Who can I find? (Acts 14.21-28)
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After they had proclaimed the good news to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, then on to Iconium and Antioch.
There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, “It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God.”
And after they had appointed elders for them in each church, with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.
Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia.
When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had completed.
When they arrived, they called the church together and related all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles.
And they stayed there with the disciples for some time.
Intro:
There’s a song that says...
You are....
my strength....
Strength like no other....
reaches to me.....
(pause)
Church family.....
I wonder if we are intentionally self aware of what and who......
....we are encouraging?
....who we are reaching towards with the purpose of strengthening?
(pause)
UCLA basketball coach John Wooden told players who scored to give a smile, wink, or not to the player who gave them a good pass...
and one of the players asked,
Coach......What if he’s not looking?
…the Coach responded,
....I guarantee he’ll look!
(pause)
And the truth of the matter is.....
We all value receiving encouragement!
(pause)
Especially when we are caught in a moment of feeling discouraged...
(pause)
And if the right encourager speaks into your life...
......it can change your life
....making you believe you can do anything!
(pause)
In today’s text....
Luke brings Paul’s First Mission to an end.....
.....and begins sharing how Paul retraces his steps with Barnabas through the towns of Lystra, Iconium, Antioch of Pisidia
(pause)
Look at the text....
After they had proclaimed the good news to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, then on to Iconium and Antioch.
The text says.....
....Paul and Barnabas have made a very interesting decision
......because they are making significant progress in spreading the Gospel, and are introducing a life changing Word into the lives of many families who are deciding to follow after Christ!
(pause)
And.....
.......in the middle of their success they decide to
“RETRACE their steps”
....in other words
.....they believe that its is necessary for them to turn around and go back to the places where they have experienced success in spreading the Gospel.
(pause)
And the reason I found significance in this decision......
......is because often times
.....we only retrace our steps when we have made a mistake of some kind.
(pause)
But these fellas are not going back because they have made a mistake...
.....as a matter of fact
.....the text says
.....they were doing exceptionally well
(slight pause)
And still decided.....
.....I think it would be a good idea to go back and check on things!
(pause)
I’m trying to help somebody in here......
......because there’s nothing wrong with giving attention to succesful situations!
(pause and optional expound)
And not only that......
......but Paul and Barnabas are going back into areas where they have been physically attacked!
......but in spite of the harm that they may experience again
.....there is something much more important going on!
(pause and expound)
And one of the primary things that I believe Paul and Baranabas are concerned about is...
.........The Power of Momentum!
(slight pause)
Science suggests that......
....at 212 degrees F water begins to boil
…which means that at 211 degrees F the water is hot
.....but it aint boiling!
(pause)
And as John Maxwell points out.......
“.....all it takes is just 1 degree of influence
.......to change absolutely everything!”
(pause)
And so Freedom......
......what if I told you that when we decide to become an encourager
......we are Influencing that 1 degree which is completely necessary
......to create a momentum that changes everything entirely!
(pause)
According to the text....
these fellas are concerned with creating an unavoidable momentum....
There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, “It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God.”
The text says.....
When they circled back to these earlier converts that they ministered to some time ago........
“They strengthened their spirits”
And now....
This word for “Stregthen” in the Greek....
.....means to make more firm
(pause)
And so.....
When Paul and Barnabas return.....
......they have decided to make a difference so demonstrative in the lives of these people
.......that the spirit of the people was firmer than any persecutions they had already gone through.
(pause)
And the reason why this is so MAJOR......
.......is because whenever we start talking about MOMENTUM
......if we can strengthen some SPIRITS of some people in our community that have been experiencing struggles
Not only are we impacting individuals...
......but we are also Influencing our surroundings!
(pause)
And in my spiritual imagination I hear Paul saying....
“This is why we came back.....
......we came back to make your spirits stronger!”
(pause)
But watch this Freedom.....
Because the text says....
Not only did they strengthen their spirits...
But they also.....
“Encouraged them to continue in the faith!”
(pause)
And in the Greek.....
.....this word continue means to:
Perservere
To remain in
To keep on going
(pause)
The text says.....
Paul and Barnabas
Encouraged them......
(slight pause)
And said to them.....
“Because we have to go through some things to enter into the Kingdom
of God”
.......We came back through!
(slight pause)
Because we don’t want to lose any MOMENTUM!
(pause)
Freedom wouldn’t that be powerful!!
Wouldn’t it be awesome if our Paul and our Barnabas
......would stop by and say
“Freedom, we came back through
.....because we didn’t want you to lose any of your MOMENTUM!
(pause and expound)
And then wouldn’t it be INTENSE!
.........if another believer would drive by your house
.......or meet you somewhere in the city
.....and once they arrive
....they began to say to you
“I only came back through the city.....
.....because I didn’t want you to lose any of your MOMENTUM!
(slight pause)
Because I already know we’re going to go through some things that will try to discourage us.....
“So I came back through......
.......just to Encourage you!”
(pause and expound)
Now watch this Freedom!
.....because this word “Encourage” right here in the text means
“To call to one’s side, or implore!”
(pause)
And so in my spiritual imagination I see them saying to the people.....
“Let me show you how to keep going!”
......see Freedom
…I don’t think we need encouragement to stand satsified in one place
(pause)
I believe.......
We need this type of encouragement that says......
Let me show you how to gain Momentum!
(pause)
Let me show you how to Move Forward!
(pause)
Because I don’t believe that Paul and Barnabas....
came back to encourage them to be content
(slight pause)
But I believe based on what Luke wrote in verse 22.....
......they came back to encourage them to continue!
(pause)
They wanted to......
Bring out the Best in these people!!!
(pause)
How do you know that Pastor?
It’s right there in the text......
Because in verse 23 they did something that INCREASED MOMENTUM!
(pause)
Look at it now....
And after they had appointed elders for them in each church, with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.
The text says they did three things.......
They chose leaders to increase MOMENTUM
They Prayed for these leaders to increase MOMENTUM
They Fasted for these leaders to increase MOMENTUM
They Entrusted them to the Lord to increase MOMENTUM
(slight pause)
And so basically Paul and Barnabas said.........
Now that we have added structure to this new faith community....
God.......
........watch over them and protect them
(pause)
And then verse 24 says that they went on to the next town.......
And then in verse 25 the bible says that they went on to the next city.....
(pause)
And in my spiritual imagination........
......all I can see is how they are
INCREASING the MOMENTUM of the Church!
(pause)
And Freedom I just believe that God wants to.....
Increase our Momentum!
(pause)
In your personal lives
and.......
In our collective lives
......spent together as believers in Jesus Christ
(pause)
And it happens through....
Structure - We have to provide leadership in our lives
Security - We have to depend on the Holy Spirit
(pause and expound)
Now watch this in verse 26 and 27......
From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had completed.
When they arrived, they called the church together and related all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles.
Freedom do you see this.........
This whole time the scripture is teaching how Paul and Barnabas are going back.....
Going back to Lystra
Going back to Iconium
Going back to Antioch
(pause)
And some of you are saying......
Why does Pastor keep talking about Momentum........?
If Paul and Baranabas are talking about how they are going Back to all of these cities they have already been to!
(pause)
It’s because......
.......Momentum is not determined necessarily by where we are going
.....as much as it is how we are going!
(pause)
That’s why you can pull......
.......a bow of an arrow backward
.....and the force will propel the arrow forward!
(pause and expound)
Its right there in verse 27.......
Because the text says......
They “Called the Church together”
......or they Encouraged them (Remember that Greek meaning)
(pause)
Here it is......
And they told the people......
“All God had done......
(Watch this......)
......with them!”
Notice they didn’t say.....
“For them”
(pause)
But because they are talking about........
“A Move of God...”
.......they have to speak in a way that shows how they experienced the provisional Momentum through Gods gifting into their lives!
(pause)
and so instead of saying.....
What God did for them......
.......they said
“We want to encourage you by telling you what God has done WITH US!”
And watch this.......
“How he OPENED a door of fatih for the Gentiles!”
(pause)
Did you catch that......?
Because.......
.....whenever the Gospel gets MOMENTUM
..........it does not speed up to run into a SHUT DOOR!!
(pause)
But God has to......
OPEN up NEW TERRITORY!
.....EXPAND our opportunities!
.......and Breakthrough Barriers!
(pause)
Freedom!
If you want God to send you ENCOURAGEMENT...........
......you better be ready for some MOMENTUM!
(pause)
Because I dont’ believe......
Encouragement ever arrives into our lives and does not offer us MOMENTUM!
.....if you are depressed
.....encouragement will cause you to display joy
(slight pause)
....if you are lost
.......encouragement will introduce you to direction
(slight pause)
Encouragement........
.........is all about catapulting us into MOMENTUM!
(pause)
Because.....
Encouragement is the PLATFORM to our BEST moments!
(pause)
And Freedom......
When I thought about how Paul and Barnabas are going back to all of these cities to.....
......encourage the MOMENTUM of the Gospel to spread
(pause)
I had one question.........
Who can I find?
Who can I encourage..........
for the sake of building Momentum!!
(pause)
Who’s life.......
........can I speak into?
........that causes what God wants to do in the earth to SPEED UP!
(pause)
There’s so many people..........
........slowing things down
........discouraging what God wants to do.......
(pause)
But God.......
Who can I find?
What city can we go back to?
What family can we impact?
Freedom.....
.......are you ready to be the reason that woman’s whole family comes to Christ?
(pause)
........are you ready to be the reason that entire community opens a door for the Gospel?
(pause)
I’m talking about.........
MOMENTUM!
......all it takes is a change of 1 degree!
Who can we encourage?
So that we can say..........
“Look at what God has done WITH Freedom!”
................EXPOUND and CONCLUSION.................