Worship the Creature or the Creator
Notes
Transcript
a. Rapport for the time
a. Rapport for the time
B. Reading of the text
C. Review of the text
D. Relevance of the text
I. Paul’s pattern for ministry
I. Paul’s pattern for ministry
1 Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.
If you are like me you picture Paul and Barnabas moving from town to town like you and I would walk from Germantown to Memphis like the towns are very close together. But Iconium was about 90 miles away from Pisidian Antioch. Remember as they left the last location they were not wanted by the people but they left with Joy knowing they had accomplished what the Lord desired.
We established the pattern that Paul would go by as he went from place to place in chapter 13 of Acts. God has sent Paul to share the gospel with the Gentiles but he has in no way given up on the Jews as he begins the synagogue in Iconium. Paul’s has been changed and he desires that other Jews and Gentiles get to hear the message of the Gospel. Many hear the message and believe but the Gospel also divides hearts and those who do not believe go on the offense.
2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.
Hard hearts lead others to hard hearts. Why should people who don’t want the gospel also not want others to have it either. The animosity towards the truth comes from the deepest of our sins. Many who are not able to acknowledge sin in their own life desire that others do the same.
After reading chapter 13 one would think that maybe verse 3 would read the Paul and Barnabas dusted off their shoes and proceeded to the next town again. But that is the farthest thing from the mind of Paul and Barnabas.
3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
The Jewish people are stirring up trouble but They remain their for a long time.
Teaching—a. Speaking boldly
b. Bearing witness to the word of his grace
C. God using them to do miracles that some may believe
They are being used by God in Iconium!!!
4 But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles.
5 When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them,
6 they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country,
7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.
8 Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked.
These verses tell us what Matthew 7 told us three times, what Psalm 3 told us last week, and what Acts 13 told us also..The Gospel divides people into those that believe and those that do not believe. There is no other group. Those that are dead in their trespasses and sin and those that have been made alive in Christ Jesus. The heart of the wicked bring them to the point that they desire to stone Paul and Barnabas. Understand the the Lord is leading them on how they will handle the situation. Just a few verses earlier they stay and teach when confronted by those that are against them spread rumors about them. This time the Lord leads them to move on to Lystra and Derby to continue to preach the Gospel.
Ministry is difficult because you are dealing with the hearts of people as well as your own heart!
T.S. God leads them from this place so that other will be able to hear in Lystra and Derbe and believer all for the Glory of God.
II. For the Glory of God
II. For the Glory of God
8 Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked.
9 He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well,
10 said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking.
This recorded healing is much like Peter’s first healing recorded in Chapter 3:1-10
Paul is speaking obviously sharing the Gospel once again and as he does he sees a man that is crippled from birth. Many crippled from birth like this man in Roman society were left by their father like discarding trash. In the society in which he lived at this time he would have relied upon others for everything much like the lame beggar in Acts 3 that Peter comes upon. The lame beggar gazed and desired the help this time Paul seeks out the beggar and says “he had faith to be made well.” A literal translation of these verses would be “Faith necessary for the purpose of saving.” When speaking to a group of people you are able to see those that are understanding what you are saying and others that might still be struggling. In this situation it seems that the Lord directed Paul to go to the man because we know that the power come from the Lord not from Paul directly to heal this man. The miracle at the hands of the Christ and the Apostles in the early church comes from God directing people to know who is he and to give him Glory alone. This is a work done by God that he might make his name great not the name of Paul or Barnabas.
Paul speaks to him with a loud voice—calling out to him and the lame man leaps to his feat! What a glorious moment for this man who has not had he ability to walk from birth. His legs in a moment go from useless, having never been used, no mussel mass at all, to fully functional and the gentleman can walk around just like everyone else like he had been doing it his entire life.
This is how God heals—not partially but completely. This is why there is not such thing as being a little saved or a little redeemed or having a little relationship with the Lord, You can’t be a little alive Christ. You and I must understand that our faith is either in Christ or it is not. He has worked a miracle in our lives taking us from dead to alive. Moving us from darkness to light for his Glory that he might make his name known. You have experienced a miracle just as great as this lame man if you are in Christ this morning. Yet often we act as though we have nothing and we allow a lost world to infect us instead of infecting the world in which we live.
T.S. Ultimately we learn that only God is worthy in our life.
III. Only God is worthy
III. Only God is worthy
11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”
12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.
Paul is thought to be Hermes--Hermes was god of thieves, was a patron of travelers1609 and commerce, and (most important for our purposes) is called the “chief in speech” among deities (Iambl. Myst. 1.1).1611 As noted above, Hermes was the chief messenger of the gods (e.g., Hom. Od. 1.38, 84) as well as chief crier for the gods1613 and in the underworld. Further, he was a deity of crafty and eloquent speech
Keener, C. S. (2012–2013). Acts: An Exegetical Commentary & 2: Introduction and 1:1–14:28 (Vol. 1, p. 2151). Baker Academic.
Barnabas is Zeus---Zeus was the most prominent and dominant member of the traditional Olympian pantheon and continued to be worshiped in a more religiously diverse era. The omnipotence of his Roman equivalent, Jupiter, was a dominant theme for him in Roman literature.1597 Shrines for Zeus were pervasive throughout Asia, including in Galatia; he is especially attested as Zeus Megistos in Iconium and northern Lycaonia.1599 Zeus appears frequently in Phrygian inscriptions, far more often than Hermes. Temples to Zeus were common throughout Galatia, and he was the most frequent object of worship there.1601 Jewish sources associate Zeus in a special way with Phrygia (Sib. Or. 4.130–31), though not all Jews would have regarded this as a compliment to Phrygia (11.134).
Keener, C. S. (2012–2013). Acts: An Exegetical Commentary & 2: Introduction and 1:1–14:28 (Vol. 1, p. 2150). Baker Academic.
13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out,
The priest of Zeus begins to make sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas because this is what they are to do to honor tow gods!
They tear their clothes which represents what they believe to be blasphemy has been uttered against the one True God.
OT
35 And as soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot take back my vow.”
63 And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need?
64 You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death.
15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.
16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.
17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”
18 Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.
Paul and Barnabas use the moment to make sure the people understand that they are not there to perform tricks for them but are the