The Kingdom Unhindered - Acts 14:1-28

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Intro

OPENING ILLUS: In 1787, a young British politician named William Wilberforce became convinced that God had called him to fight to end the slave trade. It wasn't a popular cause. The slave trade was deeply woven into Britain's economy, and many of the most powerful people in the country wanted it to continue.

So year after year, Wilberforce stood before Parliament and argued for its abolition. And year after year, he lost. He was criticized, ridiculed, and often came painfully close to victory only to watch the bill fail. Add to that years of poor health and constant discouragement, and most people would have walked away.

But Wilberforce believed that his responsibility wasn't to guarantee success—it was simply to be faithful to the work God had given him. After nearly twenty years of defeats, Parliament finally abolished the British slave trade in 1807. And just a few days before Wilberforce died in 1833, he learned that slavery itself would be abolished throughout the British Empire.

Faithfulness isn't measured by receptivity or immediate results. It's measured by steadfast obedience to the task God has given you.

That's exactly what we see in Acts 14. In one city, Paul and Barnabas see many people believe. In another, they're threatened. In another, they're mistaken for gods. By the end of the chapter, Paul is stoned and left for dead. Yet through every changing circumstance, they keep doing the one thing God called them to do—they faithfully proclaim Christ.

Throughout this chapter, over and over, we are told that Paul and Barnabas in various ways proclaim truth.

v. 1 - they “spoke” so that people believed

v. 3 - they were “speaking boldly”

v. 7 - “they continued to preach the gospel”

v. 9 - Paul is heard “speaking”

v. 10 - Paul speaks in a loud voice

v. 14-17 - Paul and Barnabas cry out and then proclaim truth

v. 21 - we’re told that “they had preached the gospel”

v. 22 - they encourage churches through speaking to them the promises of God

v. 25 - “they had spoken the word”

v. 27 - “they declared all that God had done with them”

In light of this, I have entitled this sermon

Title: Faithful Kingdom Proclamation

Main Idea: The kingdom advances wherever God's people faithfully proclaim Christ.

Luke shows us that faithful gospel proclamation encounters every imaginable circumstance—success, rejection, misunderstanding, suffering, and encouragement. Yet through every circumstance one truth remains: the gospel keeps advancing.

So I want us to see seven aspects or features of Faithful Proclamation:

Sermon

1. Faithful Proclamation Bears Fruit

Acts 14:1 ESV

1 Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.

Same tactics as before…(they go to the synagogue first)

I don’t know about you, but I think I would have been tempted to maybe change my strategy…

“Success or failure does not shape the method of ministry” — Patrick Schreiner

ILLUS: I think this is so important for churches of the day to heed this truth…

Here the method reaps fruitfulness…

I heard a pastor say that sometimes ministry is like trying to cut through granite… and other times its like cutting through butter…

Here for a moment, ministry for Paul and Barnabas is like cutting through butter…

We’re told that Jews and Greeks believe.

This is important, because after what we saw last week it might be easy to just assume that all the Jews rejected Paul’s message, and it was only Gentiles who professed faith.

But Luke paints a more nuanced picture here in this verse.

Along with the Gentiles who believed, there were Jews who heard Paul’s testimony of Jesus, as they had their Bibles opened, so to speak, and were convinced of the truth of Jesus Christ, and they believed.

But this ministry season of butter, is about to harden into granite rock.

2. Faithful Proclamation Brings Division

Acts 14:2–7 ESV

2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, 6 they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.

In v. 2 the imagery is rather vivid. The unbelieving Jews poisoned the minds of the Gentiles to oppose the believing brethren.

“poisoned” is the word used by Luke when he was describing the oppression of the people of Israel in Egypt in Acts 7.

It was also used to describe Herod’s actions against the church in Acts 12:1. He is said to have laid “violent” hands on individuals from the church…

So once again we see a group of unbelieving Jews, who are not just indifferent to the message, but they are violently seeking to oppose the kingdom of God.

Yet despite that, what are we told is the response of Paul and Barnabas in v. 3 - “they remained for a long time” and they continued to speak “boldly for the Lord.”

And then this is interesting, the Lord responds to the perseverance of Paul and Barnabas, and it says that he bears witness to the word of his grace and grants signs and wonders to be done.

This is so encouraging, the Lord looks on this situation, he sees the hardness of heart, and he sees his faithful servants doing everything they can to boldly proclaim that Jesus died, rose again, and ascended to rule and reign, and he honors their faithfulness by allowing signs and wanders to be done. The word for “granting” can be translated as “gifting.” It’s a gift to his servants to help them persevere through hard times.

APPLY: I think sometimes that we forget that God has given us good gifts of his grace to help us in times of need.

He gives us his Word…

He gives us his ears…prayer…

He gives us his church… community…

When you are going through hard times, don’t neglect these things…

And listen, occasionally God still works miracles… he allows us to witness hard hearts that become softened to the gospel… he miraculously heals people…

Sadly, the opposition continues to harden their hearts to things of Christ. There is division among the people in their response to Paul and Barnabas

This is important to understand. When the gospel is proclaimed there will be division. Christianity doesn’t merely bring peace, but it can also fragment a society.

Luke in his gospel records this about the ministry of Jesus:

Luke 12:51–53 ESV

51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Matthew states it like this:

Matthew 10:34 ESV

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

Here in Acts it is the opposition that ends up winning out, and they plot to stone the disciples, and so Paul and Barnabas flee to the countryside, where they continue to preach the gospel.

This becomes a theme…

3. Faithful Proclamation Proclaims the Supremacy of God Over All Things

Acts 14:8–10 ESV

8 Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, 10 said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking.

This is Paul’s first public miracle and it mirrors Peter’s miracle back in Acts 3 in numerous ways:

Both individuals are are healed are said to be lame from birth

Paul, like Peter, is said to have gazed intently at the man

Both healed men leap up and walk

Both of these miracles occur near temple gates (for this one it is the temple of Zeus…)

Both miracles occur through faith

In both miracles, human praise is rejected

By mirroring these miracles, Luke seeks to demonstrate that just as the gospel had the power to heal and save in Jerusalem, it has the exact same power to heal and save in Gentile regions. There is not geographical or ethnical barriers to the power of the gospel.

And this is so different from the pagan gods of the Gentiles…

God of the sun, goddess of love, goddess of fertility, god of war, god of the sea, god of death

So, by doing this… Luke is showing that there is one God and he has the same power in one part of the world as he does in another part of the world. He is not bound to certain areas or activities like the pagan gods of the Greeks and Romans. He is God over everything.

Now look at the response:

Acts 14:11–13 ESV

11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.

So the people see this kind of power, and they attribute it to their own gods, and they assume that Paul and Barnabas are the incarnation of these gods.

They bring them gifts and sacrifices, and they seek to worship Paul and Barnabas.

But listen, if you are proclaiming the supremacy of God over all things, then you cannot receive the glory that’s due to God alone. Only God deserves worship.

So let’s see how Paul and Barnabas respond:

Acts 14:14–15 ESV

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, 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.

Unlike Herod who accepted the praise of man and sought to elevate himself to the status of a god, here Paul and Barnabas deflect praise to God. They immediately proclaim that they are just like them. They are mere men—mere mortals.

And they proclaim to the crowd that they should turn from worshipping vain things that are clearly not God, and they should therefore worship the one true and living God, who is the supreme creator of all things.

Later in Paul’s letter to the Romans, he would echo this truth. Speaking about the ungodliness of men, he writes,

Romans 1:22–25 ESV

22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Here, these people in Lystra are seeking to worship the creatures, Paul and Barnabas, and are not recognizing the creator of the creatures.

ILLUS: Full Moon Rising book… it tells the story of a prideful moon who boasted about how bright he was. He declared to be the greatest and brightest light of the night sky. And when one observes the night sky, when the moon is full, it can be easy to think, “yeah, the moon is the brightest object in the entire sky.” But one day the moon comes to realize that in and of himself he does not produce any light. He is merely a large ball of dirt and dust that sits in darkness orbiting the earth, UNTIL the sun shines upon it. So the light that we see in the night sky is not from the moon, it is a deflection from the light of the sun. We are seeing the sun’s light.

Here in this text, Paul and Barnabas are seeking to be moons to the glory of God. They understand that in and of themselves they have no light in them whatsoever. The only light, and beauty, and goodness that you see in them is a reflection of the glory of God at work in their lives.

May we be moons, that yes, shine bright for the world to see, but may we be moons that understand the truth that whatever light we shine comes from the light of the glory of God that has penetrated the darkness of our sinful human existence. Apart from God we are nothing but creature of dust walking in darkness. Let’s give credit where credit is due, and seek to bring glory to the supreme God of the universe.

4. Faithful Proclamation is Contextualized

Acts 14:16–18 ESV

16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” 18 Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.

If you recall, in the sermon the Paul preached last week to the Jews in Antioch Pisidia, Paul spoke about witnesses. And the primary witness that he used were prophetic utterances from sacred Scripture—from the OT.

So there Paul uses Scripture because he knows that he has common ground with the Jews in that they both hold to the authority of the Hebrew Scriptures.

But notice that here in Lystra—a backwoods Gentile city—he doesn’t appeal to Scripture. He certainly draws truths from the Scriptures—like the truth that God is the creator who has given the world rain that produces fruitful seasons—but not one time does he directly quote from the Scripture.

Here he points to the witness of creation. He begins with what theologians have called natural law or general revelation. As God is the creator and sustainer of everything we see in creation, all of humanity has the witness of creation before them. The Scriptures tell us this:

Psalm 19:1 ESV

1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Romans 1:18–20 ESV

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Listen, if Paul were to just stand up and start quoting the prophets, the people in Lystra would just be standing there scratching their heads, thinking “yeah, I’m not sure what that means.”

So instead, Paul points them to the witness of the created order of the universe. God has given them good things, and they must recognize that it is the one supreme God who has given it to them.

We know that there are individuals who claim to be atheists. There are individuals who claim to be believe that there is no God. But what Scripture tells us is that these individuals have suppressed the truth. They may say there is no God, but God says there is no atheists.

So all of that to say, we need to be prudent with how we communicate God’s truth to different groups of people. We want to proclaim the truth of God’s word, and we don’t want to veer from that, but we want to contextualize the word, so that those who hear the word can better understand the word.

ILLUS: VBS…

5. Faithful Proclamation Persevere’s Through Hardship

Acts 14:19–23 ESV

19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

You can see the fickleness of the crowd. One day they’re wanting to worship and bring sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas, and the next day they want to stone these guys.

Now you’ve got to love the tenacity of Paul and Barnabas here.

They get drug out of the city, they’re stoned and left for dead, and then like a mole from the whack-a-mole game they just pop right back up, and what do they do?

They go preach some more!! They go on down to the next town—Derbe—and preach to it, and then they come right back to these cities…the cities where they have been stoned, and they seek to strengthen the souls of the new believers. They go right back to doing what they were doing before.

ILLUS: As I read this I couldn’t help but think of the words of the Alabama song, “you can’t keep a good man down.”

Now I think it is interesting to note the Christological themes that I think Luke is intentionally drawing out. We can compare what happened to Jesus, to these events right here

Like Jesus, Paul and Barnabas experience a crowd that has been persuaded to try and kill them

Like Jesus, Paul and Barnabas are led outside the city

Like Jesus, Paul and Barnabas experience an execution

Like Jesus, Paul and Barnabas rise up from an apparent death

And like Jesus, Paul and Barnabas return to the city that rejected them and they continue to preach

In this way, Paul and Barnabas experience the paradox of the Christian life, that through the shame that the world seeks to place upon them, they are receiving the greatest honor, in that they are suffering like their savior!

6. Faithful Proclamation Cares for the Health of the Church

Acts 14:23 ESV

23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

So one of the primary ways that Paul and Barnabas strengthen the new believers in these cities is by appointing elders in every church.

In the NT there are three synonymous words to describe the leaders of churches: pastor, overseer, and elder.

Those are three titles that are used interchangeably in the NT when describing the leadership of the church.

So listen, as Paul appoints these leaders, these elders, or overseers, or pastors, he is doing so for the health and care for the church.

He understands that there is likely going to be hardship for these local congregations. There is going to be challenges as they seek to live faithfully to the Lord in a context where the culture stands opposed to the things of God, and so these congregations need leaders who can shepherd them through these challenges.

Listen to the charge that Peter would give to elders:

1 Peter 5:1–4 ESV

1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Now one other thing that I would have you notice in Acts 14 in regard to elders is that it doesn’t say that he appointed an elder, singular, it says that he appointed elders, plural, in every church.

In fact, in the NT, in nearly every reference to human elders of churches, the understanding is that every congregation has a plurality of elders. They have multiple pastors who together help shoulder the burdens and care for the church.

Now today, some churches seek to practice that plurality by having a staff. I would say most Southern Baptist Churches organize themselves by having one senior pastor, and then they surround him with a staff of pastors. So you have one guy who is kind of like the main shepherd, and then he is supported by associate shepherds. And that’s, ok. But that’s not what you actually see in the NT.

What you see in the NT is that there is an equal status among elders of a church, there was never one elder that rose above the other, they were equal and they all carried out the same type of tasks as they served under the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

So this morning, I would simply ask you to just reflect on this truth. Think about how our church reflects this truth or should reflect this truth. Study it. Read up on it. Talk about it.

That’s just a little nugget that is planted here in the text that I want us as a church to just begin thinking about.

7. Faithful Proclamation Accomplishes the Spirit-Given Mission

Acts 14:24–28 ESV

24 Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25 And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, 26 and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. 27 And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they remained no little time with the disciples.

If you recall, in Acts 13:2 Paul and Barnabas were set apart, by the Holy Spirit, to the task of taking the gospel message to Asia Minor.

Acts 13:2 ESV

2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Here in Acts 14 we have this full-circle moment. Paul and Barnabas were set apart to go on mission by the Holy Spirit, and here in Acts 14 we see that they have accomplished the task.

The Spirit had sent them. The Spirit opened doors for them. The Spirit brought new life to people—especially Gentiles. And now the Spirit had brought them back.

And this just gives testimony to the simple truth that the Spirit will complete the task that he has called you to do.

ILLUS: Erskin…

Application

1. Don’t measure faithfulness by immediate results

Some cities believed. Some cities rejected.

Some wanted to worship Paul and Barnabas. Others tried to kill him.

The measure wasn't success. The measure was faithfulness.

I think this is what Paul was getting at in 1 Corinthians (EXPLAIN)…:

1 Corinthians 3:6 ESV

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

2. Don’t let opposition silence your witness

Listen, if Jesus, the Son of God who performed miracles, was rejected, then it means you and I are going to face rejection too.

We cannot expect to experience universal acceptance

A good question to ask yourself: Have you mistaken opposition as evidence you’re doing something wrong, when it may actually be evidence you’re following Christ faithfully?

3. Don’t focus on comfort, keep your focus on the mission of God.

Paul and Barnabas were run out of city after city. Two times in this chapter a group wanted to stone them (one of those times they were at least partially successful).

But Paul and Barnabas, after every single “set-back” continued to proclaim the good news of Jesus.

Now it would be really easy for us to simply focus on Paul’s abilities and perseverance, and compare how we live to how Paul lived. And there is certainly some merit there. But I think in doing that the focus would be slightly misplaced.

Acts 14 isn't ultimately calling us to admire Paul. It's calling us to trust Paul's Savior.

The same Christ who sustained Paul is the Christ who now reigns over His church.

The same Spirit who empowered Paul now indwells His people and empowers them for their own God-appointed tasks.

The same gospel that transformed Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe is the same gospel that has the power to transform Haskell, OK, or Nashville, TN.

So don't lose heart.Don’t stop speaking. Don’t stop serving. Don’t stop believing (there’s another song for you).

The kingdom of Christ has never depended on favorable circumstances—it depends on the sovereign God who promised, 'I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.'"