be all about Paul really the whole
book just be you know it's the acts of the Apostles but really a latter half of
it becomes the acts of Paul and basically what we see here is that Paul
is gonna end up going through a great deal of tribulation through the rest of
the book you know Paul is somebody who suffered greatly for the Lord and you
know this chapter in particular kind of really kicks that off obviously he's
already gone through some things but this is a particularly rough chapter for
Paul so to speak it says there in verse 2 but the unbelieving Jews stirred up
the Gentiles and made their minds evil affected against the brethren long time
therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord which gave testimony of the
word of his grace and granted and granted signs and wonders to be done by
their hands so again he's going into the synagogue of the Jews you know and it's
kind of ironic because last week they said hey we're going to Gentiles right
they reject they went to the same synagogue and they were rejected I say
you know what we're gonna go to the go to the Gentiles and now here they are in
the synagogue again and some people might kind of say well you know it's
just you know Paul's having a hard time just kind of breaking off and just going
to the Gentiles but the thing is if you remember last week there was Grecians
in among in that same synagogue so it makes sense to keep going back to the
synagogue simply because of the fact that it's not just Jews that are there
you know people will get saved in these places it's not just he's hung up on
only preaching to the Jews he's he's saying it repeatedly right we're going
to the Gentiles or you know God has granted repentance on the Gentiles like
it's at this point in the story they know the Gentiles are to receive the
gospel okay so the reason why he's going back in here isn't just because he's got
some soft spot for the Jews it's because the Grecians are there right because
again verse 1 they went into the synagogue of the Jews and so spake that
a great multitude both of Jews and also of Greek believed so it tells us right
there that in the synagogue of the Jews there were also Greeks okay so that's
why he's going in there obviously Jews are getting saved too but there's also a
great deal of Greeks but notice you know it's the again the same things playing
out since last week in verse 2 but the unbelieving Jews right that's a great
phrase you will see throughout the book of Acts but the Jews right they are
always trying to corrupt God's work always working against it and quite
frankly not a lot has changed you know those that would claim to be Jews today
they hate God they hate the Bible they hate Christianity they work against the
Word of God they work against the work of God that's a fact okay and I'm not
going to sugarcoat that it says there in verse 2 but the unbelieving Jews
stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds evil affected against the
brethren long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord which gave
testimony unto the word of his grace and grinded signs and wonders to be done by
their hands so God is obviously blessing this greatly by allowing these signs and
wonders to be done by their hands but notice what they're doing on their part
you know God is showing up and working right God is there helping them with
the miracles doing these great wonders but they're the ones that are abiding a
long time they're the ones that are speaking boldly right God is honoring I
believe their boldness God is honoring their endurance God is honoring the fact
that despite the persecution they're going to continue to preach the Word of
God they're going to continue to speak boldly even in the face of opposition
they're going to continue to preach the gospel and as a result God is going to
bless that okay that's a great lesson you know often we want God to move we
want God to work we want God to do things and God will do things and God
will work and God will move on our behalf but we have to move on God's
behalf first you know we have to be people that are willing to endure
willing to go through the persecutions the trials the tribulations of living
the Christian life of the the things that are going to come against us in the
world the setbacks everything that we have to go through to serve God we have
to continue to endure we have to suffer what long time therefore abide we have
to do that for a long time and we have to do what speak boldly in the Lord okay
not drawback not sugarcoat the message not you know just fill the message with
a bunch of fluff and just you know try to be mr. nice all the time sometimes
you have to be bold sometimes you have to just rip face sometimes even at the
door when you're gonna get somebody saved you have to tell them hey you're
a sinner and you're lost you're on your way to hell they might not say it
exactly like that but if you don't explain to them that they're a sinner on
their way to hell how do they need to get safe from right we have to be what
people that are willing to speak boldly in the Lord we love that last half there
we love that the signs being granted the wonders to be done by their hands we
love all these things but you know what what why does God do that why does God
move why does God show up because of the fact there's people there that are doing
the work that are abiding a long time and really that's kind of the theme you
see through this chapter here and really the book of Acts is that Paul is
somebody who never stopped preaching in the face of persecution he never stopped
preaching in the face of persecution you know that's a really great attitude
that's something that we have to have in our lives that's an attitude that we
must embrace for ourselves we can't be people who are just gonna stop every
time some little bump in the road comes along otherwise you know what there
aren't gonna be great signs and wonders we're not gonna see God move you know
but if we endure if we keep preaching if we stay faithful God will show up I
believe that Paul you know is somebody that we'll see throughout the rest of
this book and especially even in this chapter somebody who in the face of
persecution continue to keep preaching and warrant that persecution would come
he told Timothy therefore we both suffer we labor and suffer approach because we
trust in the Living God who is the Savior of all men he said we labor and
suffer reproach said Timothy we labor we work we do the preaching we do the work
of an evangelist we make full proof of our ministry therefore we work we labor
and suffer reproach he's saying look if you're gonna do the work of God if
you're gonna labor if you're going to work for the Lord there's going to be
reproach involved there's gonna be people that make their minds evil
affected against you that are gonna rile people up and they're gonna try to
stop the preaching the Word of God the devil wants to stop the gospel from
going for it he wants to stop the preaching the Word of God he wants to
water down the message he wants to you know get people to just scatter and flee
from the work so if you're going to labor you're going to suffer reproach
they go hand in hand therefore we both labor and suffer reproach why because we
trust in Living God you know we trust the Living God but that's not doesn't
guarantee that you know we're gonna live a life of ease that you know the
Christian life is just going to be this primrose path all the way to glory you
know if we're gonna preach the word like we ought to if we're gonna take a stand
for the Word of God like we ought to you can expect opposition you can stay you
can expect setbacks you can expect people to not like it that's part of
that's part of the Christian life well that's part of abiding a long time
speaking boldly and seeing God show up and do work seeing God show up and
seeing signs and wonders done seeing God bless that you have to be able to labor
and suffer approach because we trust Living God who is the Savior of all men
you know why do we do what we do why do we preach the way that we preach why do
we go out and emphasize preaching the gospel why do we do that because Christ
is the Savior of all men everybody out there you know deserves a chance to hear
the gospel and get saved that's what God wants so we need to learn to never stop
preaching in the face of persecution and it will come that's what Paul said again
I'll reiterate it we labor and suffer approach because we trust Living God so
that's we see taking place here he's speaking boldly he's abiding a long time
in spite of the fact that the unbelieving Jews are stirring up the
Gentiles and making their minds evil-affected against them and that's
that's their playbook nothing's changed you know they get you know men of the
baser sort to do their dirty work right it's not the Jews themselves coming and
doing it they're stirring up the Gentiles getting them to do it for them
okay a lot can be said about that look at verse 4 but the multitude of the city
was divided and held part with the Jews and part with the Apostles so they're
preaching in the city and the Jews stir up the Gentiles them and they make their
minds evil-affected against the Apostles so you have this division there right
but what's the what's the silver lining in this is the fact that there were
people that sided with the Apostles and this is what you have to remember in the
face of persecution this is what will help you keep preaching in the face of
persecution is that there's going to be people that aren't your side you know
sometimes you go through some controversy you know our church will get
out there or some preaching from one of our friends will get out there and
there'll be this great big controversy and sometimes if you're not careful you
can kind of develop an attitude and start thinking oh everyone's against us
you know why are we doing this but the truth is is that there's people that are
getting saved as a result of that persecution there's people that are you
know there's a division certainly being made there's persecution there's
division but you know what there's people that are siding with us with our
preaching there's people that are getting saved there's people are getting
you know having the the the fire rekindled in their lives okay you know
this is something that there's this you know I wouldn't even to call it
persecution is laughable okay but there's this one particular clip that
keeps getting put out on tick-tock of Pastor Anderson you know what I'm
talking about right and it was this guy you know and people are just have it all
wrong right and it's it was on a it was a clip from like five years ago a service
like was like five years ago where a guy you know interrupted the service you
know when we're dealing with Pastor Anderson was dealing with a bunch of
oneness heretics that just got kicked thrown out of the church you know
including their deacon the deacon right kind of a big deal kind of a kind of a
pretty big deal that day when you're you know dealing with this and that's when
you know this guy's decides his first time visitor decides to stand up and
interrupt the service and come down and tries to get his prayer who saw the video
who knows what I'm talking about right well someone clipped that you know a
pastor's like what do you want and he tells the guy sit down hey we're not
this isn't an open open mic here you need to sit down gives the guy to get a
chance to like come to his senses and sit down but the guy's like tries to
walk past him in the video it's like in the video you can see him go it trying
to walk past the pastor you know and the pastor's like hey get this bozo out of
here you know and it's like amen and when I that happened I was just like
well yeah and no one batted an eye it wasn't like there was a there was
another first time visitor was there who objected and he got he left too you know
it's just like they were dropping like flies that day you know amen I mean what
world are you gonna be able to go interrupt some public service you know
but these idiots that are out there they all want to say oh well you know it's a
church it's not that you know it should be this and that it's like the Bible
says let all things be done decently in order you know that there are people who
rule in the house of God and that it's not it's not just you know anytime
anyone wants this pipe up they can just interrupt the service because I mean
what if that happened in here tonight what if some guy we didn't know just
came in off the street and they tried to come down here and just interrupt me in
the middle of preaching just so he could read a prayer that he wrote I just oh oh
by all means go ahead now now the people on the internet land might say well what
a nice preacher right I mean oh that was so loving but you know if you might
feel differently about it in the church here like I think you might probably be
thinking something like I didn't come down here on a midweek to listen to that
guy read some prayer you know I came here to hear the preaching the Word of
God right so what in what world can you just interrupt a service do that
anywhere else and see what happens go do that at a rock concert you know go rush
the stage at a rock concert you'll get tackled by guys in black shirts that
says security on it you know you'll get thrown out you'll get bounced but look
people are making a big deal you say what's it's got to do sermon here's
what's got to do that's and look this isn't really this is of course it's
laughable to suggest this is persecution especially in the light of what we're
reading tonight but it goes viral and it's just like we haven't gone viral on
social media while ever since that YouTube page got deleted pastor's
channel but this thing's making the rounds and this one clip of him kicking
that bozo out it just keeps getting re-uploaded and it's just like you can
tell because we don't have a tick-tock I don't have a tick-tock I couldn't I
don't even I can't see the video I don't but I know that's what it is people have
told us like hey look this is what it is like screenshots have been shared with
us like this is a video that's going viral I when I try to find it but I
guess you have to make a tick-tock account to see the video which I'm just
not gonna do it's just personal preference okay I want to make everybody
mad because if you got a tick-tock account whatever that's your business
you know I'm not gonna go off on that all right but I'm sure it's got you
know probably millions of views who's seen the video on tick-tock I won't out
you all right several hands so you're not alone does anyone know about how
many views that thing has no it's got to be a lot right I should check my facts
before I got up here but I know how I know it's a lot because the voicemail
has just been full I mean we might get like a half dozen voicemails in a day
you know sometimes none but then it just like this last week it's been like just
like dozens like I checked it on Monday after the weekend it was just like every
other one was you know no all of them practically except for like two we're
just like I can't I saw this video on tick-tock emails just getting swamped
even the Facebook page people are just spamming comments you know and so it's
going viral I mean but but here's the thing that's a good thing isn't it
because you know what all these people are trying to make into this big deal
and like oh it's persecution or you're so wicked or whatever they're trying to
like persecute us right but think about all the people that are seeing that clip
and I go ma'am well we know more about the who's this pastor and that guy
sounds like he's got a spine that sounds like he's got a backbone where can I
find more okay where is what sermon is that from and I don't hear that sermon
so let's say a million people hear it what if a thousand of those people get
saved think about it that's you know and I'm just using because that's kind of
like the modern equivalent of for us today you know thankfully we're not
going to be stoned to death or anything like that we're not we're on all
likelihood never gonna suffer anything near what Paul went through right but
trying to make some application here tonight you keep preaching in the face
of persecution or so-called persecution and the gen the principle I'm bringing
out is the fact that you know when you speak boldly when God works when there
are people that are opposing you and you persist anyway you have to remember that
there's people that are there's gonna be a division but there's gonna be people
on your side that weren't there before there might even people that were
against you like there's people that are tend our church that hated Pastor
Anderson that couldn't stand him that counted him an enemy that are now
faithful members here today they came around you know they get saved you know
and look there's there's several people like that there's a multitude of people
that are like that it just goes to show you that you have to just stay
persistent in the face of persecution you have to keep preaching and not back
down because of the fact you know people can get angry people can get a bad
attitude but you know what there's gonna be other people that get right with God
it's all worth it you know people end up getting persuaded when God's people are
persecuted when God's people are persecuted other people are persuaded
look at verse 5 and when there was an assault made of both of the Gentiles and
also the Jews with their rulers to use them despitefully and to stone them they
were aware of it and fled until I stood Derby the cities of Laconia and under
the region that lieth round about and they preached and there they preached
the gospel so verse 4 in the part held with the Jews they in part with the
Apostles they were persecuted people were persuaded to join the Apostles side
and then but so my point is this is that you know we have to keep preaching right
but notice here there does come a point where it's time to change locations right
you know if we do need to have the attitude of being faithful unto death if
it's deemed necessary if there's just no way out of it right but you know if
there's another place that's more receptive if you know something bad is
gonna happen that you have a chance to escape you escape right that's what they
did here the assault was made they were aware of it that they were gonna get
stoned right that they they said they were there was an assault they were
going to stone them and then it says that they were aware of it and fled unto
Lystra so they knew what was going on and their preached and preached the
preacher gospel so Paul and his crew when they find out that there's this
conspiracy being made they don't just go well I guess it's time for us to get be
martyred you know now we're just gonna be you know go down in history we're
just gonna stuff this out and just take it and take one for the team right you
know they're like oh they we've done we've done our work we've preached we
bowed here a long time it's gonna place where they actually want to kill us now
let's get out of here and go preach somewhere else right but what changed in
this story what changed with Paul is his location that's all it changed his
location is what changed sometimes you need to have a change of location when
the persecution gets heavy enough when it gets bad enough sometimes need to
locate relocate the location changes you know what doesn't change the motivation
location changes but not motivation the motivation stayed the same he said we're
gonna get out of here and just quit preaching you know that's enough for me
you know these you know everywhere we go the Jews are fighting against us the
Gentiles are getting stirred up they're using the municipalities to come against
us it just seems like everywhere we turn we preach boldly and then and we end up
getting persecuted we almost got killed this time and if someone had warned us
you know we would have been stoned to death you know what let's just get out
of here and just forget this whole thing of preaching the gospel is that what he
did no all he did is change his location but what stayed the same was his
motivation he said let's just go somewhere else and do the exact same
thing again hey let's go over this city there and make a mad too let's go cause
some division in the next town let's go over there and preach over there and
let's get some you know let's let's get the people riled up again and let's see
how many people we can get on our side because therefore we labor and suffer
reproach it goes hand in hand you keep laboring you're gonna keep on suffering
you keep laboring there's gonna keep there's gonna keep being more and more
reproach it's unavoidable comes part and parcel with preaching the gospel you
change location but not motivation look this is biblical this isn't Paul you
know cowering out okay this isn't him going soft Matthew took their excuse me
Jesus told them in Matthew chapter number 10 that if you know a paraphrasing
here because I don't want to take the time to turn us there that if they don't
receive you to dust off that you know dust off your feet and go to the next
city well you go in a city and preach and if the Son of Peace be upon them
they abide but if they won't receive you dust off your feet and go to the next
town it's biblical and all he said is if they won't hear you in Matthew 10 he
said if they won't hear you if they're not even willing to listen just move on
you know that's a great principle for soul winning right because Matthew 10
that's where he's sending out the disciples two by two I mean that's a
great principle look that's why we don't just sit there and beat our head against
the wall with people don't want to hear it we're outdoors or soul winning if we
ran into somebody just obviously doesn't want to hear it we're out of there well
next door thank you very much right because there is somebody out there who
is interested in hearing it and will listen so it's the same principle here
in Acts the thing is in Acts there were some people in Acts 13 X 14 there were
some people that were willing to hear and he got as many people as were
willing to listen he was there long enough preaching long enough where he
got everybody was gonna get on his side and then when it came time to for you
know for them to face persecution when he found out hey they're actually
planning to kill us that's when he left okay but what did he change all that
change was location motivation stayed the same he kept going out there and
kept on preaching this is the attitude we must maintain if we're going to
achieve something for God in this life okay why do you keep doing it well look
at verse 8 it says this of course they came to Lystra Durban the city of
Ziconia and there sat a man at Lystra impotent in his feet being a cripple
from his mother's womb who had never walked this guy's in a sad state very
poor you know wretched man it says he had never walked you know he's one of
these guys it's just who knows I got around dragging himself around who knows
right this is why we have to keep preaching folks because there's people
that can't come to us they can't come to us and this is something that a lot of
Baptist churches need to get through their thick heads and get over this
thing of trying to preach everybody down the aisle while they forsake
soul-winning it's a shame to God's people when they forsake soul-winning
they sit there and they just want to have a bunch of programs and they want
to just draw people in and try to preach people down an aisle it's more
popular you know and a lot of you I'm saying it because a lot of you have
never even been an old IFB Church and look I'm not saying every old IFB
Church is this way but I'm saying there is a trend among them and it's been you
know it's becoming more and more in Baptist churches the people who have the
truth who have the gospel who God who on whose behalf God would work if they
would just go out and preach boldly they're the ones that are sitting back
on their laurels while the JW's are out there knocking all the doors while the
Mormons are out there knocking all the doors while the devil's crowd is out
there doing his work God's people with the truth just want to sit back in the
comfort some building and try to preach people down an aisle well what about the
cripple what about the man has never walked what about the guy who can't take
a step in that direction what about the the person that's out there just
crippled and deformed by sin doesn't even know what church to walk in he's
gonna walk into a Catholic Church in this town good night you could throw a
rock and hit one he's gonna stumble into church look when I first started
got interested you know the first church I went to was a Catholic Church I woke
up on one Sunday morning and I thought you know I just I feel I'm feeling
spiritual went to 7-eleven got a coffee went to the Catholic Church sat down
everyone was my father is better than your father at Domino's and doing all
the whole up down and everything else I was like what are they even saying right
and I had that car that I'm watching everything going out and I'm this guy
came up and tapped me he's like you can't be drinking coffee in here I was
like oh so I left so I don't go to church can't drink coffee that's before
I was saved obviously you know I guess it was just so holy you couldn't drink
coffee in here boy if that was a rule around here a lot of you would probably
leave too who's got the Dutch Bros night yeah you know you're out there you know
I see that hand god bless you where's mine no no caffeine afternoon that's my
rule anyway you know what about the guy out there though who's crippled he
doesn't know where to go this is why we have to keep preaching even in the face
of setbacks even the face of persecution so I can't just throw in the towel give
up because there's people out there that needs it's so interesting that this is
the first guy that would when all that goes down I mean this is a big deal if
you think about the story he's I mean what if an amazing story he's going out
there and he's preaching and there's just Jews are getting upset and they're
riling up people there's a riot people are plotting murder against them I mean
it's it's kind of a big deal and he goes to the next town and it just talks about
some humble old crippled guy you know a lot of the world would look at that guy
and say he's nobody unimportant I mean kind of uneventful in the story right
just who is he you know he's somebody that did you know if Paul hadn't come
there may have never gotten saved look the unsaved are crippled by sin folks
they're crippled spiritually that's why those of us that have legs that work
that have our feet shed or execute our feet shod with the you know the gospel
of peace you know that's why we need to put our feet to work and go to where
they are their feet don't work ours are shod with the gospel our feet are
beautiful the Bible says we bring glad tidings you know we have feet that work
spiritually they don't they're crippled not us you know what you look at some
Baptist churches today you think they're the crippled ones truth is they're just
lazy we got to reach them where they are we have to have compassion making a
difference right the same it says in verse 9 heard Paul speak heard Paul
speak meaning Paul had to speak and open his mouth who steadfastly beholding him
and perceiving that he had faith to be healed said with a loud voice stand up
right on thy feet and he leaped and walked I mean what a great picture of
salvation what a great picture of preaching the gospel I mean imagine
being this guy he had never walked he was a grown man he'd spent his whole
life watching everybody else walk watch everybody else sleep watch you know as a
kid watching everybody else play watch everybody else to you know kick the ball
around or whatever I mean he wasn't just the last one picked he wasn't
picked folks and when he hears this man he stands upright on his feet and he's
like wow what would your reaction be and he leaped and walked now I'm not going
to demonstrate because I might go right through this floor I'm pretty sure it's
only three-quarter inch which should be thick enough you think but you know I
think you know anyway before I self-deprecate too much right but this
guy he leaped and he and he's jumping for joy he's a static this is why we
have to keep preaching boldly this is why we have to keep doing what we're
doing you know what I have a feeling too that you know Paul probably got a little
excited when he saw this Paul wasn't just like me another day in the office
well just you know well you know just another Tuesday he looked crippled it's
like that everywhere I go now you can start to see why Paul was able to just
put up with everything he put up with why he was able to labor and suffer
approach because when he abode long and he preached boldly God worked and look
I'm not saying we're gonna go out there in all these hospitals and just start
healing people obviously these are gifts that were given to the Apostles we
understand that and God obviously is still capable of doing that and God will
still do miracles I do believe that you know but we're not Pentecostals here
I'm not gonna take my coat off tonight and start slaying you guys in the spirit
I'm not Benny Hinn and if I was you know if I had that power you know where I
would be I wouldn't be here I'd be in a hospital it's kind of funny how these
healers are you know the only place they can do it is after you paid admission or
whatever what was I saying you know this is why we got to keep doing what we're
doing because there's people that will get say this is why Paul was able to
continue it to endure the persecution and look isn't it those of you that go
soul-winning know what I'm getting at here because there's plenty of times
itself included where I've been man I don't want to go that soul-winning time
rolls around you're just like man it's a hundred and whatever I mean after it's a
hundred does it really matter once it's a triple digit number doesn't really
matter well it's only 105 like oh yeah let me get my sweater you know where's
let's put the cocoa on someone start a fire it's only 105 and you don't want to
go and you know you're gonna get out there and you'd be sweaty and
uncomfortable and hot and you know what maybe it's gonna be one of those times
where no one gets saved and no one wants to hear it but you know what there just
might be a time it might be that day that you know anyway it might be you run
across some spiritual cripple who's just waiting to hear it and if you would
just open your mouth and speak and say something in a loud voice you know they
would get saved and then they would leap for joy they'd be glad they got saved
you know I'll see me glad you and you know what if you go out there you go so
when you go you go for an hour no one's getting saved very loud I don't know how
many times this happened to me the last door you knock they get saved and you
were counting down the minutes you're like oh this is the last door we're out
of here we're gonna go get a raspato whatever we do right you're thinking
about that Perrier you're thinking about that Diet Coke you're thinking about
whatever it is that cool drink the AC in the van you're thinking of all those
things and then a guy gets say that guy gets a me like man I want to go let's go
another hour I can't want to stay out there and keep going I don't know how
many times that's happened happens all the time that's what kept Paul going you
know Paul's putting up with a lot we're not even we're not even into the heavy
stuff Paul's putting up with a lot but you know what kept him going moments
like this and look we have the same moments waiting for us out there the
spiritual cripples of this world that need us to come to them that will get
saved and leap for joy they will get saved their lives will change and we
can look around this room tonight there's there's lives in this room that
have changed because this ministry don't ever think you know we haven't
accomplished anything here in this church because we have there's people
that are heading in the complete opposite direction of where they're
headed because of this church because the preaching the Word of God because of
salvation you know and there's more of that out there there's a whole town of
that out there people will get saved people lives will change and you know
what will happen after that people will rejoice some to rejoice over don't ever
get and by the way don't ever you know take for granted the people that that
that are you know that I'm talking about people here in this church whose lives
have changed which is everybody it's really easy to sit there and think about
all the people that used to be here or aren't here anymore we've never come or
won't come you know because human nature is to focus on the negative okay you
know I have a hard time thinking that Paul you know maybe every so every so
often you know later in life you ran into the same guy on another journey hey
Paul remember me how's that guy that's good of course I remember you I never
I've been thinking about you I've prayed about you you think Paul forgot about
that man Paul was rejoicing this guy was rejoicing don't ever take that for
granted sometimes we just need to sit and think about the people whose lives
have already been changed I'll give you a reason to rejoice look at verse 11 it
says then when the people saw what Paul had done they lifted up their voices
saying in the speech of Liconia the gods are come down to us in the likeness of
men he got a bunch of heathens here who are you know attributing this to some
heathen God and they called Barnabas Jupiter Paul Mercurius and because he
was the chief speaker then the priest of Jupiter which was before their city
brought oxen and garlands under the gates and would have done sacrifice with
the people so they're literally getting ready to make sacrifice unto Paul and
Barnabas they're bringing animals and they're think these are gods right which
it's such a this is what makes this story particularly noteworthy because
they the 180 that they're gonna pull here in just a few minutes when we get
to it it's so they it just shows you what people are like people can turn on
you on a dime so they're coming out and they're they're getting ready to make
sacrifice verse 14 which when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of they
rent their clothes and ran in among people crying out saying sirs why do
you these things we also are men of like passions with you and preach to me that
we should turn from these vanities unto the living God which made heaven on
earth and the sea and all things that are therein so he's appealing to
creation here right he's he's preaching these guys again he's saying you need a
turn from these false gods nevertheless he left out himself without witness and
that he did good he's talking about this is what God did right verse 16 who in
times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways he put up with it but
now he's preaching the gospel he didn't leave himself without witness however
during that time God God could have been found in all ages by all people because
God people have the witness of God in creation okay it's a whole sermon in of
itself but this is what Paul is pointing out here right this is a good proof text
for that because people ask well what about people who you know never heard
the name Jesus these per you know these hypotheticals that are out there the
most famous person in the world that's ever existed okay remember the world was
a lot smaller back then too okay there wasn't anywhere near as many people but
he's saying look even in times past he'd left on himself without witness what was
his witness and then he did good and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful
seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness look the goodness of God is
abundant in creation what he's pointing out is that people could look at
creation say there must be a God and that God is good you know creation is a
witness of God's goodness as it says in you know Romans one right in fact let's
just turn to Romans because I want to look at a couple things real quick
Romans chapter number one
I'll make sure I get this right look God is you know he's left witness here
what was the witness that Paul pointed out the rain from heaven fruitful seed
fruitful seasons right talking about the abundance of the earth the harvest
filling our hearts with food and gladness look that's something God does
and it's also a great proof text that food is good and God you know uses food
and it fills us with gladness I know that's true and I know a lot of you know
that's true get some Amen's on that one right but you know that's a that's
something that God gives man to enjoy God put taste buds on our tongue for a
reason look at verse 20 verse 19 because that which may be known of God is
manifest in them for God hath showed it unto them for the invisible things of
him of the creation of the world are understood by the are clearly seen being
understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead so
they are without excuse but I was saying here that the invisible things of him
the things that we cannot see concerning God his existence his being what he's
like those things we are that are not tangible that are invisible from the
creation the things that the creation itself cannot be hold about God we can't
see it we can't handle it we can't look at it we can't hold it right there it's
invisible can't behold these things these things are clearly seen being
understood by the things that are made the things that God has made make the
invisible things of God clearly seen and what is that invisible thing of God that
he's talking about what's one of those things that God is good because he fills
our hearts with food and gladness he gives us fruitful seasons God is a God
that nurtures and cares and is long-suffering and that God that is full
of mercy and his God that will provide that's one of the invisible things of
God because it's a personality trait can you see a personality trait you
might see the results of a personality trait but you can't just look at a
person and say I know exactly what their personality is like you have to get to
know that person they have to do things you have to observe their behavior have
to look at their actions and the Bible is telling us that creation is a
testimony of God's character not just his existence that there is a God but
not only that there is a God but that God is good you know that's that's what
I believe Paul saying he's saying look he left not himself without witness and
it gave us you know rains from heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts
with food and gladness God's taking care of you you bunch of heathens God is good
that's what he's saying you know people have the witness of creation it says
that again in Romans 2 towards the end there it says you know with the Gentiles
which have not the law do that by nature the things contained in the law these
having not the law are witness unto themselves their own conscience the
meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another right the even the heathen
unsaved people have the law of God written their heart is it enough to get
people saved no that's why you got to go that's why Paul had to show up and
preach all didn't just say don't sacrifice to us figure it out
he said don't sacrifice to us worship the God of heaven he had to preach the
gospel to him because people are still marred by sin the creation is still
marked by sin man's understanding is still darkened but they have enough in
creation to know there is a God and he's good they at least have that and the
Bible says that if you would seek you will find and if you would knock it
would be open that if you would ask he would be given unto you people can look
at creation and know there's God I mean that's my testimony I remember I remember
you know but years a couple years before I got saved just you know looking at
things like the stars creation and just going there there is a God there would
have been a time in my life if you had asked me is there God I would have said
I don't know I don't know that I was ever an atheist but I was definitely
agnostic I would have said well I'm not sure I certainly would have said well
it's the God of the Bible if there is one you know I was certainly a spiritual
right that's what they like to say it was I'm not religious I'm spiritual but
I was convinced that there was a God because of the things that I saw in
creation you know and it didn't leave a bad taste my kind of God is that no this
is a Mac whoever did that is magnificent you know what did David say you know
when I beheld the stars you know what is man that thou art mindful of him you
go out you look at the glory of creation you feel pretty small you say God is
amazing that's what's so funny when you hear people say like well what kind of a
God would would allow such things to happen you're looking at you're looking
at what man does buddy you know they see tragedies play out they see people
treating with another people cruel it's like hey dude that's man doing that well
what kind of God would allow that you know God could say the same thing to you
why are you sitting back and allow like things like that time why does man sit
around and let things happen like that things like it was man you know
perpetrate these things on one another you know God is good every good gift and
every perfect gift come down from the father of lights and whom is no shot you
know variability no shadow of turning you know God is good everything that he
does is good you know when so when people are sitting back and saying well
what kind of a God it's like well you're looking at the wrong thing and you're
you're attributing the wrong thing to God we look at creation we step back and we
say wow God is good let's move along through the story here so they're
getting sacrificed to you know are tempted to make sacrifice the people
there because the healing that just took place on the cripple and they're
stopping them and they're saying hey give glory to God you need to believe
you need to turn from these vanities you need to believe in a living God verse 18
with these sayings they scarce restrained that they the people that
they had not done sacrifice unto them and there came there there's certain
Jews from Antioch and Iconium now these are means they're following up on Paul
because Antioch's where he started and Iconium is where he just was you know
Antioch it's like the Jews are chasing him where did he go where did he go
let's go find him you know when you have people that are going out of their way
to try to stop a ministry that that person isn't just some you know some
someone's been out of shape and got about it that's a you know somebody who
hates God and hates God's work when you have people that are hell-bent and were
the they're gonna spend their life finding a ministry you know they're if
they're not reprobate you know they're on their way and look there's people
like this out there people who could spire get they don't they don't just you
know get out of ministries or quit ministries they will turn on a ministry
they will turn on a pastor and then go against them try to you know drag him to
court sue him get him for libel you know all kinds of things they'll chase them
down that's anyone people are doing that that's an especially wicked person
that's not just your run-of-the-mill sinner you know it's just not your
scoffer that's not just someone who's gonna scoff the things of God you know
there's there's still hope for the scoffer better stop scoffing but people
that are so hell-bent that they're actually gonna chase the man of God down
and follow up on him and then do and try to stop him wherever he goes man that's
a special kind of wicked and those people are still out there today verse
9 they came together certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium who persuaded the
people who what people the people that were just ready to sacrifice calling
Paul and Barnabas gods they're bringing out the garland they're gonna rejoice
let's slay the oxen let's have a party the gods are come down unto us it's the
same people they persuaded those people I mean these Jews are persuasive you get
you give somebody go from that to what just and having stoned Paul you know and
it wasn't he wasn't passing them a doobie when it's talking about stoned and
you reached you know you want time I'll get stoned in the Bible you better be
careful what you're what you're saying there's only one kind of stone in the
Bible friend and they having stoned Paul drew him out of the city supposing he
had been dead I mean these people turned on a dime and look that's the thing with
some unsafe people you got to be careful you know someone could get their ear and
start pulling their strings and they'll turn on you the devil is gonna fight
every step of the way though that's what I see in the story is that the devil
just keeps persisting he keeps chasing him down he keeps looking for him where
did he go he's in Iconium let's go there he got away last time we're gonna get
there but we're gonna get him they were trying to stone him last time but now
they're gonna get him stoned over here they're I'm gonna kill Paul one way or
another you can start to understand passages like 2nd Corinthians chapter
number 4 I'll just read you in verse 7 where he says but we have this treasure
in earth and vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us
we are troubled on every side yet not distressed every side he's troubled Paul
said I go here they're trying to stone me over there I go over here they get a
hold of me and they stone me everywhere I go and this is just the beginning of
Paul's story his wrote you know his you know primary role in the book of Acts
there's just more of this to come being troubled distressed perplexed in but not
in despair persecuted not forsaken cast out not destroyed always bearing about
in our body the dying Lord Jesus the life also made of Jesus may be manifest
in our body for which we live are always for we which live are always delivered
unto death for Jesus sake that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in
our mortal flesh so that death worketh in us but life in you you know Paul was
willing to die for that ministry so that other people would live you know he's
he's he didn't he didn't just get as far away from those juices he could he said
let's just go to the next town because there's gonna be people there that'll
get saved there's some cripple guy who can't get to me I got to go get to him
and if the Jews catch up and stone me there well if I die somebody else might
live there's a price to pay to preach the gospel folks that's what I'm seeing
in this chapter so I'm seeing in this book so I see in the Bible it's a theme
there's a price to pay to preach the gospel there's a price to pay if you
want to see God move and work in a ministry verse 20 I'll be in his
disciples stood around about him he rose up and came into the city the next day
departed with Barnabas to Derby when they had preached the gospel that city
it's like wait a minute Paul stop what are you doing Paul quit preaching man I
mean they just they were persecuted they were planning to kill you in this city
they got it done in the next city enough you got that guy saying if that cripple
guy got saved you you know you you stop those people from sacrificing and some
of them when I got your side you know you got a bunch of Gentiles over in your
eye on your side you've done some preaching enough stop no no I'm gonna
keep preaching they stoned me he stands up where's the next sinner let's get him
saved when they preached the gospel to that city I love this just from one
verse to the next he's supposed to been dead the verse 19 the disciples are
standing around him going poor Paul and he stands up I mean I don't even know if
it's like is is he miraculously healed I mean or is he I mean I personally think
he's still bruised and you know maybe he's missing teeth I don't know I mean
it's a stoning they're throwing rocks at him as hard as they can I mean that's a
gruesome way to die folks I mean you just pop up and it was just all gone I
don't think so I think he's like I can still see out of this eye you know this
will wear off grab some bandages Barnabas got some more people to get
saved someone grabbed me a clean shirt who's got a hanky he just dust himself
off wipe the blood off and let's go throw rub some dirt in it you know walk
it off put a stake on it whatever you know he just kept on going man I love
Paul he's so encouraging to read stories like this then we think about the things
that get us discouraged get us down slow us down that make us want to stop
was anyone throwing a rock in your face shut up it's hot it's cold it's too long
it's too far 20 minutes to church boy you guys are so far away 20 minutes some
people let the dumbest thing stop them from serving God he kept on going verse
22 confirming the souls and the disciples and exhorting them to continue
in the faith continue don't stop looking Paul shows up and says hey you keep
going you listen and you keep going and you know what he's confirming us today
we read this story and then he's telling hey don't you stop either and it's not
all talk with Paul it's not just big words to me hey if I'm willing to go
through this if I'm willing to be let death work in me so that life might work
in you you guys need to do the same thing and when they had ordained them
elders in every church and I prayed with fasting that commended in the Lord on
whom they believed and after that they passed through Pisidia and came on to
Pamphylia and they had preached the word in Perga and went down to Attila
thence to Antioch from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for
the work which they fulfilled so this is his journey right he makes his big
loop and I love this and when they were come and notice the end of verse 26 the
work which they fulfilled he got the job done they said look the Holy Ghost said
separated me Paul and Barnabas beginning acts 13 for the work which I have for
them to do the church lays their hands upon him ordains him sends him out and
he goes out and he preaches and he's getting persecuted he's going into the
synagogues that people getting riled up the Jews are conspiring against him
they're stoning him to death and he just keeps on going he's seeing miracles he's
seeing people get saved and he's enduring all of these things and he's
fulfilling his work that's why he's able to say at the end of his life I have
kept the faith I have finished the course and there's laid up for me a
crown of righteousness and not for me only but for all those that love is
appearing look there's no glory in quitting so when does it end death when
is the Christian life end when we die you know so many people want to you know
think of especially true dudes we want to feel that that moment of victory
right we want to feel like we want to raise our hands right we want to run
through that that we the first one through the ribbon at that finish line
well not me but it's not exactly a runner's physique up here right we want
to get you want to win the match you know get the TKO whatever and have our
hand raised we want that feeling look there might be a little taste of that in
a Christian life but that moment comes when you see Jesus that moment comes
after you die if you finish your course if you kept the faith if you fulfill the
work by the grace of God and if you're gonna do that if you're gonna fulfill
the work if you're gonna finish that course you know what you're gonna have
to keep persisting and preaching and face a persecution and the persecution
will come the opposition will be there to some degree or another and you're
gonna have to just keep on going and yeah there's gonna be some great moments
along the way there's gonna be we're gonna save some spiritual cripples and
everybody else along the way and we're gonna have some victories but there's
gonna be persecutions too but the victory only comes to those who finish
their course there's no pride there's nothing to be glad about in quitting
Christian life is not for quitters well I ran half the course Lord well you left
half undone well I did most of the work we didn't do all of it no Paul told
Timothy make foolproof of thy ministry now you know do do as much as you feel
like that things get tough no he said if we labor and suffer approach we do
both and it's not that and I'll end on this thought it's not that you know oh
it's just we got a door all the way to the bitter end with God Oh Christian
life so hard to live just drag our way through to glory I'll be happy when I
get there you're gonna go through things but you know what it's not easy
when you're going through it but you know it's you get a good story look at
verse 27 and when they were come and they gathered the church together hey
Paul's back part of us back let's hear tell us what happened oh it was just it
was just a breeze you know that would put you to sleep everywhere we went
people just they just fell down and said what serves what must I do to be saved
did you have any problems no none not a single problem anybody try to Estonia
anybody trying to get you killed anybody opposed you nope oh well good job good
work huh not very exciting though I mean sure yeah the cripple got saved but I
mean imagine being Paul what happened Paul well let me tell you I made some
people mad yeah what they do well they killed me really that's Barnabas he was
there yeah I saw it we thought he was dead and he just got up and brushed
himself off and kept on going I mean what a story and when they were come
they gathered together they rehearsed all that God had done with them what a
great for what a great phrase all that God had done with them not for them not
to them with them well wait a minute he got stoned to death yeah God was with
them well that doesn't seem like God was with him don't you think that would
happen to me if you're you know serving God you know shouldn't people you
shouldn't be people making people mad you know that preacher you know if you
got all this persecution coming at you it's probably because you did something
wrong God's not with you yeah well here's the thing about that Jesus said
if they hated me they'll hate you also he said you know that the servant is not
above his Lord you know that they were going to be persecuted it's like I'm
pretty sure Jesus was good and they hung him on a cross but God was with them I
love that phrase he rehearsed all that God had done with them boy we'd like to
tell that story would we we'd like to have some stories of our own to talk let
me everyone get another round let's all talk about the things that God has done
with us and amen we can have that there's nothing wrong with that we
should want that for our lives we should want to be able to sit back at some
point in our lives and just start going over the things as God has done with us
not just for us not just to us but with us used us labored alongside us we
should want that for our life and I'm sure everyone does but let me just warn
you if that's what you want you know Paul's kind of showed us you're gonna
have to continue in the faith in the faith in spite of persecution you have
to keep preaching in spite of it in the face of it the Christian life is an
uphill fight it's a battle you know but something God's right there pushing us
along oh I don't think I'm gonna make it God's like I got you let's keep going
I'm there with you right what a great story it wasn't an easy story to live
you know what it was worth it I'm sure Paul wasn't good get out the end you
know all these hags happen to me and I just wish I'd never gone well just told
some stories like so thanks a lot for sending me out there no he was probably
like real ecstatic about it probably pretty exciting story because he goes
again he gets right he's like where to next now where now what that was his
whole life wasn't easy but it was worth it let's go ahead closing a word prayer