Acts 14:1-7 - Handling the Disbelieving Stir
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
[ILLUS] Archibald Brown, Charles Spugeon’s successor; man mad about conversion of his wife, bringing a gun to shoot Archibald after the second prayer of the evening service; but the man being converted after hearing the Gospel from Isaiah 53 and handing the revolver to Archibald after the service
The preaching of the Gospel makes enemies, and it make friends. It makes opponents of Jesus and believers in Jesus.
Sometimes the preacher is delivered from those opponents of the Gospel.
Sometimes he is not.
And sometimes he is told to flee and preach elsewhere.
[READING] Acts 14:1-7
1 In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. 2 But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. 3 Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 5 And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them, 6 they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region; 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.
[PRAYER]
[CONTEXT] Paul and Barnabas have embarked on their first missionary journey. They have preached the Gospel on the island of Cyprus. They have preached the Gospel in Pisidian Antioch. And now in Acts 14:1-7, we see them preaching the Gospel in Iconium.
[CIT] In that city, Paul and Barnabas preach the Gospel, welcome new believers in the Gospel, and deal with opponents of the Gospel.
I have called these opponents of the Gospel the “disbelieving stir” because v. 2 says in the NASB…
2 But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren.
[INTER] How do we deal with the disbelieving stir?
[PROP] This passage teaches us that as Christians we not only spread the Gospel, we also contend for the Gospel, and if lead by the Spirit, move on to preach the Gospel elsewhere.
[TS] Notice three ACTS of Paul and Barnabas in this passage…
Major Ideas
Major Ideas
ACT #1: Paul and Barnabas Deliver the Call (vv. 1-2a)
ACT #1: Paul and Barnabas Deliver the Call (vv. 1-2a)
1 In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. 2 But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren.
[EXP]
Iconium - modern day Konya, Turkey, about 80 miles southeast of Antioch Pisidian where they last preached the Gospel; in Paul’s day, it was a melting pot of all sorts of people-Phrygians, Greeks, Jews, and Romans
“spoke in such a manner” - What kind of speech? remarkable, forceful, warm, Spirit-filled
“disbelieved” - literally, disobeyed
“Belief in the Gospel was not a matter of indifference or option, but of duty and obedience to divine authority...” J. A. Alexander
[ILLUS] Friend rolling through “STOP” sign/ “That’s more of a suggestion.”
[APP] The Gospel call is a divine command that we either obey or disobey. I obey Jesus when I believe on Jesus as my Savior. When I don’t believe, I disobey.
23 This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.
The price for disobeying the Gospel is great. By disobeying the Gospel call, we are completely cutoff from all of God’s grace.
The rewards for obeying the Gospel are great. We receive forgiveness of sins, adoption into the family of God, and life forever in God’s smiling presence.
[TS]…
ACT #2: Paul and Barnabas Deal with the Conflict (vv. 2b-3)
ACT #2: Paul and Barnabas Deal with the Conflict (vv. 2b-3)
2 But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. 3 Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands.
[EXP]
“stirred up the minds of the Gentiles” - made their minds bad or hostile toward the Gentiles
“brethren” - the newly converted
“speaking boldly” - freely; free of timidity, cowardice, reserve, obscurity, and partiality
“with reliance upon the Lord” - in reliance upon Jesus and by His authority
“signs and wonders” - miracles that authenticated these Gospel-men and their Gospel-message
[ILLUS] Pastor Joel Beeke preaching the Gospel at his church Sunday after Sunday/ confronted by man who didn’t like it and recruited others to disdain it as well/ Beeke with tears in his eyes because he realized the man didn’t know the Gospel/ But what did Pastor Beeke preach the next Sunday? The Gospel!
[APP] If we are Christians, we are all evangelists because we are all charged with spreading the Gospel. If we do, we will at some point be opposed; i.e., those who disobey the Gospel call will stir up opposition against us. So what do we do?
We speak boldly.
We rely on the Lord.
We ask God to testify to His grace.
And until the Lord directs otherwise, we stay.
This is how we handle the disbelieving stir.
[TS]…
ACT #3: Paul and Barnabas Dodge the Conspiracy (vv. 4-7)
ACT #3: Paul and Barnabas Dodge the Conspiracy (vv. 4-7)
4 But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 5 And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them, 6 they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region; 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.
[EXP]
“Jews” - unbelieving Jews
“apostles” - messengers; not Apostles in the distinctive sense; Paul was an Apostle but he and Barnabas we messengers of the Gospel
“fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, and Derbe” - didn’t flee in fear but in prudence; In Acts we see that sometimes the persecuted stayed, enduring the persecution, and other times they fled
“preaching = telling the Good News
[ILLUS] Sometimes its God will for us to stay and play the martyr. Other times its God will for us to flee and preach the Gospel elsewhere.
Jesus preaching the Gospel in they synagogue of His hometown; after initial positive response, they wanted to throw Him from a cliff; but Jesus passed through the crowd and went to preach elsewhere. Was he afraid? No. Was he just lucky? No. Jesus knew it wasn’t his time.
The time for Paul and Barnabas would eventually come, but it wasn’t that day in Iconium.
[APP] When those who disobey the Gospel call conspire to take our lives, we must allow the Lord to tell us if it is our time or if we should go elsewhere to preach the Gospel.
The only glory in dying for Christ is dying in obedience to Christ.
If he doesn’t move tell us to stay, we move on to preach the Gospel in other places.
[TS]...
Conclusion
Conclusion
One last word to unbelievers…
When you disobey the Gospel call to trust in Jesus as Savior…
…you eventually find yourself opposing Jesus…
…and soon Jesus may move on from you.
Do not disobey Him.
Believe Him.
And believe on Him for salvation.
Do not oppose Him.
Embrace Him.
And embrace those who follow Him.
And if you believe Him and embrace Him, know that he will never move on from you.
He will be with you even to the end of the age.
[PRAYER]