These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
- Shake the Dust…
- Plan of God…
- After the synagogue let out – the gentiles wanted to hear more…
- They were NOT the intended audience – but they were still listening…
- So when Paul came back the next week – almost the WHOLE city was there…
- But the JEWS grew JEALOUS – and began to speak EVIL about the Gospel of GRACE…
- So Paul told them – they had to hear FIRST – but now he was going to the GENTILES…
- Because it was always the PLAN of God to bring the Gospel to the whole world – Isaiah 49:6
- The Choice…
- The GENTILES were GLAD when they heard this – and rejoiced…
- And the WORD of the Lord was spread throughout the whole region…
- But the JEW were MAD when they heard this – and they stirred up prominent women…
- Who got the chief men of the city [politicians] – to kick Paul and Barnabas out…
- So they SHOOK the dust off their feet – Matthew 10:14
- But the disciples were filled with JOY – and with the Holy Spirit!
- Plan of God…
- 1st – Causing division… vs. 1-7
- 1st – Word of Grace… vs. 1-3
- Synagogue… vs. 1
- Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews.
- When Paul and Barnabas left Antioch of Pisidia…
- They came [145km journey] to the city of Iconium [little image]
- When they got there they again went in the Synagogue [church] of the Jews!
- The Jews were only allowed to offer sacrifices in Jerusalem – Deuteronomy 12:13
- But after the fall of the Northern Kingdom [722 B.C] – II Kings 17:6
- And a little over a century later Babylon conquered the Southern Kingdom…
- When the Temple was destroyed – so they had NO place to worship God…
- The people were scattered into other nations – so they built SYNAGOGUES…
- As long as there were at least TEN Jewish men in that city!
- Same message… vs. 1
- And so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed!
- Paul and Barnabas gave the SAME [οὕτως] message they had in Antioch [Gospel of Grace]
- And had the SAME results as they had seen in Antioch…
- A great MULTITUDE of both Jews and Greeks believed!
- If we do NOT see people coming to faith in Jesus…
- It is NOT because the Word is lacking power – it is because we are SILENT…
- The Gospel of Grace is powerful – if we share it – people will get saved – Romans 1:16
- Poison… vs. 2
- The unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren!
- But those SAME results also included being REJECTED…
- And those who were NOT [active] persuaded [ἀπειθέω] by the message…
- Stirred up EVIL [κακόω] in the minds of the GENTILES towards the believers [ἀδελφός]!
- The message of the Gospel is simple – anyone can understand it…
- God DIED for our sins – and all we have to do is receive His gift to be saved – Romans 10:13
- Yet the key is we need to first admit that we are SINNERS…
- But people LOVE the darkness too much – and therefore reject the LIGHT – John 3:19
- Ever wondered why EVOLUTION is so widely accepted…
- How is it that governments pass laws contrary to the Word of God…
- People will always try and POISON the minds of others against the Lord…
- They do so to try and JUSTIFY their lifestyle – make EXCUSES for their sin…
- That does not mean they will NOT stand in judgment one day before God…
- It does NOT matter what we believe – the Word of the Lord is what stands!
- Romans 3:4 – “Let God be true but every man a liar.”
- Evidence… vs. 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!
- THEREFORE [οὖν] – because there were MANY new believers…
- And because there were those trying to POISON minds…
- Paul and Barnabas remained there for a LONG time [ἱκανὸν]
- FREELY speaking though the Lord [instrumental] – the word of His GRACE…
- And the Lord gave EVIDENCE [μαρτυρέω] to prove the message was true…
- Performing [δίδωμι] SINGS and WONDERS by their hands…
- The best solution to the Jews lies – was to allow the people to see their lives!
- People can say anything they want – but the proof is in our actions…
- And if we take the time to invest in people – let them see Jesus in our lives…
- Then they will SEE the MIRACLES God has done in our lives…
- The way He provides – how He comforts – the hope He gives!
- Matthew 5:16 – “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
- 2nd – Divided… 4-7
- Two sides… vs. 4
- The multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews and part with the apostles!
- The result of Paul and Barnabas staying – was they caused DIVISION [passive]
- DIVISION [σχίζω] – to split into factions [schism]
- Some of the people were with [imperfect] the Jews – the others with the APOSTLES!
- Matthew 10:34 – “I did not come to bring peace but a sword!”
- When Jesus came the FIRST time it was NOT to bring PEACE on the earth…
- He came to bring PEACE between God and MEN through the CROSS – Colossians 1:20
- But since NOT everyone wants to HEAR the Gospel – it becomes a SWORD that DIVIDES…
- We can talk about almost any subject and people will RESPECT our opinion…
- But the moment we bring up Jesus – His name has a POLARIZING effect…
- There is no middle ground – if you are not for Jesus then you are against Him – Luke 11:23
- Moving on… vs. 5-7
- When a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews with their rulers.
- To abuse and stone them – they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe.
- Cities of Lycaonia and to the surrounding region – and they were preaching the gospel there!
- BUT [δὲ] when both Gentiles and Jews [provoked by their leaders]
- ARROGANTLY [from the root – ὕβρις] wanted to STONE them to death…
- Everyone [συν] in the church could SEE it coming [εἴδω]
- So Paul and Barnabas left – and went into the region of Lycaonia…
- And continued [imperfect] to preach the Gospel [εὐαγγελίζω] there!
- We live in a world that is upside down – a world that does NOT know God…
- A world where all that is evil is good – and all that is good is evil…
- Therefore do not be SURPRISED when those who do NOT know Jesus attack!
- John 15:18 – “If the world hates you – you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”
- 1st – Word of Grace… vs. 1-3
- 2nd – Misunderstood… vs. 8-13
- 1st – The healing… vs. 8-10
- Hard soil…
- When Paul and Barnabas arrived in Lystra – there was NO synagogue…
- This presented a challenge – because the people had NO knowledge of the Bible…
- They also spoke a local dialect [Lycaonian] making it HARD to communicate – Acts 14:11
- A field that has been plowed and weeded – is easy to grow crops on…
- But a neglected field [full of rocks and weeds] is much harder to plant…
- Not that it cannot be used – it just takes a LOT more work!
- Some people are easier to reach with the Gospel than others…
- A person who grew up hearing about Jesus [PLOWED heart] is easy to plant…
- Someone who grew up with superstitions [NEGLECTED heart] – is hard to reach…
- That does not mean there is NO hope for them to be saved – it just takes MORE work!
- Hosea 10:12 – “Plow up the hard ground of your hearts… plant the good seeds of righteousness and you will harvest a crop of my love.”
- Lame man… vs. 8-9
- In Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting.
- A cripple from his mothers womb who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking!
- There was [imperfect] a man in Lystra who had NO power [ἀδύνατος] in his feet..
- He was LAME from birth – he had NEVER [οὐδέποτε] walked…
- This man LISTENED [active] to what Paul was preaching!
- God desires to do a work in our lives – but the question is who is LISTENING…
- From the moment we get up – to the moment we go to bed we are busy…
- And then we wonder why God is SILENT – He is NOT we are just NOT listening!
- Seeing Faith… vs. 9-10
- Paul observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed.
- Said with a loud voice: Stand up straight on your feet! And he leaped and walked!
- Paul was STARING [ἀτενίζω] at the man…
- And he SAW that he had [present] the FAITH [πίστις] to be SAVED [σώζω]
- Paul SHOUTED [μεγάλῃ φωνῇ] – commanding [imperative] him to stand up…
- And the man LEAPT to his feet – and began [imperfect] to walk!
- Question – what does FAITH [πίστις] look like…
- Although we are NOT told – I imagine it was an INTENSE interest…
- The man was holding onto every WORD coming from Paul!
- If we want to know who has the FAITH [πίστις] to be SAVED [σώζω]
- All we need to do is look at who is LISTENING when we talk about Jesus…
- Chances are the Holy Spirit is working on their heart – John 16:8
- And if we give them the opportunity – they will stand up and believe!
- 2nd – The problem… vs. 11-13
- Zeus and Hermes… vs. 11-12
- Now when the people saw what Paul had done they raised their voices saying:
- In the Lycaonian language: The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men.
- And Barnabas they called Zeus – and Paul Hermes – because he was the chief speaker!
- The reaction of the people was NOT what Paul might have expected…
- The people said in their DIALECT – the gods have come down looking like [ὁμοιόω] men…
- They mistook [imperfect] Paul and Barnabas for the Greek gods [Hermes and Zeus]
- Paul was Hermes [herald for the gods] because he was the one who talked the most!
- Greeks had a legend that Zeus and Hermes had once visited in human form [μεταμορφώσεις]
- They came disguised as peasants and began asking people for a place to sleep…
- They were rejected by all until they came to a simple old cottage…
- The poor couple who lived there showed more love than their rich neighbors…
- So Zeus destroyed the town and all the people who had turned him away with a flood!
- Sacrifice… vs. 13
- Then the priest of Zeus whose temple was in front of their city.
- Brought oxen and garlands to the gates – intending to sacrifice with the multitudes!
- The priest of Zeus [Διὸς] was just outside of the city…
- He brought with him OXEN and wreaths [flowers that mark something for sacrifice]
- Because the people WANTED [θέλω] to SACRIFICE them!
- When Peter healed the LAME man – FIVE thousand people were saved – Acts 4:4
- Yet when Paul healed a LAME man – NO one was saved…
- Same PROBLEM [man lame from birth] – But with TWO very DIFFERENT results…
- Because the Iconians had NO foundation in the Bible…
- Instead they depended on their pagan background to explain the miracle!
- We live in a nation where the name of Jesus is known by almost everyone…
- But the reality is VERY few of those people actually know the Bible…
- We might ask them if they believe in Jesus – and they will answer YES…
- But they really have no idea what it means to have a relationship with God…
- Never assume someone knows who Jesus is – tell them what the Bible says!
- 1st – The healing… vs. 8-10
- 3rd – Lowered Expectation… vs. 14-18
- 1st – Turn to God… vs. 14-17
- Just men… vs. 14-15
- But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this.
- They tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude crying out and saying:
- Men why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you!
- The APOSTLES [ἀπόστολος] – title for both Barnabas and Paul…
- When they heard what the people wanted to do – they TORE their clothes [dramatic]
- And rushed in CRYING out [κράζω] for them to STOP…
- Saying [present] – we are MEN [ὅμοιος] just like you [πάσχω]
- Living God… vs. 15
- [We] preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God.
- Who made the heaven – the earth – the sea and all things that are in them!
- They came preaching the GOSPEL – the Good news [εὐαγγελίζω]
- The whole reason Paul was there was to get them to TURN from their USELESS idols…
- Perhaps He even pointed to the DEAD statues of Zeus and Hermes in their temple…
- He wanted them to know the God [θεὸν] who LIVES [ζῶντα]
- The one who made the HEAVENS [plural] – EARTH – and the SEA – Genesis 1:1
- Why worship created things – when they could worship the creator of all things!
- We had a youth camp last summer based out of the creation account – Genesis 1-3
- The youth were SHOCKED when I said God created Dinosaurs [6000 years ago]
- Because there is a disconnect between FAITH and FACT that comes from our schools…
- When we talk about SCIENCE – we are taught the world is MILLIONS of years old…
- But when we talk about FAITH – that is when the STORIES of the Bible come in!
- If someone does NOT believe that God created ALL things…
- If they do NOT understand the FACTS found in the history of Genesis…
- Then we need to take them back to the BEGINNING [foundation]
- To show them WHO God is – WHERE sin came from – and HOW God provided the solution!
- The witness… vs. 16-17
- Who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways.
- Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness in that He did good.
- Gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons – filling our hearts with food and gladness!
- In prior GENERATIONS – God allowed ALL [πᾶς] the nations to walk in their own way…
- YET [καίτοι] God did leave a powerful WITNESS that He is there…
- His CREATION – the rain from heaven that gave FRUITFUL harvests …
- Abundant FOOD that filled our hearts with JOY!
- There are only TWO possibilities to the origin of life [accident or design]
- The EVIDENCE all around us – PROVES that we are NOT an ACCIDENT…
- We are part of an intricate DESIGN – meaning there must be a DESIGNER!
- When we look up at the stars at night – when we see a picturesque sunset…
- In our heart we know – there is someone who CREATED this…
- We know God is there – NO one can claim they are IGNORANT…
- No one will be able to stand before God and have the EXCUSE they did NOT know!
- Psalm 19:1-3 – “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork… There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard!”
- 2nd – Hard to change… vs. 18
- And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them!
- Paul wanted to tell them about this God – but they were NOT listening…
- They were only barely kept them from sacrificing…
- Paul was looking for a revival – but the ground was still too HARD…
- It was going to take more than ONE Bible Study to open the hearts of these people!
- It turns out the first missionary Journey was NOT easy…
- The people were NOT all open to the Gospel message – many were hostile…
- As Paul continued the journey – he found the Gospel caused DIVISION…
- He found that the message of the Gospel could be MISUNDERSTOOD…
- And sometimes he had to LOWER his EXPECTATIONS!
- Because Jesus never said sharing the Gospel would be EASY…
- Most are NOT going to believe in Jesus the FIRST time they hear the Gospel…
- But it is important to remember – it takes time and patience to win someone to Christ…
- God was patient with us – we also should be patient as we reach out to others!
- 1st – Turn to God… vs. 14-17