The Conclusion of Paul's First Missionary Journey

INTRO

The first 12 chapters in Acts cover Peter’s work in the early church. In Acts 13, the focus shifts to Paul. Acts 28:30–31 tells us once Paul was taken to Rome, he spent two years in his own rented house, welcoming all who visited him, and boldly teaching them about Jesus Christ. This was how Paul lived throughout his years of ministry. A quick review of Acts 13 reveals Paul preached in Antioch in Syria, where he and Barnabas were commissioned for this first missionary journey. They visited Paphos on the island of Cypress. Paul and Barnabas continued on to Perga, where John Mark left them. They traveled to Antioch in Pisidia, where Paul gave his first sermon. Acts 14 covers the conclusion of Paul’s first missionary journey.

TEACHING

Acts 14:1: Paul and Barnabas moved on to Iconium, where they encountered division.¹MacArthur referred to Iconium as a “cultural melting pot” of the native communities: the Phrygians, Greeks, Jews, and Roman colonists.²They followed the pattern of speaking first in the synagogue, where many Jews and Greeks believed.

Acts 14:2–3: The Jews who refused to believe turned the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. When someone doesn’t like what you do or who you are, they just start stirring the pot. But Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly about Christ, who granted that signs and wonders be performed through them (v. 3). What allows someone to speak boldly for the Lord? The Holy Spirit within them. But we don’t tap into that because we fear how others will react. In America, because we don’t want to offend anybody, we pull back and don’t speak boldly about Christ. According to John MacArthur, signs point to the power of God behind miracles. Wonders are the amazement that people experience when they witness supernatural works or miracles.³These signs and wonders authenticate these people as messengers of God’s truth.

Acts 14:4: The people in the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. The word apostle means “one who is sent.” Primarily, most agree, the term refers to the 12 Christ chose to accompany Him in Mark 3:17–19. Then, when Judas left, they added Matthias. MacArthur pointed out that Christ continually gave the apostles power to confirm and affirm their apostleship.⁴More than likely, every New Testament book was written by an apostle. Teaching is foundational to the church. Christ selected Paul, as seen in Paul’s Damascus Road experience (Acts 9), which means that because Paul experienced Christ, he can be a witness or apostle. Most conservative viewpoints say apostles were those who experienced and encountered Christ while He was living. Therefore, they could function as messengers for the Lord. In 2 Corinthians 8:23, Paul identified Titus as a partner and coworker, and the brothers were messengers of the churches. In 2 Corinthians 11:13, Paul clearly stated there were also false apostles—which implied there were real apostles. And there were probably real apostles in the church at Corinth who never encountered Christ firsthand. In Ephesians 4:11–13, Paul stated Jesus “gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.” Some hold the viewpoint that there are five roles or offices in the church “for the training of the saints in the work of the ministry, to build up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12). Just as there was division in Iconium, there is division in the church of America today because we don’t recognize apostles and prophets in the church today. Yet Paul said they were essential to building up the church for ministry.

Acts 14:5–7: Because the division was so bad, people wanted to stone Paul and Barnabas. But Paul and his companions found out and fled to Lystra and Derbe where they kept evangelizing. Why did Paul flee? Remember, in Matthew 10:23, Jesus had instructed His disciples to “escape to another” town when people persecuted them. Facing persecution in Iconium, Paul had permission to flee to Lystra and Derbe without feeling like a chicken. Many times, Paul fled persecution, but he kept on going with his mission.

Acts 14:8–20: As they evangelized in Lystra, they encountered delusion.⁵As Paul preached, he saw a man, lame from birth, who had the faith to be healed (v. 9). In boldness and without hindrance, Paul told the man to stand up. The man jumped up and walked around (v. 10).

The crowds responded by referring to Paul and Barnabas as the gods Hermes and Zeus (vv. 11–12). Then the priest of Zeus brought oxen to the gates intending to offer sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas (v. 13). MacArthur explains, according to ancient folklore, Zeus and Hermes visited Lystra asking for food and lodging but were refused. In fact, only Philemon (not the Philemon of Scripture) gave Zeus and Hermes both food to eat and a place to stay. In response, Zeus and Hermes caused a flood to drown everyone who had been unwilling to help them. Finally, they then turned a small cottage that belonged to Philemon and his wife into a temple where they became priest and priestess. When the people of Lystra saw Paul and Barnabas, they thought Zeus and Hermes were coming into town incognito, and they didn’t want Zeus and Hermes to wipe out their town again.⁶

But the apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their robes and rushed to tell the men of Lystra who they were and why they were there (vv. 14–18). Barnabas and Paul urged them to turn from “these worthless things to the living God” (v. 15). Remember that our word for the book of Acts is Authority. We have the authority, when we function in the power of the Holy Spirit, to speak boldly. Paul, on this missionary journey, released this boldness. Even saying these things, Paul and Barnabas barely stopped the crowd from sacrificing to them (v. 18).

Acts 14:19–20: Then the Jews from Iconium, who had pursued and caught up with them in Lystra, stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city because they thought they had killed him (v. 19). Either Paul faked being dead, or he couldn’t move or speak. When the disciples surrounded Paul, he got up and walked into town. The next day they left for Derbe (v. 20). Despite the persecution, Paul continued his work because he knew he was supposed to be a minister of light to the Gentiles, the Israelites, and the kings.

Acts 14:21–28: They evangelized in Derbe, then returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch (v. 21). Paul and Barnabas came back to Antioch and gave a report of everything that had happened and shared that God “had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles” (v. 27). Most theologians say they spent about a year with the disciples teaching and training them. Paul had to go through this to train others.

CLOSING

To be an apostle, a prophet, an evangelist, a teacher, or a pastor, you have to do life in ministry. As a result of doing real life, the Holy Spirit can speak through us to train and equip others so they can do it too.