***ACTS 14:1-7

Understanding Acts–Volume 4 (Expecting Nothing Less! (Acts 14:1–7))

Expecting Nothing Less!

(Acts 14:1–7)

As we serve the Lord there are some things we can and should expect.

• We should expect that the Lord to honor His word, save souls, change lives, and work in power.

• We should also expect for opposition to arise from unbelievers. We should expect to be resisted, rejected, ridiculed, and rebelled against!

The apostle Paul and Barnabas was in the midst of spiritual warfare and as good soldiers of Jesus Christ they kept pressing on and taking ground for the Kingdom!

It was “par for the course” as the experienced triumphs in the work of the Lord and they faced trials in the work of the Lord!

During World War II one night in 1945 Captain Terry Simeral brought his crippled B-29 in for a safe landing amidst waiting fire engines and red flares, unloaded the plane, and entered the group headquarters tent.

His face was white. He seemed to be in a state of shock, and it was several minutes before he could talk.

An incredible feat had been accomplished as Captain Simeral piloted his Pathfinder plane toward the enemy coast in order to drop phosphorus smoke to mark the mission’s target.

On B-29’s it was the radio operator’s job to release the bomb through a narrow tube. On this particular flight Sgt. Henry Erwin received the routine order, triggered the flare, and dropped it down the tube.

But there was a malfunction, and the bomb exploded and bounded back into Erwin’s face, blinding both eyes and searing off an ear.

Burning phosphorus melts metal like butter, and the bomb was now at Sgt. Erwin’s feet and eating rapidly through the deck of the plane toward a full load of bombs.

He was alone because the navigator had gone to the transparent dome atop the plane to make some celestial computations.

Not having the luxury of time to analyze his situation, Erwin picked up the white-hot bomb in his bare hands and stumbled forward toward the cockpit, groping along with elbows and feet.

The navigator’s folding table was down and latched, blocking the way.

Sgt. Erwin hugged the blazing bomb under one arm as it burned the flesh over his ribs, unfastened the latch, and lifted the table.

He stumbled on, a walking torch. His clothing and hair were ablaze. Dense smoke filled the plane, and Simeral had opened the window beside him to clear the air.

Simeral said, “I could not see Erwin, but I heard his voice right at my elbow. He said, ‘Pardon me, sir,’ and reached across the window and tossed the bomb out. Then he collapsed on the flight deck.

Amazingly, Sgt. Erwin survived and went on to regain the use of his hands and partial vision in one eye.

Sgt. Henry Erwin is one of our country’s Congressional Medal of Honor winners, receiving it from General Curtis LeMay while still in a Pacific Hospital.

That was an amazing account of heroism. Sgt. Erwin risked life and limb to defend his country!

The Bible gives us an even greater account of heroism in Paul and Barnabas risking life and limb to declare Christ to those who had never heard the gospel!

When we serve Jesus and make Him known in this world we can expect nothing less than what the apostles went through!

I’m not being a pessimist, but a realist! We need to be optimistic about the word of God through us as we yield ourselves to Him and fully obey Him.

It may look dark and dreadful, but God is still at work and we need to expect Him to work!

Someone defined an optimist as, “an eighty-five year old man who marries a thirty-five year old woman and moves into a twelve-room house next to an elementary school.”

We need to have faith in God to work and seek to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ in every way!

Are we expecting God to work? Are we seeing God at work in saving souls and changing lives? Are we experiencing resistance and persecution because of the work of God?

I. The power of the gospel message (1)

A. The place (1a)

“Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews,”

In the last study we learned that Paul and Barnabas was expelled from Antioch Pisidian. They met with resistance in that place.

Luke now tells us of their further travels as they came to Iconium.

Iconium was sixty mile east of Antioch Pisidia. It was a large and wealthy city about one hundred and twenty miles north of the Mediterranean Sea.

The name Iconium means “image” which is the same word for Icon.

The city was located in the Roman Province of Galatia even though it was predominately populated by Greeks.

Obviously there was a substantial number of Jews in Iconium as well for it to have a Jewish synagogue.

Luke tell us of the place that Paul and Barnabas came to. Next we learn of:

B. Their preaching (1b–c)

1. The effectiveness of the message (1b)

“and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.”

There preaching was effective. They had the anointing of God upon their lives and preaching.

They had the power of God upon them and worked through them.

There is power in the word of God.

There message was effective. I pray to God that He would give us ears to hear and wills to obey His word!

I long to see God work through His message today!

So spoke: laleo, lal-eh’-o; to talk, i.e. utter words:- preach, say, speak (after), talk, tell, utter.

This word does not mean that the apostles were convincing in and of themselves.

We like our favorite preachers and singers, but we must always realize that they are using a gift that God gave them to glorify His name and point others to Jesus.

Paul and Barnabas didn’t take pride in their ability to captivate an audience and convey the truth so that others would get saved.

It was God working in and through the apostles.

It is God that works in and through His preachers!

• TRUTH: Anything Paul and Barnabas could have talked them into the devil could have talked them out of!

Their message was effective though because God was using them. They were instruments in His hand and they were heralding His message!

The people couldn’t refute the message; their preaching was power packed!

In verse 1 Luke tells us about the effectiveness of the message, we also learn about:

2. The evangelism of the multitudes (1c)

“and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.”

Paul and Barnabas spoke in such a way, that the people turned to faith in Jesus Christ.

￫clear,

￫concise,

￫convincing,

￫and convicting,

They believed the gospel!

Believed: pisteuo, pist-yoo’-o; to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication to entrust (especially one’s spiritual well-being to Christ):- believe (-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.

They believed the gospel, have you? Have you entrusted your spiritual well-being to Christ and Him alone!

Have you come to the end of yourself, been broken over your sins, and in faith and repentance have you trusted in Jesus Christ to save you?

IF NOT, WHY NOT?

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved from the wrath to come!

In Iconium we noticed the power of the gospel message.

We can expect God to save souls and change lives when His word goes out!

Isaiah 55:10–11 says, “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

We need to expect nothing less: God will work when His word is preached!

We’ve seen the power of the gospel message. Next we see:

II. The poisoning of the Gentiles minds (2–3)

A. The corrupting by the unbelievers (2)

“But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren.”

Not everyone believed the word of God and was saved!

There were unbelievers in that city and during that day and there are unbelievers in every city and during our day.

The devil’s crowd is never satisfied to idly sit by and let God work!

These unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles.

Unbelieving: apeitheo, ap-i-theh’-o; to disbelieve (wilfully and perversely)- not believe, disobedient, obey not, unbelieving.

They were disbelieving in the gospel and they were disobedient to the gospel.

They had opportunity to hear and heed the message of salvation and they resisted the message and rejected the message.

They not only disbelieved, but they didn’t want others to believe either.

Stirred up: epegeiro, ep-eg-i’-ro, to rouse upon, i.e. (figurative) to excite against- raise, stir up.

These Jews were influential and persuasive. They knew what buttons to push to get their way.

They not only stirred up the Gentiles, but they also poisoned their minds.

Poison their minds: (KJV: Made their minds evil affected) (NASB: Embittered them against) kakoo, kak-o’-o; to injure; figurative to exasperate:- make evil affected, entreat evil, harm, hurt, vex.

The devil often uses unbelievers to stir up others against the Gospel and God’s servants.

Satan is known as the “serpent” and the old snake is still at work poisoning people’s minds.

The unsuspecting Gentiles had their minds poisoned against the saints of God, the grace of God and the message of God (gospel).

Almost all poisonous snakes have what we call hematox poison. Hematox poison goes straight to the blood stream and attacks the blood.

There is one snake that is different and I believe he is kin to the old serpent Satan.

The King Cobra snake has what we call neurotox poison. When a King Cobra bites an animal or a person the poison goes to the mind.

It poisons the mind and paralyzes the mind. It affects the whole person!

Satan used the unbelieving Jews to sting the Gentiles with their venom that poisoned their minds.

The Gentiles were swayed away from the brethren and the message they brought. The unbelieving Jews kept others from being saved.

We’ve learned about the corrupting by the unbelievers. We also note:

B. The combating of the unbelievers (3)

1. Their watch at Iconium (3a)

“Therefore they stayed there a long time,”

Paul and Barnabas were not intimidated by the devil’s crowd. They had just been forcefully evicted from Antioch Pisidia and they were not about to bail out of Iconium at the first sign of opposition.

Luke tells us they stayed there a long time. Effective ministry takes time!

Paul and Barnabas had a watch at Iconium. God had placed them there for the purpose of serving Him and preaching His gospel.

We are to stay where God wants us as long as God wants us!

We are often to quick to jump ship, change stations, leave the work, give up! We do not stick with the stuff!

We can expect opposition from evil when we are serving God! The Bible tells us of their watch at Iconium, we also note:

2. Their work in Iconium (3b)

“speaking boldly in the Lord,”

Paul and Barnabas was taking a stand for Jesus and speaking boldly for the Lord Jesus in spite of the opposition.

Sometimes it is easy to preach the truth and at other times it is not easy!

Thank God for Bible preacher’s that preach the truth no matter what!

Speaking boldly: parrhesiazomai, par-hray-see-ad’-zom-ahee; to be frank in utterance, or confident in spirit and demeanor, be (wax) bold, (preach, speak) boldly.

They spoke bolding in the Lord about the Lord! They didn’t mince words! They didn’t back down or hold back!

They preached the truth in love! AMEN!

John MacArthur wrote, “Boldness is that essential quality without which nothing significant can be accomplished for the gospel.”

Do we have boldness to speak in the Lord and for the Lord? The work of the missionaries was to preach the word of God!

We’ve learned about their watch in Iconium, their work in Iconium, and we also note:

3. His witness in Iconium (3c–d)

a. He bore witness through His word (3c)

“who was bearing witness to the word of His grace”

The Lord Jesus was bearing witness through His word and to His word.

He still bears witness to the word of His grace.

When the gospel is preached He still honors His word, draws men and women, comforts the afflicted, afflicts the comfortable, and saves souls through His word of grace.

Bearing witness: (KJV: gave witness) martureo, mar-too-reh’-o; to be a witness, i.e. testify (literal or figurative):- charge, give [evidence], bear record, have (obtain, of) good (honest) report, be well reported of, testify, give (have) testimony, (be, bear, give, obtain) witness.

God was giving evidence of the validity of His word of grace by changing lives.

Thank God it is still the word of His grace.

It’s not a word of works, but of grace. The grace of God is found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

God’s grace towards us sent Jesus to earth to suffer, bleed, and die for us, to rise again, to reign in heaven.

It’s the word of His grace! God still bears witness to the word of His grace!

He bore witness through His word; we also see:

b. He bore witness through His workers (3d)

“granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.”

God granted that signs and wonders be worked through the hands of the apostles.

These signs and wonders were done through the apostles.

The workers did not have power in themselves to doing any work, but it was God granting to them signs for His purpose and His glory.

Signs and wonders were granted to the apostles and through the apostles as a testimony of God who was working through the apostles and the apostles were working for God.

The Gospel was making in roads into places it had never been. God allowed signs and wonders through these early workers to give undisputable evidence of God’s word of grace through His workers.

Warren W. Wiersbe wrote, “Faith is not based on miracles, but faith can be bolstered by miracles.”

That’s exactly what God was doing through Paul and Barnabas.

We need the power of God on us to combat the attack of unbelievers!

We can expect nothing less when we serve Jesus. We can expect God to work through the power of the gospel message. We can expect opposition through the poisoning of the gentiles minds.

We also learn that the opposition intensifies.

III. The plot against God’s messengers (4–7)

A. The division of the people (4)

“But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles.”

The gospel is divisive. It divides homes, communities, towns, cities, and even nations.

Matthew 10:34–39 says, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household’ 37 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. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”

The gospel divided the people in the city of Iconium.

Part of the city sided with the Jews (unbelievers) and the other part sided with the apostles (believers).

We have to make a choice about what we will do with Jesus Christ. We will either be for Him or against Him! There is no middle ground!

The people took sides!

Matthew 12:30 Jesus says, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”

Whose side are you on? Take sides and let God take over! We’ve learned about the division of the people. We also note:

B. The devising of the plot (5–6)

1. The attempt by the aggressors (5)

a. The source of the plot (5a)

“And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers,”

The Gentiles, Jews, and rulers of the city all came together and plotted to do harm to the men of God.

Satanic inspired opposition! These men were not lead by the Holy Spirit to plot against the men of God!

When we are busy serving Jesus we will at times have those who will plot against us.

When we are attacked remember the source of the opposition.

Often Satan has key people in power in his possession and they do his bidding!

This is spiritual warfare in the trenches! Paul and Barnabas was going into new places, preaching to new people, and seeing souls saved.

They were also experiencing some resistance.

￫The devil will never give up without a fight!

After the source of the plot we notice:

b. The seriousness of the plot (5b)

“And when a violent attempt was made … to abuse and stone them.”

The Gentiles, Jews, and rulers of the city sought to put their plan into action.

◦ This plot was not just something they talked about, but it was something they tried to carry out!

The attempt was made! Their intentions were evil and they tried to make good on their plans.

It was a serious matter. They sought to do physical harm to Paul and Barnabas.

They moved from words and threats to taking action and aggression.

Luke describes it as a violent attempt.

Violent attempt: (KJV: assault) horme, hor-may’; a violent impulse, i.e. onset-assault.

Luke tells us that they sought to abuse them.

Abuse: (KJV: to use them despitefully) hubrizo, hoo-brid’-zo; to exercise violence, i.e. abuse:- use despitefully, reproach, entreat shamefully (spitefully).

This word gives us insight into their evil plot and their malicious motives. They were full of the devil.

They wanted to attack God’s servants, do harm to God’s servants, they wanted to hurt God’s servants, and even kill God’s servants.

The plot was for them to find them, torture them, punish them, make them suffer, and stone them.

Those planned to beat them up, beat them down, and cast stones at them!

Paul and Barnabas were on their hit-list. Have you ever been on someone’s hit-list?

We’ve learned about the attempt by the aggressors. In verse 6 we learn:

2. The awareness of the apostles (6)

a. The revelation to them (6a)

“they became aware of it”

Luke doesn’t specifically tell us how and who revealed to the apostles the plot of the people.

We can rest assured though that God had a hand in it.

￫God was working in His servants,

￫working through His servants,

￫and God was working for His servants.

God made known to His servants the plot of the people. He was protecting His servants.

It wasn’t by accident, happenstance, or luck that Paul and Barnabas found out about the plot to abuse them and stone them.

When we face opposition because of our faith in Jesus we will not face opposition without Jesus.

After the revelation to them, we also note:

b. The response by them (6b)

“and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region.”

God made known to the apostles of the plot to harm them so that used their common sense and did what God led them to do. They fled!

John G. Butler wrote, “Divine intervention does not eliminate human responsibility.”

Matthew 10:16 Jesus said, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”

If God wanted them to stay further at Iconium he would have told them.

Illustration: Later on in his missionary work Paul planted the church in Corinth. He faced opposition there as well.

The persecution was strong against Paul but the Lord Jesus spoke to him.

In Acts 18:9–10 the Bible says, “Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.”

We learned of the opposition to Paul and Barnabas in Antioch Pisidia and how they were expelled from that region.

In a public display as a testimony against them Paul and Barnabas shook off the dust from their feet.

￫There are times to shake off the dust from our feet and time to stir up the dust with our feet.

Paul and Barnabas were in immediate danger so they fled. They didn’t flee out of cowardice, but out of prudence.

David Jeremiah wrote, “Leaving Iconium was not cowardice on their part but prudence. They wouldn’t be able to minister anywhere if they were badly injured or killed in a stoning, so they took the path of safety and left before the serious trouble started.”

They used their common sense and they also obeyed the Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 10:23 Jesus says, “When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”

R. Kent Hughes wrote, “Paul and Barnabas were brave but not foolish. They were born-again, not born yesterday. The Lord protects His children, but He wants us to use common sense. So the missionaries departed.”

They had stayed as long as they could in Iconium and they got out when the getting was good!

Illustration: In the 1980’s Kenny Roger’s starred in a series of movies called “The Gambler.”

Those movies depicted life in the 1800’s for a Gambler.

I don’t remember much about the movies, but I always remembered the theme song.

Kenny Rogers sang the theme song. Part of that song speaks to the situation with Paul and Barnabas.

• You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em; know when to fold ‘em; know when to walk away; know when to run.

• You never count your money when you’re setting at the table; there will be time enough for counting when the dealing’s done.

Paul and Barnabas knew when to walk away and knew when to run! The opposition came to a head and it was time to move on down the road to the next city!

We’ve learned about the division of the people, the devising of the plot, and lastly we note:

C. Their determination in preaching (7)

“And they were preaching the gospel there.”

The apostles came to Lystra, Derbe, cities of Lycaonia and they preached the gospel there.

They were determined to get the word out. If anyone would set still long enough they were going to hear the gospel.

Paul and Barnabas were committed to taking the gospel to the world. They were Great Commission Christians.

Lystra and Derbe where about 30 to 40 miles from Iconium. They went to these cities to preach the same message that they had preached in Antioch Pisidia and Iconium.

They were determined to preach the gospel.

Preaching the gospel: euaggelizo, yoo-ang-ghel-id’-zo; to announce good news (“evangelize”) especially the gospel declare, bring (declare, show) glad (good) tidings, preach (the gospel).

We get our word “evangelize, evangelism, evangelist, from this Greek word.

￫It tells us of the intent of the messengers and the content of their message!

They were flat determined to preach the gospel.

John Phillips wrote, “Paul might be knocked down, but he was not knocked out. No foe could daunt him, no fear could haunt him. They could throw him out of Pisidian Antioch and chase him out of Iconium, but they could not stop him from preaching … There was no place where Paul was afraid to preach the gospel. He preached the gospel in Athens, the intellectual capital of the world, and was mocked; he preached the gospel in Jerusalem, the religious capital of the world, and was mobbed; he preached the gospel at Rome, the political capital of the world, and was martyred. But he preached the gospel.”

Are we determined to preach the gospel? Are we being used of God to when the lost, stir up the unbelievers, and penetrate the lost-ness and darkness in this world?

Are we bold in proclaiming the word of God? Do we know when to stand for Jesus and no when to shake off the dust against the unbelievers?

Are we expecting God to use us and change live and save souls?

Has our belief in the gospel moved us out to tell a lost and dying world about it?

Become Great Commission Christians. Surrender your life for service to the King. Take His gospel to this lost world!