ACTS 14:1-20
True Faith Never Quits
Have you ever quit something? Quitting is the easiest thing there is to do, because all you need to do… is nothing.
Now, I’m not talking about bad habits or addictions. Those can be very hard to quit.
But laborious things, tasks and commitments – those can be very easy to quit, because all you must do to quit is to stop trying. stop working.
There is an old quote that declares, “All that is needed for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing.”
It’s true.
When people stop trying, stop working, when they quit being an influence for good in the world – evil, wickedness, perversion flourishes.
Why? – Because of The Fall – because of the “sin nature” that is now part of the “human condition” – the heart of mankind is now predisposition toward sinful ways.
The prophet Jeremiah proclaimed; "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” – Jeremiah 17:9
AND YET – God sent His Son into the darkness to be the light of the world.
And God has called some out of darkness into that light.
And to those God has called out of darkness – He commands, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” – Romans 12:21
But given the fallen nature of mankind, and our own struggles with sin – to overcome evil with good – is going to take a faith that never quits.
Barnabas and Paul are given to us in scripture as examples of such faith.
They had planted the seeds of the Gospel in Pisidian Antioch – and ran into hostile opposition from the Jewish leaders there – So they continued to the city of Iconium- located about 80 miles SE-
Acts 14:1
1In 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.
As had become their custom, Barnabas and Paul began their outreach to the city in the synagogue.
Granted, as Paul had told the Jewish leaders in Pisidian Antioch, the gospel had now gone out to the Gentiles,
But that didn’t mean that Paul was “excluding’ the Jews because of the “inclusion” of the Gentiles.
In Romans 10:1 Paul writes, “Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.”
But Paul was aware that in the Gospel of Jesus Christ there was no distinction between Jew and Gentile – All who call on the name of Jesus in repentance and faith WILL be saved by God’s grace THROUGH that faith!
And so Paul preached the same message to Jew and Gentile alike.
The core of Paul’s message, as given in Acts 13:38-39, remained consistent-
Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.
But tragically – though they heard – and still hear today – not all who hear believe.
Acts 14:2-4
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.
As Paul preached – the city was divided by the truth.
Religious Jews, entrenched in tradition and culture, used their influence to contradict Paul’s preaching and turn the hearts and minds of the people against Him.
We can imagine their arguments- “Men of Iconium hear the truth about these men…”
See in the passage the manner of their message - speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord,
And that God provided a witness to the testimony, granting that in the name of Jesus, signs and wonders were being done by their hands.
And STILL, the city remained divided.
I hear non-believers say things like, “Well, if I witnessed the miracles then maybe I would believe.”
But I have no confident reason to believe they would.
Throughout scripture we see hundreds, thousands, multitudes – that saw the miraculous hand of God at work – and yet did not believe.
God promised His people Israel He would lead and deliver them to a land promised to them – But they grumbled, complained, doubted, and desired to turn back to Egypt and brutal slavery.
How many in Judea heard Jesus speak, saw the works of His hands, but walked away?
And as the message of the gospel and the foundations of the church were being laid – How many heard the message, saw the signs – and refuse to believe.
The point is this: Faith is not based on miracles. After all, Faith is the assurance and the conviction in the things NOT seen!
God did, and still does, affirm His message by miracles, signs and wonders – But Faith?“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” - Romans 10:17
Friends understand that your salvation is a miracle in and of itself!
– For all else that God has done – that He considered you and you are now counted among those who have heard and believed!
Acts 14:5-7
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.
Eventually, the hearts of many in Iconium were turned against the message – and messengers – and an attempt was actually made to have them beaten and stoned.
Stoning, as we have seen previously in scripture – is a Jewish custom. Under The Law of Moses – one guilty of various crimes was to be stoned.
The offense the Jews accused Paul and Barnabas of was likely Blasphemy – the same offense they made against Jesus.
And so Paul and Barnabas again took to the road – to continue to share the Gospel – Because although there was opposition, rejection, and a very real risk to their lives – Theirs was a faith that refused to quit!!
They arrived in the region of Lycaonia, and there visited the cities of Lystra & Derbe
Lystra – 26 miles from Iconium – a frontier town on the boarders of Galatia
Rome ruled the land, Greeks controlled the commerce, and the Jews were present, but in far lesser numbers.
Paul would in his lifetime visit Lystra three times.
We read later (Acts 16) that during his second trip to this city he will meet a young man named Timothy who apparently after this first visit was so moved by the Holy Spirit that he would go on to become a disciple, evangelist and pastor!
That my friends can be the impact of having a faith that refuses to quit!
Acts 14:8-10
8 At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. 9 This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be made well, 10 said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he leaped up and began to walk.
Lystra, having a smaller Jewish population, had no synagogue for Paul and Barnabas to begin their preaching from.
There was however a temple to Zeus – It is possible, even likely, that Paul and Barnabas spoke from the temple steps so as to be heard by the people.
This would also fit with the paralytic man being present during their teaching as he might have sat there day after day seeking alms.
But like others in desperate need before him – that day he received not a hand-out – but in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ – He received a hand-up!
Paul perceived the man – perhaps the expression on his face or the words he exclaimed conveyed the faith in his heart – Faith enough to be healed –
During Jesus’ ministry there were multiple accounts of people coming to Jesus seeking healing.
The lepper said to Jesus – “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
This is an essential understanding of having faith that heals – It is to know, trust, and understand that it is never a question if God CAN heal – but a matter of seeking His WILL to heal.
There is also the demonstration of the faith for the sake of another in coming to Jesus to heal.
Scripture not only tells us of times where strong faith was rewarded – but times when a lack of faith was rebuked.
In Mark 4:40 - Jesus rebuked His Apostles for their lack of faith when they feared the stormy seas while He was with them.
In Matthew 17:20 - Jesus rebuked His Apostles for having “little faith” – such that they were unable to cast a demon out of an afflicted man.
In Matthew 14:31 – As Peter began to sink into the seas he has just been walking on, Jesus rebuked Him.
To have a faith that never quits – we must begin by having faith!!
As we read in Hebrews 11:6 – “Without faith, it is impossible to please God...”
According to local legend – Zeus and Hermes in ages past had disguised themselves as humans and come into the city seeking hospitality. But they were turned away by all but one elderly couple.
The city suffered greatly for their actions – and the elderly couple were richly rewarded.
Perhaps this legend was on the mind of the people as they witnessed these things and responded-
Acts 14:11-13
11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.” 12 And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.
All the right heart and attitude – Applied in all the wrong ways!!
From the pantheon of the Greek gods, Zeus was the “king” of the gods and Hermes was a messenger.
As Paul was the primary speaker – the crowds associated him with Hermes and therefore Barnabas they assumed must be Zeus – as the two gods in legend and lore were often seen together.
According to local legend – Zeus and Hermes in ages past had disguised themselves as humans and come into the city seeking hospitality. But they were turned away by all but one elderly couple.
The city suffered greatly for their actions – and the elderly couple were richly rewarded.
Perhaps this legend was on the mind of the people as they witnessed these things and responded-
Can you imagine when word of this got to Paul and Barnabas?!
That the people were calling THEM gods – and that the priest of Zeus was preparing a festival and feast in THEIR honor!!
Acts 14:14-18
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out 15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things?
We are also men of the same nature as you and preach the gospel to you 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 the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; 17 and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” 18 Even saying these things, with difficulty they restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.
WHAT… ARE… YOU… DOING!!!!
The tearing of robes was an indication of INTENSE emotion – Examples included expressions of grief, sorrow, anger and repentance.
This was the whole point of their coming and their message! – to turn men AWAY from worldly, vain, worthless ways – to honor the One, True, and Living God –
God, speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, proclaimed regarding false gods and idols made by the mind and hands of man – Jeremiah 10:10-12
10But the LORD (YHWH) is the true God; 11Thus you shall say to them, “The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth and from under the heavens.”
12It is He (YHWH) who made the earth by His power, God declared through the prophet Isaiah
I am the LORD; (YHWH) that is My name! I will not yield My glory to another or My praise to idols. Isaiah 42:8
Worship is reserved for the creator – not the created.
The world today has embraced the love and worship of the created.
When a person gives honor and worship to the things that God created – rather than FIRST AND FOREMOST giving honor to the One – True – and Living God who created those things – they are guilty of idolatry.
And the honor and worship of those things created BY the Living God – will not – cannot – rescue a person from the judgement that is coming.
Here are the HARD FACTS –
Friends - God is the one who judges what is “good” and what is “bad.”
And here is what the Living God says of ALL mankind-
And that is a problem for mankind! Because He has declared-
So, there is HOPE – But the only hope is in Jesus Christ.
This was the message that Paul desperately wanted these people to understand – SO he told them they came to:
… preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God,
Knowing his audience- Paul changed up his message about God from the Jewish perspective as the Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – because this Greek and Gentile audience would have no connection to that lineage.
Instead, Paul focused on the Creator nature of God rather than the God of the lineage of Israel.
This approach negated the possibility of any other gods and declared the unique and sovereign nature of God as the only “Living God,” having authority over all creation that He has created.
Of this, Paul declares, God testifies through the witness of creation itself-
Vs 17 God’s own witness
Proofs of God’s Common Grace
18 Even saying these things, with difficulty they restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.
Just… wow…
Acts 14:19-20
19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. 20 But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe.
So opposed to the message of the gospel – the Message of Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ – Jews from Iconium and even from as far as Pisidian Antioch pursued
Paul and Barnabas all the way to Lystra
Consider the determination and commitment to these two positions –
ONE POSITION– To live out a faith in the message that never quits - Because that message saved me from the judgement of the Living God and granted to me His promise of Eternal Life.
THE OTHER POSITION- so opposed to that message of hope that it will stop at nothing to see it silenced.
If the Holy Spirit of God is the influencer and motivator for people to repent and turn to Jesus Christ for forgiveness – then what do you suppose is the influence on those who reject that message and turn away?
Satan? Perhaps and sometimes.
Evil, unclean spirits (demons)? Perhaps and sometimes.
But remember – darkness, denial and sin are the “natural” way of the heart of mankind.
Jesus told the Pharisee Nicodemus – “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:6
The natural man does not have the Spirit of God – He is born in the flesh, lives in the flesh, loves the flesh, and dies in the flesh.
That is why we pray God to remove us from our “natural” state – to become the child of God that only He can make us to be.
Because if you have been born again – in the Spirit of God – then you are a new creation – with heart that is capable of searching out the will of God and knowing Jesus as your Savior, and living for HIS name’s sake – who died that you might live.
Apart from that – mankind is… well… these people. Who were so easily turned against the message and the messenger that they overtook Paul before he had time remove himself.
Influenced by men zealous to reject the message and the messenger – the crowds were once again stirred up to violence – and they picked up stones – and they hurled them at Paul.
Stone after stone pummeling Paul’s body. Can you imagine the pain?
I wonder, as the stones were slamming into his body, as the pain caused his knees to buckle and he fell to the ground, as he looked at the faces of the crowd, DID HE THINK OF STEVEN?
The stoning was so severe that apparently Paul lost consciousness and the crowd, believing he was dead, dragged his body out of the city and discarded him.
20 But while the disciples stood around him, he got up.
There is a hidden reason to rejoice here in verse 20 – that for all those who had rejected the message – and condemned to death the messenger – there were some who believed! – Some who became disciples, followers, students of the message.
How hard must it have been for these students of the word who were just beginning a walk of faith?!?
But how amazing to see Paul begin to stir... What must have been the first thoughts?
But incredibly, Paul made his way to his feet - and entered the city
I can’t tell you WHY Paul did not dust himself off as before and move on.
I ask you – What must the crowds, the people of Lystra have thought when a man they were convinced they had killed – walked back into town -
– covered in dirt and blood – and began again to tell them about the Living God and Christ Jesus?
For the crowds in Lystra –they heard the message – saw the healing works – and turned their “belief” not to the Living God that Paul spoke of – but to the comfortable gods of their traditional.
Paul would later write – To Timothy!
2 Timothy 3:10-17
10 Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me!
12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.13 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
IN CLOSING…
As the old quote declares, “All that is needed for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing.” And it is true.
Darkness is the natural state of existence - Until light is introduced.
The same is true in the heart of the natural man.
the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.
Those who do not see Him – or Know Him – will never receive Him, UNLESS, they come to see Him as the Light that came from God - and to know Him through His word.
And for this reason, God has left the church IN the world, has left YOU and I in the world - Because He has saved you and I to be messengers TO the world.
Matthew 5:14-16 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
1 Peter 2:9
But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
But what happens when you and I quit being the light of the world?
What happens when we quit, when we give up, when we stop living out our faith and sharing the light, the truth of God’s word?
Evil flourishes
Galatians 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Amen
He is the living God and the everlasting King.
At His wrath the earth, quakes,
And the nations cannot endure His indignation.
Who established the world by His wisdom;
And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens.
John 14:17