Shalom everyone. Let's turn please to the book of Acts today. I'd like you to turn with me to Acts chapter 14. In our study and ministry of the book of Acts, we have arrived to the end of chapter 13 and we have seen in this chapter the first missionary journey of the apostle Paul, which had begun in Acts chapter 13, and which will end at the end of chapter 14. We want to read chapter 14 in this ministry meeting today, and if you turn in your Bibles to chapter 14, I begin to read with verse 1, and we read. And it came to pass in Iconium that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, And so spake that a great multitude, both Jews and also of the Greeks, believed.

But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds evil-affected against the brethren. Long time, therefore, abode they, speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the multitude of the city was divided, and part held with the Jews and part with the apostles. And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles and also of the Jews with their rulers to use them despitefully and to stone them. They were aware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Liconia, and unto the regions that lieth round about.

And there they preached the gospel. And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked. The same heard Paul speak, who steadfastly beholding him and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, he said with a loud voice, Stand upright on your feet. And he leaped and walked. And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices saying, In the speech of the Liconia, the gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.

Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people, which when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of, They rent their clothes, and rent among the people, crying out, and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven and earth and the sea and all things that are therein, who in time past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless, he left not himself without witness, in that he did good and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful season, filling our hearts with food and gladness, And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.

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. Habit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up and came into the city, and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra and to Neconium and Antioch, 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. And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commanded them to the Lord on whom they believed.

And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pampiglia, and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Atalia, and thence sailed to Antioch from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. 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 and there they abode long time with the disciples. This is chapter 14 of the book of Acts and this is beloved brothers and sisters the supplement if you will or the continuation from chapter 13 if you remember at the beginning of chapter 13 at the city that is called Antioch which is in Syria the Spirit of God said to the brothers and sisters in this local assembly separate me Barnabas and Shaul for the work where unto I have called them and once the Spirit of God have called Shaul and called Barnabas, he have sent them through the church of Antioch to go to preach the message of the gospel to the Gentile world, to the goyim, to the nations of the world.

And the first missionary journey, dear brothers and sisters, the apostle Paul, actually I should say the apostles because Barnabas is also recognized in chapter 14 as an apostle it is these two chapters describe to us the first missionary journey of the apostle Paul he have covered quite a large ground he began from Salamis and then he went to Pampos and then to Perga and then to Antioch of Pisidia. And by the time we arrive to chapter 14, he's continuing to minister the gospel in additional three cities, specifically Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe, before he goes back to the Antioch in Syria, where the brethren have commended them to the ministry of the gospel.

Now, it is very interesting, brothers and sisters, because in the earlier church age, there were especially God raised, we know from Israel, from among the Jewish people, those who will serve him and minister the gospel and spread the message of Yeshua, the Messiah, to the nations of the world. And one of these individuals that he called was Shaul of Tarsus, Paul, and also Barnabas. And we can see how the Spirit of God is moving and leading people to come to know Yeshua, the Messiah. Now, you notice, brothers and sisters, as we read this text today in Acts chapter 14, that as they were preaching the gospel, they always experienced conflict.

You know, sometimes we say to someone when we share the message of the Messiah, we say, you know, you come to the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, you're going to get saved, you're going to have hope and a promise to have eternal relationship with God. But we perhaps maybe neglect to show them that when they are going to follow the Messiah in discipleship, they are going to experience problems in their lives. We have already seen that in our studies of the Scripture when we studied the book of Ephesians together and we studied the old testament the book of Judges together and we see that those who want to follow Yeshua the Messiah those who want to follow God they are going to go through some trials in their lives because in this world this world reject Yeshua reject the Lord Jesus the Messiah.

And because they reject the Messiah and the message of the gospel, they are also rejecting the people of God. And you and I, as we read such a text, will have to admit and recognize that as we follow Yeshua, we are going to experience opposition. Time and again, we are going to experience opposition. So this chapter is actually divided into three sections. The first section is the preaching in the city of Iconium. This is verses 1 to 7. The second section is the preaching in the city of Lystra. This is verses 8 to 20. And the third section is the preaching in. The city of Derbe, verses 21 to 28, and ultimately returning to the city of Antioch from which they were sent.

So let's just look at this together, and let's see some of the experience that the apostles have experienced when they were preaching the gospel to the Goyim, to the nations of the world. The first thing we mention here, that in chapter 14, verses 1 to 7, we see the preaching in the city called Iconium. It is part of the province of Galatia, that where we read the book of Galatians, where we read the epistle to the Galatians. These are some of the towns and the cities that really in the Roman province of Galatia. And look what we learn here in this 14th chapter, verses 1 to 7. It says in verse 1, first of all, that Paul and Barnabas, the first thing, They do when they are coming to the city of Iconium, they are going to the synagogue of the Jewish people.

Remember, we have already mentioned that the principle that Apostle Paul and Barnabas have taught is the principle that is found in Romans 1 and verse 16, where Paul said, I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Messiah, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believe. And then he adds, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile, to the Greek. And so here you can see what happened in verse 1. And it came to pass, in Econium, that they went both, notice the both here in verse 1 is Shaul or Paul and Barnabas found already in chapter 13 in verse 50 they went together into the synagogue of the Jews and so spake that a great multitude both of the Jews and also the Greeks believed so they went first of all to the synagogue and remember in order to have a synagogue in a city you have to have what we call in Hebrew minyan minyan means 10 men that are above the age of 13 years of age which means they have already had their bar mitzvah when they are 13 years of age and in order to form a minyan 10 men that are above the age of 13 in order to have a synagogue you must have at least those 10 men because the synagogue Beit Knesset is the house of gathering where there will be prayers going on and this is a collective assembly or a collective congregation from among the Jewish people so in the city of.

Iconium they went straight to the synagogue and you remember as we have already read in the previous chapter in Antioch of Pisidia they also went to the synagogue and it was a custom to give the guests to preach the word and Shaul Paul he was a rabbi and he was actually calling himself a Pharisee of the Pharisees he was preaching the message of the word of God and again brothers and sisters we must emphasize in the synagogue you don't have the new testament in fact the new testament was not in existence at that time so he was preaching from the Tanakh the Torah nevi'im the law the prophets and the writing he was preaching the message as it says here in a synagogue to the multitude both to the Jewish people and those who were there guests in a synagogue and look how wonderful we read in verse 1 that great multitude of both Jews and also Gentiles Greeks leave the message concerning Yeshua the Messiah what a glorious thing it must.

Have been in iconium a Gentile city far away in a pagan world there is a little synagogue there they go first to the synagogue, preach the message of the gospel, some of the Jewish people come to faith in the Messiah, and some of the Greeks, of the Gentiles, come to faith in Yeshua the Messiah. What a privilege it must be for the apostles, Paul and Barnabas, to experience this. Today, when we share the message of the Word of God, we hardly see here and there, at least in North america where people come to faith in a Messiah though we are grateful that there are those who do believe but it's not like it was in first century we're living in the other end of the church age where we see that there is a lack of the preaching of the word there's all sort of views and things that are happening that not too many people hear sound preaching of the gospel but Paul and barnabas went and they preached the word of God but immediately when they preached the word notice in the next verses there was those unbelieving Jewish people in the synagogue that were offended and they were not happy that here coming Paul and barnabas two Jewish men to preach the message others got saved they were not happy so you notice what they do in verse two the unbelieving one.

Have stirred the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas he said but the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles made their minds evil affected against the brethren so what happened those who did not believe the message opposed the message stirring up problems and accusing the apostles and they end up stirring up the Gentiles against the brethren these brethren in Hebrew we call him achim these are brothers and sisters in Yeshua the Messiah who became believers in the city of iconium so they stood them up against them in verse 3 notice the word therefore because of this therefore long time they abode speaking boldly in the Lord which gave testimony unto the word of his grace and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands in other words Paul and Barnabas this time because of all this stirring up against the brethren accusation or hatred and animosity they purposely remain longer time there and they continue and notice that word boldly in the Lord.

You know, sometimes we have a natural boldness. Sometimes. We can do things that are abnormal. I don't know if you have seen yesterday on television. I know one of our sons have seen yesterday Niagara Falls, the one who boldly crossed the Niagara Falls on a rope. He walked over the Niagara Falls. And it is amazing to see there's a natural boldness that summed head and by the way he was a believer as he was walking on that rope he was praising God praising the Lord Yeshua giving thanks to the father but what i'm saying that here you can see that there is a boldness that come from the Lord to continue on and to preach the word speaking boldly in the Lord and they gave testimony unto the word of his grace look they were preaching the grace of God the fact that God had been gracious with men forgiving their sins the price had been paid Yeshua died on the tree salvation is available for sinners grace of God or the grace of God and so they're preaching about the grace of God and then noticed that accompanying their.

Preaching was signs and wonders in other words when those apostles were preaching the word to validate what they were saying the Lord had given to them the ability to perform signs and wonders if you remember it was Yeshua the Messiah at the end of the book of Mark he did say to the disciples when they would go to preach the message of the gospel at the end of Mark chapter 16 and verse 15 go ye into all the world preach the gospel to every creature he that believeth and be baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned and these signs shall follow them that believe in my name they shall cast out demons and they shall speak with new languages they shall take up serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it will not hurt them they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover now that was genuine accompanying of the word of the preaching of the word with signs and wonders as it says here in verse 3 now we have to be careful.

These days with what's going on in the professing church today but in the first century when the apostles and those who were affiliated with them were preaching the message of the gospel signs and wonders accompany their preaching of the word of God it was not for show it was not for human pleasure it was just to confirm that what they say concerning the person and the work of Yeshua the Messiah was indeed the truth of the word of God and so brothers and sisters as they were preaching the word there in the city of econium people got saved others opposed the message of the gospel and they steadily preached the word faithfully there publicly and so look what happened when they were preaching accompanied with signs and wonders the multitude in verse 4 of the city was divided you know the word of God always calls a division why a division not that God wants to divide no God wants to unite men but it divides between those who accept the word.

And those who reject the word you know from experience those of us that came to faith in Yeshua the Messiah we have been divided from our own families our fathers our mothers our children are sometimes spouses are divided not that they're divided because the believers want to be divided no but because when husband believed not and the wife believer vice versa it divides in the whole city in verse 4 the multitude of the city were divided you are either a believer in Yeshua the Messiah and you are forgiven and you are saint of the Lord or you are an unbeliever who reject the Messiah and you not belong to him you cannot sit on the fence you're either in or you're out you either save or you're lost you're either a believer or an unbeliever you're either going to heaven or you're going to hell there is no standing on the fence we see this throughout the history of the preaching of the gospel by the apostles and those who serve the Lord and so.

You see now brothers and sisters in verse 5 there is an assault of the Gentiles and the Jews together now against Paul and Barnabas there is an assault when you preach the word of God you are to expect an opposition because those who reject the message hate that fact that they need to repent and to turn to the Lord and they don't like that and so look what it says in verse 5 when there was an assault made both and now notice it's not only the Jewish people both the Jews and the Gentiles it says here both of the Gentiles and also of the Jews with the rulers to use them despitefully and to stone them there was an assault even up to the point of killing them to stone them even up to death the opposition is so tremendous I watched the other day when there was a young girl that fell into sin in one of the Muslim countries and they have stoned her have you ever imagined i mean couldn't watch that when they show that clip on youtube can you imagine.

When many when a mob lift up stones in all sorts of sizes and throwing it at a person that person have not a chance if they continue with that and it is an amazing thing how men how the human race can do that to one. Here they were doing it to those men who were preaching the message of the gospel of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. And so here in verse 5 the assault and you notice now in verses 6 and 7 now the apostles felt that it is a time to move on. You see earlier in verse 3 they remain now in verses 6 and 7 they fled to another city away from the city of Iconium it says and they were aware of it they fled unto Lystra and Derbe cities of Lyconia and unto the regions that layeth round about and there they preached the gospel so what happened it seemed to be that they felt that now is the time to move on especially when they sought to stone them so.

They fled away out of the city of Iconium and they went into those two cities Lystra and Derby and even there now they began to preach the message of the gospel notice that again and again we hear that word the gospel. What is the gospel? The gospel is that truth that God sent his son, the Messiah of Israel, the Savior of this world, to come down to this world, to die on a tree in order to deal with the question of sin, to pay the price, to be buried, and then to remain in the grave for three days and three nights and after that to be resurrected he was raised for our justification and then ultimately ascended to God the father so that's the gospel there is a possibility to receive sins forgiven through the person and the work of Yeshua the Messiah so this brothers and sisters verses 1 to 7 the preaching in the city of Iconium verses 1 to 7 now they move.

On and here you notice in verses 8 to 20 there is again the preaching but this time in a different city it is also again in the province of Galatia and this city is called Lystra in Hebrew we call that Lustra, Lystra is that city as well, and it's happened to be, interesting, that in the city of Lystra there was no synagogue. Because we don't read of the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Barnabas going to the synagogue in the city of Lystra, because there was no synagogue there. Again, to remind you, in order to have a synagogue, you have to have 10 men above the age of 13 years old to form what is known to be minyan, which makes it ability for publicly to gather together and to pray collectively.

This is something that the rabbis over the years introduce in order to have a public gathering of the saints. You know, it is interesting that Yeshua said in Matthew 18 and verse 20, where two or three are gathered together unto my name, they are mine amidst of. Them interesting that he said this already among his people Israel and he used the word two or three not ten we don't have to wait for ten and he doesn't even say two or three males above the age of 13 in Matthew 18 in verse 20 but even if there are two or three believers in Yeshua the Messiah he promised to be in their midst you don't need to wait for 10 to have minyan to have a collective prayer now we can simply with two or three are gathered together unto my name the Lord promised to be in their midst so now in verses 8 to 20 we have the preaching of the apostles in the city that is called Lystra where there was no synagogue and look it says first of all in verses 8 9 and 10 we read of a disabled man it's called here an impotent man his reaction to the preaching of the apostles look in verse 8 and there a certain man at Lystra impotent in his feet being a cripple from his mother's womb who never had walked.

The same heard Paul speak who steadfastly beholding him and perceiving that he had faith to be healed he says with a loud voice stand upright on your feet and he leaped and he walked we find that men and the Scripture describe him as an impotent He was a creeper. He was a person that was unable to stand. And I would like to make it spiritually for you and I. Brothers and sisters, you and I are unable spiritually to stand right before the Lord. We might have legs and feet and we can walk in this world. But spiritually, we are depicted here by this man. This man is a picture of all that have sinned, that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Just the same like, if you remember, Mephibosheth, the one that we read of him in the Old Testament where David, Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan, of Yonatan. And David says, is there any son, anybody remain from the family of Yonatan that he will come to sit at my table? And you see, Yonatan had a son who called Mephibosheth, breathing shame. He couldn't stand. He was like this one, an impotent man. From his birth he failed when he was young. When he was four years old he failed. And then he was lame on both of his feet. You know what a sad state to live like that all your life.

Now this man he is longing for someone to meet his need. And so Paul and Barnabas in Iconium came and they were speaking the word of God. They were preaching about Yeshua, the love of God and the grace of God. And can you imagine he's looking at them and he's listening to the word of God. It says here, when he heard Paul speak, who steadfastly beholding him. Now imagine that when you are in need, then there's no one to help you. And you look up and you want some mercy and some grace. And here come one like the Apostle Paul and preaching the message of the grace of God, of the gospel, and he's looking at Paul, listening to the word of God.

Those are the people, usually in general, that are in desperate need, that they are the ones who are ready to listen to the things of God. See, people, those of us who are wearing suits and ties and everything is fine, things are fine in our life, we have no problem, we don't need God in our life. We think we don't. But he was a man that recognized his need. And Paul perceived that he had faith to be healed. In other words, he was ready when he was listening to the word, the Spirit of God that worked in his heart and his conscience and took the word of God and appropriated to his own heart and conscience.

He was ready. He had faith to be healed, not only physically, but also spiritually. And so Paul said to him with a loud voice, just like Peter in Acts chapter 3, to the impotent men among the Jewish people who sat by the temple. Here's a Gentile who's sitting in Lystra. Both of them were in need. And Paul is telling him with a loud voice, stand upright on thy feet. Now, he could have told him, Paul, what's the matter with you? Don't you see I can't walk? Don't you see where I am? What are you telling me? Stand on my feet. Paul, are you out of your mind?

You know, it's mentioned here, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked. Well, Paul said to him with a loud voice, stand upright on thy feet. And can you imagine a man that all his life was impotent, disabled, was lifting up himself, and is able to stand on his feet. And not only to stand, but he was not only walking, but he leaped and he walked. The impotent man in Acts chapter 3, praising God, as we read in the book of Acts, in other passages, how he was praising God for what you have done for him. And it must have been an amazing sight to see.

Again, I want to remind you what Yeshua said to the disciples at the end of the book of Mark chapter 16 where he said, These signs shall follow them that believe. In my name there will be those that are sick, and they will recover. Here's a man who was recovered, and I would like to suggest, dear beloved brothers and sisters, He was not only healed physically, but he was healed spiritually. He was healed in that way that he became a believer in Yeshua, his Messiah, the Savior and the Redeemer. And so here in these verses, we see how the work of the preaching of the gospel in Lystra led an impotent man to be healed and to be saved.

In the next verses, verse 11 to 13, look what the people of Lystra's reaction, you know, they were pagans, they were from among the nations, they did not know the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they were pagans, they were idolaters, and because there was no synagogue there, there was no foundation, if you will, because the Jewish people knew the God of the Bible, They had the Scripture in their synagogue, but here we see from the city of Lystra, there was paganism. Look what they said, the reaction of the people to what happened to this man. It says in verse 11, and when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices saying in the Lyconia, the gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.

When they saw what happened and they started to say listen the gods came down in the likeness of men and notice the word for gods is with a small g it's speaking about idols the gods plural have come down in the likeness of men they come down to us so what do they want to do in verse 12 the people gave names to Paul and Barnabas. It says that they called Barnabas, his Hebrew name is Bar-Naba. To Barnabas, they gave the name Jupiter. Jupiter is the Roman name for Zeus in the Greek. And Zeus was the deity of that city. So to Barnabas, they gave the name Zeus or Jupiter.

And to Paul, they gave him the name of Mercurius, which is simply the Greek name is Hermes or Hermes in the way the Hebrew is mentioned. Those are the two names that they have given to Barnabas and Paul. They were assuming that there were two gods that came down in the look of a man, in the appearance of man. And not only they were ready to give them names of their idols, but they were ready to sacrifice to them. In verse 13, you can see that the priest of Jupiter, of Zeus, apparently they have their own priesthood. And you notice how the Gentile world, they are copying what God had given his people Israel.

They are copying. Well, Israel have a God. Well, the Gentile world have many gods. Israel have a priest and then the Gentile world with paganism have priests. Israel offers sacrifices unto their God. Well, they offer sacrifices unto their idols. In verse 13, the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates and would have done sacrifice with their people. So they were ready to offer sacrifices unto Paul and Barnabas. Now, this is very tempting, because if you would have been Paul or Barnabas and somebody is going to come and sacrifice and say, oh, you are God, you might say, you know what, let them do this for a while.

It's kind of a nice thing to experience. People sacrificing to me, people adore me as divine person. But you know, Paul and Barnabas were real servants of the Lord. You know how hard it is for us sometimes. We like to get a tap on the shoulder. We like somebody saying, oh, how great you are. We like somebody to look at us as we are some sort of great man. This is very attractive to the flesh. And yet we see Paul and Barnabas are real servants of the Lord. They didn't want to take the glory from the Lord. They didn't want to take it to themselves.

And so in verses 14 to 20, the apostles react to what the people of Lystra wanted to do for them. Look how beautiful. The first thing that we find out is that Paul and Barnabas rent their clothes and they cried out. Can you imagine? They could have taken the opportunity and had people sacrificing to them and glorifying them. But instead, in verse 14, when the apostles, and notice the plural word apostles, is not only the apostle, because we often look at Paul as an apostle, but not at Barnabas as an apostle. But apparently, look what it said, which when the apostles, plural, Barnabas and Paul, heard of they rent their clothes and ran among the people and they were crying out to the people the first thing that they have done they ripped their clothes because you know what they understood that only worship should be addressed to God worship is addressed to the divine person God the son God the father to the God of the Bible not to them and so the first thing we find them so beautifully is renting their clothes and they're running among the people and they are crying out i want you here for a moment if you turn in your Bible to first Thessalonians with me.

Please turn there for a second in chapter 2 and read with me what the apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, how he was serving without seeking glory for himself. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 and the verse that I'm reading in verse 1. For yourself, brother know our entrance in unto you that it was not in vain but even after that we had suffered before and were shamefully entreated and you know at philippi we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention, for our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile, but as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak, Not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts, for neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness.

God is witness. You know, Paul and Barnabas did not play game with the gospel. They didn't seek glory for themselves with the message of the gospel it's not their message it is God's message it's not for their glory it's for the glory of Yeshua the Messiah it's not for their gain but it is for the gain of men that will become believers in Yeshua that's the reason why they preached the gospel and he's saying to them listen we did not preach the message of the gospel in deceit or in uncleanness or in guile no we did not want to please men but we wanted to please God which trieth our hearts and you know God does test us he sees a time in our hearts a desire for glory for ourself he knows our failure he know our weakness and he tests us and he knows that our heart is sinful but he wants us to serve him for his glory he wants us to serve him for the benefit of mankind you know rewards gonna come in the presence of God he will give rewards to those.

Who serve him but here and now he desire us to give the glory to himself and to Yeshua the Messiah and so Paul and Barnabas rent their clothes and they cry out to the people in verse 14 and now notice Paul directing the message the whole thing he directs to the living God notice that and underlined it in your Scripture if you will it says here in verse 15 and they said sirs why do you these things we also are men of like passion with you and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven and earth and the sea and all things that are therein.

You see, they direct the people of Lystra to the living God, the Creator. This is important because there is no synagogue there. They didn't have any place, any foundation about the God of the Bible. So they're directing the Gentile people of Lystra to the creator God. And they call him the living God. So beautiful. You know, people today think that God died. But he's the living God. And so they say, listen, he says, we are like men. We are a man of like passion. Just like you. We are no different. Sinners. Jewish sinners. You are Gentile sinners we are Jewish sinners we need a salvation as well don't worship us don't offer sacrifices to us we are only human being men like you and they direct them to the living God and you notice how they say the word to turn in verse 15b and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities that is idolatry to the living God bear with me and turn again to 1st Thessalonians chapter 1 this time in verse 9 let me read to you another verse that is very important when the apostle mentioned here about people who became believers in Thessalonica he says in verse 9 for they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you and listen to this speaking about the Thessalonians and how you turn to God from idols to serve the living and the true God you notice the order turning to God and turning from idols you know before man is able to turn from something he or she need to turn to God first of all because it is.

God that enables us to leave the idols behind. So the order is turning to God and leaving these idols aside. And that's what the Apostle Paul and Barnabas were saying to the people of Lystra. He says, look at this. He says, you turn from these vanities, these idols, unto the living God. And Then he presents God as the Creator. The verses that I hear are very precious, because he says here in verse 15b, He made heaven. That's the first thing. Then He made earth. That's the second. The thirdly, He made the sea. The fourthly, He made all things that are around. Verse 16, he continues. And he says, Who in time past have suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.

Verse 17, Nevertheless, he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and he gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. In other words, the Apostle Paul, sharing here with the people of Lystra, is saying to them that God is the one that in the time past, he suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. You know, God is so gracious. He had the right to destroy this world because men have gone in their own ways. But it says here that he has suffered. He condoned it for a season, for a time. He allowed the nations to war in their own ways.

And he always had a witness to him. You know, there's nobody in the world that have an excuse when he or she are going to stand before God and they're going to say, God, I never knew that you have existed. You know what God is going to say? Listen, I'm going to show you that you had many opportunities to come to know me as your Lord and Savior, Yeshua the Messiah, to know me as the Creator, but you rejected because God had never left Himself without a witness. Whether it is in the human realm. You know our people Israel, we read in Isaiah 43, where God said to our nation Israel, ye are my witnesses.

But not only that, look at creation. The sun, the moon, the star, the heavens declares the glory of the Lord. Just look around and you see that the creation itself bears witness that there is a living God. That's why he says he left not himself without a witness. And you know, brothers and sisters, in every generation, there are those that God have left here in this world to be his witnesses. Yeshua said in Acts 1 verse 8 that ye shall be my witnesses unto the end of the earth. In other words, the early disciples were to be witnesses of the Messiahship of Yeshua, the Messiah of Jesus, the Messiah to this world.

And you and I are to be his witnesses. And so he never left himself without a witness and in the human realm as well as in the creation because he said immediately in the second half of verse 17 in that he did good he gave us rain from heaven he gave us a fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness don't you understand Paul is saying to these people of istra who wanted to offer sacrifices to them and thought that they were God's idols you know and he says look what idols can do but God the living God he provided good he had given us rain you know every time when we have rain coming down in these areas how grateful we have to be for the rain that God provides for us because in the rain it shows us that there is a living God the creator who provides for us the sun the moon the star and the good that he provide the fruitful season that he had given to us filling our hearts with food and with glad that should move anyone's heart to say God i'm so.

Thankful for the living God well Paul and barnabas directed them to God and notice that Paul and barnabas restrained the people in verse 18 and with this saying scarce restrained they the people that they had not done sacrifice unto them. They stopped them from bringing those sacrifices to Paul and to Barnabas. In verse 19, look what happened to the apostle Paul. There came thither certain Jewish people from Antioch and Iconium. These are the earlier cities. And they persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, they drew him out of the city supposing that he had been dead now here imagine they influence the people the people should not have been influenced if they recognize what Paul was preaching but the people now stone Paul now again i would like to emphasize brothers and sisters can you imagine what it means to be stone to have stone thrown at you from every hand from the mob just look at what happened to Stephen in Acts chapter 7 how he was stoned and he died well here they stoned Paul and it says here they stoned him they drew him out of the city of Lystra and they thought or suppose that he had been dead now let me mention here there are various views on what happened to Paul here some believe that Paul really didn't die because it says he doesn't say that he died it said that they supposed that he had been dead there are others on the other hand who believe.

That he actually died that Paul actually died here in verse 19 and when he had actually died he have had this special experience that is found in second corinthian chapter 12 that he record this to us and please turn with me to second corinthian chapter 12 i'll read quickly those verses that you will have it before us the apostle is now speaking to the corinthian and he said to them in verse 1 2nd Corinthians 12 1 it is not expedient for me doubtless to glory i will come to visions and revelations of the Lord and then he says in verse 2 i knew a man in Messiah above 14 years ago whether in the body i cannot tell whether out of the body i cannot tell God knows such an one was caught up unto the third heaven and I knew such a man whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knows verse 4 how that he was caught up into paradise and.

Heard unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter of such a one with our glory Yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool. For I will say the truth, but now I forbear lest any man should think of me above that which he seemeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelation, there was given unto me a thorn in the flesh, the messengers of Satan, to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

For these things I besought the Lord three times, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Messiah may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities and reproaches, in necessity and persecution, in distress for Mashiach's sake, for Christ's sake. For when I'm weak, then I am strong. Well, some suggest that it may be at that time when he was in Lystra there, when he was stoned and taken for dead, taken out of the city, that he may experience this Revelation that he had received from the Lord, to be taken to paradise, to the third heaven, and there to see things, as he called them, unspeakable things, which cannot be uttered.

And it had been again suggested that out of this experience in Lystra is where he received a thorn in the flesh. That thorn that he mentioned in 2 Corinthians chapter 12 is more than just a little thorn that come into our finger. It's actually something that happened to him in his body that affected him the rest of his life. I don't think any of us are going to come out of a stoning without some damage to the body, which some could be eyesight, some suggest all kind of effect in his life, in his body, that he could no longer function normally. And that is what had been suggested.

Now quickly, let's conclude here with this message, this ministry. Now, he was stoned, he was drawn out of the city, supposed to be dead. Look at verse 20, the action of the disciples, the believers. It says in verse 20, however, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and he came into the city the next day, and he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. So here's the conclusion of his ministry in the city of Lystra, after he was stoned by the mob there, by the many people, taken to be dead, then he rose up, and then he went out of the city into another town called derby now it's very possible that he have died i do not know but he did have that experience that he mentioned in second corinthian chapter 12 he's taken up to paradise to see these things that are not to be uttered these marvelous things look now in the final passage of this chapter in verses 21 to 28 we have the preaching in the city of derby and his return to antioch which is in Syria from which he was sent at the beginning verse 21 we read that he preached in and he taught in derby.

It says here when they this is Paul and barnabas preach the gospel in that city this is derby and had taught many they returned again to lystra and iconium and antioch now i'm amazed here because he went to derby he was preaching the message of the gospel he was teaching the believers but then they went back to the very cities that we read about earlier iconium from verse 1 notice that and then lystra which we read from verse 8 on and then even previous to that in the city that is called antioch this is antioch of pisidia he went to preach the message again there it is amazing and the boldness that Paul and barnabas had as they were going back to those cities then in verse 22 we read that they confirmed and they were exhorted the disciples to continue look at that and he confirmed the souls of the disciples exhorting them to continue in the faith and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God brothers and sisters let me tell.

You every preacher will tell you today that if there is anything that we fail in so much in the preaching of the word is to make disciples we are all very capable to preach and to tell people about the love of Jesus the love of the Messiah but what we find out in the ministry that discipleship to continue on in the life of following the Messiah is lacking in our lives so much oh yeah we like the gift of salvation we like to go to heaven we like to be assured that we are going to be in heaven one day, but to make disciples to continue on, it is another story, isn't it?

It's not easy to continue on when there are trials and problems and rejection and family misunderstanding and the people around us, we have a hard time in continuing on. But Paul and Barnabas, when they went to those Lystra, Iconium, Antioch, Derbe, they encouraged the disciples to confirm the souls and exhort them to continue on. You know, the first Jewish disciples in the city of Jerusalem. They continue steadfastly, daily. They continue together to follow after the Lord. They gather themselves together. They continue in the teaching of the Word of God, in the instruction of the things of the Lord they continue on and it's so important for us to continue on it's not only when brother so-and-so and sister so-and-so if they are going to meetings and i'll go to the meeting if they're going to read the Bible i'm going to read the Bible if they're going to pray i'm going to pray no it is a responsibility that every individual has before the Lord whether he or she go or whether he or she follow they're continuing to follow the Lord Yeshua said to Peter when Peter says what about him he says what is it to you you follow me don't you look at John and tell me well what about John and what about this no you are responsible to follow me what is it to you whether he follow or not you make sure that you are following you continuing to follow the Lord and.

Here is the final the conclusion of this chapter 14 verses 23 to verse 25 they set things in order and when they have ordained them elders in every church and had prayed with fasting they commended them to the Lord on whom they believed and after they had passed through Pisidia and they came to pampylia and when they had preached the word in peria they went down into atalia notice that they set things in order they ordain elders now again we have to be careful here you and i cannot ordain anybody those who are apostles those who are the immediate servants of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah they could ordain elder but they look around and they saw those who had the qualification to be elders in the midst of the saints you and i could recognize elders we cannot ordain anybody we can recognize elders but they ordain elders and finally in verses 26 to 28 they returned to their home assembly and they told them what God have done in verse 26 and from thence they sailed.

To antioch this is back to antioch in Syria found in chapter 13 verses 1 to 4 and from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God to the work which they fulfilled and when they were come and they gathered the church together they rehearsed all that God had done with them and how that he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles and there they abode long time with their disciples they came back to the brethren the first missionary journey was ended they come back to the local assembly in a city of Antioch and they said to them look not look what we have done but notice all that God have done with us or through us not what we have done but what God have done and how he opened the door of faith to many of the Gentiles it's so beautiful to see from the going from the nations of the world where people come to believe in the God of the Bible.

In a Messiah that was promised years ago to the nation of Israel and the many of the Gentile people coming to faith in Yeshua ha-Mashiach in Jesus the Messiah and become part of the assembly of the body of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah this is so precious brothers and sisters it is such an encouragement to see the ongoing faithfulness of Paul and barnabas in the preaching of the gospel in spite of opposition. May the Lord use us as well in some small measure in order to further the message of the gospel in this world today. Can you say Amen to that? Amen.