Persecution and victory
So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.
Acts 14:3
There seems to be a common pattern: 1) speaking about Jesus 2) signs that confirm the message.
Signs rarely happen in a vacuum. They point to God and confirm the good news about him.
He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.
Acts 14:9-10
Signs often also come when the recipient has faith to be healed. If they don't think it is possible, a miracle is much less likely. Not sure why God does this but it probably goes back to the purpose of the miracle which is to point to God.
The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: "Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.
Acts 14:13-15
1) Barnabas and Paul refused to be worshipped.
2) the good news calls for people to turn from worthless things to the living God
Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. Acts 14:19-20
Quite serious persecution: stoned and left for dead. But they didn't die. That must have been extremely painful. And yet they didn't stop preaching the good news!
They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.
Acts 14:21-22
They went back to the cities where thru were severely persecuted to strengthen the disciples! Wow! I think most people would avoid those cities from that point on!
Acts 14:3, 9-10, 13-15, 19-22 NIV
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