Paul and Barnabas
left the coast of Pamfilya
00:01:36.16\00:01:39.62
and traveled inland
over the Taurus mountains to
00:01:39.63\00:01:44.00
the Anatolian
plateau. They came here to the
00:01:44.01\00:01:48.73
city of Antioch. No,
this was not Antioch from
00:01:48.74\00:01:53.49
which they were
commissioned to go forth
00:01:53.50\00:01:55.20
as missionaries.
That was Antioch on
00:01:55.21\00:01:57.91
the Orontes. This
was Antioch in Pisidia.
00:01:57.92\00:02:02.31
You see, Seleucus
built fourteen different
00:02:02.86\00:02:05.32
Antioch's and named
them in honor of his father,
00:02:05.33\00:02:08.20
Antiochus. They were
distinguished by their
00:02:08.21\00:02:11.20
geographical
features. The apostles were
00:02:11.21\00:02:14.61
commissioned for their
first missionary tour from
00:02:14.62\00:02:17.51
Antioch on the
Orontes, because it was built
00:02:17.52\00:02:21.09
beside the Orontes
river. They came here to
00:02:21.10\00:02:25.20
Pisidian Antioch,
because this was Antioch
00:02:25.21\00:02:28.66
in the Roman
province of Pisidia.
00:02:28.67\00:02:31.55
This was a great
city in those days but
00:02:32.80\00:02:36.10
it was very, very isolated.
00:02:36.11\00:02:38.12
It was over a hundred
miles from the coastal
00:02:38.80\00:02:41.86
city of Perga. And we wonder why
00:02:41.87\00:02:45.49
the two missionaries came here?
00:02:45.50\00:02:48.04
While it was a great
city, it did not have the
00:02:48.69\00:02:51.81
influence of Perga
or Ephesus or Corinth to
00:02:51.82\00:02:56.45
which he would later
go. There had been three
00:02:56.46\00:02:58.96
very interesting
reasons suggested us to why
00:02:58.97\00:03:01.96
Paul and Barnabas
came here to the interior
00:03:01.97\00:03:05.14
of Asia. The first
is, there was a very large
00:03:05.15\00:03:09.11
Jewish community here.
This was Paul's traditional
00:03:09.12\00:03:13.53
way of
evangelizing, to go to a city,
00:03:13.54\00:03:16.36
to meet the Jewish
leaders and to share in the
00:03:16.37\00:03:19.48
synagogue with the
Jews and the God fearers
00:03:19.49\00:03:22.91
who met there.
The second reason is
00:03:22.92\00:03:25.76
found in Galatians
chapter 4 and verse 13 where
00:03:25.77\00:03:28.50
Paul says "You know
that I first came to
00:03:28.51\00:03:31.09
preach the
gospel among you because
00:03:31.10\00:03:33.08
of an illness."
Many have wondered
00:03:33.09\00:03:35.57
if Paul developed a
malaria down the coast of
00:03:35.58\00:03:38.57
Pamfilya and he left the low,
00:03:38.58\00:03:42.08
humid coastal plain
to come up to the more
00:03:42.09\00:03:45.67
healthful high
altitude plain of Anatolia,
00:03:45.68\00:03:49.72
to seek relief
from the symptoms.
00:03:49.73\00:03:52.53
The third reason
and perhaps the most
00:03:54.02\00:03:55.77
interesting to me is
that of Sergius Paulus,
00:03:55.78\00:03:59.83
the roman governor of Cyprus.
00:03:59.84\00:04:01.78
It's been said
that Sergius Paulus was
00:04:02.45\00:04:04.53
actually from this
area, that he was from
00:04:04.54\00:04:07.65
this city. I can
imagine if he was that he would
00:04:07.66\00:04:12.93
have asked Paul and Barnabas,
00:04:12.94\00:04:15.23
go and take the
good news of Jesus to
00:04:15.24\00:04:17.98
my family, to my friends here.
00:04:17.99\00:04:20.38
I can imagine that
they came into this city
00:04:21.47\00:04:24.03
bearing letters of reference and
00:04:24.80\00:04:26.61
recommendations
from Sergius Paulus.
00:04:26.62\00:04:29.93
I would imagine that
they also had letters to
00:04:30.52\00:04:32.88
share with his family
and friends of his own
00:04:32.89\00:04:35.84
personal testimony. It
was a dangerous journey
00:04:35.85\00:04:40.19
for Paul and Barnabas
up through the mountains,
00:04:40.20\00:04:43.44
up through the paths
where robbers and thieves
00:04:43.45\00:04:46.26
would often hang out
and fall upon unsuspecting
00:04:46.27\00:04:49.78
travelers. Paul
refers to it in Second
00:04:49.79\00:04:52.56
Corinthians, where
he talks about being in
00:04:52.57\00:04:55.21
danger from robbers and rivers.
00:04:55.22\00:04:57.48
The river can
overflow at any moment to the
00:04:58.63\00:05:00.43
flash floods. It was a
dangerous journey but God
00:05:00.44\00:05:03.57
had opened the door
and they felt they must
00:05:03.58\00:05:06.33
walk through that
door. And so they journeyed.
00:05:06.34\00:05:10.03
And as they journeyed
up the hills to this high
00:05:10.47\00:05:13.71
3000 foot elevation,
their heart was beating
00:05:13.72\00:05:18.52
"Lord, who do you have
to reach for your kingdom
00:05:18.53\00:05:22.99
in this city?" You
see, Pisidian Antioch was a
00:05:23.00\00:05:26.59
great city, it
had a lengthy history.
00:05:26.60\00:05:29.26
It was given by
the Romans to the
00:05:31.53\00:05:32.50
King of Galatia.
Thus this area is not
00:05:32.51\00:05:34.63
only known as
Pisidia, but also Galatia.
00:05:34.64\00:05:37.37
It was given to
the King of Galatia,
00:05:37.38\00:05:39.25
but after his
death it returned back to
00:05:39.26\00:05:41.30
the Romans.
Caesar Augustus dedicated
00:05:41.31\00:05:45.18
the city as a Roman colony.
00:05:45.19\00:05:47.64
He wanted to protect
the mains of roads and the
00:05:48.26\00:05:51.77
trade roads that
stretched from Tarsus in the
00:05:51.78\00:05:54.72
East to Ephesus on
the coast of the Aegean.
00:05:54.73\00:05:57.90
And so this city
was decorated with
00:05:58.82\00:06:00.68
Roman splendor.
There was a fabulous
00:06:00.69\00:06:03.72
temple to Caesar
Augustus himself built
00:06:03.73\00:06:06.75
right up on the
top of this city.
00:06:06.76\00:06:09.12
This was one of the
finest temples to Augustus
00:06:09.94\00:06:13.48
ever constructed. In
addition, when Paul came
00:06:13.49\00:06:16.79
into this city
there was also a temple
00:06:16.80\00:06:18.93
to Tiberius. Two
major squares come together
00:06:18.94\00:06:22.87
on the top of this
city. Paul and Barnabas
00:06:22.88\00:06:26.99
followed their regular
pattern of going to the
00:06:27.00\00:06:31.39
synagogue in the
various cities they visited.
00:06:31.40\00:06:34.51
They came to the
synagogue here in
00:06:35.04\00:06:37.37
Pisidian Antioch.
And after the scripture
00:06:37.38\00:06:41.47
reading had been
given, the synagogue leader
00:06:41.48\00:06:44.10
asked Paul and
Barnabas if they had anything
00:06:44.11\00:06:47.59
important to share
with the people who had
00:06:47.60\00:06:50.31
gathered for
worship on the Sabbath.
00:06:50.32\00:06:52.45
It's very interesting
that the synagogue here
00:06:53.80\00:06:56.33
was made up as
most synagogues in Greek
00:06:56.34\00:06:58.80
speaking areas of both
Jews and a group of people
00:06:58.81\00:07:03.12
known as God fearers.
The God fearers are people
00:07:03.13\00:07:06.94
who had not
accepted Judaism to the point
00:07:06.95\00:07:10.83
of being circumcised,
yet preferred Judaism
00:07:10.84\00:07:14.69
because of the monotheistic God.
00:07:15.22\00:07:17.57
They were tired of all
the Greek and Roman Gods
00:07:17.58\00:07:21.49
and the multiplication
of Gods, and preferred the
00:07:21.50\00:07:24.62
one God of the Jews.
So, Paul and Barnabas came
00:07:24.63\00:07:28.75
into the synagogue and
were invited to stand up
00:07:28.76\00:07:31.32
and to speak.
Paul focused upon the
00:07:31.33\00:07:36.28
16 chapter of
Psalms where it says
00:07:36.29\00:07:39.15
"You will not leave
your holy one in the grave
00:07:39.16\00:07:42.00
or allow to see corruption.
00:07:42.01\00:07:44.13
Yes, Paul said, Jesus
was raised from the dead.
00:07:45.00\00:07:48.30
The hearts of the
people was stirred both Jews
00:07:48.75\00:07:51.47
and the gentles,
who had assembled
00:07:51.48\00:07:54.46
in the synagogue.
They said we want to hear
00:07:54.47\00:07:56.69
you about this next
week. Come back to the
00:07:56.70\00:07:59.00
synagogue and teach us again.
00:07:59.01\00:08:00.72
As Paul and Barnabas
were leaving the Synagogue,
00:08:01.72\00:08:04.12
the people invited
them to speak further about
00:08:04.13\00:08:06.32
these things on
the next Sabbath.
00:08:06.33\00:08:08.34
When the
congregation was dismissed,
00:08:08.87\00:08:10.46
many of the Jews and
devout converts to Judaism
00:08:10.47\00:08:13.22
followed Paul and Barnabas,
00:08:13.23\00:08:14.58
who talked with
themand urge them to continue
00:08:14.59\00:08:17.20
in the grace of God.
Yes, it was a mighty moving
00:08:17.21\00:08:20.37
of the Spirit.
They wanted to hear
00:08:20.38\00:08:22.21
about this the
next week. Verse 44,
00:08:22.22\00:08:25.44
"On the next Sabbath
almost the whole city
00:08:25.89\00:08:29.08
gathered to hear
the word of the Lord."
00:08:29.09\00:08:32.25
Isn't that incredible?
The next Sabbath almost
00:08:32.26\00:08:35.54
the entire city
gathered to hear the word
00:08:35.55\00:08:38.53
of the Lord. Now was
this due to the tremendous
00:08:38.54\00:08:41.27
preaching of
Paul? Was it due to the
00:08:41.28\00:08:44.98
influence of the
letters of reference that
00:08:44.99\00:08:47.26
Sergius Paulus
had sent to the city?
00:08:47.27\00:08:49.40
Or is it just a
mighty moving of the Spirit?
00:08:49.91\00:08:52.44
It was a
combination of all three.
00:08:52.45\00:08:55.14
While we do know is,
Luke said, the next Sabbath
00:08:55.45\00:08:58.32
almost the entire
city came together to hear
00:08:58.33\00:09:01.40
Paul and Barnabas
sharing the good news about
00:09:01.41\00:09:04.76
Jesus as the
Messiah, as the Christ and his
00:09:04.77\00:09:08.17
resurrection from the
dead. Paul and Barnabas
00:09:08.18\00:09:11.80
were thrilled of what happened,
00:09:11.81\00:09:13.32
but the devil was angry,
00:09:14.35\00:09:15.94
and he stirs up
the crowd, verse 45.
00:09:15.95\00:09:19.13
"When the Jews saw the crowds,
00:09:19.14\00:09:21.67
they were filled
with jealousy and talked
00:09:21.68\00:09:23.99
abusively against
what Paul was saying."
00:09:24.00\00:09:27.09
The Jews saw the
crowds and they began to
00:09:27.61\00:09:29.57
speak abusively
about what Paul was saying.
00:09:29.58\00:09:33.34
Why would they
be jealous of this?
00:09:34.01\00:09:36.04
This is a tremendous
moving of God's Spirit,
00:09:36.53\00:09:39.13
the whole city in
this Roman colony coming
00:09:39.14\00:09:41.58
together to hear
Paul and Barnabas.
00:09:41.59\00:09:43.37
The same word that is
used for jealous is the
00:09:44.62\00:09:48.15
word zeal. You see,
the Jewish leaders were
00:09:48.16\00:09:51.78
zealous with the traditions of
00:09:51.79\00:09:53.41
their fathers.
They were concerned
00:09:53.42\00:09:55.92
that Paul was
presenting the Jewish Messiah
00:09:55.93\00:10:00.24
to gentiles, and not
instructing them to first
00:10:00.25\00:10:04.34
become Jews. They were
zealous for the traditions
00:10:04.35\00:10:07.55
of the fathers and
they turned their attitude
00:10:07.56\00:10:10.50
against Paul and the
message he was preaching.
00:10:10.51\00:10:13.33
They began to say
distracting things and
00:10:13.34\00:10:16.65
misleading things
and confusing things.
00:10:16.66\00:10:18.92
"Then Paul and
Barnabas answered them boldly:
00:10:20.18\00:10:22.44
We had to speak the
word of God to you first.
00:10:22.45\00:10:25.44
Since you rejected
it and do not consider
00:10:26.02\00:10:27.89
yourselves
worthy of eternal life,
00:10:27.90\00:10:29.66
we now turn to the Gentiles.
00:10:29.67\00:10:31.39
For this is what the
Lord has commanded us:
00:10:31.40\00:10:34.09
I have made you a
light for the Gentiles,
00:10:34.10\00:10:36.58
that you may bring
salvation to the ends
00:10:36.59\00:10:38.95
of the earth. When
the Gentiles heard this,
00:10:38.96\00:10:41.30
they were glad and
honored the word of the Lord,
00:10:41.31\00:10:43.40
and all who were
appointed for eternal
00:10:43.41\00:10:45.68
life believed." Paul
turns from the Jews and says
00:10:45.69\00:10:49.39
"Now we must go to the gentiles.
00:10:49.40\00:10:51.61
God had told me to
preach to you first,"
00:10:51.62\00:10:53.90
but for the first
time Paul begins now to
00:10:53.91\00:10:56.53
minister
directly to the gentiles.
00:10:56.54\00:10:59.15
He preaches Jesus
and shares Jesus with
00:10:59.16\00:11:01.96
gentiles here in this city.
00:11:01.97\00:11:03.48
And they are happy,
the their believing is
00:11:03.95\00:11:06.01
tremendous, it's powerful,
00:11:06.02\00:11:08.38
it's a revival happening here in
00:11:08.39\00:11:10.60
Pisidian Antioch.
The old devil is angry
00:11:10.61\00:11:14.26
and he stirs up
the crowds again.
00:11:14.27\00:11:16.81
The devil is angry
and he stirs up the Jewish
00:11:16.82\00:11:19.69
leaders who become abusive.
00:11:19.70\00:11:21.67
This whole question
of salvation and how a
00:11:22.22\00:11:25.31
person is made right
before God as he was going
00:11:25.32\00:11:28.88
from Judaism to the
gentile world would be the
00:11:28.89\00:11:33.39
subject of our next
chapter in this series.
00:11:33.40\00:11:35.78
The great council of
Jerusalem is convened to
00:11:37.40\00:11:40.61
try and sort through this very,
00:11:40.62\00:11:43.14
very complicated
issue. Do gentiles have to
00:11:43.15\00:11:48.49
become Jews to be
saved by believing in the
00:11:48.50\00:11:51.52
Jewish Messiah, Jesus?
What is the relationship?
00:11:51.53\00:11:54.91
Later Paul would write
one of his letters to the
00:11:56.11\00:11:58.16
church here and to the
surrounding churches in
00:11:58.17\00:12:00.96
the area of
Galatia dealing with this
00:12:00.97\00:12:03.74
very subject, yes.
The word of the Lord
00:12:03.75\00:12:06.46
spread through the whole region.
00:12:06.47\00:12:08.12
But, the Jews incited
the God-fearing women of
00:12:08.13\00:12:11.68
high standing and the
leading men of the city.
00:12:11.69\00:12:14.20
They stirred up
persecution against
00:12:15.02\00:12:16.91
Paul and Barnabas,
and expelled them from
00:12:16.92\00:12:19.68
their region. Yes,
God moved in a mighty way.
00:12:19.69\00:12:23.89
Jews and gentiles had
accepted the message of
00:12:24.30\00:12:26.98
Jesus as Messiah.
But, the devil stirs up the
00:12:26.99\00:12:31.36
leaders to oppose
this message and they go to
00:12:31.37\00:12:34.49
the leading God
fearers in the city,
00:12:34.50\00:12:36.74
those who prefer
Judaism, but had not been
00:12:36.75\00:12:39.76
committed to Judaism formally.
00:12:39.77\00:12:41.83
They stir them up
and cause them to turn
00:12:41.84\00:12:46.14
against the words
of Paul and Barnabas.
00:12:46.15\00:12:48.29
And then Luke
says, that the work here
00:12:49.30\00:12:51.77
in Pisidian Antioch closed up.
00:12:51.78\00:12:53.97
They were
expelled from the region.
00:12:54.38\00:12:56.84
But, it says, always
been persecution is simply
00:12:56.85\00:13:01.84
the seed of the
gospel. Paul and Barnabas leave
00:13:01.85\00:13:05.85
the city of Pisidian
Antioch and press deeper
00:13:05.86\00:13:08.50
into the Anatolian plateau.
00:13:08.51\00:13:10.47
They would go to
the city of Iconium.
00:13:10.94\00:13:12.93
And there they
would preach the gospel
00:13:12.94\00:13:15.15
in the synagogue.
Yes, Paul and Barnabas had
00:13:15.16\00:13:17.77
met Jesus as their Messiah.
00:13:17.78\00:13:19.76
And their heart was
full to the overflowing
00:13:20.35\00:13:23.89
to share Jesus
with other people.
00:13:23.90\00:13:25.92
We've come here to
the modern city of Konya,
00:13:27.96\00:13:29.99
a city in the central
Anatolian plateau at a
00:13:30.00\00:13:34.59
very high elevation.
This city is surrounded
00:13:34.60\00:13:37.96
by mountains and is
a sprawling metropolis.
00:13:37.97\00:13:41.29
We've come here
because this is the
00:13:42.82\00:13:44.47
ancient city of
Iconium to which Paul and
00:13:44.48\00:13:47.57
Barnabas fled
when they had to leave
00:13:47.58\00:13:50.42
Pisidian Antioch. At Iconium,
00:13:50.43\00:13:53.81
Paul and Barnabas
went as usual into the
00:13:53.82\00:13:55.88
Jewish Synagogue.
There they spoke so
00:13:55.89\00:13:58.43
effectively that a
great number of Jews and
00:13:58.44\00:14:00.88
Gentiles believed.
Yes, Paul and Barnabas came
00:14:00.89\00:14:04.96
to this city and went
to the synagogue as usual.
00:14:04.97\00:14:08.79
They spoke so effectively
that a great number of
00:14:08.80\00:14:11.65
Jews and gentiles
believed here in this city.
00:14:11.66\00:14:14.22
Yes, the cross of
Jesus was planted here in
00:14:15.02\00:14:18.31
ancient Iconium
or modern day Konya.
00:14:18.32\00:14:20.75
The church behind me
is a new testimony to the
00:14:21.38\00:14:24.59
power of the cross
that was established here.
00:14:24.60\00:14:27.59
Christianity took deep root,
00:14:27.60\00:14:29.66
this became a
center of Christianity.
00:14:30.23\00:14:32.48
Unfortunately,
today this center has been
00:14:33.03\00:14:36.55
sub-planted as
a center of Islam.
00:14:36.56\00:14:38.95
Behind me is the
Celtic mosque that dates
00:14:40.30\00:14:43.03
back to the 12th
century. Islam was sub plant
00:14:43.04\00:14:47.46
Christianity in
the city of Iconium,
00:14:47.47\00:14:50.46
today this is a city
of Islam, as can be seen
00:14:50.47\00:14:54.38
by the many,
many mosques scattered
00:14:54.39\00:14:56.52
throughout the city.
This is also the center of
00:14:56.53\00:15:00.33
the whirling dervishes,
world-famous for their
00:15:00.34\00:15:03.78
ability to spin like
tops. But, the church would
00:15:03.79\00:15:10.06
be cross embossed
on one of the stones.
00:15:10.07\00:15:12.73
Is a powerful
testimony of Paul and Barnabas
00:15:12.74\00:15:15.99
coming here and
presenting Jesus.
00:15:16.00\00:15:18.61
"But the Jews who
refused to believe stirred
00:15:19.57\00:15:22.32
up the Gentiles
and poisoned their
00:15:22.33\00:15:24.11
minds against the brothers."
00:15:24.12\00:15:25.94
The Jews again became
very agitated with Paul
00:15:27.12\00:15:30.06
and Barnabas,
they became zealous
00:15:30.07\00:15:32.42
or jealous of
what was taking place,
00:15:32.43\00:15:34.45
as gentiles were
becoming believers.
00:15:34.88\00:15:37.00
So, they poisoned
the minds of the people
00:15:37.46\00:15:39.55
against the message
of Paul and Barnabas.
00:15:39.56\00:15:41.69
"So Paul and Barnabas
spend considerable time
00:15:41.70\00:15:44.29
there, speaking
boldly for the Lord,
00:15:44.30\00:15:46.45
who confirmed the
message of his grace by
00:15:46.46\00:15:48.98
enabling them to
do miraculous signs
00:15:48.99\00:15:51.21
and wonders. The people
of the city were divided:
00:15:51.22\00:15:54.10
some sided with the Jews,
00:15:54.11\00:15:55.84
others with the
apostles. There was a plot afoot
00:15:55.85\00:15:58.71
among the Gentiles
and Jews to gather with
00:15:58.72\00:16:01.48
their leaders, to
mistreat them and stone them.
00:16:01.49\00:16:04.42
But they found out
about it and fled to the
00:16:05.28\00:16:07.12
Lycaonian cities of
Lystra and Derbe and to
00:16:07.13\00:16:09.89
the surrounding
country, where they continue to
00:16:09.90\00:16:12.11
preach the good news.
" What a thrilling story!
00:16:12.12\00:16:14.94
They came, they
preached, they stayed here for
00:16:15.47\00:16:17.48
quite a while,
many people became
00:16:17.49\00:16:19.59
converts to the
message, both Jews and gentiles.
00:16:19.60\00:16:22.46
But, then they
heard, that there was a
00:16:22.96\00:16:24.35
plot afoot to take
their lives, to stone them,
00:16:24.36\00:16:27.48
and so they slipped
away and went out to
00:16:27.49\00:16:29.81
the wide frontier
lands of Lycaonia,
00:16:29.82\00:16:32.28
to the cities of
Lystra and Derbe,
00:16:32.29\00:16:34.98
where almost an
amazing story takes place.
00:16:34.99\00:16:38.36
We've now come from
Iconium out to the ancient
00:16:45.35\00:16:49.88
Tell of Lystra. In
ancient times this was
00:16:49.89\00:16:54.16
in the region of Lycaonia.
00:16:54.17\00:16:56.35
It's a beautiful
farming area, very isolated,
00:16:57.50\00:17:01.84
surrounded by a
river and very picturesque.
00:17:01.85\00:17:06.21
We had a very difficult
time finding this Tell,
00:17:07.28\00:17:09.88
but when we finally
identified this site,
00:17:09.89\00:17:12.37
we began to see
potsherds, everywhere there are
00:17:12.38\00:17:14.80
potsherds. Here's
some that we just happen to
00:17:14.81\00:17:17.78
find just laying
right around where we we're
00:17:17.79\00:17:19.67
doing this shoot and
here you can see some of the
00:17:19.68\00:17:22.38
pot-handles and
bigger pieces of pottery and
00:17:22.39\00:17:26.29
edges of pottery
obviously from more of a on
00:17:26.30\00:17:28.99
earth and wear jug
that would probably go into
00:17:29.00\00:17:31.82
the ground to hold
grain. So this is a Tell,
00:17:31.83\00:17:34.49
an excavated Tell,
very, very interesting,
00:17:34.50\00:17:37.52
you can see the
conical shape of it,
00:17:37.53\00:17:39.32
you can see how the
city walls would have gone
00:17:39.33\00:17:41.70
around the outer walls
out here and they would
00:17:41.71\00:17:44.35
have been a upper
wall up above and a very
00:17:44.36\00:17:48.44
delightful setting,
very delightful place.
00:17:48.45\00:17:50.83
Paul and Barnabas
left Iconium when they
00:17:50.84\00:17:54.20
discovered that there
was a plot afoot between
00:17:54.21\00:17:56.44
the Jews and
gentiles, who are the leaders of
00:17:56.45\00:17:59.02
the city to stone
Paul. They came out here
00:17:59.03\00:18:02.27
into the countryside
and to the wild frontier of
00:18:02.28\00:18:05.62
Lycaonian and here
they had a wonderful
00:18:05.63\00:18:08.27
reception, here they
preached the good news
00:18:08.28\00:18:10.95
that Jesus was the Messiah.
00:18:10.96\00:18:12.90
People's hearts were
opened and God did many
00:18:12.91\00:18:15.92
miraculous signs
here. One of the signs took
00:18:15.93\00:18:19.31
place when Paul saw
a crippled man who was
00:18:19.32\00:18:22.23
listening. He
looks at him and said
00:18:22.24\00:18:24.31
"Stand up on your feet, man,"
00:18:24.32\00:18:26.27
and the man jumped
up. The people were amazed
00:18:26.28\00:18:30.03
when this happened.
The people said the Gods
00:18:30.04\00:18:33.32
have come down
among us in human form.
00:18:33.33\00:18:36.28
And they began to
declare this in the Lycaonian
00:18:37.26\00:18:39.94
dialect that Paul
and Barnabas could
00:18:39.95\00:18:42.49
not understand.
It's an amazing story,
00:18:42.50\00:18:46.14
you see the temple
of Zeus was located just
00:18:46.82\00:18:50.04
outside the city
gates. And there was a long
00:18:50.05\00:18:53.57
history with this city
concerning Zeus and Hermes
00:18:53.58\00:18:59.85
coming to visit
it. According to local
00:18:59.86\00:19:03.02
tradition Zeus and
Hermes came in human form
00:19:03.03\00:19:06.55
and went through the
city and no one would give
00:19:06.56\00:19:09.27
them food or
lodging. They were shunned by
00:19:09.28\00:19:13.08
everyone except for an
elderly couple who invited
00:19:13.09\00:19:17.15
them into their
humble home and shared their
00:19:17.16\00:19:19.65
meal with them and
gave them a place to sleep.
00:19:19.66\00:19:22.45
The next morning
the two Gods identified
00:19:22.46\00:19:25.32
themselves as Hermes and Zeus.
00:19:25.33\00:19:27.29
The couple was
stunned, they were shocked.
00:19:27.77\00:19:30.07
And then they took
the couple by the hand and
00:19:30.75\00:19:32.82
went up to a high
ridge overlooking the city
00:19:32.83\00:19:35.60
and watched as
the floodwater came
00:19:35.61\00:19:38.28
sweeping through this
area and swept away all
00:19:38.29\00:19:41.52
of the huts, except for one,
00:19:41.53\00:19:43.97
the older couple's
home was preserved.
00:19:44.32\00:19:47.65
Their home had been
transformed according to
00:19:48.21\00:19:50.41
the tradition into the
very temple of Zeus that
00:19:50.42\00:19:52.91
stood here in Paul's
day. The couple became the
00:19:52.92\00:19:56.40
priest of Zeus in that
temple and when they died,
00:19:56.41\00:20:01.50
the tradition
said they became trees,
00:20:01.51\00:20:04.29
planted by the
river. The stumps of which
00:20:04.30\00:20:07.29
according to the
tradition were still
00:20:07.30\00:20:09.56
visible in Paul's
day. And so this story was
00:20:09.57\00:20:13.85
deep in the psyche of
the local people here.
00:20:13.86\00:20:16.77
And when the word
went out that the Gods had
00:20:17.39\00:20:19.53
come down in human
form they literally thought
00:20:19.54\00:20:22.48
that Zeus and
Hermes had returned.
00:20:22.49\00:20:24.66
They thought that
Barnabas was Zeus and Paul was
00:20:25.15\00:20:28.01
Hermes because he was
the principal spokesman.
00:20:28.02\00:20:30.29
All of this
discussion however was going on
00:20:31.57\00:20:33.85
in the Lycaonian
dialect. Paul and Barnabas
00:20:33.86\00:20:37.40
do not
understand what's going on.
00:20:37.41\00:20:38.93
The whole crowd of
the town comes together
00:20:39.35\00:20:42.66
and soon the priest of
Zeus comes with oxen and
00:20:42.67\00:20:46.97
garlands of flowers
to set apart Paul and
00:20:46.98\00:20:51.25
Barnabas as Zeus and
Hermes and to sacrifices
00:20:51.26\00:20:54.26
to them. When Paul and Barnabas
00:20:54.27\00:20:56.74
finally get drift was
going on, Paul says no,
00:20:56.75\00:20:59.44
you can't do this.
We're just men like you are.
00:20:59.45\00:21:02.30
You can't sacrifices
to us, we worship the God
00:21:02.31\00:21:05.63
who sends the rain
and lets the crops grow.
00:21:05.64\00:21:07.66
Who blesses you day by day.
00:21:07.67\00:21:10.43
We're just His
servants, we're not Gods.
00:21:10.44\00:21:13.00
The crown was
offended, they were deeply
00:21:14.09\00:21:16.80
disappointed. It took
all that Paul and Barnabas
00:21:16.81\00:21:19.62
could do to prevent
them from sacrificing
00:21:19.63\00:21:22.54
to them. Soon the
Jewish mischief-makers from
00:21:22.55\00:21:28.34
Antioch and from
Iconium made their way out to
00:21:28.35\00:21:34.94
the isolated
frontier town here at Lystra.
00:21:34.95\00:21:37.74
They stirred up the
people and turned many people
00:21:38.38\00:21:41.95
against Paul and
Barnabas. In a moment of
00:21:41.96\00:21:45.35
terrible anger and mob
mentality Paul was taken
00:21:45.36\00:21:51.82
and stoned. And
then brought outside the
00:21:51.83\00:21:55.04
city and left for
dead. As I walked around
00:21:55.05\00:21:59.26
this Tell, I've looked
down and seen many stones.
00:21:59.27\00:22:03.11
And as I walk by and
see these stones I wonder
00:22:03.69\00:22:06.34
could this be the
stone, could this be one of the
00:22:06.35\00:22:10.27
stones that they threw at Paul,
00:22:10.28\00:22:12.85
thinking that it
would cause his death?
00:22:14.21\00:22:15.85
Yes, the site is
littered with stones,
00:22:16.47\00:22:18.29
Paul was stoned,
brought out and left
00:22:19.20\00:22:21.98
for dead outside the city gates.
00:22:21.99\00:22:24.39
Luke tells us that a
few of the disciples came
00:22:25.01\00:22:28.34
and ministered
to him and took him
00:22:28.35\00:22:30.89
into their home. I
wonder who they were.
00:22:30.90\00:22:34.99
I suspect that some
of them had to be Eunice
00:22:36.14\00:22:41.34
and Lois and their son Timothy.
00:22:41.35\00:22:45.45
This special family
would become tied closely to
00:22:46.15\00:22:50.02
Paul's heart in the future.
00:22:50.03\00:22:52.11
This would be the
first time that Paul would
00:22:53.23\00:22:55.20
meet Timothy, a
person that he would
00:22:55.21\00:22:58.00
invite to journey with
him when he passed through
00:22:58.01\00:23:00.64
this city on his
second missionary journey.
00:23:00.65\00:23:03.06
Paul and Timothy would
form a deep and enduring
00:23:03.93\00:23:06.56
friendship. Paul
would write two letters that
00:23:06.57\00:23:09.53
are in the New
Testament to his son in
00:23:09.54\00:23:11.59
the gospel, Timothy. And yes,
00:23:11.60\00:23:13.91
he was from this
village. His father was a Greek,
00:23:13.92\00:23:17.71
his mother was a
Jew. Later Paul would
00:23:18.38\00:23:21.04
circumcise him and
take him with him and he
00:23:21.05\00:23:24.15
became his special assistant.
00:23:24.16\00:23:26.10
Paul and Barnabas were
cared for by the disciples
00:23:28.83\00:23:33.09
that night and then
Luke simply says that next
00:23:33.10\00:23:35.99
day they left
and walked to Derbe.
00:23:36.00\00:23:38.82
Derbe was about 30
miles east of Lystra,
00:23:39.53\00:23:42.71
another frontier
town out in the Lycaonian
00:23:42.72\00:23:45.87
wilderness. And
there they found an
00:23:46.67\00:23:49.38
open reception,
peoples hearts were
00:23:49.39\00:23:52.39
open to the gospel.
As far as we know no
00:23:52.40\00:23:56.07
persecution
developed and a great number
00:23:56.08\00:23:58.49
of people became
believers in Derbe.
00:23:58.50\00:24:01.08
In the area of
Derbe today there are over
00:24:02.36\00:24:05.24
1001 ruins of
churches. That means that there
00:24:05.25\00:24:11.22
are over 1001
churches planted right
00:24:11.23\00:24:15.17
around the little town of Derbe.
00:24:15.18\00:24:17.77
After planting the
churches in Antioch
00:24:20.00\00:24:23.50
of Pisidia,
Iconium, Derbe and Lystra.
00:24:23.51\00:24:26.96
Paul and Barnabas
retraced their steps,
00:24:27.63\00:24:30.12
appointing elders in
each of the churches as
00:24:30.13\00:24:33.04
they revisited
them. Then they would have
00:24:33.05\00:24:35.56
walked back down this
ancient road to Perga.
00:24:35.57\00:24:40.22
And then encouraged
the disciples there and
00:24:40.95\00:24:43.68
we can imagine again
appointing elders and
00:24:43.69\00:24:45.60
church leaders and
then walking over through
00:24:45.61\00:24:48.14
the major harbor,
Attalia. Today Attalia is known
00:24:48.15\00:24:53.65
as Antalya. It's a
beautiful picturesque
00:24:53.66\00:24:57.53
harbor town on the
South Western coast of Turkey.
00:24:57.54\00:25:01.15
Ships still use
the ancient port,
00:25:02.23\00:25:05.33
taking their traffic out to sea.
00:25:06.71\00:25:08.95
This port today as you
can see is mostly filled
00:25:09.68\00:25:12.30
with yachts and pleasure boats,
00:25:12.31\00:25:14.85
not vessels of commerce,
for Antalya today seems
00:25:14.86\00:25:19.77
to be more of a
seaside resort then a major
00:25:19.78\00:25:23.01
commercial center.
Paul and Barnabas visited
00:25:23.02\00:25:27.56
the disciples in Perga
and then walked over to
00:25:27.57\00:25:31.26
the major seaport of Attalia.
00:25:31.27\00:25:34.51
Luke simply describes
that here they caught a
00:25:35.27\00:25:37.42
ship and headed back to Antioch.
00:25:37.43\00:25:40.56
The two men were
tired from the journey they
00:25:41.97\00:25:43.96
had taken. Luke
notes that at the end of
00:25:43.97\00:25:46.27
Acts chapter 14 and verse 28,
00:25:46.28\00:25:49.20
"And they stayed
there a long time with
00:25:49.21\00:25:51.52
the disciples." They
were doubtless tired and
00:25:51.53\00:25:55.23
weary from the
journey that they had taken.
00:25:55.24\00:25:57.19
They've walked many
miles, they had traveled
00:25:57.90\00:26:00.03
hundred of miles by ship.
00:26:00.04\00:26:01.84
They were tired and
weary. Now they came back to
00:26:01.85\00:26:05.68
their home base to
rest and rejoice in the good
00:26:05.69\00:26:09.11
news of what God had
done among the gentiles.
00:26:09.12\00:26:12.05
They were rejoicing in
the sweetness of seeing
00:26:12.96\00:26:15.60
entire communities
turn from death to life.
00:26:15.61\00:26:19.34
They were rejoicing in
seeing the gospel of Jesus
00:26:20.02\00:26:24.37
Christ planted in new areas.
00:26:24.38\00:26:26.70
Yes, it had been a
tremendous experience.
00:26:27.59\00:26:29.59
A phenomenal
moving of the Holy Spirit.
00:26:29.60\00:26:32.03
The church
rejoiced here at Antioch,
00:26:32.44\00:26:34.22
Paul and
Barnabas were rejoicing,
00:26:34.60\00:26:36.30
but the old
devil was threatened.
00:26:36.92\00:26:39.07
He was angry, he was
upset and he stirs up a
00:26:39.41\00:26:43.39
new controversy
shortly after they arrived back
00:26:43.40\00:26:47.92
here in Antioch.
That would be the focus
00:26:47.93\00:26:50.62
of our next chapter
in this thrilling series:
00:26:50.63\00:26:54.28
The Footsteps Of
Paul, as we look at how the
00:26:54.29\00:26:57.77
Christian church
emerges and develops.
00:26:57.78\00:27:01.47
Let's pray together.
Father, we thank you so
00:27:01.48\00:27:04.33
much for the faith of
people here in Antioch
00:27:04.34\00:27:08.31
that set apart Saul
and Barnabas in response to
00:27:08.32\00:27:13.73
the moving impressions
of the Holy Spirit and
00:27:13.74\00:27:16.51
sent them to distant
cities and provinces of
00:27:16.52\00:27:20.80
the empire to proclaim
the good news of Jesus.
00:27:20.81\00:27:24.19
Lord, we thank you for
the faithfulness of Saul
00:27:24.77\00:27:27.77
and Barnabas who were
willing to follow wherever
00:27:27.78\00:27:30.33
you led. Whether
it was down to a ship
00:27:30.34\00:27:33.06
to sail to
Cyprus, to sail to Perga,
00:27:33.07\00:27:35.90
whether it was to
walk up those high mountain
00:27:35.91\00:27:39.42
passes into Pisidia
and across to Galatia,
00:27:39.43\00:27:42.89
they were
faithful whatever it meant.
00:27:42.90\00:27:45.16
Lord Jesus, by your grace,
00:27:45.59\00:27:47.28
enable us also to be faithful,
00:27:47.29\00:27:49.51
to follow in your
footsteps wherever
00:27:49.52\00:27:52.02
you lead, we pray
in Jesus name, amen.
00:27:52.03\00:27:55.65
Don't miss the next
thrilling chapter in this
00:27:56.32\00:27:59.22
series as we examine
how the Christian church
00:27:59.23\00:28:02.75
emerges from the
shadows of Judaism.
00:28:02.76\00:28:06.49