The Book of Acts
Paul's First Missionary Journey (13:1-14:28)
Part Four
Sermon Twenty-five in the Series
Jim Bordwine, ThD
Introduction
In our study of the books of Acts, we currently are looking at the record of Paul's first missionary journey. In chapter 13, we examined three episodes which occurred during the first part of Paul initial missionary expedition. I'll take a few minutes to review those three events before continuing with the information supplied in chapter 14.
REVIEW
01. Paul's Confrontation with a False Prophet (13:4-12)
Under the first point, we looked at an incident which occurred shortly after Paul and Barnabas left Antioch. They made their way to the island of Cyprus where they began to proclaim the gospel. It was here that Paul and Barnabas encountered a Jewish false prophet named “Bar-Jesus.” This man was an advisor to the Roman proconsul, Sergius Paulus. Bar-Jesus, as we read, opposed the teaching of Paul and Barnabas. His goal was to prevent Sergius Paulus from embracing the gospel. In that encounter, Paul exposed Bar-Jesus as a deceiver and hater of truth. God then struck him with blindness and thereby indicated his true character. At that point, Luke wrote, Sergius Paulus “believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.” I noted that this is the kind of language Luke uses to describe acceptance of the gospel.
02. Paul's Sermon to Jews and God-fearing Gentiles (vv. 13:13-43)
Leaving the island of Cyprus, the missionaries traveled in a northwesterly direction into Asia Minor. They arrived in the region known as Galatia. Here, in the southern section, a settlement had arisen known as Pisidian Antioch. While in this city, Paul and Barnabas followed their custom of attending the synagogue service at which Paul was invited to address the worshipers. In his sermon, Paul declared to the worshipers that God had fulfilled His promise to send a Savior and that this promise had been fulfilled recently. Further, Paul emphasized the innocence of Christ and included the news which was first preached by Peter on the Day of Pentecost and which has been a core component in the Christian message throughout Acts-“God raised Him from the dead.”
The point of Paul's sermon was to announce to the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles that God had provided for the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation in His Son, Jesus Christ. Paul's final word was a warning to his listeners to repent and believe his message without delay.
03. Paul's Turning to the Gentiles (13:44-52)
Paul and Barnabas had obvious support among those who attended the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch. Soon, however, significant Jewish resistance developed against the missionaries, and the outcome was a judgment against the Jews and a tremendous blessing for the Gentiles.
As Paul spoke at a public meeting, the Jews voiced their hostility. As was so often the case when Jesus encountered antagonism from the Pharisees, the root cause of the reaction against the missionaries was jealousy. You'll recall that Luke wrote that the Jews were “filled with jealousy.” He used a term (pletho) which describes situations in which something is as full as it possibly can be. When used in connection with emotions-like fear, rage or joy-the word is meant to convey the idea that the person is temporarily overcome with whatever is being described. In this case, the unbelieving Jews were dominated by envy and it was envy which drove them to harassment of Paul and Barnabas.
Paul and Barnabas encountered opponents who were loud, unruly and dangerous. The missionaries' response was equally vigorous. According to the text, Paul and Barnabas declared that the Jews were forfeiting their right to have the gospel preached to them. In His plan, God had the gospel come to His own people first-those who were in a covenant relationship with Him. But, since they were manifesting a disdain toward the blessed gospel, God's messengers would turn away from them and take the life-giving news to others. Paul charged the Jews with deliberately pushing the gospel away, as it were, so as not to be exposed to it. Therefore, Paul and Barnabas announced, “We are turning to the Gentiles.”
The announcement that God was bringing salvation to them caused the Gentiles to erupt in worshipful celebration. This was such a dramatic contrast to the behavior of the Jews who, as Paul and Barnabas charged, considered the gospel a message to be rejected with anger and hatred. The Jews heard of the mercy of God in the Messiah and they howled in protest and sought to silence the missionaries. The Gentiles heard of the mercy of God in Christ and they rejoiced and glorified God. On that day and at that time, Luke wrote, many were brought into the Kingdom according to God's appointment.
END OF REVIEW
Now we are ready to continue our study of Paul's first missionary journey. In chapter 14 of Acts, there are three more episodes which should be mentioned as this initial voyage comes to a close.
04. Paul's Boldness for the Lord (14:1-7)
As we consider this passage, I want you to recall Paul's experience up to this point. He left his home-base in Antioch intending to preach the gospel as the Lord granted him opportunity. One of his first experiences involved a Jewish false prophet who stood face to face with Paul in the presence of the Roman governor of Cyprus and flatly contradicted Paul's words. Paul must have realized on that occasion that hostility would be a regular occurrence on this journey with Barnabas. So, if at the beginning of your voyage, you realize this, and if you realize that you still have some significant traveling to do, how do you react? You know more opposition is going to occur; you know that you are going to be maligned and persecuted when you simply are doing what you have been commanded to do. How do you prepare yourself for this kind of experience? We know from our study that the antagonism of Bar-Jesus was just the beginning. Paul and Barnabas were harassed on a much larger scale when they reached the region of Galatia. So, I ask again: How do you behave when you know such events are coming and you know you cannot avoid them?
The answer already has been given to us in Paul's conduct up to this point. But this next passage tells us plainly how and why Paul remained steadfastly committed to preaching the gospel during this first demanding missionary tour. Listen to how Luke describes the behavior of Paul and Barnabas when they reached Iconium:
14:1 In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. 2 But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. 3 Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 5 And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them, 6 they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region; 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.
Iconium was located at the foot of Mt. Tarsus, approximately 120 miles inland from the Mediterranean. This city got its name, it is believed, from an icon on which was depicted the likeness of Perseus, the son of Zeus. According to legend, Perseus protected the inhabitants of this area from a menacing dragon; in response, the grateful people erected the statue (or icon) to honor Perseus. Although this was primarily another pagan settlement, there was a community of Jews established there as well. According to their custom, therefore, the missionaries entered the synagogue and declared the gospel (v. 1).
Luke states that, as a result of Paul's preaching, “a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks.” This is similar to what happened before. The initial reception of the missionaries is encouraging. But, as the previous story demonstrated, opposition soon is manifested: “But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren.” (v. 2) Luke uses a couple of words to describe what happened: “stirred up” (epigeiro) and “embittered” (kakoo). Together, these terms mean that the Jews who rejected Paul's message agitated the Gentiles to the point that the Gentiles began to feel hatred toward the missionaries and wanted to harm them. We aren't told exactly what the Jews said, but we can be sure-as these words suggest-they told lies about Paul and Barnabas to inflame the Gentiles. Their goal was to turn the Gentiles against the missionaries and to create an atmosphere of aggression.
This is where we learn about Paul's demeanor, to which I referred before I read this passage. I asked: How do you prepare yourself for the kind of experiences Paul was having and how do you behave when such events are unavoidable? Luke reveals the perspective of the apostle when he writes: “Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord…” (v. 3) The last phrase reads literally: “speaking boldly upon the Lord.” The NASB supplies a couple of words in order to convey the meaning of the Greek. Other English translations say things such as: “speaking boldly in the Lord” or “speaking boldly for the Lord.” The word translated “speaking boldly” (parrhesiazomai) means to “speak or preach freely while displaying assurance.” This is the same word used of Paul the very first time we hear someone testify about how he handled the gospel (cf. Acts 9:27 where Barnabas speaks to the apostles in Jerusalem on Paul's behalf). This is the term used recently as Luke described how Paul and Barnabas faced the Jews and declared that they would turn to the Gentiles with the glorious gospel.
In this present instance, Luke means that the missionaries continued to preach confidently without wavering in the least even in spite of the hostility they were facing. They encountered such opposition before and stood their ground, and they would do so again on this occasion. As it turns out, however, in this example of Paul's conduct, Luke tells us something about why and how he behaved as he did. What is the key to the kind of bravery we've seen demonstrated by Paul and Barnabas? What drives men to stand face-to-face with vicious enemies, enemies who want them silenced, and continue to say the very things that have aroused such a hateful and dangerous response? The key to such bravery is, of course, the ground, so to speak, on which Paul and Barnabas stood. They preached “for the Lord” or, depending on how it is translated, “in the Lord.”
This short statement reveals much about the confidence shown by these missionaries in what was, without question, a most intimidating circumstance. The source of the confidence was not within Paul and Barnabas, as if they were able to call up extraordinary courage at a time when other men would fail from anxiety. The source of their boldness and their assurance was to be found in Christ-the resurrected Savior who had appointed them to this very task. Paul was brave and certain of his mission because Christ confronted him on that road to Damascus and told him, personally and forcefully, that this is what he was to do with the rest of his life. Paul didn't preach about a Savior who might have come and might have accomplished redemption and might have been raised from the dead. Paul spoke of God's Son who came and achieved atonement and who did, indeed, rise from the dead after He was crucified for the sins of His people.
When you have a story with these elements, elements which go beyond anything known in this world and elements which you've had confirmed by God Himself, then you can speak boldly and fearlessly regardless of what you face. You can do this because you know that what you are saying is the truth and there is no other way and no other choice for you or those who hear you. Paul spoke boldly in the Lord knowing that the gospel was true and knowing that the gospel was the answer to the dilemma every person faces-that of being alienated from the Creator and condemned before Him. If you have this kind of message and you don't speak boldly regardless of who or what you face, then you don't understand what it is you've been given. Paul and Barnabas understood the gospel; they apprehended the grace of God which was being announced in their message. So, one opponent or a hundred opponents made no difference in their behavior. It might be one man, like Bar-Jesus, trying to turn a Roman official against them; or it might be many Jews trying to turn an entire city against them. The number of the enemy and the nature of the enemy's threat did not matter. Paul and Barnabas remained true to their calling because that calling superceded every obstacle and every danger.
Notice that Luke adds something significant: “[the Lord] was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands.” We know that, according to the earlier chapters of Acts, miracles were routine as the apostles preached the gospel. The resurrected Savior demonstrated the authenticity of the message and the validity of the messengers in this manner. Paul and Barnabas had no doubt regarding the truthfulness of the gospel and these “signs and wonders” were confirmation that they were, indeed, serving the living Christ. With this kind of testimony from Christ Himself, the missionaries were able to withstand any enemy, as I noted. The words they spoke were backed up with astonishing demonstrations of power. These were the Savior's missionaries and He was with them and revealed His presence in remarkable ways.
You would think that such miraculous displays would cause all who witnessed them to be amazed and eager to learn more from Paul and Barnabas. You would think that as the missionaries performed various signs and wonders all the people would be excited and supportive wanting to know how these things were done and what they meant. This might be what we would expect, but we already know that this is not what Paul and Barnabas experienced. In fact, we know that wherever Christians preached and wherever Christ manifested His power and the presence of His Spirit through signs and wonders, there was always fierce opposition. Without fail, some Jews always rise up in protest against the gospel and ignore the miraculous evidence of God's working. This pattern is repeated here in Iconium.
Luke writes that “the people of the city were divided.” Some sided with the Jews in their criticisms of the missionaries, and others stood with the apostles (v. 4). This conflict must have been fairly large for Luke to say that the people of Iconium were divided. It sounds as if a significant portion of the population was involved either in opposition to or in support of Paul and Barnabas. If the signs and wonders mentioned by Luke had occurred repeatedly or had occurred throughout the city, then we can understand how the majority of the citizens would have been aware of the missionaries' presence and the controversy being fueled by the Jews. The word translated “divided,” by the way, is schizo, which means “to cleave, to tear, to divide by rending, to split into factions.” This term describes a complete separation into two pieces or, in this case, two groups. It is a separation which is absolute. Those who were involved identified with one party or the other-there was no drifting back and forth.
The intensity of this dispute and the level of animosity facing Paul and Barnabas are indicated in the next verse when Luke states that an attempt was made to “mistreat and to stone them.” (v. 5) The Jews, led by their officials, along with some Gentile supporters intended to harm Paul and Barnabas. The word rendered “mistreat” is a bit of an understatement. It is a term (hubrizo) which means “to behave outrageously, to act shamefully towards another.” (Jesus used this word when He described how He would be treated after His arrest-cf. Luke 18:32). And, if there were any doubt about the nature of this plan, Luke's reference to stoning should be sufficient to inform us. Stoning was a means of killing someone, not a means of inflicting momentary discomfort.
The fact that the Jewish leaders were involved in this plot helps us understand why some of the Gentiles joined in. If the Jewish leaders were in agreement with the condemnation being heaped on Paul and Barnabas, this probably gave this scheme the appearance of something formal. This might have made the support of the Gentiles easier to enlist. We know from past passages that the Jews lived and worshiped among the Gentiles in cities like Iconium and enjoyed acceptance and respect. A movement against the missionaries which had the cooperation of the synagogue officials, therefore, would have made an impact on some of the Gentiles.
Before this plot to harm the missionaries could be carried out, they learned of it and left Iconium (v. 6). Luke lists three of the cities visited by Paul and Barnabas after they fled Iconium and he concludes this story by noting that the missionaries “continued to preach the gospel.” (v. 7) This is what we have come to expect as Luke relates events associated with Paul's first missionary journey. He arrives, preaches the gospel, some believe and others stand in opposition, he is delivered from harm and continues his mission of preaching about the risen Christ.
Two more events remain to be examined as this first missionary expedition comes to a close. We will see Paul's rise and fall in Lystra, which is a story of how he is received as a god and then stoned and left for dead all in the space of a short period of time. And then we will read of Paul's return to Antioch where he reports to his sending church about all that the Lord was doing among the Gentiles.
Application
For our application, I want to return to the issue of Paul's behavior in Iconium. Luke wrote that Paul “spoke boldly with reliance upon the Lord.” You'll recall that Luke used a term which means “to speak or preach freely while displaying assurance.” This is his description of Paul when Paul was being opposed by angry Jews and Gentiles. This is how Paul behaved in a situation where men were seeking to silence him once and for all. Not only did Paul continue to speak, he continued to speak with confidence. We might assume that such vicious opposition would lead Paul to reconsider what he was saying and doing; but, instead, such opposition as he faced in Iconium led Paul to be even bolder and even more sure of his message.
Normally, fierce opposition leads to a reassessment of what is being said. Normally, angry opposition is intimidating. But this was not the case with Paul. I pointed out that Paul demonstrated such confidence because he knew that he was speaking the truth. He knew what the gospel was and how important and relevant it was. He knew that he was carrying out the will of his Savior and he knew that Christ was with him. Because Paul knew these things, the opposition he faced, regardless of its intensity, would not deter him. Paul would not stop preaching and he would not modify his message to make it more appealing to those who heard. Paul behaved in a manner which was, in many ways, the very opposite of what you would expect.
Regrettably, I have to say, that Paul's behavior was the opposite of what we so frequently witness in the modern Church. If you take a stand for the gospel today, if you are identified as a Christian, you can be sure that you will attract attention. If you suggest the existence of moral absolutes, if you mention anything about ultimate accountability, you are going to get attention. More often than not, the attention you attract, or the attention a church attracts, will be critical attention. We are in such a state in our modern society that the kind of conduct illustrated by Paul is rare. Our enemies have succeeded in marginalizing the Church. We have no real voice these days. No one fears the voice of the Church-partly because the Church has no single voice today. We are so fractured that we cannot unite in declarations of truth or condemnations of sin.
My purpose is not to address the fractured nature of the contemporary Church, however. My purpose is to ask you this question: How did we get to this point? How did we get to the point where we are so easily intimidated by those who oppose the gospel? How did we get to the point where we have no real voice in society? If we can answer these questions, we can, at least as individuals or at least as a few congregations scattered here and there, begin to re-establish the influence of God's people in a land where guidance is sorely needed.
So, how did we get to this point? We got here because we have forgotten or misunderstood what it is that we have been given. We have misunderstood the power of the gospel, we have misunderstood the mission of the Church. We have concentrated on that which cannot bring down the kingdoms of darkness. We have put our time and energy into substitutes for the glorious gospel. We don't preach, we encourage. We don't confront, we negotiate. We don't declare, we suggest. We don't stand out, we blend in. We don't lead, we follow. We don't denounce, we whisper. We do not speak with authority, we wait to be asked for an opinion-and that request rarely comes.
What will change this sorry state of affairs? Things will change when Christians-like you-rediscover the gospel and the mission of the Church of Christ. When we deal with the gospel and the gospel alone, then we will again speak with authority and lead with confidence. When we listen to what Scripture says about the mission of the Church and stop worrying about what people will think, when we state living as the people of God Sunday through Saturday, then God will elevate us and He will transform our society through us.
This must start with individuals. We are in such a low state that we must rebuild from the ground up, as it were. Individual Christians and individual Christian families must take a fresh look at the gospel and realize just what it is that Christ has given to us. We must re-establish in our minds the power, relevance and beauty of the gospel. We must live according to the Word of God. We must raise our children as covenant children. We must pursue our labors as those called by God. We must speak out against that which God condemns. We must worship God according to the teaching of Scripture instead of according to what pleases us or pleases those who visit our churches. We must keep the Lord's Day. We must say “no” when the Bible says “no” and we must affirm what the Bible affirms.
The list could go on. This is how people behave when they know that what they've been given is the truth and when they know that what they have been given is the only answer to fallen man's alienation from his Creator. This is how people behave when they have the perspective of Paul. The challenge to you is to be like Paul. Be bold, be confident, be unafraid-not because you are braver than most or more sure of yourself than most or less frightened than most, but because you know the one in whom you have believed. You know Him and you know His gospel. You know Him and you know your duty.
Conclusion
With that said, let's rejoice together in the finished work of the Savior by receiving the sacrament. And as we rejoice, let us give thanks together for what has been done for us and what has been given to us.