The Gospel Continues Acts 14:19-28

Introduction

I think it might of been here on this first missionary journey that the Lord showed Paul what he would later right in his letter to the church at Corinth

1 Corinthians 3:6–8 “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.”

Paul had done a lot of planting here in Iconium, Lystra and Derbe, and he was going to do some watering on the way back, but ultimately God has to give the increase.

One thing we will notice about Paul is the message doesn’t change, but the way he presents the gospel changed based on whom he was speaking too. Last week we saw that he had to introduce God as the creator to the Pagans, while before when he was preaching in the synagogues that wasn’t necessary.

I like what John Stott said “Wherever we begin, we shall end with Jesus Christ, who is himself the good news, and who can fulfill all human aspirations.”

This Morning we are going to see the gospel continue as Paul heads back to Antioch to report to the church.

Paul Perseverance in Lystra vs. 19-21a

Like anytime Paul preached there were always those who were against him, but here we will see the first time Paul gets stoned, and we know it won’t be his last

In 2 Corinthians he tells us all the things he went through as he tried to reach the world with the Gospel.

One thing I think all of us could learn from Paul is perseverance despite persecution. Despite all the persecution he couldn’t help but preach the gospel.

Romans 1:15–16 “So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

While Paul was there in Lystra some people came from Pisidia Antioch and Iconium to persuade the people there to stone Paul

Remember in Pisidia Antioch they ran them out of the city, and now they have travelled about 100 miles to stone Paul

Then the people from Iconium were ready to stone Paul and Barnabas before they fled their city and headed to Lystra and now the people of Iconium travelled 20 miles to stone Paul.

When the people for Iconium and Pisidia Antioch, they persuaded the people of Lystra to stone Paul

Later Paul writes Timothy about his time in this area

2 Timothy 3:11 “Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.”

So the people of Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidia Antioch took Paul out of the city of Lystra and stoned him and left him for dead.

I can imagine the new followers of Christ seeing Paul being stoned and being left for dead. They had a choice to make, would they continue following Christ knowing the cost they would have to pay, or would they turn back out of fear of what could happen to them.

I read on one commentary “Every Christian who wishes to follow Jesus faithfully and desires to see people come to know the saviour will have to bear some measure of suffering… We simply won’t reach people without sacrifice.”

Then we see as the disciples are standing around Paul, likely protecting and praying for him, all of a sudden Paul rose up

Can you imagine, all those who stoned Paul, drug him out of the city thinking he is dead, all the disciples are standing around him also thinking he is dead and all of a sudden he gets up.

Notice he doesn’t get up and head home, no he gets up and heads back into the city where they had just stoned him. And he didn’t just pass through the city, no he stayed the night. Today we love in a society where if the pastor doesn’t shake our hand we aren’t going back to that church, and here Paul gets stoned in the city and heads right back in.

If we want God to use us we must endure

Galatians 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Look at the last part of verse 20 “And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

What motivated Paul to get up out of bed the next day after being bruised and battered to travel around 60 miles to Derbe? The answer is simple… The Gospel

Paul cared deeply about the salvation of people, sometimes even more than his own well being

2 Timothy 2:8–10 “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

Pauls persistence can encourage us in the Ministry that God has called us too.

Paul could not get over the Gospel, it wasn’t a phase that he would grow out of, the Gospel motivated everything Paul did. All throughout chapter 14 we see the Gospel was the fuel that kept Paul going.

Does the Gospel motivate us or has it lost its power in our life?

Think about what the Gospel means

Forgiveness, freedom, justification, the presence of the Holy Spirit , adoption, reconciliation, future resurrection, and participation in the kingdom that will have no end.

The good news of the Gospel compelled Paul, does it have the same effect on us? We must never let what Christ did for us get old.

Pauls follow up vs. 21b-25

Paul didn’t just go preach the gospel, reach souls, and leave. In fact the easiest route for them to get home wouldn’t have taken them through any of the cities, but taken Paul through his hime town of Tarsus which was way closer to Antioch than the way they took

The goal was to establish churches with the converts. He wasn’t just interest in the decisions, but wanted to make disciples.

That was Pauls goal for all the churches and should be the goal for our church as well.

While Paul could have avoided Lystra and Iconium, he went back to check on the converts and establish churches

This was a pattern that Paul would continue and later while in prison he would send others and letters to check on the churches

Paul did three things while checking in on these churches

Confirmed and exhorted the saints

In verse 22 he challenged them to continue in the faith.

He told them through much tribulation they would enter the kingdom of God.

Tribulation will happen in the Christian life but we must bear it

Matthew 10:38 “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”

One thing about tribulation though is you din’t have to endure it alone and Jesus has already overcome it!

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Left a pastor or elder in charge of the church

I like what one commentator said “Paul doesn’t make sure that each congregation has a specialized building in which to meet. Instead, he makes sure the people are built up through truth, pastoral care, and community. He equips them.”

He trusts them to the Lord

At the end of the day no evangelist or pastor can sustain a church in his own power, we see before Paul and Barnabas head back home they commend the church to the Lord.

Ephesians 3:20–21 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

Then we see Paul heads back to one of the first places he stopped, Perga.

While there he again preached the Gospel and then went down to Attalia, which was a city on the coast of Pamphylia where they took a boat back to Antioch.

Pauls missionary report vs. 26-28

As they come back to Antioch they know the work isn’t complete, but this trip is over

When they got back to Antioch they gathered the church together and they told them all that God had done on this journey, but most importantly how the door of faith was opened to the gentile

Pauls first missionary journey took him to about 8 cities where the Gospel was proclaimed and doors were opened for the Gospel.

Then we see that Paul and Barnabas abode in Antioch for awhile

Conclusion

As believers we must persevere for the sake of the Gospel. Does the gospel mean enough to us that we can endure persecution to get the gospel out?

If you have never trusted Christ as your Saviour, may I remind you this morning that Jesus died for your sins, was buried and rose again the third day so that you could have eternal life. God has extended this free gift to anyone who is willing to believe that by faith. Will you come this morning and we can show you from the word of God how you can be saved.