Bless him with your Holy Spirit as it preaches your word tonight in Jesus name we pray
Okay, we're in Acts chapter 14 this evening and Acts chapter 14 is basically the conclusion to Paul's first missionary journey
If you read the book of Acts you see that he went on three particular missionary journey
Journeys and this one obviously took place from chapters 13 all the way to 14 and in my opinion is one of the most
Essential trips that he actually took and I'll explain why in just a bit
So let me give you a bit of a review of what we've seen so far from the beginning of his missionary journey
Up until the conclusion thereof, of course if we remember from a couple chapters ago
Paul and Barnabas they go to Judea to Jerusalem to send relief into the brethren
They return back to Antioch where the church is and they're fasting and praying
The Holy Ghost sets them apart for a specific task that he wants them to do and obviously we know what that is
It's not only seeing people say but it's actually establishing churches at which point the elders of the church at Antioch
They lay hands on them. They ordained them and then they send them out to go accomplish this work
So they depart from Antioch to Seleucia from Seleucia. They set sail to the island of Cyprus
They land there in Salamis. They're preaching the Word of God
Being very fruitful and then we see that there's a deputy of the country named Sergius Paulus
Who's very much interested in the Word of God. He hasn't come over to the opposite side of the island
He gives him the Word of God. And of course Paul is confronted by a false prophet that basically
tries to stop the Word of God and
Sorry, this is kind of loud here
All right
He begins to there's a limus the sorcerer who's the false prophet tries to hinder the Word of God. He blinds him and confounds him
The the deputy there gets saved great work is accomplished
They depart from Cyprus and then they go to Perga Pamphylia
Ultimately to Pisidia and Antioch not to be mistaken with the Antioch that's north of Jerusalem where the church is
This is a different Antioch that's in Asia Minor
He's there with Barnabas. They're preaching the Word of God and said or excuse me
They attend a synagogue to listen to the Word of God
The leader of that synagogue gives them a platform and says hey, do you guys want to you know, preach the Word of God?
they take advantage they preach the Bible to preach the Word of God a lot of people get saved Jews get saved here and
They become so popular in that region
that
Man that was like perfect
You got me really into it how whoa
Anybody else any other just interruptions here. No, I'm just kidding
Anyways, where was I Pisidia? Okay, so they're in the synagogue there in Antioch and they're preaching in the synagogue
they become very popular with the people of the city to the point where they decide the entire city comes
to hear them preach the Word of God on the following Sabbath and
Of course the Jews don't like this, you know, they're kind of jealous to become envious and
They begin to blaspheme and to contradict Paul and Barnabas
Regarding the sermons that they're preaching and this is where you find the famous passage in chapter 13 where Paul says
Because you judge yourselves worthy of eternal life, you know
We turn to the Gentiles the Gentiles hear this they get excited and the Bible says that as many as were ordained to eternal life
Believed so a great work is being accomplished here
But you know, that's not enough for the Jews that they don't preach in the synagogue
They had to come and stir up
The Bible says the devout and honorable women and chief men of the city to persecute Paul and Barnabas
And to basically cast them out of their clothes. They're like just get out of here
You guys are troublemakers and you know these Jews they're persuading these people to go against the men of God
And so they leave and now they end up in Iconium
Okay
Which is where we find ourselves here in chapter 14 now chapter 14 basically deals with three primary regions, which is
Iconium Lystra and Derby. Okay, and
What we see here is
That the Apostle Paul and Barnabas they're preaching the Word of God, of course more Jews come
They try to stop them from preaching the Word of God. They leave Iconium and then they turn they go to
Lystra and Derby they begin to preach the gospel there a lot of people were receptive
But again, the Jews come back and they raise persecution again, even to the point where they stone Paul
So really chapter 14 is a very pivotal chapter because this is the first time Paul is receiving physical persecution
Even to the point where they want to put him to death. I mean in times past
It was just like an alignment of sorcerer who's just being you know, annoying. He's just trying to hinder the work of God
He's withstanding him, you know that type of thing here. They actually physically persecute them and they stone Paul
Okay
They stone him and it kind of shows you how unstable these people are in this region because at one point
They're like they're the gods and then the next point they're like stone them kill them
You know, just just put away with them and then they have like zero compassion
They they think that they killed him and what do they do? They take his carcass and just cast it out of the city
I mean no proper burial or anything. Just throw his carcass outside of the city. Let him just rot over there
You know, of course Paul is not dead or he might have died and came back to life and he rises up
This is this takes place in Iconium. He rises up. He goes to Derby and
in Lystra there
To preach the Word of God and the Bible tells us that he confirms the souls of the disciples
Telling him to continue in the faith and that we through much tribulation must enter into the kingdom of God
You can kind of see why he's saying that right? He's probably all battered, you know, he's been stoned
He's just like hey, you know thinking not strange the concern of the fire tribal that should come upon you
You know, like I'm suffering this because we through much tribulation must enter into the kingdom of God
But it's pretty significant because after that what he begins to do is ordain elders in
Every church in Lystra and Derby now, what does that tell us?
Well, what that shows us is that Paul and Barnabas were probably in this region for quite some time
This wasn't like a week-long mission strip, right? Nothing wrong with that
But they were probably there for a very long time gonna think about it. They're there
Long enough to see a bunch of people saved
baptize them
disciple them and ordain not one elder elders
Folks, it takes a long time to ordain one guy after salvation
You know, let alone elders plural. So you you know, we can surmise that
They're probably there for a lengthy time
Preaching the Word of God putting in work
Discipling training doing all that and then what what is the fruit of that churches?
Now the reason I say that Paul's first missionary journal journey is very essential is because of the fact that think about this
He's there in
Iconium Lystra and Derby which is basically
Galatia and what do we read in the book of Galatians the churches which are in Galatia
So he's either referring to the churches that were established in Iconium Lystra and Derby or he's referring to the churches that were started
from those churches
So there's a multitude of churches there that were established that you know, these are independent
Fundamental Baptist churches so to speak right there are local New Testament churches that have pastors and you know
What did it cost them though and cost them some tribulation?
You know, they put it in a lot of work now if that's not enough. I think that's very important think about this
Later on in chapter 16 you see that he recruits a young man by the name of what?
Timothy
Timotheus now, where's Timotheus from? He's from Lystra and Derby and
If you read chapter 14, we see that Paul and Barnabas is actually getting both Jews and Gentiles saved
and
You know Timothy's mom was what a Jew who was a believer and his dad was a Greek
So, you know, they reach his mom they reach him. I mean, it's a very fruitful area
It's a very fruitful region and it kind of shows you why the Holy Ghost wanted him to go over there
He's like, you know, this place is fertile. It's fruitful. There's some opposition there. There's some Jews there, you know, but it's okay
The work is gonna get done. They're gonna stone you Paul, you know, you're gonna suffer a lot of affliction
but a lot of fruit is gonna come out of that and
one of the lessons that we can learn from this chapter is that we need to see the silver lining and everything when we go
Through a difficult time and not only that but just see the potential of how that difficulty can be turned into something great
You know what?
I mean, you got to look at the the the bigger picture when you're going through a difficult trial and figure out you know
Why is this inconvenience coming upon me? Why are we suffering this this affliction and this suffering?
Well, there's something else that God is doing in the background. He's working it all together for good
You think of Joseph, for example, where he told his brethren, you know, he meant it unto evil
but God meant it unto good to save much people alive and
Often the bigger picture is this more people getting saved through your affliction
Okay, and I don't want to get ahead of myself
But that's why I believe this missionary journey. The first one is very important
You know a lot of work is that what an exciting trip, by the way
I mean
We thought we had an exciting trip when we went to Belize and suffered all that stuff that we went through
This is crazy right here
I mean like we went through a tough time going to Belize and doing that 24-hour 48-hour trip or whatever
But you know, none of us were stoned
You know Paul was stoned. He was beaten. He's being turned against I mean, he's going through a lot of difficulties
But it was not in vain obviously anytime we go through a tribulation. It's never in vain you understand
So a lot's going on here. So look at verse number one
Let's go ahead and read through this and make some comments along the way
It says here and it came to pass in Iconium
That they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews and so spake
That a great multitude both of Jews and also of the Greeks believed
So these Jews in our reprobate, amen?
These are ones that believe you know, they're the ones who are actually attending the synagogue thinking
Believing that they are doing right, you know, they want the truth and this is one of the reasons why they get saved, right?
They
Get saved the Greeks get saved and look at verse number two, but the unbelieving Jews. So who are we against?
We're not against those who are receptive towards the gospel
the ones were against is the unbelieving Jews which look what it says stirred up the Gentiles and
Made their minds evil affected against the brethren
Folks these Jews are super wicked
Why because it's not enough that they just have to reject the gospel and reject Jesus Christ
They want to make sure that no one else hears
Even to the point where they will slander and just smeared or seek to smear the reputation of the men of God in
Order for people not to listen to them because it says there that they made their minds evil
Affected against the brother what that entailed. We don't know
But obviously, you know
Who is a liar but he denied that Jesus is the Christ he is Antichrist
So whatever it is
They're just lying about these men of God and to these Gentiles in order to get them to just completely reject the men of God
Now turn with me if you would to 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 hold your place there in Acts chapter 14. I
Don't know how
Pro-zionist churches teach through the book of Acts. I'll just be honest with you
You know, how do you teach the book of Acts without talking about how wicked these Jews are because these are some wicked Jews
You know, I don't know if they make excuses for them or whatever it is
It's like this is some evil stuff right here to make their minds evil affected
Let me read to you from I'm gonna reach you from 2nd Corinthians 11 26. It says in journeys often
this is Paul writing and perils of water and perils of robbers in perils of mine own countrymen
He's like man my own countrymen are trying to kill me and we see that right
He says in perils by the heathen in perils in the city in perils and wilderness in perils of the sea in perils among
False brethren look at 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 in verse 14
Of course, uh Thessalonica is more west of where we're at right now in the book of Acts
Churches get started there as well, but he's writing to those in Thessalonica
He says in verse 14 for ye brethren became followers of the churches of God which are in Judea
Excuse me, which in Judea are in Christ Jesus for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen
Even as they have of the Jews who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and have persecuted us and they pleased
Not God and are contrary to all men
So they're contrary to everyone
They're not only contrary to the men of God folks. They're even contrary to the unsaved Gentiles
We'll see that in just a bit. Look what it says in verse 16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved
How wicked is that?
That's what we see in Acts chapter 14. They're trying to forbid them from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved
Now does it say they're trying to forbid them because they have the truth and they want to get the Gentiles saved
Is it because no hey, we already got this covered. We're preaching the gospel to them quit quit sheep stealing
Kind of thing. Is that what it is? No, it's just because they don't want them to be saved
Now you and I can't understand it because we're not wicked Jews
Who hate Jesus Christ?
for us is just like
unfathomable that there's a
Human being in this world who would make it their agenda that to say I want to stop the messes because I don't want people
to get saved
evil
He says forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sins always for the wrath has come
Upon them to the utter most now in Acts chapter 14 go back to Acts chapter 14
We see that they make their minds evil affected against the brethren
Now look folks if you have the truth, you don't have to do that
Because you can do nothing against the truth before the truth
You know, the truth is the most powerful thing that we have
We don't need to try to slander people or lie about them
All we do is preach the Word of God preach the truth and that will overcome any false ideology if that's what they have
We obviously understand that Paul doesn't have a false ideology. He's preaching the Word of God
So therefore they have to turn to slandering and lying and making their minds evil affected against Paul and Barnabas
Now notice it says evil affected this reminds me of what we see in Galatians in the book of Galatians
We see that the Jews the Judaizers who are going in the region of Galatia
Teaching them false doctrine and said Paul writing to them says this they zealously what affect you but not well
Yeah, they would exclude you that then that you might affect them so what he's saying
It's like man these people who are coming into your churches in Galatia
They're affecting you they're causing you to think that I'm the enemy when I'm not the enemy but here define irony though
He says he's not saying this is I'm paraphrasing define irony
You know they would actually exclude you
So it's not like they're trying to get you not to listen to me because they love you because in actuality
They don't like you at all. You're a bunch of goyems to them
They would actually exclude you so that you don't affect them a
bunch of pompous wicked people
You know they think they're better than everyone else and you know they have this agenda
They want to have the spiritual hierarchy and the authority in the land
You know but here's the thing when they convert people and they make proselytes
They make up twofold more a child of hell than themselves
according to the Bible and
This is what we see you know it's the same thing that Jesus said of the Pharisees and lawyers in Luke
1152 you don't have to turn there. He says woe unto you lawyers for ye have taken away the key of knowledge
Ye entered not in yourselves, and then they were entering in ye hindered
So it's not like well, I don't want the gospel, but I'm not gonna try to keep that from going to everyone else
You know it's just like not only do am I not going. I don't want anybody else to go. I want to hinder others from going
To heaven from entering to the kingdom of God from having eternal life. This is evil, and it's wicked okay
So you know you have these Jews that are just following Paul around everywhere. You know they went from
Antioch and Pisidium all the way to Iconium
You know they cast them out of their coast, and they're there now. They're going to Lystra and Derby, and they're there
They're just trying to stop them which shows you that the work is great
right
Go back to Luke or excuse me uh acts 14
So what is the solution to this what does Paul do to combat this type of behavior?
Look at verse number three says long time therefore
In other words because of this
Long time therefore abode speaking boldly in the Lord
Which gave testimony to the word of his grace and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands?
So the way that they basically combative this type of behavior where they're trying to stop the gospel is
They just talk the Bible even that much the more
They preach the word of God
Boldly they're teaching the word of God
God gave them signs and wonders that they can do to confirm them as men sent from God
Now you got to ask yourself because you wonder is like Paul. Why don't you just do what you did to a lymus?
That's what I would do
You're like. Oh, man. You must not know what I did to the limes a sorcerer. I made him blind
I'm about to make you deaf and dumb and stupid and just like filled with disease
I'm just going to destroy you, but that's not what he did in fact what he ended up doing is actually teach the word of
God even more
Now what does this tell us well?
It tells us that we as Christians
How do we apply this to us today?
The way we apply it is this is that we need to think we need to discern when there's a time to rebuke the false
Prophet and when there's a time to actually just try to teach the word of God to the individual who's being persuaded in
Order to help them to overcome the lie
So there's a time and place for everything right?
There's times when we have to rebuke the wicked person the false prophet and the reprobate and make a public example out of them
But there's other times that we don't and we invest that time into
Convincing the person who's being persuaded to believe the truth
understand
So we don't always want to be out there rebuking false prophets, right?
There's a time and place for that. There's time. There's just like well. I'm not going to rebuke this individual
I'm just going to spend my time trying to witness to this individual helping them to overcome
These false doctrines and ideologies go to 2nd Timothy chapter 2
I hope that when you as we study the book of Acts when you read the remainder of the New Testament
Specifically Paul's writing you're gonna make the connections because as I'm reading this I'm thinking about other passages of you know
Paul's letters and I'm like, oh, that's why he wrote that. Oh, that's why he told Timothy that oh, that's why he's saying this
Look at 2nd Timothy 2 24
He says in the servant of the Lord must not strive
but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient and
Meekness
instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and
That they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will
So what he's saying there is like hey, we need to make sure we're long-suffering. We're patient with people
We're teaching in the Word of God
We're giving them the gospel and we're helping them to overcome that false doctrine that they're being persuaded to believe
Now there's other times when we you just have to rebuke that false prophet
Right, but here's the thing the Bible tells us this answer not a fool according to his folly lest
I'll be also like unto him
But then right after that it says answer a fool according to his folly lest he be wise in his own conceit
So he limous was rebuked and corrected lest he was wise in his own conceit
These Jews he's not correcting them because it's not even worth it
You know, he sees what they're up to he sees what they're doing and you know what he wants to invest more energy
into winning these people
Teaching in the Word of God helping them to to understand the Bible so they could recover themselves out of the snare of the devil
Okay, and the way we apply that is this hey when you go out there sowing don't look for opportunities to rebuke people. I
Got myself a good story to tell I need to get a good story
I need to get a good testimony here where I can tell somebody hi just rebuke this individual so people can ooh and ah me
You know, that's not what it's all about
Have the sermon and think you know, does this individual need to be rebuked?
You know if you have some alignments the sorcerer is just constantly interrupting you you have some Mormon some Jehovah's Witness
That is trying to stop you rebuke that fool
Wipe the floor with that person, you know
But
Here's the thing is there's gonna be times when that's not necessarily the case
They're trying to disrupt or trying to convince this individual to go a different route and you can't necessarily beat them
Here's an example
What if you go knocking on the door?
You speak to a teenager and the person who's trying to keep them from getting saved or understanding the truth is their parents
You can't necessarily rebuke that person. You can't say shut your mouth
It's just like wonder you just told my dad to shut up like
At that point you got to use discernment
And try it the best you can
To just appease that individual to get you to help you to finish the gospel with this individual, right?
For example last week when I was sowing with my son
We're going to through a lot of the houses here. They have a lot of back houses, right?
You kind of just extend they go further into the deep, you know, and there was this teenager
I don't know. He maybe was a teenager about 12 or 13 or something and
He was exercising he was lifting some weights and
You know
I just started talking to him about the gospel and he was very much receptive and I was giving I was giving him the gospel
I was nearing towards the end and I don't know if it was his big brother or his uncle
I don't think it was his dad
He didn't look old enough to be his dad, but he came up and he kind of looked at me said hey
What are you doing? Pick up those weights, man?
So we start working out and he kind of looked at me like hey you need to hit the road
This guy needs to exercise and the kid was a little pudgy, you know
He's probably telling like hey, man, you need to like take care of business or whatever and
He's like, oh, yeah, and I looked at the data or the whoever he was and I said just give me two more minutes
Can I have just two more minutes? I'm almost done. I
Said I this is very much and I told I was like this is important for him to do
Absolutely, but I just want to take two minutes of his time. Can I finish and he's like, yeah, that's fine
Then he walked away
But you know, what if I would have been like what's wrong with don't you know?
This guy's gonna split hell wide open
If he dies if he's exercising his body, but he's not figuring out the way of salvation
He's gonna split a whole wide open because of you you devil. Oh
Make a great story
But that's not gonna benefit that child
You know, so what I wanted to do is pacify his authority speak kindly to him in
Such a way that you know, I pacify his anger because he realizes okay, this guy's serious. He said two more minutes
I'll give him two more minutes and the kid got saved by the way
He ended up getting saved. His name is Vicente and so he got saved
So there's gonna be times when we do need to rebuke the false prophet
He's in the corner or something, you know, and he's trying to stop you from preaching the gospel to an individual
You know that dude needs his rear end handed to him
You know and he needs to be strongly rebuked
But when you're at someone's door and the false prophet is the one inside the home
That's not a time to rebuke that individual when you're trying to give the other individual who can get saved the gospel
Understand and it's their home
Understand you're on their turf. Okay?
So that's what we see here is he's just kind of like not fighting off these Jews and these false prophets
He's investing more time into actually giving the gospel to the individuals who want to listen
Now he did a great job because look what it says in verse 4 but the multitude of the city was divided and
Part held with the Jews and part with the Apostles. This is pretty crazy
So he's doing a good job because now the entire city there's a sword dividing that city where people are like
Well, I agree with the Apostles and the other ones are like why I agree with these Jews with the Jews, you know
So now there's some contention
There is division here which Jesus said that he would bring division amen
Now, what does this teach us this teaches us that we can't reach everyone
So we shouldn't have the unrealistic expectation that we're gonna get everyone safe because we're not
That's unrealistic. It's not true. You know narrow is the way
Amen, and few there be that find it the Bible says and so, you know, that's not to say we're not gonna get anyone safe
We don't want to have this dispensational layer to see in mentality or it's just like well, bro
we're just hanging on and so we're gonna go sowing once a month or once every couple of months because we're in the layer to
See in church era and what that means is I'm just lukewarm and therefore I'm not gonna preach the gospel phooey with that
We want to put in as much work as possible to get the gospel out as much as possible to publish it as much as
Possible because we know we're gonna get people safe
But reality is is this is that not everyone in the world is gonna get safe
We're not out there to save the whole world. We can't
Because the vast majority of the people in this world are gonna reject the gospel
We want to save the people who want to be saved
You know, but look this these are some pretty good percentages 50% of the city. That's good
You know
He's putting in work
Look at verse 5 and
When there was an assault made but made both of the Gentiles and also of the Jews with their rulers
To use them despitefully and to stone them they went excuse me
They were aware of it and fled into Lystra and Derby
Cities of Lyconia and unto the region that lieth round about and there they preached the gospel
So the contention was getting so sharp that it got to a point where the Jews basically convinced the people of the city
stone them and
You know despitefully use them now, what does that mean to despitefully use someone doesn't mean like, you know
They're trying to use them in order to benefit from them the way we would use it today
When it says despitefully use them is basically to treat them in an ill manner to abuse them, right and in this case
They wanted to basically kill them. Now. They were aware of it. They heard about it and they're just like, okay
That's our cue to get out of here. Okay, we're not gonna stick around and get stoned. There's more work to do
So let's get out of here. Let's go to Lystra and Derby
So they leave
Lyconium they go to Lystra and Derby and they just pick up where they left off. They keep preaching the gospel
look what it says in verse 8 and
There's sad a certain man at Lystra impotent in his feet being a cripple from his mother's womb who never had walked
The same heard Paul speak who steadfastly beholding him perceiving that he had faith to be healed
Said with a loud voice stand upright on thy feet and he leaped and walked
So look folks anytime a door closes another one a door of opportunity opens up
So we should never mourn when there's a door that closes whether it's a city it's a country
It basically means that God has something better for us
Right and we can apply that to preach in the gospel
You could apply that to a job you can apply that to anything in the spiritual realm
You know when when it seems as though nothing's going for you and the door has closed of opportunity has closed in your life
Don't worry
There's another door waiting for you and what we have to do is stop
Dwelling on that that which we cannot change and look for the impotent man
On his feet right this crippled man who is gonna be used as a catalyst to basically
Roll into the gospel for the rest of the people in these cities
So he heals them
You know, he's walking. He's leaping
Verse 11 and when the people saw what Paul had done
They lifted up their voices saying in the speech of like Onea the gods are come down to us and the likeness of men
So what are they saying? They're like man, this is these are our gods incarnate. I
Mean these people are just easily persuaded in any area. They're children, right and
They called Barnabas Jupiter and Paul Mercurius because he was the chief speaker. So
Jupiter and mercury are
basically the Roman rendition of Greek gods right these false gods and
if you look it up mercury is basically the the god of of commerce of
Merchandise and orators. So that's why they look at Paul who's just waxing eloquent. He knows how to preach the Word of God
He's he's rude in speech yet not in knowledge and they're like, okay. This must be mercury then, you know, this must be our God
Mercury because he's a really good speaker
So they're freaking out they're just like man, this is it
This is our gods incarnate and what do they want to do?
They want to worship them look at verse 13 then the priests of Jupiter
Which is before their city brought oxen and garlands into the gates and would have done sacrifice with the people good night
They don't waste any time
Let's sacrifice let's let's start worshipping Devils here
Of course, they're not Devils
But what they think they think that these people are incarnate of their false gods verse 14
Which when the Apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of they rent their clothes and ran in among the people crying out
Now, what does it mean when it says they rent their clothes they tore their clothes
Wait, that takes some pretty that's strong there. You know, I mean like this is not they're not wearing buttons
Like we are it's just like they have a garment
It's so pretty well and they just tear their garments and that basically is symbolic and representing that he's they're tearing their heart
They're renting their hearts. They're so just disturbed by this behavior. They're like, ah
How can you like try to worship man?
These people are just so easily
Persuaded they're so simple. All we have to do is preach the Word of God or wax eloquent and they're like, oh these are gods
But here's the thing
They were easily persuaded the opposite route as well because all the Jews have to come do is just
Convince them and they're just like, okay kill them
It's like what in the world you people are unstable
You are superstitious unstable people
So they render garments crying out and saying sirs
Why do ye these things?
Look what he says. We also are men of like
Passions that's a great statement here. Okay
Now what does that mean passions when he says of like passions or passions, what is that referring to?
Well that word that turned that word passion is found three times in the New Testament
the first time that we see it is in Acts chapter 1 in reference to Jesus Christ and this is when Jesus Christ
shows himself
After his like passions the Bible says after his passion, excuse me
and when it's referred to is that basically he showed himself to his apostles his disciples after his
Suffering so passion in the Bible is synonymous with suffering which you know a synonym for passion would be like zeal
To be fervent and that term fervent has that you know that that phrase of just fire or or you know being
fiery and so that's how you can get those synonyms of just tribulation or
sufferings or anguish to kind of tie it into one another and
So we see that in Acts chapter 1, but we also see it in James chapter 5 right in reference to Elijah
And the Bible tells us that Elijah was a man
subject to like passions
But he prayed earnestly that it rained not and it rained not for three years and six months now
What is that talking about?
Well in chapter 5 of the book of James the context is suffering
Because James tells the people who are reading his letter. He's stating he basically tells them
Hey
you need to take the prophets into account who spoke in the name of the Lord as an example of suffering affliction and patience and
Then he gives a lot. He gives job as an example, and he also gives Elijah as an example now
Why does he say that Elijah is a man subject to like passions well because of the fact that when you read about Elijah?
You're like dude this guy's boss
This guy must have been like a superhuman prophet
It's calling. I mean he's like doing great works. God is using him in such a great way
He must be super close to God
Never struggles to read his Bible never struggles to pray just does everything right wrong
He's a man who's subject to like passions in other words. He suffers and has the same afflictions as you and I in 2020
There's nothing new under the Sun
So when you read about these men in the Bible you need to understand that they're just like us
You know they struggle with the same things that we struggle with
They battled the afflictions that we battle with today
There's nothing new under the Sun, and that's why it says Elijah's a man subject to like passions
But what did he do he prayed earnestly?
So was it because he was just so powerful and having all these superhuman powers. No. Here's what he did he prayed earnestly
So what is the Bible telling us? You know don't think Elijah is just some
Amazing person who God just endowed with all these powers. No. Here's the thing is that Elijah prayed
And what is the admonishment to us we can also do great things for God?
God can use us if we just do the basics of just praying earnestly as well
You know if we have the faith as the size of a mustard seed we could move mountains
We can do great and mighty works. It's not it's not us. It's the God in us right
It's the fact that we're praying or reading the Word of God. We are subjecting ourselves to the Spirit
We are making sure that we're filled with the Spirit
And this is why we're capable of doing these things look. That's why I believe the preach the hot preaching of today is
Like the hot preaching of those days. We're like man. I wonder how they preach back then like this
like this
Why because it's the same spirit?
We have like passions. We're the same type of men
We have you know preachers of today who are fiery we have the spirit of Elijah, and what spirit is that the Holy Spirit?
Well the spirit doesn't change and evolve
And you know the same Holy Spirit that indwelled Paul and Barnabas and Elijah is the same
Holy Spirit that we have today
Okay
God can use us
so
You know and and here's the thing is that this is good for us to realize that hey you know
When you feel like you're going through a tough time
Just remember you're not alone
You know the Bible tells us whom resist steadfast in the faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your breath
throughout the whole world
So when you feel like you're going through a difficult time just understand this
There's someone else in this world who's going to do the same thing that you're going through sometimes maybe even worse
More often than not sometimes worse
But there's no temptation taking you, but such as is common to man
But God is faithful who would not suffer you to be tempted above the year able
But will with that temptation also make a way to escape the Bible says that you may be able to bear it
So any temptation you're facing
That you're suffering from just know this people in the Bible went through it people today have gone through it. We're men of like passions
Now, how do we how do we apply that to Acts chapter 14? Well what the Apostle Paul is doing is
He's telling those at Lystra and Derby. Hey, I'm not divine
I'm of like passions with you
We're not these gods who are just better than you where you have to worship us and do all these things to us because we're
Just better than you know. I'm a man who's of like passions with you. I'm just like you
And by the way, who is the greatest example of that Jesus Christ?
Right he suffered with us. We know that he was tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin
So he went through trials and tribulations and sufferings
I mean the worst suffering that any human being could ever experience yet without sin and
the Bible says that he has made him to be sin who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God and
Him and so look even if you don't find someone
Who's going through your trial and your tribulation and your affliction? Okay, Jesus went through it
Because Jesus experienced the worst tribulation any individual can ever experience in this life
He was forsaken of his father
You know we as Christians
We will never be forsaken of God
Nothing can separate us from the love of God
Jesus went to hell folks
For three days and three nights and you know what?
Your worst day here is still the best day for some unsaved person
Because you're never gonna go to hell if you're saved
You will never experience eternal fire and damnation your worst possible day that you can experience on this earth is
Nothing compared to the glory that shall be revealed in you the Bible actually calls it a light affliction
It's not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us the Bible says
powerful
Look what it goes on to say it says in verse 15 and saying serves. Why do you these things?
we also are men of like passions with you and
Preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities
Unto the living God which made heaven and earth and the sea and all things that are there in so what does he tell them?
You need to repent not of their sin repent of what the false gods that they're worshiping
Okay, it's not like well you got to repent of your fornication and all these things that are associated with your culture
Those of you of Lystra and Derby he's saying you need to repent of these false gods
Because if you're worshiping these false gods
Obviously the connotation there is that you think that they can get you to heaven or they can give you eternal life
He said you need to turn to the living God the true living God who will give you salvation
Says in verse 16 who in time past
Suffered all nations to walk in their own ways
Nevertheless he left not himself without a witness and that he did a good and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons
Filling our hearts with food and gladness. This is a wonderful verse right here
Because what this is saying is that even though this culture did not have the God of the Bible being taught to them
You know
There wasn't Christians up until this point, you know, who's preaching the Word of God into them
You know what they did that they still have some sort of witness
Obviously we understand they have the witness that's in their hearts that the the law of God that's written upon their hearts, right?
But aside from that they just have the goodness and forbearance of God
I mean think about this before you got saved
You had meals to eat
there were times in your life when your hearts was filled with gladness and food and
Abundance God allowed that
In hopes that the goodness of God would lead you to repentance
You know in hopes that as you enjoy
The goodness of God it would cause you to think man, maybe there is a God out there who loves me
Let me seek him out
That's what he's saying. So look, it's just like well, we didn't have the Word of God in the jungles
Yeah, but they have you eaten. Did you experience rain and sunshine? Has your heart been filled with gladness?
This is why there's this statement that people make it just ticks me off when I go out. So when he's like we're in hell today
You try to talk to him about hell. He's like, well, this is this is hell right here
I'm like we went to when we were sowing in Ohio. I
Was witnessing the witnessing to these five guys and they all told me that they're like, well, this is basically like hell right here
We're like slaves right here. This is like hell and I'm like you're not burning forever here
And it looks like you're pretty happy right now because you're smoking some weed
You don't look like you know, you're you're you're
Suffering and in torment and in fire, I'm pretty sure you're gonna eat today
You're gonna have a good meal and there's times in your life that your heart is filled with gladness
So there's people out there who don't have religion they don't have God and I guarantee you they have aspects of their life that they love
and enjoy
There's people who have children
grandchildren, you know
They're able to work a job and God allows that why how do we know that it's God because the Bible says every good gift
And every perfect gift coming from above from the father of lights in whom there is no shadow of turning nor variableness the Bible says
So everything that's good in this life comes from God. Why does God give that to the unjust because he loves them?
He sendeth his reign upon the just as well as the unjust the Bible says
You know, he wants them to be saved and when we talk about evil people, we're not refer when it says evil
It's not referring to reprobates. Okay, talk about people who just live a wicked life
You know, they live and drunkenness or fornication. They lie. They're just they're just given to those desires
Okay
but he allows them to experience the good things in life in
Hopes that these people would turn to God. All right, look folks more so in the United States
Right, I mean we got it made in the shade in the United States
We got a man in the shade even in California no matter what people say
How bad California? Yeah. Well, okay, but California is bad, but it gets why it's not China
It's kind of like China
No, no, I have an in-law who's Chinese, okay, and and this is way better than what they have over there
This is that don't exaggerate like that, okay
People haven't made and you know what God allows that here is because he wants people to think upon him
You know what? The unfortunate thing is is they most don't
Most will just live this life. They'll eat drink and be married and they will die and go to hell
You know, but the hopes is that people enjoy those things and say you know what
God has given me these things I should seek after God or when a soul winner comes to their door
They're willing to listen to that individual and get saved. Amen
So that's what he's telling them there
Let me skip some points here go to verse 18
It says in verse 18 with these saying scares restrain they the people that they had not done sacrifice into them
So just like it barely helped what he's trying to tell him is like, all right, we won't sacrifice that
You know
Verse 19 and there came thither. Here we go certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium
It's like what business do you have in lystra and derby?
Yeah reason files exactly
It's like don't you have anything better else to do?
Aren't you supposed to be at your synagogue of Satan teaching damnable heresy? Why are you following this men of God?
Trying to stop them
Says there came certain thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium who persuaded the people by the way folks
This is a great persuasion
Because look what it says who persuaded the people having stoned Paul. I
Mean, what did they tell them?
You know, it's just like you wonder but here's the thing. Maybe it wasn't a strong persuasion
Maybe it's just that these people were just very simple
Because again, they were easily convinced that Paul and Barnabas are is Jupiter and Mercury
They could be easily convinced that they are devils or something, you know, who knows what they told them. It's obviously a lie
Says having stoned Paul drew him out of the city supposing he had been dead
Folks, you know, I've had a rock thrown at me like a pebble or something and it hurts imagine. I mean massive stones
You know and look it could be that Paul actually died here
He might have died
right
Because you least you read later on in 2nd Corinthians how he talks about how he had that out-of-body experience
He's like whether in the body or out of the body. I cannot tell he was caught up into the third heaven
This is probably when he took that trip
He's like, yeah, we should go to Derby and then and then he just keeps walking and he's like in heaven he's like, oh man
You know, who knows maybe that's the case
Go to 2nd Corinthians chapter 1 2nd Corinthians chapter 1
This is bad man, I mean who knows how he looked
When he was stoned
But I will say this he obviously looked bad enough for people to suppose that he had been dead
It's like yeah, that dude's dead
No one could have survived that
You know
There's no there's no point of burying him because he's so ugly. We can't have an open casket
Let's just throw him out of the city. This is guys is probably just you know
So mangled or something. I'm
Here's what I'm wondering. What's Barnabas doing this?
It's just like is he following them it was just like throwing his carcass out there and just like oh man
What am I gonna do? Should I go back home?
Like should I keep doing I keep preaching?
So this is this is crazy. This is the first time this happens to Paul. What a great first mission strip
I mean imagine you going to Belize for the first time like oh great
And then you just get stoned
You know people just kill you. It's just like wow look at 2nd Corinthians 1 verse 5
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also abounded by Christ and
Whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation and salvation
Which is effectual and the enduring of the same sufferings
Which we also suffer or whether we be comforted it is for your consolation and salvation and our hope of you is steadfast
Knowing that as you're partakers of the sufferings
So shall you be also of the consolation for we would not brethren have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia
This is probably referring to what we're reading
That we were pressed out of measure above strength in so much that we despaired even of life
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves
But in God look what it says which raised raised at the dead
Now what happened to Paul when he got stoned he rose up?
Right he said well
I you really think that's what he's talking about well look at it says in verse 10 who delivered us from so great a death
And doth deliver and in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us
So he's just like why I got raised from the dead
And you know what if God's calling me to do this work, and they put me to death again
I'm just gonna believe he's gonna resurrect me and either way. I believe in the resurrection, so I'm gonna be raised again someday anyways, right
Now look at first to go back to Acts chapter 14
So he's telling this to the the Corinthians because he's saying hey, you're gonna suffer some persecution
You're gonna go through some difficulties. You need to believe that God will deliver you because look I died
We had the sentence of death and God still delivered me
Wouldn't that encourage you?
Like whoa if God did it for Paul
He's probably gonna do for me too verse 20. How be it as the disciples stood around about him
He rose up, so you know it's just like he's just laying on the ground everyone
Just kind of like look at him like what are we gonna do and as soon?
They're standing around about him. What does he do he just gets up?
And came into the city and the next day he departed with Barnabas the Derby this guy is a gangster
It's
Not like you know I think I need to take some time off
I didn't let that swelling go down you guys got an ice pack somewhere
I'm gonna make I'm gonna go to Italy for a little bit and just kind of take this is just getting too much
He got up, and he's just like let's keep working
Wow
Now this is a great principle for us to learn about that hey when you go through tribulation just get up
When the world knocks you down just get up
When Satan is beating you down telling you that you're nothing just
Discouraging you trying to get you anxious and depressed and discouraged just get up
rise up
Rise up battered and go to Derby a just man fall seven times and rise it up again
Can't nobody hold you down. Oh, no you got to keep on moving
He
Rises up the Bible says very inspirational amen I
Mean I don't know why the Bible just kind of left out the way you look, but there's part of reason why
He just gets up, and he's just like where's Derby
You know look at verse 21 and when they had preached the gospel to that city and had taught many
They returned again to Lystra to Iconium and Antioch
it's like
Dude, this is where they like the people who killed you the reason that this is these are the people who basically made you look
The way you look right now, and he's like well
I got to go home. You know so we got to go back to Lystra to Derby Iconium and Antioch
Amazing look at verse 22
confirming the souls of the disciples and
Exhorting them to continue in the faith and that we must muster much tribulation entrance in the kingdom of God
So he's got some he's got you know
He's got a what am I looking for? What's the word? I'm looking for?
He's got room to talk in other words
You know they're looking at him. He's just like yeah, we must do much tribulation entrance of the kingdom of God
Now I want you to notice that he says that it says there verse 22 that he went confirming the souls of the disciples
And of course he tells them to go through much tribulation them now. What does it mean to confirm them?
Well in Spanish is gonna be the man which means with firmness
Right so when you confirm someone is like you're establishing them
And this way says continue in the faith for we through much tribulation must enter into the kingdom of God
Isn't that the opposite of what we see what the individual who gets offended in the time of temptation falls away?
Why because they're not rooted and grounded right whereas the individual is confirmed. They shall not be moved
They're established they're strong
They're not gonna move
So he's going around saying hey
They killed me, but God delivered me
So I'm confirming you continue in the faith because if God did it for me. He could do it for you, too, okay?
Amazing I'm just like amazed at his attitude here. Go to 2nd Timothy chapter 3. Let me show you something
I'm gonna read to you from Colossians chapter 2 verse 6 it says as ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord
So walking in him rooted and built up in him and
established in the faith you know God wants you to be established a
Stable Christian
not perfect, but established as
He have been taught abounding therein with Thanksgiving 1st Peter 5 10 says
But the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered a while
Make you perfect
establish strengthen settle you it's important that we're in this thing for the long haul folks
We need to be in this thing to the very end
I was gonna say to the bitter end, but you know what the end is not bitter
Sweeter gets the journey as the days go by right
Look at 2nd Timothy 3 verse 10 so remember Timothy was someone who was reached by the Apostle Paul or excuse me
Should I say was discipled by the Apostle Paul was reached in Lystra and Derby so in a sense
He was kind of reached through the Apostle Paul, and he's writing to him about these things look at look
What he says in verse 10, but that was fully known my doctrine manner of life purpose faith long-suffering charity patience
persecutions
afflictions which came to me at where Antioch at
Iconium at Lystra
What persecutions I endured but out of them all the Lord delivered me
Yeah, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
Persecution so he's telling Timothy hey you need to endure these things and why is he telling Timothy this well Timothy's from that violent area
So he's telling hey you need to stand for the truth where you're at. I know it's a little dangerous there
I know it's like, California there
But you need to just toughen up and and understand that God will deliver you from these things
You know I told you about my afflictions and persecutions that I suffered, but the Lord delivered me out of them all
And this is why he says in chapter 2 of 2nd Timothy
I endure all things for the elect's sake that they may obtain the salvation through Jesus Christ
So why is he enduring for the elect's sake so that people who are in those regions those churches that he started?
Will basically recognize you know what we need to be emboldened to stand for the truth as well
We can't be afraid can't be sissies. We're not gonna leave Lystra. We're not gonna leave Derby. We're not gonna leave Iconium
We're gonna stay here in these churches because you know what if they stone us to death. God is able to resurrect us
God is able to deliver us
You gotta expect it all they believe godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution
This is not a church where we're telling you well if you serve God
Everything's gonna be hunky-dory a bed of roses. You're not gonna suffer any persecution
No, you're gonna have fighting's within and without you're gonna have problems in your marriage at the same time having Satan
Just fight you on other you know fronts
You know you're gonna have governor Newsom putting out these laws
They're irritating or affecting your way of life
And you know what you're gonna promise with your children with your wife at your church fighting's within and without
But you know here's the thing out of them all of the Lord shall deliver you
That's a promise
And you know what you might get stoned a little bit, and I hope that for you doesn't mean stoned
Like I need to get stoned to be able to deliver myself out of these things no
What I'm saying is you might get stoned along the way where you know you're gonna
You're gonna get battered and beat up. You're gonna get swollen, but you know what you're gonna be okay
Okay
That's what he tells them is like I do all things for the elect's sake
Because there's a bunch of people and I conium Lystra and Derby who are watching and
They're they're looking at what I'm going through and if I quit
It's gonna cause them to quit so look folks. Let me just let me just speak to you as my church members. Don't quit
Don't quit
There's a lot of benefits to not quitting
But one of the biggest things is this is that you're gonna encourage someone else to continue in the faith if you just don't quit
I
Just people are watching you
There's people who look up to you whether that's your children your wife
You know that's your family members your church members your friends here. They're looking at you
They're seeing how you're going through the trial, and they're like is he gonna quit is he gonna quit don't throw in the towel
And do all things for the elect's sake
Okay
Now look what it says in verse number we're gonna finish up here
I know I'm going a little long
But if you need to leave if you need to go home or something like that go get a bite to you go go ahead
And do so I'll just call you out on the way out, and I'm just kidding. I won't do that
Look at verse 23 when they had ordained them elders in every church and had prayed with fasting that commended them to the Lord on
Whom they believed I mean that's awesome
So I'm sure Paul is feeling quite accomplished here
I'm sure the the pain that he's feeling is nothing in comparison to what he's saying like he's thinking
You know what we started a lot of churches here
Okay
Verse 24 and after they had passed through Pisidia they came to Pamphylia and when they had preached the word in Perga
They went down to Atalia and then sailed to Antioch from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God
For the work which they had fulfilled and when they were come and had gathered the church together
They rehearsed all that God had done with them
And how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles and there they abode long time with the disciples
You see they didn't come back. They're like man that trip sucked
We have so many problems. It's just like we just man. We just you know we just were miserable
All this happened. It's just like yeah that happened, but you know we got a bunch of people saved
In other words they didn't come back to feed it
I'm sure they talked about what happened with the lime as a sorcerer
I'm sure they talked about what happened to the Jews, but you know they basically said they couldn't stop us
Because we still got a bunch of people saved and in fact we started churches there. It's a great victory amen
So what does that tell us that tells us that we always need to focus on the positives
right
You know focus on the positive and whatever negative comes you know whatever negative things happen
You can talk about those things, but just talk about how you're able to overcome them in order to see more people saved
How God was able to deliver us?
Confound the reprobates confound the wicked people and we're still able to see people safe. What an amazing missions trip
This was I mean I'm reading through this. I'm like man Paul
You know he's probably thinking wow Judea was nothing like this
Judea was kind of boring
You know sending relief into the brethren and then all of a sudden
This crazy trip here. You know so we'll get into chapter 15 next week and some more exciting things
That's missionary trip number one. We still got two more to go. Let's pray father
We thank you so much for your word, and thank you for the Apostle Paul
What a what awesome man, and I know he's a man of like passions and so that encourages me
Because basically we know that you can use any of us the way you use the Apostle Paul
I pray that you would Lord I pray that you use our church
Here our church here can I guess can symbolize?
Somewhat of an iconium a Lystra or a Derby or there's a lot of bad stuff happening and but Lord
I know you can use this greatly
To shine brightly in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation
And I pray God that you'd help us Lord to continue to see more people saved and do a great work for you
May you show yourself strong on our behalf Lord and when we go through a difficult time where we feel we're near death even
May we be reminded of this of this story and know that you will deliver us from it
Especially for doing your work, and if you so choose not to deliver us in in the burning fiery furnace
We know that because we're saved you're gonna be delivered anyways at the at the resurrection and Lord increase our faith in Jesus name we pray