A Tale of Three Cities

In one paragraph

Pastor Ray walked through Acts 14, tracing Paul and Barnabas across three cities: Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. The throughline was the same gospel carried into every place, welcomed by some, violently opposed by others, and never abandoned by the messengers. The service closed with the Lord's Supper, framed by that same message. In Iconium, Paul and Barnabas entered the synagogue and presented...

Read together

1. 1 Chronicles (unspecified verse) Opening call to worship: 'give the Lord the glory he deserves'
2. Revelation 12:11 We overcome the enemy by the blood of the lamb and by the word of our testimony
3. Acts 14:1-28 Main sermon text covering Iconium, Lystra and Derbe
4. John 16:33 In this world you will have trouble, Jesus said
5. Hebrews 10:24 Contrasted with the negative word for stirring up: stir one another up into love and good works
6. Mark 16:15 The great commission: go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation
7. Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore, make disciples of all the nations, baptize them, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you
8. Psalm 19:1-4 The heavens tell of the glory of God, their expanse declares the work of his hands
9. Romans 1:20 God's invisible attributes clearly perceived through creation, so we are without excuse
10. Matthew 5:43-48 Love your enemies, he causes his sun to rise on evil and good, be perfect as God is perfect
11. 1 Corinthians 11:26 Every time we take communion we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes again
12. John 16:33 These things I have spoken so that in me you may have peace, in the world you will have trouble
13. Numbers 6:24-26 Benediction: may the Lord bless and keep you, make his face to shine upon you

Talk about it

1. Paul and Barnabas kept returning to the synagogue first, presenting Jesus to people who already had the law and the prophets. Who in your own life has the most background to recognize the gospel, and how does that shape how you talk with them about Jesus?
2. The pastor pointed out that the Greek word translated 'stirred up' always carries a negative sense, meaning to arouse or excite people against something. Where have you seen the gospel draw a hard line between people, and how did you respond when that happened to you?
3. When the crowd at Lystra started worshiping Paul and Barnabas as gods, the two men tore their robes and immediately redirected everything to God. What does that response look like in ordinary life, when people give you more credit than God for something good that happened?
4. Paul told the people of Lystra that God had never left himself without a witness, pointing to rain and harvests and fruitful seasons. What evidence of God's general revelation do you find hardest to miss where you live, and how often do you actually name it as God's work?
5. After being stoned and left for dead in Lystra, Paul got up and went back into the city, and then returned to Lystra and Iconium on the way home to strengthen the new believers there. He told them it is through many tribulations that we enter the kingdom of God. How does that honest expectation of hardship change the way you share the gospel or disciple someone who is new to faith?