Two Small Fish
February
11, 2006
Bible
Study:
Acts Chapter 14
The
Truth of the Gospel Causes Division
Introduction:
Presenting the gospel to Jews
and Gentiles, Paul and Barnabas traveled to Iconium. There the unbelieving
Jews stirred up the Gentiles causing the city to be divided. Some sided with
the Jews and some with the apostles.
Effective
preaching divides nations, communities, and families. Jesus said, “Do
not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to
bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34 NIV) In the following
verses, Jesus specifies the contention He will cause between family members.
Core
of the Lesson:
Verses five and six reveal a conspiracy against Paul and Barnabas,
which moved them to Lystra, Derbe, and the region about Lycaonia.
While preaching, Paul noticed a paraplegic man sitting among the crowd.
The Holy Spirit spoke to Paul and opened his eyes to the man’s faith. Paul
shouted to him, “Stand upright on your feet.” Obviously, Paul was not
standing close enough to touch the man or he wouldn’t have shouted. The Holy
Spirit prepared the man for his healing or he wouldn’t have known that Paul
was speaking to him. He wouldn’t have jumped up and walked either.
The Bible indicates the use of oil and laying on of hands when praying
for the sick. However, this incident reminds us that God is not limited to any
formula or method. All that is required is faith and obedience.
The
Bible’s historical accuracy is evident in the following verses.
Through other works of antiquity know these people did worship
the gods Jupiter and Mercurius. (Mercury)
Archeological discoveries confirm the accuracy of the Bible.
Specialists have discovered that names of place and people turn up at the
right places and in the right periods. They now use the Bible to find out
where to dig.
There are more manuscripts to back up the New Testament than any
other ancient work.
24,286
Manuscripts support the New Testament
643 Support Homer’s Iliad
10 Back up Caesar’s Gallic Wars
3
Back up Plato.
The
crowd misinterpreted the cause of the man’s healing and desired to worship
the “gods” among them. If Paul and Barnabas had accepted the praise and
worship of the people of Lystra, they would not have been from God. True
messengers of God, whether supernatural or human, refuse praise and worship.
They direct all adoration to Jesus Christ the One who is worthy to be praised.
John confessed in Revelation 19:10, “At this
I fell at his feet [an angel] to worship
him. But he said to me, ‘Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and
with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the
testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’” (Also see
Revelation 22:9 NIV.)
John taught, “Dear friends, do not
believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God,
because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can
recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ
has con in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge
Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have
heard is coming and even now is already in the world.” (I John
4:1-3 NIV).
Paul and Barnabas passed the test. They used the incident to present
the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pointing out the sin of idolatry, Paul introduces
the citizens of Lycaonia to the living God.
The apostles knew and preached: