(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

Acts chapter number 14 we'll get right into it here it says in verse 1 it came to pass an iconium that they were both together of course Paul and Barnabas is those that the the boat that we're talking about they're into the synagogue of the Jews and so spank that a great multitude both of the Jews also the Greeks believed so if you remember chapter 13 Paul and Barnabas have been separated and sent out by the church and they're coming in to from Antioch and they're coming into these different places last week they were chased out and now they're coming into iconium and this week it's kind of a repeat it's kind of a repeating of the same thing that we saw in chapter number 13 it's almost the exact same thing is playing out again where they're going and they're preaching of the Jews and then they're being rejected this time there's a little bit more severe persecution here but what we see with Paul and really at this point in the book it's gonna be all about Paul really the whole book just be you know it's the acts of the Apostles but really a latter half of it becomes the acts of Paul and basically what we see here is that Paul is gonna end up going through a great deal of tribulation through the rest of the book you know Paul is somebody who suffered greatly for the Lord and you know this chapter in particular kind of really kicks that off obviously he's already gone through some things but this is a particularly rough chapter for Paul so to speak it says there in verse 2 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 of the word of his grace and granted and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands so again he's going into the synagogue of the Jews you know and it's kind of ironic because last week they said hey we're going to Gentiles right they reject they went to the same synagogue and they were rejected I say you know what we're gonna go to the go to the Gentiles and now here they are in the synagogue again and some people might kind of say well you know it's just you know Paul's having a hard time just kind of breaking off and just going to the Gentiles but the thing is if you remember last week there was Grecians in among in that same synagogue so it makes sense to keep going back to the synagogue simply because of the fact that it's not just Jews that are there you know people will get saved in these places it's not just he's hung up on only preaching to the Jews he's he's saying it repeatedly right we're going to the Gentiles or you know God has granted repentance on the Gentiles like it's at this point in the story they know the Gentiles are to receive the gospel okay so the reason why he's going back in here isn't just because he's got some soft spot for the Jews it's because the Grecians are there right because again verse 1 they went into the synagogue of the Jews and so spake that a great multitude both of Jews and also of Greek believed so it tells us right there that in the synagogue of the Jews there were also Greeks okay so that's why he's going in there obviously Jews are getting saved too but there's also a great deal of Greeks but notice you know it's the again the same things playing out since last week in verse 2 but the unbelieving Jews right that's a great phrase you will see throughout the book of Acts but the Jews right they are always trying to corrupt God's work always working against it and quite frankly not a lot has changed you know those that would claim to be Jews today they hate God they hate the Bible they hate Christianity they work against the Word of God they work against the work of God that's a fact okay and I'm not going to sugarcoat that it says there in verse 2 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 grinded signs and wonders to be done by their hands so God is obviously blessing this greatly by allowing these signs and wonders to be done by their hands but notice what they're doing on their part you know God is showing up and working right God is there helping them with the miracles doing these great wonders but they're the ones that are abiding a long time they're the ones that are speaking boldly right God is honoring I believe their boldness God is honoring their endurance God is honoring the fact that despite the persecution they're going to continue to preach the Word of God they're going to continue to speak boldly even in the face of opposition they're going to continue to preach the gospel and as a result God is going to bless that okay that's a great lesson you know often we want God to move we want God to work we want God to do things and God will do things and God will work and God will move on our behalf but we have to move on God's behalf first you know we have to be people that are willing to endure willing to go through the persecutions the trials the tribulations of living the Christian life of the the things that are going to come against us in the world the setbacks everything that we have to go through to serve God we have to continue to endure we have to suffer what long time therefore abide we have to do that for a long time and we have to do what speak boldly in the Lord okay not drawback not sugarcoat the message not you know just fill the message with a bunch of fluff and just you know try to be mr. nice all the time sometimes you have to be bold sometimes you have to just rip face sometimes even at the door when you're gonna get somebody saved you have to tell them hey you're a sinner and you're lost you're on your way to hell they might not say it exactly like that but if you don't explain to them that they're a sinner on their way to hell how do they need to get safe from right we have to be what people that are willing to speak boldly in the Lord we love that last half there we love that the signs being granted the wonders to be done by their hands we love all these things but you know what what why does God do that why does God move why does God show up because of the fact there's people there that are doing the work that are abiding a long time and really that's kind of the theme you see through this chapter here and really the book of Acts is that Paul is somebody who never stopped preaching in the face of persecution he never stopped preaching in the face of persecution you know that's a really great attitude that's something that we have to have in our lives that's an attitude that we must embrace for ourselves we can't be people who are just gonna stop every time some little bump in the road comes along otherwise you know what there aren't gonna be great signs and wonders we're not gonna see God move you know but if we endure if we keep preaching if we stay faithful God will show up I believe that Paul you know is somebody that we'll see throughout the rest of this book and especially even in this chapter somebody who in the face of persecution continue to keep preaching and warrant that persecution would come he told Timothy therefore we both suffer we labor and suffer approach because we trust in the Living God who is the Savior of all men he said we labor and suffer reproach said Timothy we labor we work we do the preaching we do the work of an evangelist we make full proof of our ministry therefore we work we labor and suffer reproach he's saying look if you're gonna do the work of God if you're gonna labor if you're going to work for the Lord there's going to be reproach involved there's gonna be people that make their minds evil affected against you that are gonna rile people up and they're gonna try to stop the preaching the Word of God the devil wants to stop the gospel from going for it he wants to stop the preaching the Word of God he wants to water down the message he wants to you know get people to just scatter and flee from the work so if you're going to labor you're going to suffer reproach they go hand in hand therefore we both labor and suffer reproach why because we trust in Living God you know we trust the Living God but that's not doesn't guarantee that you know we're gonna live a life of ease that you know the Christian life is just going to be this primrose path all the way to glory you know if we're gonna preach the word like we ought to if we're gonna take a stand for the Word of God like we ought to you can expect opposition you can stay you can expect setbacks you can expect people to not like it that's part of that's part of the Christian life well that's part of abiding a long time speaking boldly and seeing God show up and do work seeing God show up and seeing signs and wonders done seeing God bless that you have to be able to labor and suffer approach because we trust Living God who is the Savior of all men you know why do we do what we do why do we preach the way that we preach why do we go out and emphasize preaching the gospel why do we do that because Christ is the Savior of all men everybody out there you know deserves a chance to hear the gospel and get saved that's what God wants so we need to learn to never stop preaching in the face of persecution and it will come that's what Paul said again I'll reiterate it we labor and suffer approach because we trust Living God so that's we see taking place here he's speaking boldly he's abiding a long time in spite of the fact that the unbelieving Jews are stirring up the Gentiles and making their minds evil-affected against them and that's that's their playbook nothing's changed you know they get you know men of the baser sort to do their dirty work right it's not the Jews themselves coming and doing it they're stirring up the Gentiles getting them to do it for them okay a lot can be said about that look at verse 4 but the multitude of the city was divided and held part with the Jews and part with the Apostles so they're preaching in the city and the Jews stir up the Gentiles them and they make their minds evil-affected against the Apostles so you have this division there right but what's the what's the silver lining in this is the fact that there were people that sided with the Apostles and this is what you have to remember in the face of persecution this is what will help you keep preaching in the face of persecution is that there's going to be people that aren't your side you know sometimes you go through some controversy you know our church will get out there or some preaching from one of our friends will get out there and there'll be this great big controversy and sometimes if you're not careful you can kind of develop an attitude and start thinking oh everyone's against us you know why are we doing this but the truth is is that there's people that are getting saved as a result of that persecution there's people that are you know there's a division certainly being made there's persecution there's division but you know what there's people that are siding with us with our preaching there's people that are getting saved there's people are getting you know having the the the fire rekindled in their lives okay you know this is something that there's this you know I wouldn't even to call it persecution is laughable okay but there's this one particular clip that keeps getting put out on tick-tock of Pastor Anderson you know what I'm talking about right and it was this guy you know and people are just have it all wrong right and it's it was on a it was a clip from like five years ago a service like was like five years ago where a guy you know interrupted the service you know when we're dealing with Pastor Anderson was dealing with a bunch of oneness heretics that just got kicked thrown out of the church you know including their deacon the deacon right kind of a big deal kind of a kind of a pretty big deal that day when you're you know dealing with this and that's when you know this guy's decides his first time visitor decides to stand up and interrupt the service and come down and tries to get his prayer who saw the video who knows what I'm talking about right well someone clipped that you know a pastor's like what do you want and he tells the guy sit down hey we're not this isn't an open open mic here you need to sit down gives the guy to get a chance to like come to his senses and sit down but the guy's like tries to walk past him in the video it's like in the video you can see him go it trying to walk past the pastor you know and the pastor's like hey get this bozo out of here you know and it's like amen and when I that happened I was just like well yeah and no one batted an eye it wasn't like there was a there was another first time visitor was there who objected and he got he left too you know it's just like they were dropping like flies that day you know amen I mean what world are you gonna be able to go interrupt some public service you know but these idiots that are out there they all want to say oh well you know it's a church it's not that you know it should be this and that it's like the Bible says let all things be done decently in order you know that there are people who rule in the house of God and that it's not it's not just you know anytime anyone wants this pipe up they can just interrupt the service because I mean what if that happened in here tonight what if some guy we didn't know just came in off the street and they tried to come down here and just interrupt me in the middle of preaching just so he could read a prayer that he wrote I just oh oh by all means go ahead now now the people on the internet land might say well what a nice preacher right I mean oh that was so loving but you know if you might feel differently about it in the church here like I think you might probably be thinking something like I didn't come down here on a midweek to listen to that guy read some prayer you know I came here to hear the preaching the Word of God right so what in what world can you just interrupt a service do that anywhere else and see what happens go do that at a rock concert you know go rush the stage at a rock concert you'll get tackled by guys in black shirts that says security on it you know you'll get thrown out you'll get bounced but look people are making a big deal you say what's it's got to do sermon here's what's got to do that's and look this isn't really this is of course it's laughable to suggest this is persecution especially in the light of what we're reading tonight but it goes viral and it's just like we haven't gone viral on social media while ever since that YouTube page got deleted pastor's channel but this thing's making the rounds and this one clip of him kicking that bozo out it just keeps getting re-uploaded and it's just like you can tell because we don't have a tick-tock I don't have a tick-tock I couldn't I don't even I can't see the video I don't but I know that's what it is people have told us like hey look this is what it is like screenshots have been shared with us like this is a video that's going viral I when I try to find it but I guess you have to make a tick-tock account to see the video which I'm just not gonna do it's just personal preference okay I want to make everybody mad because if you got a tick-tock account whatever that's your business you know I'm not gonna go off on that all right but I'm sure it's got you know probably millions of views who's seen the video on tick-tock I won't out you all right several hands so you're not alone does anyone know about how many views that thing has no it's got to be a lot right I should check my facts before I got up here but I know how I know it's a lot because the voicemail has just been full I mean we might get like a half dozen voicemails in a day you know sometimes none but then it just like this last week it's been like just like dozens like I checked it on Monday after the weekend it was just like every other one was you know no all of them practically except for like two we're just like I can't I saw this video on tick-tock emails just getting swamped even the Facebook page people are just spamming comments you know and so it's going viral I mean but but here's the thing that's a good thing isn't it because you know what all these people are trying to make into this big deal and like oh it's persecution or you're so wicked or whatever they're trying to like persecute us right but think about all the people that are seeing that clip and I go ma'am well we know more about the who's this pastor and that guy sounds like he's got a spine that sounds like he's got a backbone where can I find more okay where is what sermon is that from and I don't hear that sermon so let's say a million people hear it what if a thousand of those people get saved think about it that's you know and I'm just using because that's kind of like the modern equivalent of for us today you know thankfully we're not going to be stoned to death or anything like that we're not we're on all likelihood never gonna suffer anything near what Paul went through right but trying to make some application here tonight you keep preaching in the face of persecution or so-called persecution and the gen the principle I'm bringing out is the fact that you know when you speak boldly when God works when there are people that are opposing you and you persist anyway you have to remember that there's people that are there's gonna be a division but there's gonna be people on your side that weren't there before there might even people that were against you like there's people that are tend our church that hated Pastor Anderson that couldn't stand him that counted him an enemy that are now faithful members here today they came around you know they get saved you know and look there's there's several people like that there's a multitude of people that are like that it just goes to show you that you have to just stay persistent in the face of persecution you have to keep preaching and not back down because of the fact you know people can get angry people can get a bad attitude but you know what there's gonna be other people that get right with God it's all worth it you know people end up getting persuaded when God's people are persecuted when God's people are persecuted other people are persuaded look at verse 5 and when there was an assault made of both of the Gentiles and also the Jews with their rulers to use them despitefully and to stone them they were aware of it and fled until I stood Derby the cities of Laconia and under the region that lieth round about and they preached and there they preached the gospel so verse 4 in the part held with the Jews they in part with the Apostles they were persecuted people were persuaded to join the Apostles side and then but so my point is this is that you know we have to keep preaching right but notice here there does come a point where it's time to change locations right you know if we do need to have the attitude of being faithful unto death if it's deemed necessary if there's just no way out of it right but you know if there's another place that's more receptive if you know something bad is gonna happen that you have a chance to escape you escape right that's what they did here the assault was made they were aware of it that they were gonna get stoned right that they they said they were there was an assault they were going to stone them and then it says that they were aware of it and fled unto Lystra so they knew what was going on and their preached and preached the preacher gospel so Paul and his crew when they find out that there's this conspiracy being made they don't just go well I guess it's time for us to get be martyred you know now we're just gonna be you know go down in history we're just gonna stuff this out and just take it and take one for the team right you know they're like oh they we've done we've done our work we've preached we bowed here a long time it's gonna place where they actually want to kill us now let's get out of here and go preach somewhere else right but what changed in this story what changed with Paul is his location that's all it changed his location is what changed sometimes you need to have a change of location when the persecution gets heavy enough when it gets bad enough sometimes need to locate relocate the location changes you know what doesn't change the motivation location changes but not motivation the motivation stayed the same he said we're gonna get out of here and just quit preaching you know that's enough for me you know these you know everywhere we go the Jews are fighting against us the Gentiles are getting stirred up they're using the municipalities to come against us it just seems like everywhere we turn we preach boldly and then and we end up getting persecuted we almost got killed this time and if someone had warned us you know we would have been stoned to death you know what let's just get out of here and just forget this whole thing of preaching the gospel is that what he did no all he did is change his location but what stayed the same was his motivation he said let's just go somewhere else and do the exact same thing again hey let's go over this city there and make a mad too let's go cause some division in the next town let's go over there and preach over there and let's get some you know let's let's get the people riled up again and let's see how many people we can get on our side because therefore we labor and suffer reproach it goes hand in hand you keep laboring you're gonna keep on suffering you keep laboring there's gonna keep there's gonna keep being more and more reproach it's unavoidable comes part and parcel with preaching the gospel you change location but not motivation look this is biblical this isn't Paul you know cowering out okay this isn't him going soft Matthew took their excuse me Jesus told them in Matthew chapter number 10 that if you know a paraphrasing here because I don't want to take the time to turn us there that if they don't receive you to dust off that you know dust off your feet and go to the next city well you go in a city and preach and if the Son of Peace be upon them they abide but if they won't receive you dust off your feet and go to the next town it's biblical and all he said is if they won't hear you in Matthew 10 he said if they won't hear you if they're not even willing to listen just move on you know that's a great principle for soul winning right because Matthew 10 that's where he's sending out the disciples two by two I mean that's a great principle look that's why we don't just sit there and beat our head against the wall with people don't want to hear it we're outdoors or soul winning if we ran into somebody just obviously doesn't want to hear it we're out of there well next door thank you very much right because there is somebody out there who is interested in hearing it and will listen so it's the same principle here in Acts the thing is in Acts there were some people in Acts 13 X 14 there were some people that were willing to hear and he got as many people as were willing to listen he was there long enough preaching long enough where he got everybody was gonna get on his side and then when it came time to for you know for them to face persecution when he found out hey they're actually planning to kill us that's when he left okay but what did he change all that change was location motivation stayed the same he kept going out there and kept on preaching this is the attitude we must maintain if we're going to achieve something for God in this life okay why do you keep doing it well look at verse 8 it says this of course they came to Lystra Durban the city of Ziconia and there sat a man at Lystra impotent in his feet being a cripple from his mother's womb who had never walked this guy's in a sad state very poor you know wretched man it says he had never walked you know he's one of these guys it's just who knows I got around dragging himself around who knows right this is why we have to keep preaching folks because there's people that can't come to us they can't come to us and this is something that a lot of Baptist churches need to get through their thick heads and get over this thing of trying to preach everybody down the aisle while they forsake soul-winning it's a shame to God's people when they forsake soul-winning they sit there and they just want to have a bunch of programs and they want to just draw people in and try to preach people down an aisle it's more popular you know and a lot of you I'm saying it because a lot of you have never even been an old IFB Church and look I'm not saying every old IFB Church is this way but I'm saying there is a trend among them and it's been you know it's becoming more and more in Baptist churches the people who have the truth who have the gospel who God who on whose behalf God would work if they would just go out and preach boldly they're the ones that are sitting back on their laurels while the JW's are out there knocking all the doors while the Mormons are out there knocking all the doors while the devil's crowd is out there doing his work God's people with the truth just want to sit back in the comfort some building and try to preach people down an aisle well what about the cripple what about the man has never walked what about the guy who can't take a step in that direction what about the the person that's out there just crippled and deformed by sin doesn't even know what church to walk in he's gonna walk into a Catholic Church in this town good night you could throw a rock and hit one he's gonna stumble into church look when I first started got interested you know the first church I went to was a Catholic Church I woke up on one Sunday morning and I thought you know I just I feel I'm feeling spiritual went to 7-eleven got a coffee went to the Catholic Church sat down everyone was my father is better than your father at Domino's and doing all the whole up down and everything else I was like what are they even saying right and I had that car that I'm watching everything going out and I'm this guy came up and tapped me he's like you can't be drinking coffee in here I was like oh so I left so I don't go to church can't drink coffee that's before I was saved obviously you know I guess it was just so holy you couldn't drink coffee in here boy if that was a rule around here a lot of you would probably leave too who's got the Dutch Bros night yeah you know you're out there you know I see that hand god bless you where's mine no no caffeine afternoon that's my rule anyway you know what about the guy out there though who's crippled he doesn't know where to go this is why we have to keep preaching even in the face of setbacks even the face of persecution so I can't just throw in the towel give up because there's people out there that needs it's so interesting that this is the first guy that would when all that goes down I mean this is a big deal if you think about the story he's I mean what if an amazing story he's going out there and he's preaching and there's just Jews are getting upset and they're riling up people there's a riot people are plotting murder against them I mean it's it's kind of a big deal and he goes to the next town and it just talks about some humble old crippled guy you know a lot of the world would look at that guy and say he's nobody unimportant I mean kind of uneventful in the story right just who is he you know he's somebody that did you know if Paul hadn't come there may have never gotten saved look the unsaved are crippled by sin folks they're crippled spiritually that's why those of us that have legs that work that have our feet shed or execute our feet shod with the you know the gospel of peace you know that's why we need to put our feet to work and go to where they are their feet don't work ours are shod with the gospel our feet are beautiful the Bible says we bring glad tidings you know we have feet that work spiritually they don't they're crippled not us you know what you look at some Baptist churches today you think they're the crippled ones truth is they're just lazy we got to reach them where they are we have to have compassion making a difference right the same it says in verse 9 heard Paul speak heard Paul speak meaning Paul had to speak and open his mouth who steadfastly beholding him and perceiving that he had faith to be healed said with a loud voice stand up right on thy feet and he leaped and walked I mean what a great picture of salvation what a great picture of preaching the gospel I mean imagine being this guy he had never walked he was a grown man he'd spent his whole life watching everybody else walk watch everybody else sleep watch you know as a kid watching everybody else play watch everybody else to you know kick the ball around or whatever I mean he wasn't just the last one picked he wasn't picked folks and when he hears this man he stands upright on his feet and he's like wow what would your reaction be and he leaped and walked now I'm not going to demonstrate because I might go right through this floor I'm pretty sure it's only three-quarter inch which should be thick enough you think but you know I think you know anyway before I self-deprecate too much right but this guy he leaped and he and he's jumping for joy he's a static this is why we have to keep preaching boldly this is why we have to keep doing what we're doing you know what I have a feeling too that you know Paul probably got a little excited when he saw this Paul wasn't just like me another day in the office well just you know well you know just another Tuesday he looked crippled it's like that everywhere I go now you can start to see why Paul was able to just put up with everything he put up with why he was able to labor and suffer approach because when he abode long and he preached boldly God worked and look I'm not saying we're gonna go out there in all these hospitals and just start healing people obviously these are gifts that were given to the Apostles we understand that and God obviously is still capable of doing that and God will still do miracles I do believe that you know but we're not Pentecostals here I'm not gonna take my coat off tonight and start slaying you guys in the spirit I'm not Benny Hinn and if I was you know if I had that power you know where I would be I wouldn't be here I'd be in a hospital it's kind of funny how these healers are you know the only place they can do it is after you paid admission or whatever what was I saying you know this is why we got to keep doing what we're doing because there's people that will get say this is why Paul was able to continue it to endure the persecution and look isn't it those of you that go soul-winning know what I'm getting at here because there's plenty of times itself included where I've been man I don't want to go that soul-winning time rolls around you're just like man it's a hundred and whatever I mean after it's a hundred does it really matter once it's a triple digit number doesn't really matter well it's only 105 like oh yeah let me get my sweater you know where's let's put the cocoa on someone start a fire it's only 105 and you don't want to go and you know you're gonna get out there and you'd be sweaty and uncomfortable and hot and you know what maybe it's gonna be one of those times where no one gets saved and no one wants to hear it but you know what there just might be a time it might be that day that you know anyway it might be you run across some spiritual cripple who's just waiting to hear it and if you would just open your mouth and speak and say something in a loud voice you know they would get saved and then they would leap for joy they'd be glad they got saved you know I'll see me glad you and you know what if you go out there you go so when you go you go for an hour no one's getting saved very loud I don't know how many times this happened to me the last door you knock they get saved and you were counting down the minutes you're like oh this is the last door we're out of here we're gonna go get a raspato whatever we do right you're thinking about that Perrier you're thinking about that Diet Coke you're thinking about whatever it is that cool drink the AC in the van you're thinking of all those things and then a guy gets say that guy gets a me like man I want to go let's go another hour I can't want to stay out there and keep going I don't know how many times that's happened happens all the time that's what kept Paul going you know Paul's putting up with a lot we're not even we're not even into the heavy stuff Paul's putting up with a lot but you know what kept him going moments like this and look we have the same moments waiting for us out there the spiritual cripples of this world that need us to come to them that will get saved and leap for joy they will get saved their lives will change and we can look around this room tonight there's there's lives in this room that have changed because this ministry don't ever think you know we haven't accomplished anything here in this church because we have there's people that are heading in the complete opposite direction of where they're headed because of this church because the preaching the Word of God because of salvation you know and there's more of that out there there's a whole town of that out there people will get saved people lives will change and you know what will happen after that people will rejoice some to rejoice over don't ever get and by the way don't ever you know take for granted the people that that that are you know that I'm talking about people here in this church whose lives have changed which is everybody it's really easy to sit there and think about all the people that used to be here or aren't here anymore we've never come or won't come you know because human nature is to focus on the negative okay you know I have a hard time thinking that Paul you know maybe every so every so often you know later in life you ran into the same guy on another journey hey Paul remember me how's that guy that's good of course I remember you I never I've been thinking about you I've prayed about you you think Paul forgot about that man Paul was rejoicing this guy was rejoicing don't ever take that for granted sometimes we just need to sit and think about the people whose lives have already been changed I'll give you a reason to rejoice look at verse 11 it says then when the people saw what Paul had done they lifted up their voices saying in the speech of Liconia the gods are come down to us in the likeness of men he got a bunch of heathens here who are you know attributing this to some heathen God and they called Barnabas Jupiter Paul Mercurius and because he was the chief speaker then the priest of Jupiter which was before their city brought oxen and garlands under the gates and would have done sacrifice with the people so they're literally getting ready to make sacrifice unto Paul and Barnabas they're bringing animals and they're think these are gods right which it's such a this is what makes this story particularly noteworthy because they the 180 that they're gonna pull here in just a few minutes when we get to it it's so they it just shows you what people are like people can turn on you on a dime so they're coming out and they're they're getting ready to make sacrifice verse 14 which when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of they rent their clothes and ran in among people crying out saying sirs why do you these things we also are men of like passions with you and preach to me that we should turn from these vanities unto the living God which made heaven on earth and the sea and all things that are therein so he's appealing to creation here right he's he's preaching these guys again he's saying you need a turn from these false gods nevertheless he left out himself without witness and that he did good he's talking about this is what God did right verse 16 who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways he put up with it but now he's preaching the gospel he didn't leave himself without witness however during that time God God could have been found in all ages by all people because God people have the witness of God in creation okay it's a whole sermon in of itself but this is what Paul is pointing out here right this is a good proof text for that because people ask well what about people who you know never heard the name Jesus these per you know these hypotheticals that are out there the most famous person in the world that's ever existed okay remember the world was a lot smaller back then too okay there wasn't anywhere near as many people but he's saying look even in times past he'd left on himself without witness what was his witness and then he did good and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness look the goodness of God is abundant in creation what he's pointing out is that people could look at creation say there must be a God and that God is good you know creation is a witness of God's goodness as it says in you know Romans one right in fact let's just turn to Romans because I want to look at a couple things real quick Romans chapter number one I'll make sure I get this right look God is you know he's left witness here what was the witness that Paul pointed out the rain from heaven fruitful seed fruitful seasons right talking about the abundance of the earth the harvest filling our hearts with food and gladness look that's something God does and it's also a great proof text that food is good and God you know uses food and it fills us with gladness I know that's true and I know a lot of you know that's true get some Amen's on that one right but you know that's a that's something that God gives man to enjoy God put taste buds on our tongue for a reason look at verse 20 verse 19 because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath showed it unto them for the invisible things of him of the creation of the world are understood by the are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead so they are without excuse but I was saying here that the invisible things of him the things that we cannot see concerning God his existence his being what he's like those things we are that are not tangible that are invisible from the creation the things that the creation itself cannot be hold about God we can't see it we can't handle it we can't look at it we can't hold it right there it's invisible can't behold these things these things are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made the things that God has made make the invisible things of God clearly seen and what is that invisible thing of God that he's talking about what's one of those things that God is good because he fills our hearts with food and gladness he gives us fruitful seasons God is a God that nurtures and cares and is long-suffering and that God that is full of mercy and his God that will provide that's one of the invisible things of God because it's a personality trait can you see a personality trait you might see the results of a personality trait but you can't just look at a person and say I know exactly what their personality is like you have to get to know that person they have to do things you have to observe their behavior have to look at their actions and the Bible is telling us that creation is a testimony of God's character not just his existence that there is a God but not only that there is a God but that God is good you know that's that's what I believe Paul saying he's saying look he left not himself without witness and it gave us you know rains from heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness God's taking care of you you bunch of heathens God is good that's what he's saying you know people have the witness of creation it says that again in Romans 2 towards the end there it says you know with the Gentiles which have not the law do that by nature the things contained in the law these having not the law are witness unto themselves their own conscience the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another right the even the heathen unsaved people have the law of God written their heart is it enough to get people saved no that's why you got to go that's why Paul had to show up and preach all didn't just say don't sacrifice to us figure it out he said don't sacrifice to us worship the God of heaven he had to preach the gospel to him because people are still marred by sin the creation is still marked by sin man's understanding is still darkened but they have enough in creation to know there is a God and he's good they at least have that and the Bible says that if you would seek you will find and if you would knock it would be open that if you would ask he would be given unto you people can look at creation and know there's God I mean that's my testimony I remember I remember you know but years a couple years before I got saved just you know looking at things like the stars creation and just going there there is a God there would have been a time in my life if you had asked me is there God I would have said I don't know I don't know that I was ever an atheist but I was definitely agnostic I would have said well I'm not sure I certainly would have said well it's the God of the Bible if there is one you know I was certainly a spiritual right that's what they like to say it was I'm not religious I'm spiritual but I was convinced that there was a God because of the things that I saw in creation you know and it didn't leave a bad taste my kind of God is that no this is a Mac whoever did that is magnificent you know what did David say you know when I beheld the stars you know what is man that thou art mindful of him you go out you look at the glory of creation you feel pretty small you say God is amazing that's what's so funny when you hear people say like well what kind of a God would would allow such things to happen you're looking at you're looking at what man does buddy you know they see tragedies play out they see people treating with another people cruel it's like hey dude that's man doing that well what kind of God would allow that you know God could say the same thing to you why are you sitting back and allow like things like that time why does man sit around and let things happen like that things like it was man you know perpetrate these things on one another you know God is good every good gift and every perfect gift come down from the father of lights and whom is no shot you know variability no shadow of turning you know God is good everything that he does is good you know when so when people are sitting back and saying well what kind of a God it's like well you're looking at the wrong thing and you're you're attributing the wrong thing to God we look at creation we step back and we say wow God is good let's move along through the story here so they're getting sacrificed to you know are tempted to make sacrifice the people there because the healing that just took place on the cripple and they're stopping them and they're saying hey give glory to God you need to believe you need to turn from these vanities you need to believe in a living God verse 18 with these sayings they scarce restrained that they the people that they had not done sacrifice unto them and there came there there's certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium now these are means they're following up on Paul because Antioch's where he started and Iconium is where he just was you know Antioch it's like the Jews are chasing him where did he go where did he go let's go find him you know when you have people that are going out of their way to try to stop a ministry that that person isn't just some you know some someone's been out of shape and got about it that's a you know somebody who hates God and hates God's work when you have people that are hell-bent and were the they're gonna spend their life finding a ministry you know they're if they're not reprobate you know they're on their way and look there's people like this out there people who could spire get they don't they don't just you know get out of ministries or quit ministries they will turn on a ministry they will turn on a pastor and then go against them try to you know drag him to court sue him get him for libel you know all kinds of things they'll chase them down that's anyone people are doing that that's an especially wicked person that's not just your run-of-the-mill sinner you know it's just not your scoffer that's not just someone who's gonna scoff the things of God you know there's there's still hope for the scoffer better stop scoffing but people that are so hell-bent that they're actually gonna chase the man of God down and follow up on him and then do and try to stop him wherever he goes man that's a special kind of wicked and those people are still out there today verse 9 they came together certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium who persuaded the people who what people the people that were just ready to sacrifice calling Paul and Barnabas gods they're bringing out the garland they're gonna rejoice let's slay the oxen let's have a party the gods are come down unto us it's the same people they persuaded those people I mean these Jews are persuasive you get you give somebody go from that to what just and having stoned Paul you know and it wasn't he wasn't passing them a doobie when it's talking about stoned and you reached you know you want time I'll get stoned in the Bible you better be careful what you're what you're saying there's only one kind of stone in the Bible friend and they having stoned Paul drew him out of the city supposing he had been dead I mean these people turned on a dime and look that's the thing with some unsafe people you got to be careful you know someone could get their ear and start pulling their strings and they'll turn on you the devil is gonna fight every step of the way though that's what I see in the story is that the devil just keeps persisting he keeps chasing him down he keeps looking for him where did he go he's in Iconium let's go there he got away last time we're gonna get there but we're gonna get him they were trying to stone him last time but now they're gonna get him stoned over here they're I'm gonna kill Paul one way or another you can start to understand passages like 2nd Corinthians chapter number 4 I'll just read you in verse 7 where he says but we have this treasure in earth and vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us we are troubled on every side yet not distressed every side he's troubled Paul said I go here they're trying to stone me over there I go over here they get a hold of me and they stone me everywhere I go and this is just the beginning of Paul's story his wrote you know his you know primary role in the book of Acts there's just more of this to come being troubled distressed perplexed in but not in despair persecuted not forsaken cast out not destroyed always bearing about in our body the dying Lord Jesus the life also made of Jesus may be manifest in our body for which we live are always for we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh so that death worketh in us but life in you you know Paul was willing to die for that ministry so that other people would live you know he's he's he didn't he didn't just get as far away from those juices he could he said let's just go to the next town because there's gonna be people there that'll get saved there's some cripple guy who can't get to me I got to go get to him and if the Jews catch up and stone me there well if I die somebody else might live there's a price to pay to preach the gospel folks that's what I'm seeing in this chapter so I'm seeing in this book so I see in the Bible it's a theme there's a price to pay to preach the gospel there's a price to pay if you want to see God move and work in a ministry verse 20 I'll be in his disciples stood around about him he rose up and came into the city the next day departed with Barnabas to Derby when they had preached the gospel that city it's like wait a minute Paul stop what are you doing Paul quit preaching man I mean they just they were persecuted they were planning to kill you in this city they got it done in the next city enough you got that guy saying if that cripple guy got saved you you know you you stop those people from sacrificing and some of them when I got your side you know you got a bunch of Gentiles over in your eye on your side you've done some preaching enough stop no no I'm gonna keep preaching they stoned me he stands up where's the next sinner let's get him saved when they preached the gospel to that city I love this just from one verse to the next he's supposed to been dead the verse 19 the disciples are standing around him going poor Paul and he stands up I mean I don't even know if it's like is is he miraculously healed I mean or is he I mean I personally think he's still bruised and you know maybe he's missing teeth I don't know I mean it's a stoning they're throwing rocks at him as hard as they can I mean that's a gruesome way to die folks I mean you just pop up and it was just all gone I don't think so I think he's like I can still see out of this eye you know this will wear off grab some bandages Barnabas got some more people to get saved someone grabbed me a clean shirt who's got a hanky he just dust himself off wipe the blood off and let's go throw rub some dirt in it you know walk it off put a stake on it whatever you know he just kept on going man I love Paul he's so encouraging to read stories like this then we think about the things that get us discouraged get us down slow us down that make us want to stop was anyone throwing a rock in your face shut up it's hot it's cold it's too long it's too far 20 minutes to church boy you guys are so far away 20 minutes some people let the dumbest thing stop them from serving God he kept on going verse 22 confirming the souls and the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith continue don't stop looking Paul shows up and says hey you keep going you listen and you keep going and you know what he's confirming us today we read this story and then he's telling hey don't you stop either and it's not all talk with Paul it's not just big words to me hey if I'm willing to go through this if I'm willing to be let death work in me so that life might work in you you guys need to do the same thing and when they had ordained them elders in every church and I prayed with fasting that commended in the Lord on whom they believed and after that they passed through Pisidia and came on to Pamphylia and they had preached the word in Perga and went down to Attila thence to Antioch from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled so this is his journey right he makes his big loop and I love this and when they were come and notice the end of verse 26 the work which they fulfilled he got the job done they said look the Holy Ghost said separated me Paul and Barnabas beginning acts 13 for the work which I have for them to do the church lays their hands upon him ordains him sends him out and he goes out and he preaches and he's getting persecuted he's going into the synagogues that people getting riled up the Jews are conspiring against him they're stoning him to death and he just keeps on going he's seeing miracles he's seeing people get saved and he's enduring all of these things and he's fulfilling his work that's why he's able to say at the end of his life I have kept the faith I have finished the course and there's laid up for me a crown of righteousness and not for me only but for all those that love is appearing look there's no glory in quitting so when does it end death when is the Christian life end when we die you know so many people want to you know think of especially true dudes we want to feel that that moment of victory right we want to feel like we want to raise our hands right we want to run through that that we the first one through the ribbon at that finish line well not me but it's not exactly a runner's physique up here right we want to get you want to win the match you know get the TKO whatever and have our hand raised we want that feeling look there might be a little taste of that in a Christian life but that moment comes when you see Jesus that moment comes after you die if you finish your course if you kept the faith if you fulfill the work by the grace of God and if you're gonna do that if you're gonna fulfill the work if you're gonna finish that course you know what you're gonna have to keep persisting and preaching and face a persecution and the persecution will come the opposition will be there to some degree or another and you're gonna have to just keep on going and yeah there's gonna be some great moments along the way there's gonna be we're gonna save some spiritual cripples and everybody else along the way and we're gonna have some victories but there's gonna be persecutions too but the victory only comes to those who finish their course there's no pride there's nothing to be glad about in quitting Christian life is not for quitters well I ran half the course Lord well you left half undone well I did most of the work we didn't do all of it no Paul told Timothy make foolproof of thy ministry now you know do do as much as you feel like that things get tough no he said if we labor and suffer approach we do both and it's not that and I'll end on this thought it's not that you know oh it's just we got a door all the way to the bitter end with God Oh Christian life so hard to live just drag our way through to glory I'll be happy when I get there you're gonna go through things but you know what it's not easy when you're going through it but you know it's you get a good story look at verse 27 and when they were come and they gathered the church together hey Paul's back part of us back let's hear tell us what happened oh it was just it was just a breeze you know that would put you to sleep everywhere we went people just they just fell down and said what serves what must I do to be saved did you have any problems no none not a single problem anybody try to Estonia anybody trying to get you killed anybody opposed you nope oh well good job good work huh not very exciting though I mean sure yeah the cripple got saved but I mean imagine being Paul what happened Paul well let me tell you I made some people mad yeah what they do well they killed me really that's Barnabas he was there yeah I saw it we thought he was dead and he just got up and brushed himself off and kept on going I mean what a story and when they were come they gathered together they rehearsed all that God had done with them what a great for what a great phrase all that God had done with them not for them not to them with them well wait a minute he got stoned to death yeah God was with them well that doesn't seem like God was with him don't you think that would happen to me if you're you know serving God you know shouldn't people you shouldn't be people making people mad you know that preacher you know if you got all this persecution coming at you it's probably because you did something wrong God's not with you yeah well here's the thing about that Jesus said if they hated me they'll hate you also he said you know that the servant is not above his Lord you know that they were going to be persecuted it's like I'm pretty sure Jesus was good and they hung him on a cross but God was with them I love that phrase he rehearsed all that God had done with them boy we'd like to tell that story would we we'd like to have some stories of our own to talk let me everyone get another round let's all talk about the things that God has done with us and amen we can have that there's nothing wrong with that we should want that for our lives we should want to be able to sit back at some point in our lives and just start going over the things as God has done with us not just for us not just to us but with us used us labored alongside us we should want that for our life and I'm sure everyone does but let me just warn you if that's what you want you know Paul's kind of showed us you're gonna have to continue in the faith in the faith in spite of persecution you have to keep preaching in spite of it in the face of it the Christian life is an uphill fight it's a battle you know but something God's right there pushing us along oh I don't think I'm gonna make it God's like I got you let's keep going I'm there with you right what a great story it wasn't an easy story to live you know what it was worth it I'm sure Paul wasn't good get out the end you know all these hags happen to me and I just wish I'd never gone well just told some stories like so thanks a lot for sending me out there no he was probably like real ecstatic about it probably pretty exciting story because he goes again he gets right he's like where to next now where now what that was his whole life wasn't easy but it was worth it let's go ahead closing a word prayer