Acts Message 44
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48 Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.
50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.
51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium.
52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
1 Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.
2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren.
3 Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
4 But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles.
5 And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them,
6 they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region.
7 And they were preaching the gospel there.
Believers, and unbelievers.
Believers, and unbelievers.
Intro: Last week we talked about how the gospel can cause division. Elab.
At times the division would be so great it would be time to move on. It can be that way in churches today. Some people get it some people don’t.
Someone may come to a church hoping to get involved in ministry. Could be a new Christian, could be someone who has been involved in ministry before, and they are looking to help out in a church that is struggling. But for some reason things just don’t work out. There is a hindrance of some kind. It could be the attitude of we have never done it like that, we don’t want to change, this is our church we don’t need new people telling us what to do. There could be jealousy of some kind.
Could be a new pastor that has some new ideas, but there is some reason that the people will not follow his lead. Not talking about someone who is doing things unbiblical. This is someone that is trying to lead in the right way.
There can be some good this going on, but there could be enough of a hindrance that it is time to more on. God may close a door, but he will always open a door.
This is what happens with Paul and Barnabas.
I. VS. 48-52
48 Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.
1. Great things have happened. Paul and Barnabas have spread the gospel. People believed and received Jesus. They were filled with joy. The gospel was spread throughout the land. Everything was looking good.
a. When things are going good, you better look out. Satan is lurking around the corner.
1. Satan is not going to sit idly by with his arms folded while souls are being saved. He is going to move in to try and stop it.
50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.
1. They stirred up.
a. Stirred up: To urge along, to stimulate to hostility.
b. They (Jews) were being used by the devil the stir up opposition to the preaching of the gospel.
c. We see the trim “stirred up” 14:2 We will talk more about that when we get there.
2. Who did they stir up?
3.“the devout and honorable woman, and the chef men of the city”
a. devout: Religious
b. honorable: Noble, high ranking.
c. These would have been women how had some influence in the city.
d. Satan will use people that have influence. Elab
4. “the chef men of the city”
a. Important men in the city. Mayor, city councilmen, businessmen and civic leaders.
5. “raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas”
a. raised: to ruse upon.
b. persecution:
6. “expelled them from their coast”
a. They cast them out of their coast, (boundary line)
7. Why did they want Paul and Barnabas in their city?
a. They could not handle the truth.
b. They were guilty of sin. The only way of salvation was through Jesus.
c. That Jesus was the Son of God.
d. They couldn’t face the fact that they were wrong.
f. They didn’t like that they couldn’t get their way, so they stirred up the people and kicked Paul and Barnabas out of town.
8. The results of disgruntle people that like to stir things up.
51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium.
a. Jesus gave the same instructions to his disciples.
14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.
15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!
1. “They shook the dust off their feet against them”
a. This was a Jewish gesture of scorn and disassociation.
b. People may leave a church that way.
c. Pastors may leave a Church that way.
d. The average say for a pastor in the SBC 4 years.
f. Some may get ran off. Some leave for bigger churches. Some leave because they can’t handle the pressure.
g. Some leave because there are people that are hindrance, they can’t get the people to catch the vision. So they leave and shake the dust off their feet.
h. Remember what I said earlier. Some get it and some don’t.
I. Which people do get it? The ones that really receive Jesus.
VS. 52
52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Disciple here: A leaner, a follower of Jesus.
1. This is what Paul and Barnabas had left behind a group of new believers filled with Joy and the Holy Ghost.
a. Paul and Barnabas had to leave their new converts, but the Holy Spirit stayed. The Jews may have been able to drive out Paul and Barnabas but they could not drive out the Holy Spirit.
b. There are those that stir things up that may run people off and there are those that are filled with joy, and the Holy Ghost.
Acts 14:1–7 (NKJV)
1 Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.
2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren.
3 Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
4 But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles.
5 And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them,
6 they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region.
7 And they were preaching the gospel there.
VS. 1
1. Paul and Barnabas. They didn’t stop preaching the gospel.
a. They refused to be intimidated by the opposition of the gospel. People in church get intimidated by the ones who stir up things. Some quit, some keep on going.
b. Paul and Barnabas kept on going.
2. Elab on the conversation between them as they were heading to Iconium.
VS1 “so spake”
1. This suggests that focus was not on the message delivered, but how the message was given.
a. The message of God’s grace is an exciting message to proclaim. They proclaimed it with excitement.
b. Look at the results. VS. 1b
c. Once again, many came to Christ.
d. Remember what I said earlier, Satan will not sit idly by while the gospel is being preached and souls are being saved.
e. Or when believers are growing in their faith.
SR Adults.
VS2
1. “stirred up the Gentiles”
a. The trim “stirred up is used 6 times in the new test all in the book of acts.
b. Who is involved in this?
VS. 2 “And the unbelieving Jews”
1. You never see believers that have stirred up. It is always the unbelievers.
a. I have wondered and I’ve been asked. How can Christians cause problems (stir things up)in the church? Elab
b. Maybe it is because they are really unbelievers.
2. VS. 2b “ and poisoned their minds against the brethren.
a. In their minds they thought of evil they could do to them. They were filled with bitterness.
a. It is no bitterness like religious bitterness.
b. The Jews were bitter against Paul and Barnabas, and the new believers.
Acts 14:3 (NKJV)
3 Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
a. They stayed there for a long time. Elab
b. They preached the God grace. They were given the ability of signs and wonders to be done. Miracles to so that they were gifted of God.
VS. 4
Acts 14:4 (NKJV)
4 But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles.
1. As time went by the storm began to brew, all over town the people began to take sides. Elab
a. This is what will happen in the church when people stir up things. It is a storm brewing as people take sides.
b. “divided” means spilt.
c. When things get stirred up, it can cause a church spilt.
d. There are fast splits. Elab.
f. There are slow spits. Elab.
g. Iconium was a divided city. Believers and unbelievers.
VS 5
Acts 14:5 (NKJV)
5 And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them,
1. The storm broke.
a. There was a mob that was both Jews and Gentiles that were saying slanderous things and ready to cause them harm. Stone them.
VS. 6,7
6 they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region.
7 And they were preaching the gospel there.
1. They got word that things were serious and it was time to go. They stayed boldly, they preached boldly.
a. Now it was time to move on.
b. They went to a new region, and they continued to preach the word.
2. Point to all this is those that stir up things will cause division.
a. It cause good people to leave, it can hinder the spirit.
b. Remember the world is watching us.