Paul and Barnabus plant true worshiping communities in the nations
Acts 14:1-28
Paul and Barnabus plant true worshiping communities in the nations [draft sermon notes]
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#churchplanting
#acts
#thegospel
Published January 18th, 2017
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Acts 14:1-28
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Paul and Barnabas at Iconium 14 1 Now at Iconium a they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 b But the c unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against d the brothers. 1 3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for e the Lord, who bore witness to f the word of his grace, g granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city h were divided; i some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, j to mistreat them and k to stone them, 6 they learned of it and l fled to m Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel. Paul and Barnabas at Lystra 8 Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was n crippled from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and o seeing that he had faith to be made well, 1 10 said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he p sprang up and began walking. 11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, q “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12 Barnabas they called r Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 And the priest of r Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and s wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they t tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 15 “Men, u why are you doing these things? We also are men, v of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that w you should turn from these x vain things to y a living God, z who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In past generations he a allowed all the nations b to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet c he did not leave himself without witness, for he d did good by e giving you rains from heaven and f fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with g food and h gladness.” 18 Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them. Paul Stoned at Lystra 19 i But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, j 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 k made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 l strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them m to continue in n the faith, and saying that o through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. 23 And when they had p appointed q elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting r they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria 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, s where they had been t commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. 27 And when they arrived and gathered the church together, u they declared all that God had done with them, and v how he had w opened x a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they remained no little time with the disciples.
Acts 14:1-28
na28
14 1 Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν Ἰκονίῳ κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ λαλῆσαι οὕτως ὥστε πιστεῦσαι Ἰουδαίων τε καὶ Ἐλλήνων πολὺ πλῆθος. 2 οἱ δὲ ἀπειθήσαντες Ἰουδαῖοι ἐπήγειραν καὶ ἐκάκωσαν τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ἐθνῶν κατὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν. 3 ἱκανὸν μὲν οὖν χρόνον διέτριψαν παρρησιαζόμενοι ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ τῷ μαρτυροῦντι [ἐπὶ] τῷ λόγῳ τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ, διδόντι σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα γίνεσθαι διὰ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν. 4 ἐσχίσθη δὲ τὸ πλῆθος τῆς πόλεως, καὶ οἱ μὲν ἦσαν σὺν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, οἱ δὲ σὺν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις. 5 ὡς δὲ ἐγένετο ὁρμὴ τῶν ἐθνῶν τε καὶ Ἰουδαίων σὺν τοῖς ἄρχουσιν αὐτῶν ὑβρίσαι καὶ λιθοβολῆσαι αὐτούς, 6 συνιδόντες κατέφυγον εἰς τὰς πόλεις τῆς Λυκαονίας Λύστραν καὶ Δέρβην καὶ τὴν περίχωρον, 7 κἀκεῖ εὐαγγελιζόμενοι ἦσαν. 8 Καί τις ἀνὴρ ἀδύνατος ἐν Λύστροις τοῖς ποσὶν ἐκάθητο, χωλὸς ἐκ κοιλίας μητρὸς αὐτοῦ ὃς οὐδέποτε περιεπάτησεν. 9 οὗτος ἤκουσεν τοῦ Παύλου λαλοῦντος• ὃς ἀτενίσας αὐτῷ καὶ ἰδὼν ὅτι ἔχει πίστιν τοῦ σωθῆναι, 10 εἶπεν μεγάλῃ φωνῇ• ἀνάστηθι ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας σου ὀρθός. καὶ ἥλατο καὶ περιεπάτει. 11 οἵ τε ὄχλοι ἰδόντες ὃ ἐποίησεν Παῦλος ἐπῆραν τὴν φωνὴν αὐτῶν Λυκαονιστὶ λέγοντες• οἱ θεοὶ ὁμοιωθέντες ἀνθρώποις κατέβησαν πρὸς ἡμᾶς, 12 ἐκάλουν τε τὸν Βαρναβᾶν Δία, τὸν δὲ Παῦλον Ἑρμῆν, ἐπειδὴ αὐτὸς ἦν ὁ ἡγούμενος τοῦ λόγου. 13 ὅ τε ἱερεὺς τοῦ Διὸς τοῦ ὄντος πρὸ τῆς πόλεως ταύρους καὶ στέμματα ἐπὶ τοὺς πυλῶνας ἐνέγκας σὺν τοῖς ὄχλοις ἤθελεν θύειν. 14 Ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ ἀπόστολοι Βαρναβᾶς καὶ Παῦλος διαρρήξαντες τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν ἐξεπήδησαν εἰς τὸν ὄχλον κράζοντες 15 καὶ λέγοντες• ἄνδρες, τί ταῦτα ποιεῖτε; καὶ ἡμεῖς ὁμοιοπαθεῖς ἐσμεν ὑμῖν ἄνθρωποι εὐαγγελιζόμενοι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τούτων τῶν ματαίων ἐπιστρέφειν ἐπὶ θεὸν ζῶντα, ὃς ἐποίησεν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς• 16 ὃς ἐν ταῖς παρῳχημέναις γενεαῖς εἴασεν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη πορεύεσθαι ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν• 17 καίτοι οὐκ ἀμάρτυρον αὐτὸν ἀφῆκεν ἀγαθουργῶν, οὐρανόθεν ὑμῖν ὑετοὺς διδοὺς καὶ καιροὺς καρποφόρους, ἐμπιπλῶν τροφῆς καὶ εὐφροσύνης τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν. 18 καὶ ταῦτα λέγοντες μόλις κατέπαυσαν τοὺς ὄχλους τοῦ μὴ θύειν αὐτοῖς. 19 Ἐπῆλθαν δὲ ἀπὸ Ἀντιοχείας καὶ Ἰκονίου Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ πείσαντες τοὺς ὄχλους καὶ λιθάσαντες τὸν Παῦλον ἔσυρον ἔξω τῆς πόλεως νομίζοντες αὐτὸν τεθνηκέναι. 20 κυκλωσάντων δὲ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτὸν ἀναστὰς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν. Καὶ τῇ ἐπαύριον ἐξῆλθεν σὺν τῷ Βαρναβᾷ εἰς Δέρβην. 21 εὐαγγελισάμενοί τε τὴν πόλιν ἐκείνην καὶ μαθητεύσαντες ἱκανοὺς ὑπέστρεψαν εἰς τὴν Λύστραν καὶ εἰς Ἰκόνιον καὶ εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν 22 ἐπιστηρίζοντες τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν μαθητῶν, παρακαλοῦντες ἐμμένειν τῇ πίστει καὶ ὅτι διὰ πολλῶν θλίψεων δεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ. 23 χειροτονήσαντες δὲ αὐτοῖς κατʼ ἐκκλησίαν πρεσβυτέρους, προσευξάμενοι μετὰ νηστειῶν παρέθεντο αὐτοὺς τῷ κυρίῳ εἰς ὃν πεπιστεύκεισαν. 24 Καὶ διελθόντες τὴν Πισιδίαν ἦλθον εἰς τὴν Παμφυλίαν 25 καὶ λαλήσαντες ἐν Πέργῃ τὸν λόγον κατέβησαν εἰς Ἀττάλειαν 26 κἀκεῖθεν ἀπέπλευσαν εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν, ὅθεν ἦσαν παραδεδομένοι τῇ χάριτι τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς τὸ ἔργον ὃ ἐπλήρωσαν. 27 παραγενόμενοι δὲ καὶ συναγαγόντες τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἀνήγγελλον ὅσα ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς μετʼ αὐτῶν καὶ ὅτι ἤνοιξεν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν θύραν πίστεως. 28 διέτριβον δὲ χρόνον οὐκ ὀλίγον σὺν τοῖς μαθηταῖς.
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Sermon notes
Lord Jesus, please help us to worship you in spirit and truth. Introduction Continuing the 1st missionary journey; we conclude what was started last week. Theme of true worship in conflict with false worship; idolatry. Idolatry of a very religious kind, and of a very pagan kind. [cf Parable of the sower; different kinds of soil...what we long to see is good soil, true worshiping communities across the globe] Paul and Barnabus plant true worshiping communities in the nations Comment on the normality of this, which we miss. At every step they were depending on God and responding to circumstances. We shouldn't think they were given a detailed map of this in advance. I.e., they probably went to cyprus because it was simply what they knew, and scholars reckon they might have gone to Pisidian Antioch because Sergious Paulus made introductions. v1-7 The Lord Jesus is accepted and opposed in Iconium [MAP] v1-2 Great fruit, revival! And so the devil sows great opposition v3 So they are dealing with error and misunderstanding etc v4-7 persecution leads to fleeing So what we see here is the opposition that comes from religious idolatry. [like a cancer, it appears to be healthy cells but actually turns out to be an insatiable disease] - cf the idolatry of sabbath and temple that Jesus and Stephen have experienced. It's actually self-interest; we make idols 'in our image'. v8-20 The Lord Jesus is misunderstood and opposed in Lystra v8-10 Paul is like Peter back in chapter 3. v11-18 Ovid, Metamorphoses - background to Lystra's actions. Paul's sermon puts in place the initial building blocks - a creator, sustainer God whom we know from his creation. This is the misunderstanding that comes from 'pagan' idolatry. [need careful Bible teaching, along the storyline, for the gospel really to be understood - more and more a need for today. cf church planting in PNG] v19-20 Lynching. Paul is supernaturally empowered. v21-28 They strengthen, establish, and encourage the churches on their return journey They made disciples in Derbe, then returned. cf faithful to Jesus' mission, and what that means. v22 Strengthened the disciples, encouraging them. Through many tribulations - a key summary that they have exemplified. [Be encouraged if you feel in the midst of a tribulation; it is through these - this is what the road is like; suffering before glory] v23 key part of local healthy church. Paul trusts the Holy Spirit to be at work through the Scriptures in the disciples, and their elders, with apostolic support. NB these would be 'pre-discipled' Jewish men. v26 they had 'fulfilled' v27-28 it is an encouragement to the church to learn of what he has done in distant lands. [Do you know this encouragement?] Communities of true worshipers have been planted across the lands. God's mission strategy is the church. Why we are a church-planting church, and part of a church-planting network. Because God's mission strategy is the church. Jesus took on flesh to reveal God in the greatest way; he 'tabernacled among us' (the 'true grace of God', Peter). So that we'd know the truth about God; not from myths and legends of cultures around the world. Not corrupted systems of religion. But to know God himself; I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me. Jesus died the death of an idolater, so that we could be true worshipers again. The old idolater has died, and in his resurrection we are gathered into God's actual presence, worshiping at his throne. And so now we live out his rule and his kingship. The news of this is the 'Word of his grace' (v3), the gospel. So... Repent of idols. Easy in the abstract, painful in the particular. What makes you addicted/restless? What makes you angry? What preoccupies you? These questions reveal idols. Remember that they might be good things that have become 'god' things - like a system of theology, your children, a happy domestic life, health, good stewardship. Trust in his grace. In Jesus, you are a worshiper. In Christ, you are already now around the throne of God, in his presence. Lord Jesus, please help us to worship you in spirit and truth. Please keep us from subtle idols, which are of our own doing. Give us power from your Spirit to fix our eyes on Jesus alone, to enjoy him, to see and savour his beauty. Response time/Psalms: Psalm 67; true worship of God among the nations Lord's supper: We remember the true awfulness of idolatry - since Jesus suffered the penalty of death. We remember the true identity we have as his disciples - we feed on Jesus, and so we live and are alive. Because we feed on him, we are in his presence now, in community with God himself and one another.
notes
Translation
14.1 And at Iconium they entered the synagogue together and spoke in a manner such that a very great number of Jews and Hellenists believed. 2. But rebellious Jews stirred up and manipulated the minds of the gentiles against the brothers. 3. Indeed therefore they stayed many days, speaking freely about the Lord who testified to the Word of His grace, giving signs and wonders through their hands. 4. So the multitude of the city was torn; some were with the Jews and some were with the apostles. 5. So when an assault was made, of the gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to insult them and stone them, 6. knowing of it they fled into the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding [regions], 7. and there they were gospeling. 8. Now there was an invalid/incapacitated/disabled man in Lystra who was seated on his feat, lame from his mother's womb; he had never walked. 9. He listened to Paul speaking. [And Paul] looking intently at him, seeing that he had faith to be saved, 10. said in a loud voice, 'Rise up straight on your feet.' And he leaped up and was walking.
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