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INTRODUCTION:

1. Whenever I read these passages about the travels and ministry – and suffering – of the early Christians, I am shamed and deeply convicted by my life-long pursuit of a “suffering-free” life and ministry.

2. These early Christians, along with multitudes of others since their time – and still today – seek only opportunity to serve the LORD and HIS people and to reach unsaved people with the gospel and they are willing to pay any price to do it.

3. In this Chapter, the First Missionary Journey continues and is concluded. It is marked by both great suffering and great success.

4. It is entirely likely that great suffering is a key to great success in GOD’s Kingdom work.

5. In this Chapter, we see their great suffering and great success as they travel to Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, then back through Lystra and Derbe and the other Antioch, Pisidia, Pamphylia, Perga, Attalia, and finally they sailed back to the Church at Antioch in Syria from which they had been sent to give an account of their work.

NOTE: On these journeys, which took place around 48 AD, Paul and his companions were following the Roman road system which also formed the international mail routes of the first century.

EXPOSITION:

14:1-7 “Whenever and wherever GOD bless HIS work and HIS work, three things always happen!”

(1) Some unbelievers are saved!

“Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.”

(2-4) Some unbelievers are enraged!

(2) “But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. (3) So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. (4) But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles.”

(5-7) GOD’s people – and especially those who are sharing the gospel – are attacked.

(5) When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, (6) they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, (7) and there they continued to preach the gospel.”

14:8 – 18 Unsaved religious people are caught up in superstition and react violently to anyone telling them that they are wrong!

(8) “Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked.

(9) He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, (10) said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking. (11) And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” (12) Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. (13) And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.

Note: This idea of Zeus and Hermes coming down to earth is from Ovid’s poem, “metamorphoses” which was written around 8 AD.

(14) But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, (15) “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

(16) In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. (17) Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” (18) Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.”

14:19-20 Those who hate JESUS, HIS people, and HIS Kingdom work will do anything to stop those who are serving HIM!

(19) “But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, 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.”

14:21-28 After evangelizing and planting these new Churches, Paul and Barnabas went back to them to encourage and strengthen them and then returned to the Church that sent them to report what GOD was doing!

(21) “When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, (22) strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. (23) And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

(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, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. (27) And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. (28) And they remained no little time with the disciples.”

INTRODUCTION:

1. Practically every statistic from every major Christian denomination proves that the most effective evangelism strategy is planting new Local Churches!

2. This is indeed the obvious biblical strategy!

3. Effective Local Church planting begins with finding, calling, equipping, and sending the right people!

4. The right people for effective Local Church planting are already faithfully serving in their Local Church!

5. Both National and International Local Church planting will require great sacrifice and suffering!

EXPOSITION:

13:1-3 The Great Adventure of International Missionary Church Planting began with 3 men!

 “Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. (2) While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (3) Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”

13:4-5 Even the best Churches sending the best people can run into problems!

(4) “So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. (5) When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them.”

Cf. 13:13b “and John left them and returned to Jerusalem…”

13:6-12 “Everything that GOD blesses will face opposition!”

(6) “When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. (7) He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. (8) But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. (9) But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him (10) and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? (11) And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. (12) Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.”

13:13-39 The Key to Success in Kingdom Work is planting Local Churches and the Key to Success in Local Churches is preaching the Gospel!

(13) “Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, (14) but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. (15) After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.”

(16) So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. (17) The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. (18) And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. (19) And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. (20) All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. (21) Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.

(22) And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ (23) Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. (24) Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. (25) And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’ (26) “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. (27) For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. (28) And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. (29) And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. (30) But God raised him from the dead, (31) and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. (32) And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, (33) this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’ (34) And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ (35) Therefore he says also in another psalm, “‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’

(36) For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, (37) but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. (38) Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, (39) and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.”

13:40-43 The Gospel is the Power of GOD unto Salvation, to the Jews First and also to the Gentiles!

(40) Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about: (41) “’Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’”

(42) As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. (43) And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.”

13:44-52 The Great Work of planting Local Churches will always be characterized by both Opposition and Opportunity!

(44) The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. (45) But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. (46) And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. (47) For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'” (48) And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. (49) And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.        (50) But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. (51) But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. (52) And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”

AMEN.

INTRODUCTION:

1. Remembering that the chapter and verse divisions are not part of the original manuscripts of the Bible, take note that verses 1 – 18 are a continuation of Peter’s testimony from the previous Chapter.

2. Remembering that this passage covers a time of massive and rapid change for the Jewish people, it is not surprising that so much controversy was involved.

3. Massive and rapid change and the controversy it engenders is no excuse for the violent reaction of these people!

4.TAKE NOTE HERE… no one hates JESUS and HIS people more than unsaved religious people! (This is still true today!)

5. Verses 19 through 30 introduce us to a new situation in a new (to us) Church that will be a focal point in the rest of The Book of Acts!

EXPOSITION:

11:1-3 The reaction of unsaved religious people to Peter’s call to take the gospel to the Gentiles!

(1) “Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. (2 )So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, (3) “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

11:4-17

Peter’s defense of his calling to take the gospel to the Gentiles!

(4) “But Peter began and explained it to them in order: (5) “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. (6) Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. (7) And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ (8) But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’

(9) But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ (10) This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. (11) And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea.

(12) And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. (13) And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; (14) he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ (15) As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. (16) And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ (17) If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”

11:18

The proper response when GOD is doing a new an unexpected thing!

(18) “When they heard these things, they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

*** As a Gentile, let me say… “AMEN and AMEN!”

11:19-21

The one and only thing that makes evangelism successful!

(19) “Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. (20) But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus.       (21) And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.”

11:22-24

There are some benefits of being in a denomination and this kind of evaluation is one of them!

(22) “The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. (23) When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, (24) for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.”

11:25-26a

Barnabas’ personal ministry to Paul continued!

(25) “So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, (26) and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people.”

11:26b

The best insult a human can ever suffer!

“And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.”

11:27-30

The spirit of personal sacrifice and brotherly affection was – and still needs to be – a dominant characteristic of the Church!

(27) “Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. (28) And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). (29) So the disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. (30) And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.”

Theological note: In spite of their original doubts about Paul, now they demonstrate their confidence in him by entrusting him with a very large “disaster relief” offering!

** It also helped that Barnabas was with Paul at the time!

SERMON: John 10:14-18; 15:12-17     “NO GREATER LOVE!”

Introduction:

This is indeed a very well-known passage of Scripture. On the day before HIS arrest, trial, and crucifixion; Jesus gathered HIS disciples together on the evening of Passover to transform this ancient religious ritual into a living memorial to our living LORD that we now call The Lord’s Supper!

In the process of this first, “LORD’s Supper” Jesus demonstrates by washing their feet what true humility looks like and tells them the price of really loving one another.

After “portraying” what real love looks like, Jesus “proclaims” to them that really loving one another means that they must be willing to lay down their life.

HE tells them that HE is, HIMSELF, going to lay down HIS life for them (and for all who will HIS chosen people) and that this ultimate selfless act is the greatest love a person can have and the greatest love a person can demonstrate.

These verses are Holy Scripture. Therefore, they are true. Therefore, laying down one’s life truly is the greatest act of love that one human being can demonstrate for another.

In context, this passage is about Jesus – and only about Jesus – Who laid down HIS physical life for the salvation of HIS people. But the statement is true in any context. The greatest act of love that ANY HUMAN can offer is to lay down one’s life for another.

You and I are here today to publicly worship God. We are perfectly free to do this; and we are under no threat because we have chosen to do this. This is America; and, in America we are (at least for now) free to worship in any way we choose.

Hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of our brothers and sisters in Christ are not free to worship Jesus today. Thousands have been killed; thousands have been enslaved, and hundreds of thousands are homeless and running for their very life today because they do not share in our good fortune.

What is our good fortune?

Why are we free to worship while millions of others are not?

The answer is as simple as it is profound.

Since early Wednesday morning, April 19^th, 1775, when a handful of American Patriots on the village green of Lexington, Massachusetts and at a small bridge at nearby Concord; “fired the shot heard around the world” * 583,199 Men and women serving in the Armed Forces of the United States have “laid down their life” because of their love for this Country and their fellow Americans!

**US Department of Veterans’ Affairs

Revolutionary War:                   4,435

War of 1812:                              2,260

Civil War: (North)                      140,414

Spanish American War:           385

WW1:                                         53,402

WW2:                                         291,557

Korea:                                        33,739

Viet Nam:                                   58,220

Desert Storm:                            148

Global War on Terror:               6,639 (Since 9/11 2001)   

TOTAL AMERICANS KILLED: 583,199   

We are here today to worship Jesus Christ – and we are perfectly safe while we are doing so – because of the selfless sacrifice of these nearly 583,199 American Servicemen and Women.

May we never forget!

Exposition:

We have not gathered here today to worship America or those Americans who have given up their life for our safety and freedom. We are here to worship Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who gave up HIS life for our salvation.

There is one thing more important than our freedom!

That one thing is our salvation from the guilt (and the penalty) of our sins that we have sinned against a thrice-Holy, perfectly righteous and justifiably angry God!

To rescue us from the judgment we deserve for our sins, Jesus Christ had to lay down HIS life on the Cross!

First, Jesus was willing to lay down HIS life for HIS people!

John 10:18(a) “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.”

Second, Jesus was able to lay down HIS life for HIS people!

John 10:18(b)
¹⁸ “I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again…”

Third, Jesus did lay down HIS life for HIS people!

Luke 23:33
³³ “And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.”

Fourth and Finally, Jesus was able to take HIS life back up and raise HIMSELF from the dead!

1^st Corinthians 15:13-22
¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. ¹⁵ We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.
¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.
¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
¹⁸ Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
¹⁹ If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
²⁰ But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
²¹ For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
²² For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”

Jesus Christ is the One True Living God of the Bible Who came to this earth in human flesh!

He was born of a Virgin!

He lived a sinless life and perfectly obeyed the Law of God!

He willingly went to the Cross to pay for the sins of HIS people!

Three days later HE rose again from the dead!

Right here and right now; today, Jesus is alive; and He will forgive the sins and change the life of anyone anywhere and everyone everywhere who will repent of their sins against God and believe on Jesus as their Savior and LORD!

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

Jesus was willing to die for us; the question now is are we willing to live for HIM?

Mother’s Day MAY 11^th, 2025

2 Timothy 1:1-5 “The Generational Faith of a Godly Granny”

Introduction:

1. This is the day that we set aside every year to celebrate our mother and the mother of our children!

2. In reality, everyday ought to be Mother’s Day!

3. The greatest things in the world is to have, (or to have had) and to be is a Christian Mother!

4. Of all the wonderful things that Mothers do for their children, the best thing a mother can ever do for their child is pass their own Christian faith on to them!

5. In this passage, we meet a “Godly Granny” named Lois, who passed her faith on to her daughter Eunice, who passed her faith on to her son, Timothy!

6. In this verse Paul says that the faith that dwelt in Timothy was:

– A genuine faith!

– A generational faith!

– His grandmother’s faith!

– A gift of God’s grace!

– A gift to be given to others!

Exposition:

1:5a  Timothy’s faith was a Genuine faith!

“I am reminded of your sincere faith…”

“anupokrites” (anupokrites) is the opposite of “hypocrite”

– “sincere” in 2 Cor. 6:6; 1 Tim. 1:5; 1 Peter 2:2

– “without hypocrisy” in Romans 12:9; James 5:17

*Note that the Apostle Paul says, “I am sure (this genuine faith) dwells in you…”

It is to be contrasted to the idea of a “False Faith!”

– Faith in Self is a false faith!

– Faith in Religion is a false faith!

– Faith in the abstract Goodness of God is a false faith!

– Faith in Faith is a false faith!

1:5b  Timothy’s faith was a Generational faith!

“a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice…”

– Lois had passed her faith on to Eunice! Cf. Acts 16:1

– Eunice had likely both showed and shared her faith to Timothy!

– Paul had actually led Timothy to Christ!

Cf. 1^st Corinthians 4:17 “That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.”

Cf. 1^st Timothy 1:2 “To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”

*All of us have the right to live in hope that our children and grandchildren will come to have the same faith that we have!

Acts 16:30-31

(30) “Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (31) And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

1:5c  Timothy’s faith was his Grandmother’s and Mother’s faith!

“a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice…”

– His faith “first” dwelled in his grandmother, Lois!

– His faith also dwelled in his mother, Lois!

– The fruit of Lois’ and Eunice’s faith was a believing grandson!

Cf. Ephesians 2:8-10  Timothy’s faith was a Gift of God’s Grace!

(8) “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, (9) not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

(10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

– “It” (saving faith) is the gift of God!

– “It” (saving faith) is not of works!

* A gift is paid for by someone else!

* A gift is offered at no cost!

* A gift must be received! Cf. John 1:12

Cf. 2 Timothy 2:2  Timothy’s faith was Given to him to be Given to others!

“and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

– Paul believed and taught the true Christian faith!

– Paul shared the true Christian faith with Timothy!

– Timothy was to share the true Christian faith with others who were able to share it with others!

Amen!