Acts 14: Paul and Barnabas Continue On

Alongside our Sunday teachings, we’re keeping things simple. We’ll be reading through the book of Acts, featuring the many unique voices of the ClearView Church congregation. Each week, we’ll release two chapters, followed by a few reflection questions.

In this  episode, you’ll hear a brief introduction from Pastor Phil, followed by a reading of Acts 14 and some reflection questions from one of the youth  our congregation.

Read along with the following reflection:

Notice how God might be speaking to you through his Word. Dwell on a word or phrase that jumps out at you. Let your heart respond to God in prayer. Take refreshment in God’s presence.

Faith Matters is a ministry of Clearview Church, Oakville, On.
https://clearviewchurch.com/

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:11

You are listening to the Faith Matters Podcast from Clearview Church, where we explore everyday faith in a complex world. Our goal is to strengthen and equip followers of Jesus just like you through practical and theological discussions and resources. In this season of the podcast, we're diving deeper into the practices of prayer and study. Each week, we'll release two episodes featuring voices from our congregation reading a chapter from the book of Acts, along with a few reflection questions. Each episode will begin with a short introduction to help set the context of the passage. As you listen, we encourage you to go slow. There will be built-in pauses with gentle background music, giving you space to reflect and wonder about what you're hearing. You might choose to follow along in your Bible or use a Bible app as the passage is read aloud. Above all, invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you and reveal what you need from the text. Now, onto the book of Acts and the passage of the day.

SPEAKER_00 1:28

Acts 13 is a pretty exciting chapter marking the beginning of Paul's missionary journeys with the Spirit sending out Barnabas and Saul from Antioch. And they move from synagogue to synagogue, island to island, preaching Jesus as the promised fulfillment of God's story. They face resistance, but there's also a real breakthrough. Saul begins to emerge as Paul. And the gospel is no longer just moving. Chapter 14 now shows us it's advancing farther and farther than anyone would have thought.

SPEAKER_01 2:03

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. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So Paul and Barnabas went a considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. The people of the city were divided, some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. But they found out about it and fled to the Lyconian cities of Leestra and Derby and to the surrounding country, where they continued to preach the gospel. In Leistra, there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed, and called out, Stand up on your feet. At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Laconian language, The gods have come down to us in human form. Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreats to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, 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. In the past, he let all nations go out their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony. He has showed kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their season. He provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy. Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowds from sacrificing to them. Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Apal and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 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 Derby. They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. There they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 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. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for each of them in each church, and with prayer and fasting committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. After going to Basidia, they came into the Pamphylia, and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to the Attilia. From Attilia, they sailed down to the Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 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 the faith to the Gentiles. And they stayed there a long time with the disciples. Notice how God might be speaking to you through his word. Dwell on a word or phrase that jumps out at you. Let your heart respond to God in prayer. Take refreshment in God's presence.

SPEAKER_02 6:13

Thank you for listening to the Faith Matters podcast. We hope this time has helped you slow down and create space to hear from God. Join us again for our next episode as we continue through the Book of Acts together. Go in peace and may you continue to grow your life with Christ.