34. Grace-Enabled Grit

Random Question

What’s the strangest thing in your fridge right now?

Lesson

Quick recap from last week (Gentiles receive the Gospel. Opposition from the Jews which led to their expulsion from antioch)

Vs. 1

Acts 14:1 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.

Where were the apostles in last week’s lesson? And where are they now? (Antioch to Iconium)

This trip was no easy journey!

90 Miles S.E. of Antioch

Rolling countryside, snowy mountain peaks & strenuous nature landscapes

3370ft in elevation

Kimberley, BC = Canada’s highest city @3662 ft above sea level

What’s the air like in higher elevation (Thinner)

And what would that mean for hikers like Paul and Barnabas? (Tiring & difficult!)

Paul had to be in amazing shape! All these journeys have to highlight Paul’s determination to share the Gospel. He persevered through hardship so that some may hear the good news.

What do they do once they arrive in Iconium? (Go to the synagogue)

Only a couple days earlier they were in a synagogue in Antioch

Take a look at Acts 13:50, what happened at the last synagogue? (Expelled from the synagogue by the prominent people of the city.)

If that was your last experience in the synagogue, why would you want to go back? (Desire for the lost to be saved)\

Paul persevered for the Jews, he never gave up on them.

Was his perseverance worth it? How do we know that? (A great multitude of Jews and Greeks believed)

Vs. 2

Acts 14:2 NKJV

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

Some unbelieving Jews came along, what were they up to here in vs. 2? (Stirred up the Gentiles)

- stirred up: Sowing seeds in peoples minds, whispers, sneeky things, accusations...

What did they do to their minds? (Poisoned them)

Literally means “To cause their minds to think evil”. It’s a whole lot like brainwashing....

This caused division!

Gossip

Lies behind backs

Why do you think division is so destructive in our churches?

There was a spreading of lies against Paul, Barnabas, and the other Christians.

Do any of you like being misrepresented? (“I never said that!”)

It’s got to be one of the worst feelings you can get. You know the truth, you know you’re innocent, but this person you care about thinks you’ve betrayed them. This is intensely difficult!

Vs. 3

If you were a missionary and a situation like this is happening to you, would you stay or would you leave? (I’d feel like leaving!)

What’s the easy thing to do? (Leave!)

Take a look at 13:51, what did they do the last time people rejected them? (Shook the dust off their feet and left)

But now in verse 3, they decided that it was right for some reason to stick around.

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.

Missionaries struggle with this all the time!

- Coup D’etat in the Congo

- BMM sent planes for missionaries to go.

- Irene was taken by anti-government terrorists

- Shot with an arrow and died

So, are there risks with staying back? (Absolutely, but the Lord will lead you through that tough decision)

How long did they stay in Iconium for? (A long time)

Not only did they stay, but they stayed and they spoke boldly! The challenge from the outside only motivated them to fight harder.

What do we find happening through Paul and the others at the end of vs. 3? (Many signs and miracles)

Does God normally use miracles through His servants to share the Gospel? (Not typically)

We’ve talked about miracles before, but why does God use them back then but not anymore today? (Given to the Apostles as a confirmatory sign)

Did the Christians have a full Bible yet? (no)

So, you can imagine sharing the gospel with a bunch of Jews who are grounded in the Bible.

“You say this is God working, prove it!”

What do you do? (Could quote the OT...)

They couldn’t always say, “See! We’re preaching the truth, check it in this verse!”

Debating a friend

- “Oh yeah? Prove it!”

- Blank face...

God allowed miracles as a way to authenticate their message. So everyone would know, “Oh yeah, this really is coming from 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.

Remember what the Christians were doing in Corinth? (I am of Paul! I am of Apollos! I am of Peter!)

This is the kind of scenario happening here...

I think they’re right!

No way! Those apostles are phonies!

2 Corinthians 2:15–16 NKJV

15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

We are the aroma of life to those who are being saved, and we are the aroma death to those who are dying.

What do you think that is supposed to mean? (To those who are getting saved, the gospel is attractive, but if you are stubbornly rejecting the Gospel, it will be offensive to you)

Should we back away from sharing the gospel because some people won’t receive it? (No)

Why not? (Because some will! We can’t always take the easy way out of things. Sometimes God wants us to do the hard thing.)

These people were strong, not because of themselves, but because they relied on the Lord’s strengthening grace.

This is grace-enabled grit, and we need that badly!

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,

The Jewish crowd had more hostile people, and they get a plot going.

Let’s get em!!!

What was the plan against the apostles? (Stone them)

This is the point in time where they should leave.

When thinking about the right time to relocate, we need lots of wisdom.

It’s good to be strong and stand firm, but is it a good idea to be so stubborn you stay and die? (Not always)

One guy says we need a combo of perseverence and PRUDENCE. We have to persevere through difficulty, but don’t be stupid!

Vs. 6

So, what do they do in vs. 6? (They fled to Lystra)

Acts 14:6 NKJV

6 they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region.

Vs. 7

And what did they do there? (They went right back to preaching the gospel!)

Now that is perseverance

Application

How can we apply this to our lives?

Do hard things!

Persevere when things get difficult

Souls are worth a bit of hardship