Acts 14:1-7
In your youthful idealism, for what social, political or religious causes were you willing to "go to the mat," if need be? Did you ever have to?
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- With whom are you teaming up to make a difference? Who is your ministry partner?
- How does Paul and Barnabas' experience in Iconium differ from their experience in Antioch? How is it similar?
- What features of the first-century world contributed to the spread of the gospel? Today?
- What is the purpose of signs and wonders here (see also 6:8)? Why are the people divided (v. 4)?
- What are some assumptions about God or gods, miracles, creation, morality, the nature of man, etc. that your friends hold? Which of those beliefs are barriers to understanding and believing the gospel? How can you help them rethink those assumptions?
- From the following verses, summarize the key features of Paul’s missionary strategy on this trip: 13:14, 46; 14:1-6, 21-23. Why was each element important?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- Seeing Paul and Barnabas' courage, faith and endurance, how are you challenged to serve the Lord more completely?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
Document for DBS
Series: Immeasurably More “Revival & Revolution in Acts”
It sometimes takes something big and extraordinary to get
our attention. In the book of Acts, we see God establish and unleash the
Church, and change the world forever! With just a handful of eyewitnesses and a
powerful story, God did more than anyone could’ve imagined. And He still does
today. It’s time to open your eyes and see God do immeasurably more than you
can ask or imagine.
Title: “Get Back Up” (Acts 14:1-22)
Bookmark: Click Here
Opening
Thoughts: When you
get knocked down, you have a choice. Will you let opposition and disappointment
keep you down, or will you get back up and let God use your story as a powerful
testimony for Jesus?
v
Prayer: God, help us dare to imagine what you can do, and give us the
faith to see when you do it.
Ø Ray Caldwell
§ How Do you respond when you get knocked down?
§ John 16:33 “In this world you will have trouble...”
===============================================================
Text: Acts 14:1-22
In Iconium
14 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as
usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great
number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who
refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds
against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent
considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the
message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. 4 The
people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the
apostles. 5 There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and
Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6 But
they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe
and to the surrounding country, 7 where they continued to preach the
gospel.
In Lystra and Derbe
8 In Lystra there sat a man who was lame.
He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9 He
listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he
had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your
feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.
11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done,
they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human
form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called
Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of
Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the
city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul
heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting:
15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human,
like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these
worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the
sea and everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all
nations go their own way. 17 Yet he has not left himself
without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and
crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your
hearts with joy.” 18 Even with these words, they had
difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.
19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and
Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the
city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had
gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and
Barnabas left for Derbe.
The Return to Antioch in Syria
21 They preached the gospel in that city
and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and
Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them
to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the
kingdom of God,” they said.
===============================================================
Summarize the
main story: Describe the
events of the story in your own words.
·
Review and
retell the story.
Reflections
for applications:
v Acts 14:1-19
Ø How would you feel?
v Acts 14:20 But after the disciples had gathered around him,
he got up and went back
into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
v Acts 14:21-22 They preached the gospel in
that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra,
Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to
remain true to the faith. “We
must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
v Responses:
Ø It’s easier to stand back up when you have support
Ø We are not always protected from pain
Ø We can’t assume God is inactive when we suffer
v Acts 14:27 On arriving there, they gathered the church
together and reported all
that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to
the Gentiles.
Ø It wasn’t about what God did for him; it was about what God did through
him
Ø John 16:33 “In this world you will have
trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.”
Challenge
to say this prayer throughout the series: “God, help
us dare to imagine what you can do, and give us the faith to see when you do
it.”
==============================
Digging
Questions:
·
How will you respond to God’s “Revival”? What
transformative move needs to be made?
·
What do these biblical texts tell you
about God and His nature?
·
What is God calling us (me and you
individually) to do?
Take Away
Challenges
·
What has the
Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life
this week?
·
Whom do you
know who needs to hear this?
·
What is God bringing to your attention
in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts or actions need to be addressed or
changed?
Hashtags #Unbelievable #God #Spirit #Recover #Standup #Suffering
Sunday sermon link https://youtu.be/EvVI4wydPXk
Kevin’s Blog Link to more resources: Click here for Kevin’s Blog Notes
Comments and
resources with some more
resources:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+14%3A1-22&version=NIV
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