The great preacher F.B. Meyer once asked D.L. Moody, “What is the secret of your success?” Moody replied, “For many years I have never given an address without the consciousness that the Lord may come before I have finished.” (Source: Life Changing Thoughts, Gary Smith)
My Savior may come back for me before I finish preaching today. I could see the One who loved me so much that He chose to die for me to save me from my own sinful outcomes. I could very well come face to face with the One who endured the cross for me, shed His blood to cover my sin, and rose again from the grave to clearly conquer sin, death, and hell for me! I could see my Savior today! The true message, the gospel, ought stir every believer’s heart to continue on – even through opposition. Paul and Barnabas demonstrate such understanding of this mindset. They continue to receive opposition to the gospel message they preach, and yet, they continue giving the gospel message.
A GOSPEL AUDIENCE
This missionary journey moves on from Antioch to Iconium. To understand their travels, you should know that Iconium would be about 45 miles southeast of Antioch. It was made a Roman colony by the Emperor Claudius. It was the southern part of the Roman province Galatia. Iconium eventually contributed to the consolidation of the Turkish empire.
Having this context, did you notice what these preachers have just done? They were driven out of a city via persecution, they shake the dirt off their sandals, and travel to the next city to do the same thing. They are not deterred! Why? Think about this for a moment. Paul knew what happened to Christians thrown into jail. He used to be the one making the arrests! Paul knew many Christians lost their lives for saying these things. Now he receives persecution himself, but he goes to the next city to preach the gospel message again!
Politicians are famous for polling citizens to understand who or what the people like and do not like. I remember hearing a radio interview the day of former President Ronald Reagan’s death. A former member of President Reagan’s cabinet recalled a meeting where he began to share the latest polls regarding the issue on which he was briefing the president. President Reagan stopped this cabinet member’s presentation and said something like this, “You know I do not care what the polls say. I appointed you as my advisor for a reason. I want to know what you think about this decision. What do you think is the right course of action?”
Look at Acts 14:1, “…a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks BELIEVED.” Paul and Barnabas’ choice to continue on and not let the Jews in Antioch of Pisidia hinder the gospel message, was the right choice. Multitudes even got saved! Their motive was not, nor was their measure of success, the personal approval of the masses or the guarantee of secure comfort zones. Their mission was to declare the Savior of the world who takes away the sins of the world – and their motives were clearly love and truth, regardless of the response. Also notice in verse 3, these gospel preachers have been in Iconium for a time of greater length, preaching with the power of the Holy Spirit.
The gospel is the power of Christ unto salvation (Rom. 1:16). No individual person, no organization, and no amount of power or influence can extinguish the power of the gospel! When you and I declare this same message, we are speaking a life transforming message of truth! When there is opposition to a spirit-filled gospel message, Satan is attempting to shut it down and the church must continue on.
A GOSPEL PATTERN
Antioch of Pisidia seems to have set a pattern for Paul’s first missionary journey. The pattern goes something like this:
Paul is the main preacher and Barnabas is the mission partner. Paul delivers a strong gospel message on the sabbath in the synagogue. Theologians believe that the gospel message recorded in Acts 13 is not recorded again in Acts 14 because it is the same message (or very similar to the message) preached in Antioch of Pisidia.
There are varied amounts of time Paul and Barnabas spend in a city reasoning the scriptures with the Jews and the Gentiles.
Many will come to hear the sermon, and many will also accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Eventually, the Jews stir up the people to be in opposition to Paul and Barnabas, and persecution follows.
The onset of persecution is what presses these preachers to continue on to the next city.
One side note: It is in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra that Timothy got to know Paul (II Tim. 3:10-11).
In junior high, I played basketball for my Christian school. I recall one particular game where the opposing team’s pattern was to drive down the court between three players. My teammate, Bubba (name changed to protect the guilty), became frustrated that our team was not stopping the opposing team’s drive. So, he took matters into his own hands. The point guard of the opposing had the basketball above his head, looking to find an open teammate, and Bubba simply punched him in the gut! The poor kid bent over in pain and basically handed the ball to Bubba, the rest of us stood frozen in shock, and Bubba proceeded down the court to make a layup. The team’s successful pattern of plays was thus stopped, and the problem was solved! (BTW, it just so happens that the ref did not see the play…but our coach did. Bubba enjoyed some time warming the bench the rest of that game.) This would not be a pattern that Bubba would repeat.
Some patterns in life are helpful and some are destructive. Your pattern of gospel living will reveal the impact you will have for Christ or for this world. In other words, your pattern of gospel living reveals the priority of your life: eternal or temporal. What pattern of gospel living is evident in your life? Paul and Barnabas have a persistence for telling others the true message – the gospel – even in the face of opposition. Identify what keeps you from sharing the gospel and ask the Lord to help you grow past it! Delay no longer in getting down to business for Christ.
A GOSPEL RESPONSE
There are 4 possible responses to the gospel: yes, no (which varies from a polite decline to severe persecution), not now, and tell me more. What are the outcomes of this gospel message in Iconium? Well, great multitudes of Jews AND Greeks believed (14:1), and many opposed as well (14:4-5).
Consider the impact of so many getting saved in Iconium! Since multitudes believed (both Jews and Greeks), the potential of newly saved people in city government, local stores, local restaurant owners, city law enforcement, and even synagogue leaders is possible! This could change everything for the good – dramatically! However, that was what a group of opposing Jews were worried about.
This is the need of our nation and world more than any other solution a politician could ever offer. The gospel affects your marriage, your parenting, your attitude, your work ethic, your peace of mind, and your view of human life more than any other possible solution one could propose! Learn the gospel, live the gospel, and share the gospel as the solution to the struggles all humanity faces!
Opposition to the gospel can be a significant foe. To be sure, the intensity of opposition has grown since their time in Antioch. In Iconium, the opposition plans to stone these preachers, yet Paul and Barnabas do not throw in the towel and head for home. They continue on to Lystra! Remember what was revealed to Ananias in Acts 9:16? It was in that passage that God declared He would show Paul great things he must suffer for God’s name. God called Paul to such a ministry as this – and since He called Him to such suffering for the gospel, God also equipped Paul for such ministry.
In 1998, God called me into church planting gospel ministry. I had always kept a distance to “missions related” gospel ministry. I always had a reason why that did not apply to me. In the end, I could not evade it any longer. I surrendered to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and God’s calling me to plant a church. I did not know what I was getting into! I did not know A LOT of things, but God enabled me to do it – and taught me so much during that time. In fact, God even further equipped me for future ministry as a Pastor of a decades old church — during those years of church planting.
God equips us all for gospel ministry. Some believers are equipped for overseas gospel ministry, some are equipped for inner-city gospel ministry, some are equipped for rural gospel ministry, some are equipped for gospel ministry among those with addictions…and the opportunities go on. The question is not, “Am I called to gospel ministry.” The question is, “To what gospel ministry am I called?” Act on what you believe and share the transforming truths of the gospel.