Acts 14: Highlights and Discussion

Highlights:

Acts 14:1-4: Paul and Barnabas at Iconium. Many Jews and Gentiles believed but the city was divided because unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles.

Acts 14:5-7: Paul and Barnabas fled to Lystra and Derbe and preached the Gospel there.

Acts 14:8-18: In Lystra, Paul commanded a crippled man to walk and the man leaped and walked. The people called them Zeus and Hermes (Greek gods), but Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes and pointed out the idolatry of the people and turned them to the living God.

Acts 14:19-20: Paul was stoned and left for dead outside of the city (Lystra) but he escaped and departed to Derbe with Barnabas.

Acts 14:21-28: Paul and Barnabas preached in Derbe, then went back to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch (in Pisidia) - strengthening the converts. They traveled back to Antioch (where they were commended) and stayed there a long time with the disciples.

Discussion:

Such bravery! After being stoned and dragged out of the city (Acts 14:9), left for dead, Paul (along with Barnabas) returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidia Antioch to strengthen the disciples.

"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." {Acts 14:21-22}

I am not sure if I would be brave enough to return to the cities where people want me dead, but Paul and Barnabas did not let anything stand in the way of preaching AND discipling the disciples and new converts.

I am attaching "In the Footsteps of Paul" video to this discussion, I think it really helps as we study this chapter. Thank you for stopping by and reading this post! I look forward to our discussion call on Wednesday (1/7) at 4:30pm!