Acts 14 Part2

Background Information

Last week, we discovered that the word “unbelieving” in verse 2 is a word that has two components: disbelief and disobedience. And we discussed the disobedience factor is probably the one that prevents people from coming to Jesus. Let me show you a Scripture which should make this clearer. Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV) 21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

Paul and Barnabas as we started Acts 14 were in Iconium and they stay there along time speaking boldly about Christ although the unbelieving people were stirring people again them. However, when it got to the level that they wanted to stone Paul and Barnabas that they fled to Lystra and Derbe.

And when they got to Lystra and Derbe, they preached the Gospel there. On one of those occasions as Paul was preaching he saw that a cripple man was receiving the message of Jesus Christ and had saving faith and accept Christ as result of Paul’s preaching. And it says that he was healed or sojo, which means in a right relationship with God. And based upon the man’s saving faith, Paul told him to stand up straight on his feet and it says that he leaped and walked. And that is where we stopped last time. Today, we are going to look at the witnesses reactions to the man’s walking .

Points

Acts 14:11 (NIV) 11  When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!"

Go back to vs 10- Paul “said in a loud voice”. Why? Paul is preaching Jesus and he wanted Jesus to get the credit for this miracle. He wants all in hearing distance to know that Jesus healed the man.

The crowd responses in the Lycaonian language-Paul and Barnabas did not speak Lycaonian. That is why they they don’t respond immediately to them saying “the gods have come down to us in human form. They wanted to deify Paul And Barnabas. These are the first people Paul & Barnabas come across that want to deify them.

Why? In Lystra’s history there is folklore that Zeus and Herme visited Lystra incognito, asking for food and lodging. All turned them away except for a peasant named Philemon and his wife, Baucus. They were rewards by gods for their generosity. The gods turned their humble home into a temple and they served as priest and priestess. But the gods took vengeance by drowning everyone for refusing food and lodging. The people don’t want a repeat performance of that occurring.

Acts 14:12 (NIV) 12  Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker.

Barnabas they called Zeus; Paul they called Hermes because he was chief speaker. In their idolatry, Hermes was the messenger of Zeus and other gods. Since Paul was the "chief speaker" (Acts 14:11), they thought Paul was the messenger for Barnabas, whom they thought was Zeus.

Acts 14:13 (NIV) 13  The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

When the priest heard what was happening, he is probably thinking the same thing as the people. And he does not want to get left out nor does he want to anger Zeus and Hermes. So, he brings some oxen and garland to the gates to offer a big sacrifice with the people.

Acts 14:14-17 (NIV) 14  But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15  "Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. 16  In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17  Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."

When they heard what the priest was planning on doing and probably saw the oxen being moved toward the city gate they knew that the people were giving them credit rather than God. They tore their garments was one of two signs to the Jews.

It was the sign of great mourning as in the case of Jacob for what he thought was the death of Joseph.

Genesis 37:33-34 (NIV) 33  He recognized it and said, "It is my son's robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces." 34  Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days.

It is also uses as horror of the blasphemy that just occurred.

This shows us a bid problem: people are far more than up with the healer than his message or the one who is being healed. No one is paying attention to the one who was healed.

Matthew 26:64-65 (NIV) 64 "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." 65  Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.

So Paul and Barnabas are horrified at what these people are speaking; these guys got it all wrong. We are men like you- They are denying being God. We are just preachers telling you to turn away from these useless things to the living God.

Paul makes several statements about God - He is a living God; He is the God of Creation that made the heavens and earth; He is a long suffering God. He allows us to use our free will. He is a witnessing God toward us of his goodness by providing the rains and the crops. Paul is once again bearing witness of God and they are rejecting it.

So these people unbelief has both the element of unbelief and disobedience.

Romans 1:18-19 (NIV) 18  The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19  since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

look at verse 18 .

Acts 14:18 (NIV) 18  Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.

Even after Paul and Barnabas say that they are mere men. Even after Paul tells the people again about God and his greatness, the people still wanted to sacrifice to them. In the Roman world one of the greatest honor was to offer sacrifices to you as a god. That is why every roman emperor was also considered a god.

Acts 14:19-20 (NIV) 19  Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20  But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

Paul and Barnabas have left those two cities and obviously the Jews are still angry at them. So now all three places get involved in stoning Paul to the point of near death. After that they did not put him on a gurney and wheel him out of the city. Instead, they drag him out of the city. He is not dead; it saying thinking that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered around him he got up ( the word is divine strengthening) and went back into the city. ( I am thinking are you crazy man.) The people probably thought this proves that he is a god and we better not mess with him. And the next day, they depart to Derbe. Derbe is 40 miles from Lystra.

If he was a church member today, we would not see him in a year. But the next day, he is walking 40 miles to Derbe. Obviously, God was involved in his healing.

The only recorded salvation at this point is the man who was healed. But we learn at verse 20 the disciples gathered around them and on his return trip he encouraged the disciples.

Acts 14:21-23 (NIV) 21  They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22  strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said. 23  Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

So they go to Derbe to preach. Do you know where I think Paul went first? Probably the synagogue.

It says that he won a large number of disciples.

Then of all things, he starts heading back to his home base of Antioch Syria. So, he return to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch Pisidan.

Ephesians 5:15-17 (NIV) 15  Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, 16  making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

Paul does four things in his return visits:

strengthen the disciples

preserve in the faith

raise up leadership

pray and fast for the people

Acts 14:24-28 (NIV) 24  After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, 25  and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26  From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27  On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. 28  And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.

They return to home base and reported all that God had done with them. and that ends their first missionary journey. It was about a year long.