Acts 14:19-28: Paul and Barnabas: Set Aside For Ministry
Stoning, Escape to Derbe
"Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derb.
Strengthening the Converts
And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God." So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed. Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. So they stayed there a long time with the disciples.
Stoning, Escape to Derbe
"Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derb.
Strengthening the Converts
And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God." So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed. Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. So they stayed there a long time with the disciples.
Bible Study Outline: Exposition on the Book of Acts Chapter 14:19-28
Paul and Barnabas in Lystra: “Stoned and Cast Out For Dead” Part 2
Introduction: Reprimanded by the Apostles
After preaching the good news to the people in Lycaonia , the people, believing that Paul and Barnabas were two of their gods that appeared to them in human flesh sought to worship them as Jupiter and Mercury. Paul and Barnabas both tore their clothes and attempted to reason with them but to no avail. Paul told them to do what they were attempting to do was the most absurd thing they could ever do Paul and Barnabas gave them 2 clear reasons why they shouldn’t do such a thing
[1.] "Our nature will not admit it:
We also are men with the same passions you have. "We are men, and therefore you wrong yourselves if you expect those things from us that can only be given be in God only; and you wrong God if you give that honor to us, or to any other man, which is to be given to God only. We not only have such bodies as you see, but are of like passions with you, have hearts fashioned like as other
[2.] "Our doctrine is directly against it.
We can’t be added to the number of your gods. It’s our mission through the preaching of the gospel to convince you to abolish the gods you do have.
We preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God. It’s our business to convert you from idolatry:" and so they had taken this occasion to show them how just and necessary it was that they should turn to God from idols,
Persuaded by Outsiders: Paul Stoned (vs. 19)
“And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead”
The Jews who rejected Paul and Barnabas in Iconium and Antioch pursued them from their cities and followed them into Lystra. They spoke harshly against the Apostles and accused them of being imposters and incited the people of Lystra to rage against them. They stoned Paul as a result of this. Afterwards, they drug Paul out of the city and left him thinking that he was dead. This is a great example of how fickle popularity is. Look as what the Lyconiaas did
Point of Power:
Nothing is more fickle than popular favor. Your popularity will wax and wane.
Remember: On Palm Sunday, they revered Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem on a colt, throwing palm branches at His feet and cried “Hosanna”, “Hosanna”. Five days later, most of the same crowd that cried Hosanna on that Sunday also cried out “crucify HIM”.
Second point:
Wicked people will often travel further to do their evil than good people will travel to do that which is good.
Wicked people often show more zeal in opposing the gospel than professed Christians do in advancing the gospel. We would benefit greatly if we had the same fervency in evangelism as the wicked have in opposing it. Another way of putting it is just as the wicked are hell bent to do their evil, the righteous should be heaven bound to do the will of God.
Brought Back to Life: “Resurrected” and Returns To Lycaionia
(Verses 20-23) anistemi –greek meaning: to stand up, rise again
Paul was dead, but Jesus brought him back to life. (vs. 20)
Alive again, Paul goes back into the city and he and Barnabas leaves Lycaonia the next day going back to Derbe.. The disciples who stood around his body while dead apparently prayed fervently for his deliverance and healing.
Follow Up Ministry: Returning to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch (Syria) Preaching the Gospel (vs. 21)
More preaching….produced more disciples
Exhortation:: “continue in the faith”. (vs. 22)
“Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God”.
What does it mean to “confirm the souls of the disciples”?
It means simply that Paul and Barnabas established, strengthened, and made firm, as well as encouraged by the presenting the truth of God’s WORD by sharing the purpose of the gospel.
The truth is positionally, these were young converts, new to the faith. They were surrounded by a plethora of enemies, and exposed to all sorts of temptations and to dangers. The dangers were real. The persecutions were vicious. These Judaizers were relentless to the extent if these converts were not covered by the local assembly and the Apostles themselves, they could easily slip and abandon their belief in Jesus Christ and fall back into the now old heathen ways God just delivered them from.
They were new converts. This was a new life experience to them. Status wise, they only had a slight acquaintance with the truths of the gospel, so, it was of the utmost importance that they should be further instructed in the truth, and established in the faith of the gospel. This was what Paul and Barnabas returned to accomplish. There is not the slightest evidence that they had not been admitted to the full privileges of the church before; or that any ceremony was now performed in confirming or strengthening them.
Here are 4 good reasons why this is so important to them and to new converts in the modern church now:
(2) It is necessary to keep us from wandering, and to keep us in the path of duty.
Psalmist said in Psalms 119:67, 71: Before I was afflicted I went astray.
That is to say I walked in error and began to transgress against the Word of God and live a sin filled life. I lived by the rudiments of the world and embraced erroneous views, living in neglect of my soul, in neglect of duty and in neglect of my life and obligation to God.
This was, the case of the Psalmist and the case of many of others. As a result, affliction often becomes so necessary to check us when we are going astray, and so useful in recalling us to the ways of duty and of truth.
But now I keep Your word. You are good, and do good. I actually benefitted from being afflicted
This was, in his case, as it is in thousands of others, the experience of his life. Hence, affliction often becomes so necessary to check us when we are going astray, and so useful in recalling us to the ways of duty and of truth. When we go through the afflictions of life as permitted by God, , many times, some error is corrected; some evil habit is broken and changed; some immoral social mode of life not consistent with pure religion is forsaken. A lot of times, pride is humbled; the heart is quickened in duty; habits of prayer are resumed or formed. The soul becomes more gentle, calm, humble, spiritual, pure.
Afflictions are among the most precious means of grace. They are entirely under the direction of God. They may be endlessly varied, and adapted to the case of every individual.
Remember:
God knows every heart, and the best way to reach any heart. By sickness; by disappointment; by loss of property; by bereavement; by blighted hopes; by the ingratitude of others; by the unkindness of professed friends, and the malice of enemies; by domestic troubles; by the misconduct of children-perhaps the most severe of all human ills, and the hardest to bear; in ten thousand ways God can reach the heart, and break and crush it, and make it ready for the entrance of truth-as the farmer breaks and pulverizes the soil by the plow and the harrow, so that it shall be prepared to receive the seed.
“Teach me Your statutes. The proud have forged a lie against me, but I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart. Their heart is as fat as grease” . That is, they have prospered. They have health, property, influence, comforts of all kinds. heaven appears to smile upon them, and it seems as if it were one effect of a wicked course of life to make people prosperous.
“But I delight in Your law. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes”. (NKJV)
(3) It is necessary to wean us from the world; to always keep before our minds the great truth that we have here "no continuing city and no abiding place."
The trials of life here makes us hunger for a world of rest. The opposition of sinners makes us desire the soon coming world of Job 3:17: where "the wicked shall cease from troubling," and where there shall be eternal friendship and peace. (Revelation 21:1-4)
(4) Whenever we are persecuted and afflicted, we may remember that it has been the lot of the Christian life from the beginning.
We tread a path that has been watered by the tears of the saints, and rendered sacred by the shedding of the best blood on the earth. The Savior trod that path; and it is enough that the "disciple be as his master, and the servant as his lord," Matthew 10:24-25.
So, it is through through much tribulation and through many afflictions. It is truly the “valley of the shadows of death” It’s like David said because God is with me, I shall fear no evil. The end of this journey is to enter into the Kingdom of God and hear HIM say Servant, WELL DONE!
Why does the Baptist Church extend the “Right Hand of Fellowship?
The Baptist church established a method (a procedure) in fellowshipping new members to formally recognize them as “full fledged” members of their local assembly. After going through some form of orientation training to familiarize the new candidates with the policies and procedures of the local church and who makes up the administrative infrastructure (officers and leaders) we as the body of Christ in this assemble extend what we call the right hand of fellowship. By each member shaking the “right” hand of the new convert, we have according to the rules and regulations written in the bylaws of that church welcome thm to be a permanent member of our fellowship church and granted them “full” membership status with our church, which gives them the same rights and privileges of any “full fledged” member which can be summarized as having a “voice” and a “vote”. They have now become a part of our family as new family members.
Paul and Barnabas encouraged the disciples at Derbe to “continue in the faith” There were about 10 areas in their lives they needed to continue in faith in maturing and constantly doing:
Ten Things they were to continue In:
Well doing (Romans 2:7), Following the Lord (1 Samuel 12:14), The Word of God (John 8:31)
Christ's love (John 15:9; 1 Timothy 2:15), The grace of God (Acts 13:43), The faith (Acts 14:22; Colossians 1:23), God's goodness (Romans 11:22), Prayer (Colossians 4:2), Sound doctrines (1 Timothy 4:16; 2 Timothy 3:14)
The Son and the Father (1 John 2:24)
The importance of obedience
If we do these things we are blessed and if not, then we are cursed. God cannot lay down the conditions upon which He will bless us, then ignore them and bless if the conditions are not met. Remember Paul said it is trough much tribulation that we enter the kingdom of God
Finishing the Missionary Journey (vs. 23-26)
So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.
Finally They return home to Jerusalem and gave a full report (vs. 27)
The End of Paul’s 1st Missionary Journey
And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
They related what had happened; their dangers and their success. This they did because they had been sent out by the church, and it was proper that they should give an account of their work; and because it furnished a suitable occasion of gratitude to God for his mercy.
Dr. William Edward Boddie
Bible Study Outline: Exposition on the Book of Acts Chapter 14:19-28
Paul and Barnabas in Lystra: “Stoned and Cast Out For Dead” Part 2
Introduction: Reprimanded by the Apostles
After preaching the good news to the people in Lycaonia , the people, believing that Paul and Barnabas were two of their gods that appeared to them in human flesh sought to worship them as Jupiter and Mercury. Paul and Barnabas both tore their clothes and attempted to reason with them but to no avail. Paul told them to do what they were attempting to do was the most absurd thing they could ever do Paul and Barnabas gave them 2 clear reasons why they shouldn’t do such a thing
[1.] "Our nature will not admit it:
We also are men with the same passions you have. "We are men, and therefore you wrong yourselves if you expect those things from us that can only be given be in God only; and you wrong God if you give that honor to us, or to any other man, which is to be given to God only. We not only have such bodies as you see, but are of like passions with you, have hearts fashioned like as other
[2.] "Our doctrine is directly against it.
We can’t be added to the number of your gods. It’s our mission through the preaching of the gospel to convince you to abolish the gods you do have.
We preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God. It’s our business to convert you from idolatry:" and so they had taken this occasion to show them how just and necessary it was that they should turn to God from idols,
Persuaded by Outsiders: Paul Stoned (vs. 19)
“And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead”
The Jews who rejected Paul and Barnabas in Iconium and Antioch pursued them from their cities and followed them into Lystra. They spoke harshly against the Apostles and accused them of being imposters and incited the people of Lystra to rage against them. They stoned Paul as a result of this. Afterwards, they drug Paul out of the city and left him thinking that he was dead. This is a great example of how fickle popularity is. Look as what the Lyconiaas did
- They now have stoned the very one that they were ready to worship as a god.
- Just before they were ready to adore him; now they sought to put him to death.
Point of Power:
Nothing is more fickle than popular favor. Your popularity will wax and wane.
Remember: On Palm Sunday, they revered Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem on a colt, throwing palm branches at His feet and cried “Hosanna”, “Hosanna”. Five days later, most of the same crowd that cried Hosanna on that Sunday also cried out “crucify HIM”.
Second point:
Wicked people will often travel further to do their evil than good people will travel to do that which is good.
Wicked people often show more zeal in opposing the gospel than professed Christians do in advancing the gospel. We would benefit greatly if we had the same fervency in evangelism as the wicked have in opposing it. Another way of putting it is just as the wicked are hell bent to do their evil, the righteous should be heaven bound to do the will of God.
Brought Back to Life: “Resurrected” and Returns To Lycaionia
(Verses 20-23) anistemi –greek meaning: to stand up, rise again
Paul was dead, but Jesus brought him back to life. (vs. 20)
Alive again, Paul goes back into the city and he and Barnabas leaves Lycaonia the next day going back to Derbe.. The disciples who stood around his body while dead apparently prayed fervently for his deliverance and healing.
Follow Up Ministry: Returning to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch (Syria) Preaching the Gospel (vs. 21)
More preaching….produced more disciples
Exhortation:: “continue in the faith”. (vs. 22)
“Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God”.
What does it mean to “confirm the souls of the disciples”?
It means simply that Paul and Barnabas established, strengthened, and made firm, as well as encouraged by the presenting the truth of God’s WORD by sharing the purpose of the gospel.
The truth is positionally, these were young converts, new to the faith. They were surrounded by a plethora of enemies, and exposed to all sorts of temptations and to dangers. The dangers were real. The persecutions were vicious. These Judaizers were relentless to the extent if these converts were not covered by the local assembly and the Apostles themselves, they could easily slip and abandon their belief in Jesus Christ and fall back into the now old heathen ways God just delivered them from.
They were new converts. This was a new life experience to them. Status wise, they only had a slight acquaintance with the truths of the gospel, so, it was of the utmost importance that they should be further instructed in the truth, and established in the faith of the gospel. This was what Paul and Barnabas returned to accomplish. There is not the slightest evidence that they had not been admitted to the full privileges of the church before; or that any ceremony was now performed in confirming or strengthening them.
Here are 4 good reasons why this is so important to them and to new converts in the modern church now:
- Because such is the opposition of the world to pure religion that it cannot be avoided.
(2) It is necessary to keep us from wandering, and to keep us in the path of duty.
Psalmist said in Psalms 119:67, 71: Before I was afflicted I went astray.
That is to say I walked in error and began to transgress against the Word of God and live a sin filled life. I lived by the rudiments of the world and embraced erroneous views, living in neglect of my soul, in neglect of duty and in neglect of my life and obligation to God.
This was, the case of the Psalmist and the case of many of others. As a result, affliction often becomes so necessary to check us when we are going astray, and so useful in recalling us to the ways of duty and of truth.
But now I keep Your word. You are good, and do good. I actually benefitted from being afflicted
This was, in his case, as it is in thousands of others, the experience of his life. Hence, affliction often becomes so necessary to check us when we are going astray, and so useful in recalling us to the ways of duty and of truth. When we go through the afflictions of life as permitted by God, , many times, some error is corrected; some evil habit is broken and changed; some immoral social mode of life not consistent with pure religion is forsaken. A lot of times, pride is humbled; the heart is quickened in duty; habits of prayer are resumed or formed. The soul becomes more gentle, calm, humble, spiritual, pure.
Afflictions are among the most precious means of grace. They are entirely under the direction of God. They may be endlessly varied, and adapted to the case of every individual.
Remember:
God knows every heart, and the best way to reach any heart. By sickness; by disappointment; by loss of property; by bereavement; by blighted hopes; by the ingratitude of others; by the unkindness of professed friends, and the malice of enemies; by domestic troubles; by the misconduct of children-perhaps the most severe of all human ills, and the hardest to bear; in ten thousand ways God can reach the heart, and break and crush it, and make it ready for the entrance of truth-as the farmer breaks and pulverizes the soil by the plow and the harrow, so that it shall be prepared to receive the seed.
“Teach me Your statutes. The proud have forged a lie against me, but I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart. Their heart is as fat as grease” . That is, they have prospered. They have health, property, influence, comforts of all kinds. heaven appears to smile upon them, and it seems as if it were one effect of a wicked course of life to make people prosperous.
“But I delight in Your law. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes”. (NKJV)
(3) It is necessary to wean us from the world; to always keep before our minds the great truth that we have here "no continuing city and no abiding place."
The trials of life here makes us hunger for a world of rest. The opposition of sinners makes us desire the soon coming world of Job 3:17: where "the wicked shall cease from troubling," and where there shall be eternal friendship and peace. (Revelation 21:1-4)
(4) Whenever we are persecuted and afflicted, we may remember that it has been the lot of the Christian life from the beginning.
We tread a path that has been watered by the tears of the saints, and rendered sacred by the shedding of the best blood on the earth. The Savior trod that path; and it is enough that the "disciple be as his master, and the servant as his lord," Matthew 10:24-25.
So, it is through through much tribulation and through many afflictions. It is truly the “valley of the shadows of death” It’s like David said because God is with me, I shall fear no evil. The end of this journey is to enter into the Kingdom of God and hear HIM say Servant, WELL DONE!
Why does the Baptist Church extend the “Right Hand of Fellowship?
The Baptist church established a method (a procedure) in fellowshipping new members to formally recognize them as “full fledged” members of their local assembly. After going through some form of orientation training to familiarize the new candidates with the policies and procedures of the local church and who makes up the administrative infrastructure (officers and leaders) we as the body of Christ in this assemble extend what we call the right hand of fellowship. By each member shaking the “right” hand of the new convert, we have according to the rules and regulations written in the bylaws of that church welcome thm to be a permanent member of our fellowship church and granted them “full” membership status with our church, which gives them the same rights and privileges of any “full fledged” member which can be summarized as having a “voice” and a “vote”. They have now become a part of our family as new family members.
Paul and Barnabas encouraged the disciples at Derbe to “continue in the faith” There were about 10 areas in their lives they needed to continue in faith in maturing and constantly doing:
Ten Things they were to continue In:
Well doing (Romans 2:7), Following the Lord (1 Samuel 12:14), The Word of God (John 8:31)
Christ's love (John 15:9; 1 Timothy 2:15), The grace of God (Acts 13:43), The faith (Acts 14:22; Colossians 1:23), God's goodness (Romans 11:22), Prayer (Colossians 4:2), Sound doctrines (1 Timothy 4:16; 2 Timothy 3:14)
The Son and the Father (1 John 2:24)
The importance of obedience
If we do these things we are blessed and if not, then we are cursed. God cannot lay down the conditions upon which He will bless us, then ignore them and bless if the conditions are not met. Remember Paul said it is trough much tribulation that we enter the kingdom of God
Finishing the Missionary Journey (vs. 23-26)
So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.
Finally They return home to Jerusalem and gave a full report (vs. 27)
The End of Paul’s 1st Missionary Journey
And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
They related what had happened; their dangers and their success. This they did because they had been sent out by the church, and it was proper that they should give an account of their work; and because it furnished a suitable occasion of gratitude to God for his mercy.
Dr. William Edward Boddie
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