Faith Over Fables

Read Acts 14 and Pray

How many of these sayings do you live by?

“Money is the root of all evil.”

1 Timothy 6:10 (NASB95)

For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

“God won’t give you more than you can handle.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NASB95)

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

“God helps those who help themselves.”

Romans 5:8 (NASB95)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

“Judge Not!”

Matthew 7:1–5 (NASB95)

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

“God works all things together for my good.”

Romans 8:28 (NASB95)

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

In the same way that Paul urged these people to think correctly about their beliefs, we have to examine our own beliefs in light of scripture.

(30m)

Christian Fables Reject A Gospel That Divides

Acts 14:1–7 NASB95

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. But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. 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. But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them, they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region; and there they continued to preach the gospel.

The Jews claimed to love God and His Word, but when it confronted their sin they rejected God’s messengers and His message.

Today there are many pastors who do the same when they skip convicting verses in the Bible, deny the truth of the Bible, or simply refuse to use it in their services.

The Gospel Divides Our Relationship With People

Matthew 10:33–39 NASB95

“But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. “For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

The Gospel Divides Our Relationship With Sin

John 3:14–21 NASB95

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. “But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

Anger is often the result of fear. Show me someone who is angry at God and I will show you someone who is afraid of the truth about their sin.

(20m)

Christian Fables Put Words In God’s Mouth

Acts 14:8–18 NASB95

At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be made well, said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he leaped up and began to walk. When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.” And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you 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. “In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” Even saying these things, with difficulty they restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.

We Are Bad At Assuming God’s Motives

The people assumed that Paul and Barnabas were gods because a miracle was performed, but they were worshipping the creatures instead of the Creator.

Romans 1:18–25 NASB95

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Job’s friends assumed why God took everything from him, but they were wrong.

Job 8:1–6 NASB95

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, “How long will you say these things, And the words of your mouth be a mighty wind? “Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert what is right? “If your sons sinned against Him, Then He delivered them into the power of their transgression. “If you would seek God And implore the compassion of the Almighty, If you are pure and upright, Surely now He would rouse Himself for you And restore your righteous estate.

It Is Easier To Be Led By Superstition Than By The Holy Spirit

There was a local legend that said Zeus and Hermes once visited and needed a place to stay. Only one couple was willing to take them in, so they caused a flood and killed everyone. The people were afraid it would happen again.

In their religion, Hermes was the messenger who brought food to them, and Zeus was the giver of rain. Since Paul was speaking and Barnabas was quiet, the people assumed that Paul was Hermes and Barnabas was Zeus. Paul corrects their thinking when he tells them that the only true God is the giver of those things in verses 16-17:

Acts 14:16–17 (NASB95)

“In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”

It is much harder to spend time in prayer and meditation on scripture to discern God’s will than it is to recite an Our Father or kiss a crucifix.

(10m)

Christian Fables Make You The Hero Who Doesn’t Suffer

Acts 14:19–22 NASB95

But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe. After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

Being A Christian Isn’t Easy

John 15:18–27 NASB95

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. “But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. “He who hates Me hates My Father also. “If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. “But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’ “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

Paul was stoned instead of Barnabas because he didn’t keep his mouth shut about Jesus. Even after they thought they had beaten him to death, he got up and walked back into the same city!

It is so hard to obey Jesus that God had to send His Holy Spirit to dwell with us so that we would have the power to do it.

You Aren’t Alone

Acts 14:23–28 NASB95

When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. They passed through Pisidia and came into Pamphylia. When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch, from which they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had accomplished. When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they spent a long time with the disciples.

One of the top priorities of the Apostles was appointing multiple elders in each church.

Paul and Barnabas were accountable to the local church in Antioch. Even as an Apostle, Paul wasn’t doing ministry without the approval and support of a local church. They gave a report to the members of the church, not just the elders!

CONCLUSION

How can I know if my beliefs are of faith or fables?

Do my beliefs take sin seriously?

Do my beliefs agree with scripture?

Do my beliefs require me to do hard things for God?

Do my beliefs require me to work with other believers?