Have you every had someone ask you what you did during your day, and you think, “Where do I start?” Perhaps you had a wide-variety of tasks; perhaps you had a long day; perhaps you had a lot going on.
We are in the middle of a section in the Book of Acts that describes the missionary journeys of Paul, Barnabas, and their companions.
There is a lot going on with Paul and Barnabas during this time. Indeed, there’s a lot going on in today’s passage.
Well, today, as we look again at Paul and Barnabas, we’re going to see that they had a lot going on. Indeed, the title of today’s sermon is “A Lot Going on with Paul and Barnabas.”
Let’s pray together before we go any further.
(prayer)
Ok, let’s look at the passage together, and then we’ll look at what’s going on with Paul and Barnabas.
Look at Acts 14:1-20:
1 In Iconium they entered the Jewish synagogue, as usual, and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So they stayed there a long time and spoke boldly for the Lord, who testified to the message of his grace by enabling them to do signs and wonders. 4 But the people of the city were divided, some siding with the Jews and others with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat and stone them, 6 they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding countryside. 7 There they continued preaching the gospel.
8 In Lystra a man was sitting who was without strength in his feet, had never walked, and had been lame from birth. 9 He listened as Paul spoke. After looking directly at him and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 Paul said in a loud voice, “Stand up on your feet!” And he jumped up and began to walk around.
11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the town, brought bulls and wreaths to the gates because he intended, with the crowds, to offer sacrifice.
14 The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their robes when they heard this and rushed into the crowd, shouting: 15 “People! Why are you doing these things? We are people also, just like you, and we are proclaiming good news to you, that you turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to go their own way, 17 although he did not leave himself without a witness, since he did what is good by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons and filling you with food and your hearts with joy.” 18 Even though they said these things, they barely stopped the crowds from sacrificing to them.
19 Some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and when they won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. 20 After the disciples gathered around him, he got up and went into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
Ok, let’s look at what’s going on.
First, we see . . .
I. A synagogue
Verse 1 says right away, “In Iconium they entered the Jewish synagogue, as usual.”
Ok, let’s look at our map again.
For reference, here’s Jerusalem. Remember from last week, Paul and Barnabas were in Pisidian Antioch. Now they have traveled to Iconium.
Notice what was happening while they were at the synagogue in Iconium.
Luke (the author of Acts) says in verse 1 that the missionaries “spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.”
Remember, we learned last time that some of the people of Pisidian Antioch rejected Paul and Barnabas, so they stuck to their calling and moved on to keep preaching the gospel.
As they normally did, they spoke in the synagogue, and both Jewish listeners and non-Jewish listeners believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
However, there were some other things going on.
Next, we see . . .
II. A situation
Verses 2-7 indicate that some problems arose; they had a situation.
We learn that the Jews who did not believe in Jesus as their Messiah stirred up the people of the town, mostly non-Jewish (or Gentile), against the missionaries.
Yet, even in the midst of that trouble that was being stirred up, we see in verse 3 that they stayed there for a long time and continued to minister.
However, it appears that the situation got worse. Look at verses 5-6:
5 When an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat and stone them, 6 they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding countryside.
Verse 7 says that in the countryside, they continued to preach the gospel.
It’s important to realize, church, that even when a situation arose, the missionaries did not give up.
They pivoted, and they kept ministering in the name of Jesus Christ.
Sometimes a situation is going to arise in your life and Christian walk. Don’t give up! Don’t stop! Pivot and keep going! Seek the Lord and keep going!
Be encouraged by the ministry of the missionaries, as we read in verse 7, “There they continued preaching the gospel.”
Well, there’s a lot going on in this passage. Next, we see . . .
III. A sign
Verse 8 tells us that while in the countryside, Paul and Barnabas encountered a man in Lystra who was unable to walk.
By the way, Luke wanted to make sure that we really understood that this man was disabled.
He says the man was without strength in his feet, had never walked, and had been lame from birth.
In other words, this man was thoroughly physically disabled.
However, verse 9 indicates that Paul noticed that this man had faith to be healed.
So, Paul spoke to the man and told him, “Stand up on your feet!”
The man did stand up. In fact, verse 10 indicates that he jumped up and began to walk around.
Again, this is another sign that God was at work through His followers, so that others might know that He has power to work miracles and power to save sinners.
Well, there’s something else happening here as well.
Next, we see . . .
IV. A sacrifice
Look again at verses 11-13:
11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the town, brought bulls and wreaths to the gates because he intended, with the crowds, to offer sacrifice.
So, we see this sacrifice that the locals wanted to carry out in order to worship Paul and Barnabas.
Well, why in the world would they want to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas?
You see, the area where Paul and Barnabas were ministering was heavily populated by Gentile people who were heavily influenced by Greek culture.
As you look at the map, you see the area where they are ministering has them moving farther away from Israel, and closer towards Greece.
It becomes evident in this passage that after the healing of this man, these people actually thought that Paul and Barnabas were gods.
They were so convinced that Paul and Barnabas were gods that the local priest of the Greek gods went to get some bulls to sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas.
It’s at this point that Paul and Barnabas start to realize what’s going on.
That leads to the next thing that we see in this passage, which is . . .
V. A sermon
Now, you might wonder why Paul and Barnabas didn’t realize what was going on sooner.
However, pay attention to what it says in verse 11. It says they we speaking the local Lycaonian language.
So, Paul and Barnabas couldn’t understand what was going on because of the language difference, but they figured out what was going on when the bulls showed up.
See in verses 14-16 how they responded to what was happening:
14 The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their robes when they heard this and rushed into the crowd, shouting, 15 “People! Why are you doing these things? We are people also, just like you, and we are proclaiming good news to you, that you turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them.
For someone to tear their robes was an expression of deep grief or distress. It was also a sign that someone witnessed blasphemy.
Paul and Barnabas couldn’t believe what they were hearing. The very thing that they were trying to turn the people away from is what the people were now practicing in a terrible attempt to honor Paul and Barnabas.
So, Paul began to teach them in this sermon that there is one true God who made everything, and He is the only one worthy of worship!
Paul went on to say that there was a time when God gave people and nations over to their own desires, their own way of worship, and their own sin.
Paul further said that even during such times, God still left His witness upon them, and He still showed His grace to them.
Now, however, these people who were once left to themselves have a message delivered to them from Paul and Barnabas. That message is that Jesus Christ can save sinners!
Brothers and sisters, do you have a sermon within your heart, ready to share about those who need to hear about Jesus?
I don’t mean a formal sermon that’s 35 minutes long with three points that all start with the same letter.
I mean, do you have a message ready in your heart to declare to those who are absolutely lost that Jesus Christ can save sinners‽
Luke points out in verse 18 that even with this sermon of explanation, they barely stopped the crowds from sacrificing to them.
Well, that’s the sermon.
Finally, let’s look at . . .
VI. A stoning
Let’s look at the final verses. Look at verses 19 and 20:
19 Some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and when they won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. 20 After the disciples gathered around him, he got up and went into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
Let me just say, first of all, how strange these verses are in the sense that Luke kind of just says this in passing.
However, this is a big deal! Paul was stoned to the point that the people think he is dead!
This was a terrible and evil event.
However, notice the extent of the evil here: The people who disagreed with Paul and Barnabas from previous places where they had been were following them in order to oppose their ministry.
I mean, that’s some commitment right there. They were committed to opposing the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Church, let that be a warning to us. Some people are going to be completely committed to opposing the work of Jesus Christ through His people and through His church.
However, we should be more aware of this: Jesus is committed even more to make sure that His church does not fail. Evil will be defeated, the Church of Jesus Christ will prevail, and Jesus will stand victorious upon the head of Satan.
Paul suffered; Paul was hurt by the forces of evil (so much so that they thought he was dead); but the mission of God would go on; the Church of Jesus would live, and is still living today.
This passage concludes by telling us that after Paul came back to himself, they stayed the night in town, and then he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
There’s a lot going on with Paul and Barnabas. Let this bottom line summarize what we are learning:
Bottom Line: Though we never know what lies ahead, we serve a God who does.
I’m sure Paul had no idea that all that would happen to him and Barnabas.
I mean, one moment, he was being worshiped, and the next, he was being stoned to death.
Paul and Barnabas did not know what lied ahead for them. However, they knew that they served and worshiped a God who knows all things and has the power to accomplish all that He desires to accomplish.
Brother or sister in Jesus, do you know this truth? Do you understand that we do not know what lies ahead for us, but we serve a God who does?
Challenge yourself in this one way this week:
Weekly Challenge #1 – Ask God to increase your trust in Him.
If you are a follower of Jesus, I’m sure you want to trust Him more.
So, ask God through prayer to increase your trust in Him.
On sunny days and gloomy days, we need to trust God.
On hard days and easy days, we need to trust God.
On days of boldness and on days of fear, we need to trust God.
On days of certainty and on days of confusion, we need to trust God.
On days of blessing and on days of poverty, we need to trust God.
We don’t know what lies ahead, but the one true God does, so ask Him to help you trust Him.
(Gospel presentation)
(closing prayer)
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