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Word on Fire! Charismatic Retreat talks in Malayalam

പ്രാർത്ഥനക്ക് ഉത്തരമുണ്ട്, ഏശയ്യ 65/24 - Sr. Carmel Neelamkavil

വിശുദ്ധരുടെ പാഠപുസ്തകം - Sr. Carmel Neelamkavil

ആദ്ധ്യാത്മീക ജീവിതങ്ങളെ തളര്‍ത്തുന്ന കാര്യങ്ങള്‍ - Fr. Joseph Anthiyamkulam

യേശു ക്രിസ്തുവിൽ നീ മരിച്ചോ - Fr. Adarsh Kumbalathu

ഇയ്യോബിന്റെ പുസ്തകം, അധ്യായം 28 - Sr. Ann Maria

Malayalam Retreat Talks

The latest podcast feed searching 'C. H. Spurgeon' on SermonAudio.

A new MP3 sermon from The Narrated Puritan is now available on SermonAudio with the following details:

Title: Good News To The Saddest of the Sad
Subtitle: The Narrated Puritan - T M S
Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon
Broadcaster: The Narrated Puritan
Event: Audio Book
Date: 11/13/2022
Bible: Exodus 6:9
Length: 31 min.

Good News To The Saddest of the Sad

A new MP3 sermon from The Narrated Puritan is now available on SermonAudio with the following details:

Title: True Prayer! True Power! Praying With Expectation
Subtitle: The Narrated Puritan - T M S
Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon
Broadcaster: The Narrated Puritan
Event: Audio Book
Date: 11/11/2022
Length: 20 min.

True Prayer! True Power! Praying With Expectation

A new MP3 sermon from Grace Sermon Podcast is now available on SermonAudio with the following details:

Title: Christ Manifesting Himself to His People
Subtitle: Spurgeon on Election
Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon
Broadcaster: Grace Sermon Podcast
Event: Podcast
Date: 11/11/2022
Bible: John 14:22
Length: 43 min.

Christ Manifesting Himself to His People

A new MP3 sermon from The Narrated Puritan is now available on SermonAudio with the following details:

Title: Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul
Subtitle: The Treasury of David
Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon
Broadcaster: The Narrated Puritan
Event: Audio Book
Date: 11/10/2022
Length: 20 min.

Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul

A new MP3 sermon from The Narrated Puritan is now available on SermonAudio with the following details:

Title: Charles Spurgeon's Literary and Writing-Autobiography
Subtitle: The Narrated Puritan - T M S
Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon
Broadcaster: The Narrated Puritan
Event: Sunday Service
Date: 11/7/2022
Length: 25 min.

Charles Spurgeon's Literary and Writing-Autobiography

C. H. Spurgeon on SermonAudio

NorthPoint Church is located in Johnston, a suburb of Des Moines, IA. Our mission is to cultivate communities of grace and truth. For more information about us, please visit our website: www.northpointdsm.com

King David is likely the most well-known king in Israelite history, a warrior, and a man after God's own heart. But do you realize he was actually an underdog, too? This Sunday, we'll look at what made him an underdog and see three things we can learn from his status as one that apply to us, too. 

Fighting Distraction

This week's message is a story of political power and leadership - from the Old Testament, not current American politics! Join us to see what the Israelites thought would help them escape underdog status and why things are really not that different today. The story reveals four things we need to be aware of - things the Israelites missed when they demanded a king. 

We Want a King

Most of us have never heard an audible voice from God. That's not the case for this week's underdog, Samuel. Join us as we read about God calling the boy who became Israel's last judge and first prophet. We'll see what it was in Samuel - and us - that makes God choose to use certain people for His purposes. 

Who God Uses

If you've ever waited and waited for something you've wanted more than anything, you have an idea of how Hannah felt when we pick up her story in I Samuel. Join us as we see three reasons Hannah was an underdog in her culture and what she turned to in the midst of her bitter longing. Then learn five things to take away from Hannah when you are the underdog.

Hannah: The Peace Filled Underdog

Ever seen the movie Hoosiers, Rudy, Remember the Titans, or Miracle? Ever watched March Madness basketball? If you answered yes, you know what it looks like to root for the underdog. While it may be fun to cheer for one, no one really wants to be the underdog themselves. But this Sunday, we'll look at why it sometimes is the best place for us to be in life. Join us as we kick off our summer series Underdogs.

We Are Underdogs

NorthPoint Church DSM

When we look on social media, we see professing Christians debating theology, but often they are more defensive than loving.  Christians of all people should be able to discuss our theological differences with love and charity. We should be able to discuss our differences, knowing that we must repre...

Theology Throw Down episode 35
The Christian Podcast Community podcasters discuss Christians doing martial arts and yoga. Topics discussed:

Is there an Eastern spiritual element to martial arts?
Is there an Eastern spiritual element to yoga?
Can Christians practice martial arts?
Can Christians practice Yoga?
Can/should Christians watch martial arts?


 
Resources mentioned:
A Crash Course in Yoga by Mama Bear Apologetics.
Do Christians have the right of physical-self defense?

This podcast is a ministry of Striving for Eternity and all our resources
Listen to other podcasts on the Christian Podcast Community
Support Striving for Eternity
Give us your feedback, email us info@StrivingForEternity.com

Martial Arts and Yoga

Theology Throw Down episode 34 This episode covers the purpose of church. The topics covered are:
Why should we gather together?

What does it mean to gather?

Can we do all the “one-another’s” of the Bible without gathering?

What is the purpose of church?

What is church?


 
 This podcast is a ministry of Striving for Eternity and all our resources 
 Listen to other podcasts on the Christian Podcast Community 
 Support Striving for Eternity 
 Give us your feedback, email us info@StrivingForEternity.com

The Purpose of Church

Theology Throw Down episode 33
The Christian Podcast Community gets together for a lively discussion about Alister Begg and same-sex marriages.
Some topics are:
Can a Christian attend a same-sex wedding?
Is that even a wedding?
When does Christian liberty become a watershed issue?
Should Alister Begg now be marked and avoided or not?
This podcast is a ministry of Striving for Eternity and all our resources
Listen to other podcasts on the Christian Podcast Community
Support Striving for Eternity
Give us your feedback, email us info@StrivingForEternity.com

Alister Begg and Same-Sex Marriages

Theology Throw Down episode 32
The team discusses different Christmas traditions.

This podcast is a ministry of Striving for Eternity and all our resources
Listen to other podcasts on the Christian Podcast Community
Support Striving for Eternity
Give us your feedback, email us info@StrivingForEternity.com

Christmas Traditions

Theology Throw Down Episode 31
The topic is the current situation between Israel and Hamas

This podcast is a ministry of Striving for Eternity and all our resources
Listen to other podcasts on the Christian Podcast Community
Support Striving for Eternity
Give us your feedback, email us info@StrivingForEternity.com

A Christian View of Israel and Hamas

Theology Throw Down

First Baptist Church exists to develop disciples who love God, love the church, and love others. Find out more at www.bartow.church.

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I have a lemon tree that I planted back in 2020. It looked something like this when I planted it. Now, it looks something like this. Some of you can’t even see it. There it is.



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The reason it looks so pitiful is because it has not received the proper nourishment. There’s really not someone looking after it well. I haven’t let it die, but I haven’t really helped it thrive.



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Today, as we start a summer series called “The Psalms of Summer,” we’re going to start at the very beginning, Psalm 1.



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Psalm 1 helps us see how a person thrives in this life. It shows us two ways: one way that leads to having a life like my lemon tree, and the other that leads to a life of a tree that looks something like this.



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Today’s sermon is entitled “The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked.”



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Let’s pray together before we go any further.



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(prayer)



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Ok, let’s look at Psalm 1 now and then, we’ll see what we can learn together:



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1 How happy is the one who does not



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walk in the advice of the wicked



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or stand in the pathway with sinners



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or sit in the company of mockers!



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2 Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,



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and he meditates on it day and night.



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3 He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams



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that bears its fruit in its season and whose leaf does not wither.



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Whatever he does prospers.



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4 The wicked are not like this;



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instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away.



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5 Therefore the wicked will not stand up in the judgment,



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nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.



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6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,



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but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.



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What I love about this psalm is that it is very clear and simple. It shows two ways and the results of those two ways.



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So, let’s look at these ways.



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First, we should . . .



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‌I. Avoid the way of wickedness.



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Look at verse 1 again:



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1 How happy is the one who does not



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walk in the advice of the wicked



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or stand in the pathway with sinners



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or sit in the company of mockers!



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Ok, let’s pay attention to the elements of this verse.



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First, we see that this person is happy. Many of your translations say blessed.



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The Hebrew term used here is ashre, which means privileged or happy.



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So, this is not a financial or physical blessings. Rather, this blessing is a fulfilling joy that comes to someone when they avoid wickedness.



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Fulfilling happiness comes to those who avoid wickedness.



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Notice that the psalm gives three different descriptors of the way of evil: The advice of the wicked, the pathway with sinners, and the company of mockers.



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We are happy when we do not walk in the advice of the wicked. That is, we don’t listen to the advice of the wicked. We don’t allow our minds to be affected by the wicked.



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Second, we are happy or blessed when we don’t stand in the pathway with sinners. We are not to be on the same path as a sinner. That is, we are not to act like sinners. We should not allow our behavior to be sinful.



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Third, we are happy when we do not sit in the company of mockers. Mockers are those who celebrate sin and hate righteousness. To sit in the company of someone means to hangout or identify with them. Our identify ought not to be associated with sin or sinners.



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So, we should avoid wickedness in these three ways:



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We should protect our mind from sin, . . .



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we should avoid sinful behavior, and . . .



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we should not be identified with anything sinful.



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We should avoid the way of wickedness.



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Second, we learned that we should . . .



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‌II. Pursue the way of righteousness.



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Look at verse 2. This is what we should pursue instead of pursuing wickedness:



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2 Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,



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and he meditates on it day and night.



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What does the person who is blessed do? He or she delights in the Lord’s instructions.



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Church, do you delight in the ways of God?



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Do you want to hear from God? Do you want to experience God?



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Think about the areas that we heard about in verse 1; those areas that we are to protect from wickedness. Instead of those areas being affected by wickedness, do you want them affected by God?



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Do you delight in God to impacting your mind? Do you delight in God guiding your behavior? Do you delight in God to shaping your identity?



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There are things we delight in at different levels, right?



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I delight in lots of people, but not like I delight in my family. I delight in lots of food, but not like I delight in deviled eggs. I delight in lots of music, but not like a delight in music from the 1990s. I delight in lots of hobbies, but not like I delight in throwing a fishing line into the water. I delight in lots of churches, but not like I delight in First Baptist Church Bartow.



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It’s ok to delight in many things, but not like we delight in God and His ways!



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Brothers and sisters, if we want God to impact and influence us, we must recognize that His word and His ways are what we need!



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The Bible is not given to us to give us a list of rules to keep us from having fun or keep us from living our best life. Rather, the Word of God is given to us to bless us and give us something worth delighting in!



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You will not lose something if you follow God; you will find something, including a holy happiness.



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The psalmist goes on to say that the happy person meditates on the Lord’s instructions.



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To meditate on something means to purposefully think about something and dwell on it.



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In other words, you won’t accidentally think about the ways of God. You must purposefully choose to delight in the ways of God. You must choose to focus on the Word of God.



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The Apostle Paul reminds us of this truth in Philippians 4:8. He says, “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.”



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Church, we must dwell on the things of God. We must delight in the things of God.



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Well, what is the result of our delight in and dwelling on the things of God? We already know from verse 1 that it will lead to our happiness.



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But wait, there’s more! Let’s move to our next point:



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‌III. The results of righteousness.



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Verse 3 speaks to these results. Look at your Bible again:



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3 He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams



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that bears its fruit in its season and whose leaf does not wither.



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Whatever he does prospers.



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A righteous person who delights in God and dwells on God will be like a tree that flourishes!



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The righteous person is like a lemon tree that is full of lemons. Like a peach tree bursting with peaches. Like a mango tree that with branches sagging because of the weight of big ripe mangoes.



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Notice that the psalmist says that whatever the righteous person does will prosper. Let’s not be short-sighted here.



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The psalmist is not necessarily talking about physical or financial prosperity. There may be some prosperity in that sense that comes from living a righteous and wise life. However, that is far too short-sighted.



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After all, Jesus said in Matthew 6:19–21 “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”



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Well, what kind of fruit should we aim to grow? I’m so glad you asked. Paul says in Galatians 5:22–23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”



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We should desire to have a life that is like a tree that abundantly produces godly fruit, not earthly fruit!



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There is a heavenly prosperity that comes from a pursuit of God and His ways! There are godly blessings that come with delighting in and dwelling on God and His ways.



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The blessings of this world are like worthless pocket lint compared to the beautiful blessings of God.



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These are the results of righteousness.



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Well, what happens when you go the other direction?



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That’s our final point:



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‌IV. The results of wickedness.



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Look again at verses 4-5:



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4 The wicked are not like this;



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instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away.



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5 Therefore the wicked will not stand up in the judgment,



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nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.



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As we think about these two verses, first of all, let’s figure out what chaff is.



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Chaff is the extra dried out scraps that are leftover after wheat is harvested. It’s like worthless dried out grass; basically like all of our yards were for the last few months before we got this monsoon of rain over the last week.



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The psalmist says that the wicked are like this worthless dried-out wheat waste. They have no roots to keep them alive. They have no true value in life. They have not received any nourishment to be healthy.



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Like chaff, the wicked will easily be blown away and unable to stand before God.



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The reality is that we will all one day stand before God.



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Hebrews 9:27 says, “And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment.”



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When the wicked face the judgment of God, they will not be able to stand.



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When the righteous, who delighted in God and dwelled on God, assemble to stand before God and all of His glory, and to receive all of His inheritance, the wicked will not be able to stand among them.



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Let’s conclude this sermon by looking at verse 6:



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6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,



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but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.



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This verse is our bottom line for today:



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‌Bottom Line: The Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.



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Do you know what happened to my lemon tree? No one was looking out for it. I should have been, but I wasn’t. Once in a while I may water it. I’ve fertilized it once. But, I haven’t really been looking out for it. It needs some care. It needs some nourishment. It needs to be watched over.



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Listen, church: The Lord watches over the way of the righteous. He will give you all the blessings you need, and then some. You will be abundantly happy when you delight in God and dwell on God.



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However, listen to this: The way of the wicked leads to ruin.



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Do you want to be happy, or do you want to be ruined?



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Challenge yourself this week in the following two ways:



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‌Weekly Challenge #1 – Avoid wickedness.



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Don’t have anything to do with sin and wickedness. Get as far away from sin as you can.



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Don’t think on sin, don’t walk in the path of sin, and don’t fill your time with those who will lead you into sin.



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‌Weekly Challenge #2 – Pursue righteousness.



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To pursue something means to chase after it; it means to put effort into attaining it; it means to not give up.



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Stop pursuing sin and start pursuing righteousness.



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Begin pursuing righteousness by pursuing Jesus.



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(Gospel presentation)



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(closing prayer)



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COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: The text contained in this sermon is solely owned by its author. The reproduction, or distribution of this message, or any portion of it, should include the author’s name. The author intends to provide free resources in order to inspire believers and to assist preachers and teachers in Kingdom work.

“The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked” (Psalm 1)

Everyone has an opinion about life after death.  Just about everyone assumes there is something out there somewhere.  Few people stop long enough to think it through, and yet it’s the most crucial issue facing all of us.



In 2 Samuel 14:14 (NLT) a wise woman was sent to counsel King David in an attempt to persuade him to offer mercy to his banished son Absolom.  She said, “All of us must die eventually.  Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again.  But [before then] God does not just sweep life away; instead, He devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from Him.”



God is always devising ways so that people far from God could be brought into fellowship with Him.



I had the privilege of teaching here last year through the Four most Common Views around the world regarding life after death, concluding with the way Jesus taught – the Biblical Christian system, outlining how Only Believers and Followers of Jesus Go To Heaven.  We looked at how it is the most just system available and how it is really the only one that makes sense:



1. Everyone is welcome.



Romans 10:13 – Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.



2. Everyone gets in the same way. 



John 14:6 – Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.



3. Everyone can meet the requirement.



Martin Luther called John 3:16 “The heart of the Bible – the Gospel in miniature.”  It’s so simple a child can understand it; yet it condenses the deep and marvelous truths of redemption into these few incredibly powerful and pointed words:  “For…”



    “God”…The greatest Lover – He literally is love



    “So loved”…The greatest degree – absolutely



    “The world”…The greatest number



    “That He gave”…The greatest act



    “His one and only Son”…The greatest gift



    “That whoever”…The greatest invitation



    “Believes”…The greatest simplicity



    “In Him”…The greatest Person



    “Shall not perish”…The greatest deliverance



    “But”….The greatest difference



    “Have”….The greatest certainty



    “Eternal Life”…The greatest possession



I want to spend a few moments on John 3:16 with you this morning.  To do so properly, we need to look at this verse in context, and especially in the light of the 2 verses that precede it, v14-15.



John Chapter 3 is a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, who is here under the cover of night.  He’s a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews, and a member of the Sanhedrin, but he sees Jesus as a teacher having come from God.  He recognizes no one could perform the signs Jesus is doing if God were not with Him, and he wants to understand what it is that Jesus is trying to teach us.



In John 3:3 “3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again [or born again from above].”



Nicodemus does not understand, but he wants to, else why bother any further.  Jesus reaches in through all the Pharisee-corruption, hypocrisy, politics, and office-seeking legalism and basically asks Nicodemus, “Shouldn’t you who claim to represent God…know?  I’ll put it as plainly as I can.  I know what I’m talking about here, because I am God’s Son.”  Jesus continued:



John 3:14-17 – “14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.“



In the Old Testament, every time the people of Israel would stray from Him, God would send a consequence upon them to get their attention.



One time in particular, the one Jesus is referring to here, occurs in Numbers 21:4-9 towards the tail-end of their 40 year Exodus in the wilderness.  God had just delivered the Israelites from the Canaanites, but then, like immediately, they turned right around and began to grumble:  They became impatient and spoke against not just Moses this time, but God and Moses.



Side Note:  Grumbling is faithless complaining in an annoyed or bad-tempered way.



It’s weaponized fear.  Instead of developing deeper friendship with God and bringing everyone else you can with you, it’s like the opposite of that – it’s allowing your fear of not getting your own way develop and bringing everyone else you can with you – towards plans for your life apart from God’s plans for your life, forfeiting your best interests and hope for your immediate future.



And as an added-Bonus Side Note:  You can always recognize fear by self-protection and self-promotion.



Faith is trust plus action – acting out your surrender to the Lord (don’t try harder, surrender more) and promoting God’s goodness while anticipating His goodness actually showing up because you know that He is faithful to do what He said He will do when we’re faithful to do what He’s told us to do.



Back to Numbers 21.  The Israelites were grumbling in a big way this time, and about their food!  (And this was way past just being “hangry”.)  So God sent a big consequence upon them.  He sent some little red snakes to bite them.  Scripture literally calls them “fiery”, probably because of how it felt to get bit, but it could mean color, too – “red” snakes.  Regardless, every time a little “fiery” snake bit someone, they’d die!



They said to Moses (Adapted from Jay Carty), ‘Oh, Moses, this is the heaviest consequence God has ever laid upon us!  Go pray like crazy and ask God to lighten up!  So Moses prayed – pray, pray, pray – pray, pray, pray.  “Yes Lord.  Really?  Ok, I’ll tell them.”



“People!  I’ve got some good news, and I’ve got some bad news.  First the bad news – God’s not getting rid of the snakes.  I know we asked Him to, but every time He gets rid of a consequence, we stop trusting Him.  He’s gonna’ keep the snakes ‘cause the snakes are gonna’ drive us to Him.”



“So, here’s the good news:  He told me to make a bronze pole and to put a snake on it made of gold.  And then, anytime anyone is bitten by a snake, if you look at the snake on the pole, you won’t die.  He’s given us a really good snake-bite kit, but He’s not getting rid of the snakes.”



Here are 4 Probable Responses:



The first guy was bitten by a snake – “Oohh, Ahhh, Owww!  A snake got me!  Let’s see – everyone who gets bit by a snake, they die.  God wants me to look at the snake on the pole, but I don’t want to do what God tells me to do.  I really don’t.  That’s why we’re in the desert in the first place.  I think that I can well up the powers that are within me, and I can drive the venom from my system.”  He died.



1. Some refused to follow God’s instructions, followed their own thinking, and died.



The people were saved not by doing anything, but by simply looking to the gold serpent.  They had to trust that something that seemed to be as foolish as looking at a serpent on a pole was enough to save them.  I think it’s likely that some in Israel perished because they thought it was too simple, too foolish to simply look and live.



Just the book of Proverbs warns 3 different times that, “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.”



The second guy was bitten by a snake – “Oohh, Ahhh, Owww!  A snake got me!  Let’s see – everyone who gets bit by a snake, they die.  God wants me to look at the snake on the pole, but that’s so narrow to think there’s only one way to solve the problem of a snake bite.  There must be multiple ways to solve the problem of a snake bite.  I think I’ll invest in this other religion’s snake-bite kit and see how that works.”  He died.



2. Some thought that there must be other options to being healed from the snake’s venom (“There’s no way that God’s instructions are THE ONLY way to be saved.”) and died.



The third guy says, “Yikes!  There are a lot of snakes around here,” so he tries to get away for a while, and gets quite a bit away and over some hills, and then…a snake bites him – ‘cause there’s snakes out there, too!  “Oohh, Ahhh, Owww!  A snake got me!”  And he turned to look for the snake on the pole, but there was a hill between him and camp.  He couldn’t see it, and…he died.



3. Some thought they could run away from the situation and died.



But then there was the fourth person who was bitten by a snake – “Oohh, Ahhh, Owww!  A snake got me!  Let’s see – everyone who gets bit by a snake, they die.  God wants me to look at the snake on the pole.”  He looked at the snake on the pole, and he didn’t die.  He did it the way God said to do it.



4. Some, after being bit by the snakes, did as God told them and immediately looked upon the golden serpent.  They didn’t die.



John 3:14-17 – “14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.



BTW Moses was the first to use the symbol of the snake on a pole.  Later, the serpent-entwined rod became associated with the Greek god of healing and medicine as “the Rod of Asclepius”.  The symbol has continued to be used in modern times, where it continues to be associated with medicine and health care.  Even if insurance gets more complicated, God is always shining through and wooing us, even in the healthcare industry! 



There was no healing power in the bronze and gold image.  Clearly the healing was from God.  And any individual who trusted God enough to seek out what must have seemed to them a ridiculous remedy actually was healed.  Jesus gave us a real-life illustration physically of what He does spiritually.



Healings always demonstrate Jesus’ compassion, bear witness to the truth of Jesus’ claims about Himself, demonstrate that God’s Kingdom has arrived, show that Jesus is the One who was promised by God, illustrate in the physical what Jesus does in the spiritual, and serve to bring people to conviction and repentance.



That’s why we’re told to pray for sick and oppressed people so they can get well.  Mark 16:17-18 tells us that signs and wonders will follow those of us who believe!  We validate God’s love and salvation available to everyone!



When we pray for others (with them) and depend on our Heavenly Father on their behalf, we sort of open a window for them so that they can see God and the Holy Spirit a little more clearly.



Ironically 2 Kings 18:4 tells us about when King Hezekiah had to break the snake Moses had made into pieces because the Israelites had been burning incense to it!  They had begun worshipping the symbolic image instead of God.  So God had it destroyed so people might look back to Him, and He would receive them, and they could have restored relationship with Him.



Later on Isaiah would write the words of Isaiah 45:22 – “Turn to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.“



Charles Spurgeon surrendered his life to Jesus after hearing a message on Isaiah 45:22 connected with Numbers 21 and John 3:14-16.  Spurgeon was so impressed by this picture of the Gospel and salvation connected to the account of Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness, with the people looking and living, that he chose an engraving of Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness as a logo for his publications.



Faith in Jesus is the only means of salvation.



John 3:18-21 – 18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict:  Light has come into the world [Jesus, the light of the world, who was raised up for everyone, just like the snake was raised on the poll for the Israelites], but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. [A friend said a good message title for this verse would be, “When the Lights Come On, the Roaches Scatter”] 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.



This is one of the reasons we have invitations – opportunities for us to make public, in the light, the choice to follow Jesus and to become part of the body of Christ.  No one is secretly part of a church – if it’s a secret, you’re not.  Following Jesus is personal, but He never intended for it to be private.  It’s a team sport, an all-skate.



God created us to be with Him.  He made you on purpose and with a purpose!



Our sins separate us from God.  Our plans for our lives apart from God’s plans for our lives take us apart from God.



Sins cannot be removed by good deeds.  Good deeds apart from Jesus are just white frosting on an already-burnt cake.  There’s nothing we can do to “un-burn” it.  Similarly, we can’t “un-sin.”



Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again.  That’s Grace!  He died for you, but you must believe Him and receive Him – what He actually says about life, Himself, and what He actually promises to do.  God’s grace is free, but it’s not automatic.  You must look to Him and receive Him.









John 1:12 – “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God”



Everyone who trusts in Him alone has eternal life.









Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever.  Not just when you die, not after you clean up your life – NOW!



Q: Where do you think you are right now in your spiritual development:  Not born-again yet?  New-re-born baby?  Terrible Twos?  Toddler?  Adolescent?  Don’t know?



Q: What is God showing you is the next step for you in your spiritual development?  Actually trust Him?  Renounce alternatives?  Remove a distraction?  Tell someone else?



4 Things God Doesn’t Know:



1. A sin He doesn’t hate



2. A sinner He doesn’t love



3. A plan any better than the one He gave us



4. A time any better than now







The Serpent on the Pole

Have you every had someone ask you what you did during your day, and you think, “Where do I start?” Perhaps you had a wide-variety of tasks; perhaps you had a long day; perhaps you had a lot going on.



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‌



We are in the middle of a section in the Book of Acts that describes the missionary journeys of Paul, Barnabas, and their companions.



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There is a lot going on with Paul and Barnabas during this time. Indeed, there’s a lot going on in today’s passage.



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Well, today, as we look again at Paul and Barnabas, we’re going to see that they had a lot going on. Indeed, the title of today’s sermon is “A Lot Going on with Paul and Barnabas.”



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Let’s pray together before we go any further.



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(prayer)



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Ok, let’s look at the passage together, and then we’ll look at what’s going on with Paul and Barnabas.



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Look at Acts 14:1-20:



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1 In Iconium they entered the Jewish synagogue, as usual, and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So they stayed there a long time and spoke boldly for the Lord, who testified to the message of his grace by enabling them to do signs and wonders. 4 But the people of the city were divided, some siding with the Jews and others with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat and stone them, 6 they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding countryside. 7 There they continued preaching the gospel.



‌



‌



8 In Lystra a man was sitting who was without strength in his feet, had never walked, and had been lame from birth. 9 He listened as Paul spoke. After looking directly at him and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 Paul said in a loud voice, “Stand up on your feet!” And he jumped up and began to walk around.



‌



11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the town, brought bulls and wreaths to the gates because he intended, with the crowds, to offer sacrifice.



‌



14 The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their robes when they heard this and rushed into the crowd, shouting: 15 “People! Why are you doing these things? We are people also, just like you, and we are proclaiming good news to you, that you turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to go their own way, 17 although he did not leave himself without a witness, since he did what is good by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons and filling you with food and your hearts with joy.” 18 Even though they said these things, they barely stopped the crowds from sacrificing to them.



‌



19 Some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and when they won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. 20 After the disciples gathered around him, he got up and went into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.



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Ok, let’s look at what’s going on.



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First, we see . . .



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‌I. A synagogue



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Verse 1 says right away, “In Iconium they entered the Jewish synagogue, as usual.”



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Ok, let’s look at our map again.



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For reference, here’s Jerusalem. Remember from last week, Paul and Barnabas were in Pisidian Antioch. Now they have traveled to Iconium.



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Notice what was happening while they were at the synagogue in Iconium.



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Luke (the author of Acts) says in verse 1 that the missionaries “spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.”



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Remember, we learned last time that some of the people of Pisidian Antioch rejected Paul and Barnabas, so they stuck to their calling and moved on to keep preaching the gospel.



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As they normally did, they spoke in the synagogue, and both Jewish listeners and non-Jewish listeners believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.



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‌



However, there were some other things going on.



‌



‌



Next, we see . . .



‌



‌II. A situation



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Verses 2-7 indicate that some problems arose; they had a situation.



‌



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We learn that the Jews who did not believe in Jesus as their Messiah stirred up the people of the town, mostly non-Jewish (or Gentile), against the missionaries.



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Yet, even in the midst of that trouble that was being stirred up, we see in verse 3 that they stayed there for a long time and continued to minister.



‌



‌



However, it appears that the situation got worse. Look at verses 5-6:



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5 When an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat and stone them, 6 they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding countryside.



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Verse 7 says that in the countryside, they continued to preach the gospel.



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It’s important to realize, church, that even when a situation arose, the missionaries did not give up.



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They pivoted, and they kept ministering in the name of Jesus Christ.



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Sometimes a situation is going to arise in your life and Christian walk. Don’t give up! Don’t stop! Pivot and keep going! Seek the Lord and keep going!



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Be encouraged by the ministry of the missionaries, as we read in verse 7, “There they continued preaching the gospel.”



‌



‌



Well, there’s a lot going on in this passage. Next, we see . . .



‌



‌III. A sign



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Verse 8 tells us that while in the countryside, Paul and Barnabas encountered a man in Lystra who was unable to walk.



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‌



By the way, Luke wanted to make sure that we really understood that this man was disabled.



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He says the man was without strength in his feet, had never walked, and had been lame from birth.



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In other words, this man was thoroughly physically disabled.



‌



‌



However, verse 9 indicates that Paul noticed that this man had faith to be healed.



‌



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So, Paul spoke to the man and told him, “Stand up on your feet!”



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The man did stand up. In fact, verse 10 indicates that he jumped up and began to walk around.



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Again, this is another sign that God was at work through His followers, so that others might know that He has power to work miracles and power to save sinners.



‌



‌



Well, there’s something else happening here as well.



‌



‌



Next, we see . . .



‌



‌IV. A sacrifice



‌



‌



Look again at verses 11-13:



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‌



11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the town, brought bulls and wreaths to the gates because he intended, with the crowds, to offer sacrifice.



‌



So, we see this sacrifice that the locals wanted to carry out in order to worship Paul and Barnabas.



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Well, why in the world would they want to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas?



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You see, the area where Paul and Barnabas were ministering was heavily populated by Gentile people who were heavily influenced by Greek culture.



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As you look at the map, you see the area where they are ministering has them moving farther away from Israel, and closer towards Greece.



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It becomes evident in this passage that after the healing of this man, these people actually thought that Paul and Barnabas were gods.



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They were so convinced that Paul and Barnabas were gods that the local priest of the Greek gods went to get some bulls to sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas.



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It’s at this point that Paul and Barnabas start to realize what’s going on.



‌



That leads to the next thing that we see in this passage, which is . . .



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‌V. A sermon



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‌



Now, you might wonder why Paul and Barnabas didn’t realize what was going on sooner.



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However, pay attention to what it says in verse 11. It says they we speaking the local Lycaonian language.



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So, Paul and Barnabas couldn’t understand what was going on because of the language difference, but they figured out what was going on when the bulls showed up.



‌



‌



See in verses 14-16 how they responded to what was happening:



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‌



14 The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their robes when they heard this and rushed into the crowd, shouting, 15 “People! Why are you doing these things? We are people also, just like you, and we are proclaiming good news to you, that you turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them.



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For someone to tear their robes was an expression of deep grief or distress. It was also a sign that someone witnessed blasphemy.



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Paul and Barnabas couldn’t believe what they were hearing. The very thing that they were trying to turn the people away from is what the people were now practicing in a terrible attempt to honor Paul and Barnabas.



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So, Paul began to teach them in this sermon that there is one true God who made everything, and He is the only one worthy of worship!



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Paul went on to say that there was a time when God gave people and nations over to their own desires, their own way of worship, and their own sin.



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Paul further said that even during such times, God still left His witness upon them, and He still showed His grace to them.



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Now, however, these people who were once left to themselves have a message delivered to them from Paul and Barnabas. That message is that Jesus Christ can save sinners!



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Brothers and sisters, do you have a sermon within your heart, ready to share about those who need to hear about Jesus?



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I don’t mean a formal sermon that’s 35 minutes long with three points that all start with the same letter.



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I mean, do you have a message ready in your heart to declare to those who are absolutely lost that Jesus Christ can save sinners‽



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Luke points out in verse 18 that even with this sermon of explanation, they barely stopped the crowds from sacrificing to them.



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Well, that’s the sermon.



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Finally, let’s look at . . .



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‌VI. A stoning



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Let’s look at the final verses. Look at verses 19 and 20:



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19 Some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and when they won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. 20 After the disciples gathered around him, he got up and went into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.



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‌



Let me just say, first of all, how strange these verses are in the sense that Luke kind of just says this in passing.



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However, this is a big deal! Paul was stoned to the point that the people think he is dead!



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This was a terrible and evil event.



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However, notice the extent of the evil here: The people who disagreed with Paul and Barnabas from previous places where they had been were following them in order to oppose their ministry.



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I mean, that’s some commitment right there. They were committed to opposing the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.



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Church, let that be a warning to us. Some people are going to be completely committed to opposing the work of Jesus Christ through His people and through His church.



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However, we should be more aware of this: Jesus is committed even more to make sure that His church does not fail. Evil will be defeated, the Church of Jesus Christ will prevail, and Jesus will stand victorious upon the head of Satan.



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Paul suffered; Paul was hurt by the forces of evil (so much so that they thought he was dead); but the mission of God would go on; the Church of Jesus would live, and is still living today.



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This passage concludes by telling us that after Paul came back to himself, they stayed the night in town, and then he and Barnabas left for Derbe.



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There’s a lot going on with Paul and Barnabas. Let this bottom line summarize what we are learning:



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‌Bottom Line: Though we never know what lies ahead, we serve a God who does.



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I’m sure Paul had no idea that all that would happen to him and Barnabas.



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I mean, one moment, he was being worshiped, and the next, he was being stoned to death.



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Paul and Barnabas did not know what lied ahead for them. However, they knew that they served and worshiped a God who knows all things and has the power to accomplish all that He desires to accomplish.



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Brother or sister in Jesus, do you know this truth? Do you understand that we do not know what lies ahead for us, but we serve a God who does?



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Challenge yourself in this one way this week:



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‌Weekly Challenge #1 – Ask God to increase your trust in Him.



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If you are a follower of Jesus, I’m sure you want to trust Him more.



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So, ask God through prayer to increase your trust in Him.



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On sunny days and gloomy days, we need to trust God.



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On hard days and easy days, we need to trust God.



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On days of boldness and on days of fear, we need to trust God.



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On days of certainty and on days of confusion, we need to trust God.



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On days of blessing and on days of poverty, we need to trust God.



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We don’t know what lies ahead, but the one true God does, so ask Him to help you trust Him.



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(Gospel presentation)



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(closing prayer)







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COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: The text contained in this sermon is solely owned by its author. The reproduction, or distribution of this message, or any portion of it, should include the author’s name. The author intends to provide free resources in order to inspire believers and to assist preachers and teachers in Kingdom work.

“A Lot Going on with Paul and Barnabas” (Acts 14:1-20)

Have you ever thought about a missed opportunity? When I first started a job as a youth pastor in Naples, Florida, I was invited by a family member to go on an Alaskan cruise and have the entire thing paid for by that person. Well, everything within me said that it was not a good idea to ask for twelve days off work after I just started a new job. So, I didn’t go. They had the time of their lives, and I stayed behind to work. Though I think I made the right decision, it was certainly a missed opportunity.



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Opportunities come and go in our lives, don’t they? Some of those opportunities are chances to share the love of God or tell someone about the saving work of Jesus Christ. These are gospel opportunities.



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Today, we’re going to hear about the continued missionary work of Paul and Barnabas. In the second part of Acts 13, we’re going to see them ministering in another city named Antioch. Today’s sermon is entitled “Another Antioch, Another Gospel Opportunity.”



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Let’s pray together before we go any further.



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(prayer)



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Ok, so let’s recall what was happening in the earlier part of chapter 13.



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Paul and his companions were ministering on the island of Cyprus.



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Now, let’s look at verse 13 and part of verse 14:



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13 Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia, but John left them and went back to Jerusalem. 14 They continued their journey from Perga and reached Pisidian Antioch.



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So, Paul and his companions left Cyprus, then came to Perga, from there they went to Pisidian Antioch.



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Now, pay attention to two aspects of these two verses.



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First, this is a different Antioch than the one from where they were sent off.



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This is Pisidian Antioch. This is another Antioch.



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Similarly, there’s a Lakeland, Georgia; there’s a Bartow County, Georgia; there’s a Polk County, Georgia; and so forth. So, also, there were several different Antiochs.



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Remember, this is another Antioch, another gospel opportunity.



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Second, notice that John Mark left them and went back to Jerusalem.



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We’re not really sure why John Mark left them, but we know from later in the Book of Acts that Paul was not happy that John Mark left them. There will be more on that later in our series in this book.



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Alright, now we have some context for what’s going on in this passage, so let’s dive into this passage some more.



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Initially, we see . . .



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‌I. The first opportunity.



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Let’s pick it up in the second part of verse 14:



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On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, you can speak.”



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16 Paul stood up and motioned with his hand and said: “Fellow Israelites, and you who fear God, listen! 17 The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors, made the people prosper during their stay in the land of Egypt, and led them out of it with a mighty arm. 18 And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness; 19 and after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. 20 This all took about 450 years. After this, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 After removing him, he raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my will.’



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23 “From this man’s descendants, as he promised, God brought to Israel the Savior, Jesus. 24 Before his coming to public attention, John had previously proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 Now as John was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the one. But one is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet.’



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26 “Brothers and sisters, children of Abraham’s race, and those among you who fear God, it is to us that the word of this salvation has been sent. 27 Since the residents of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize him or the sayings of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, they have fulfilled their words by condemning him. 28 Though they found no grounds for the death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him killed. 29 When they had carried out all that had been written about him, they took him down from the tree and put him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and he appeared for many days to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. 32 And we ourselves proclaim to you the good news of the promise that was made to our ancestors. 33 God has fulfilled this for us, their children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second Psalm:



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You are my Son; today I have become your Father.



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34 As to his raising him from the dead, never to return to decay, he has spoken in this way, I will give you the holy and sure promises of David. 35 Therefore he also says in another passage, You will not let your Holy One see decay. 36 For David, after serving God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and decayed, 37 but the one God raised up did not decay. 38 Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers and sisters, that through this man forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you. 39 Everyone who believes is justified through him from everything that you could not be justified from through the law of Moses. 40 So beware that what is said in the prophets does not happen to you:



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41 Look, you scoffers,



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marvel and vanish away,



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because I am doing a work in your days,



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a work that you will never believe,



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even if someone were to explain it to you.”



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First of all, notice that Paul and his companions went to the synagogue and sat down.



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Remember, the synagogue is the center of religious and educational life for the Jewish people.



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Paul and those with him went into the synagogue as participants, not as preachers.



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Yet, we notice that they were invited to say something.



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The leaders of the synagogue said, “ . . . if you have any word of encouragement for the people, you can speak.”



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Well, you better believe that Paul had a word to share. He always had a word to share.



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Brothers and sisters: Do you have a word of encouragement to share with someone?



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If given a gospel opportunity, how would you respond?



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Paul’s word of encouragement was the gospel of Jesus Christ.



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In verses 16 through 41, Paul shares the basics of the gospel story.



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Notice that he addresses his words to “Fellow Israelites, and you who fear God.” Apparently, there were Jews, as well as non-Jews, gathered at the synagogue.



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Paul walks through how God chose Abraham, led His people out of Egypt, they wandered in the wilderness, they settled in Canaan, He gave them judges, He gave them prophets, He gave them kings, He raised up David as king, He raised up Jesus the Messiah from the line of David, and John the Baptizer prepared the way for Jesus.



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Paul then says in verse 26, “Brothers and sisters, children of Abraham’s race, and those among you who fear God, it is to us that the word of this salvation has been sent.”



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So we see next that Paul describes how Jesus was rejected, condemned, and crucified. Then, Paul says Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to people.



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Paul finishes this section by quoting a series of Old Testament passages that point his hearers to the reality that Jesus Christ has fulfilled all of God’s promises to His people.



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Finally, Paul warns them not to miss out on what God is doing through Jesus.



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So, this is the first opportunity Paul has to speak to this group, and he wants them to know the good news of Jesus Christ.



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However, this was not his only opportunity.



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Next, we see . . .



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‌II. The second opportunity.



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The first opportunity happened as Paul and others were invited to speak after the normal teachings had already taken place at the synagogue.



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We learn from this passage, though, that the listeners wanted more. Listen to verses 42-44:



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42 As they were leaving, the people urged them to speak about these matters the following Sabbath. 43 After the synagogue had been dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and urging them to continue in the grace of God. 44 The following Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of the Lord.



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We see two ways that the listeners wanted more:



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First, they followed Paul and Barnabas out of the synagogue.



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Now, our pastors always stay after service to talk to folks, answers questions, pray with people, and more. We stay until everyone has chance for ministry.



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However, I’ve never had anyone follow me after I leave the church building. I imagine I would say, “Can I help you with something? Leave me alone; I’m going to go get some lunch.”



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Yet, the people in this passage were so touched by what Paul and Barnabas said that they followed them out of the synagogue.



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That’s the first thing that we see.



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Second, we see that Paul and Barnabas were invited back to teach the next Sabbath day.



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Those who gathered at the synagogue gathered on the Sabbath day, which is Saturday.



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The Sabbath is the Jewish day of rest and intentional reflection on God.



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So, the people asked Paul and Barnabas to come back so they could hear more about the gospel of Jesus Christ.



‌



‌



However, as we’ve seen several times in the Book of Acts, not everyone was excited to hear the gospel story.



‌



‌



That leads to our final point:



‌



‌III. The lost opportunity.



‌



‌



If we’re not in tune with what God is saying to us, we may lose an opportunity that is presented to us, as happened in this passage.



‌



‌



Listen to these final few verses from Acts 13:



‌



‌



44 The following Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what Paul was saying, insulting him.



‌



46 Paul and Barnabas boldly replied, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us:



‌



I have made you



‌



a light for the Gentiles



‌



to bring salvation



‌



to the end of the earth.”



‌



48 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the prominent God-fearing women and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their district. 51 But Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.



‌



‌



Ok, there are several things happening in these verses:



‌



‌



First, we see that nearly the entire town gathered to hear the word of the Lord from Paul and Barnabas.



‌



‌



However, the Jewish authorities didn’t like the fact that Paul and Barnabas were getting so much attention. So, they began to oppose them, contradict them, and even insult them.



‌



‌



Notice in verse 46 that Barnabas and Paul boldly replied to them, stating that because of their rejection of the message, the door would open for the message to go to the Gentile people.



‌



‌



This was a lost opportunity for the Jews but a new opportunity for the Gentiles.



‌



‌



Verse 48 says, “When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed.”



‌



‌



You see, God was not caught off guard. He knew all along that some of the Jews would reject their Messiah, and He knew all along that some of the Gentiles there that day would believe. Indeed, they were appointed to eternal life.



‌



‌



So, the word of God continued to thrive and continued to spread.



‌



‌



Meanwhile, the Jewish power-players stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and they were expelled from the region.



‌



‌



Since Paul and Barnabas were no longer welcome there, they symbolized that they were moving on by shaking the dust off their feet.



‌



‌



Indeed, this command was given by Jesus Himself when He was speaking to those He sent out. Matthew 10:14 says, “If anyone does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that house or town.”



‌



‌



You see, there are so many who need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ that if a person or area rejects it, we can simply move on to the next person or area.



‌



‌



Many of the Jewish leaders in that region lost an opportunity, but how did it affect the disciples?



‌



‌



Verse 52 says, “And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.”



‌



‌



There’s a sweet joy and blessing that comes from the Lord when you are walking in His will, Amen?



‌



‌



Even though they were pushed out of the region, even though some rejected their message, they were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.



‌



‌



Church, let’s transition now to our bottom line:



‌



‌Bottom Line: God’s servants must maximize gospel opportunities.



‌



‌



When Paul and Barnabas had an opportunity to speak after that first day in the synagogue, they maximized that opportunity.



‌



‌



When Paul and Barnabas had an opportunity to speak in the synagogue the next week, they maximized that opportunity.



‌



‌



When some of the influential Jews rejected the gospel, Paul and Barnabas maximized the opportunity to share the gospel with non-Jewish people.



‌



‌



God’s servants must maximize gospel opportunities.



‌



‌Weekly Challenge #1 – Recall a past gospel opportunity, and think how you could have maximized it.



‌



‌



Sometimes the best way to move forward is to think how we could have handled the past differently.



‌



‌



How could you have maximized opportunities better at school, work, in your home, in your neighborhood, or out in the community? Perhaps a conversation comes to mind? Perhaps a relationship? Maybe even a conflict comes to mind? Reflect upon past opportunities and learn, so by God’s grace, you can be prepared to maximize future gospel opportunities.



‌



‌



(Gospel presentation)



‌



‌



(closing prayer)



‌



‌



COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: The text contained in this sermon is solely owned by its author. The reproduction, or distribution of this message, or any portion of it, should include the author’s name. The author intends to provide free resources in order to inspire believers and to assist preachers and teachers in Kingdom work.

“Another Antioch, Another Gospel Opportunity” (Acts 13:13-52)

Do you remember what is going on in the Book of Acts?







In Acts 11, we learned about the rise of Antioch as a city of Christian influence. We also learn that Saul and Barnabas became teachers and influencers in the city of Antioch.



‌



We learn in Acts 12, that Saul and Barnabas came down to Judea with an offering from the church in Antioch. While there, James is put to death, and Peter is jailed. Yet, Peter is miraculously set free by the power of an angel of God.



‌



‌



At the end of Acts 12, we see Saul and Barnabas make their way back from Jerusalem to Antioch.



‌



‌



Today, our passage picks up with Saul and Barnabas back in Antioch.



‌



‌



Before we read our passage, let’s go to God in prayer and ask Him to speak to us.



‌



‌



(prayer)



‌



‌



Ok, let’s look at this passage together. Look at Acts 13:1-12:



‌



‌



1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.



‌



2 As they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.



‌



4 So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 Arriving in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their assistant. 6 When they had traveled the whole island as far as Paphos, they came across a sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (that is the meaning of his name) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.



‌



9 But Saul—also called Paul—filled with the Holy Spirit, stared straight at Elymas 10 and said, “You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery, you son of the devil and enemy of all that is right. Won’t you ever stop perverting the straight paths of the Lord? 11 Now, look, the Lord’s hand is against you. You are going to be blind, and will not see the sun for a time.” Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.



‌



12 Then, when he saw what happened, the proconsul believed, because he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.



‌



‌



By the way, church. I mentioned a few weeks ago that the attention of the Book of Acts would soon shift away from Peter and the twelve apostles towards a focus that is primarily upon Paul. This is that time. As we continue through Acts, you will see the primary focus will be on the ministry that God accomplished through Paul.



‌



‌



So, in today’s passage we will read about a journey that Saul and Barnabas take as one of their very first missionary journeys. Today’s sermon is entitled “The Journey to Cyprus.”



‌



‌



So, let’s learn about this journey.



‌



First, we see that . . .



‌



‌I. Saul and Barnabas are set apart.



‌



‌



We learn right away in verse 1 that there were several different prophets and teachers in Antioch, including Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, Barnabas and Saul.



‌



‌



Then, in some way (we don’t know specifics), the Holy Spirit of God spoke to them and told them to set apart two of these prophets and teachers for a work to which God was calling them.



‌



‌



Of course, we are familiar with these two who are set apart: they are our friends Barnabas and Saul.



‌



‌



Notice what the church does: verse 3 says they did four things:



‌



‌



1. They fasted – That is, they went without food in order to turn their focus to God.



‌



‌



2. They prayed – They spoke to God collectively as a church.



‌



‌



3. They laid hands on them – This does not mean that they roughed them up; rather they devoted special attention and focus on Barnabas and Saul as they lifted up to God in prayer.



‌



‌



4. They sent them off – After they set them apart and prayed, they sent them off in obedience to the Lord.



‌



‌



By the way, these are all things that we still do today as a church:



‌



‌



We seek to hear from the Holy Spirit of God. We desire to know what God wants for us.



‌



‌



We fast and pray for each other. Perhaps you’ve never fasted; I encourage you to do so. I’d love to talk to you more about what that means.



‌



‌



Also, we pray for folks. We send them off for ministry or affirm a special ministry that God has for them.



‌



‌



You see, God was calling His servants from His church then, and God is calling His servants from His church now.



‌



‌



He is calling pastors and teachers. He is calling ministers and missionaries. He is calling helpers and supporters.



‌



‌



God is calling His people for special tasks, and as the Church in Antioch did, we must be prepared to pray for them, prepare them, set them apart, and send them out.



‌



‌



So, first, Saul and Barnabas are set apart.



‌



‌



Next, we see that . . .



‌



‌II. Saul and Barnabas are sent out.



‌



‌



The end of verse 3 says, “they sent them off.”



‌



‌



Then, starting in verse 4 and following, we read:



‌



‌



4 So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 Arriving in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their assistant.



‌



‌



We hear about this fellow John mentioned in this passage.



‌



‌



Again, this is John, who is sometimes called John, sometimes Mark, and sometimes John Mark.



‌



‌



John Mark is the assistant who went along with Saul and Barnabas. We heard about John Mark last week. This is the same guy.



‌



‌



In today’s passage, Saul and Barnabas minister on the island of Cyprus.



‌



‌



In order to get to Cyprus (here’s a zoomed-out view), Saul and Barnabas left Antioch, traveled to Seleucia, and then they sailed down to Cyprus.



‌



‌



Now, we’re going to see in just a moment that Luke (the author of Acts) puts his focus on a particular ministry experience that Saul and Barnabas had on the island of Cyprus, but it’s presumed that Saul and Barnabas were ministering the entire time they were there.



‌



‌



They were called out by God, and they were sent out by God’s church to do God’s work on the island of Cyprus.



‌



‌



However, not everyone was glad that Saul and Barnabas were there to do the work of the Lord.



‌



‌



That leads to our third point:



‌



‌III. Paul and Barnabas are silencing opposition.



‌



‌



We learn in verse 6 that Saul and Barnabas encountered a sorcerer of Jewish descent, who we’re told is also a false prophet.



‌



‌



The name of this false prophet is Bar-Jesus, which actually means “Son of Jesus.” There’s some irony about his name because Saul will call him the son of someone else in just a moment.



‌



‌



Verse 7 says, “He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God.”



‌



‌



Then, verse 8 lets us know two things:



‌



‌



First, Bar-Jesus is also known by the name Elymas.



‌



‌



Second, Bar-Jesus opposed the ministry of Saul and Barnabas and tried to keep them from ministering to this proconsul.



‌



‌



A proconsul is a type of leader appointed by the Roman Empire who is over a particular area.



‌



‌



Apparently, Bar-Jesus didn’t like the fact that the proconsul was interested in what Saul and Barnabas had to share. So, he sought to turn the proconsul away from the teaching of Saul and Barnabas.



‌



‌



Well, notice how Saul handles the situation. Look again at verses 9-11:



‌



‌



But Saul—also called Paul—filled with the Holy Spirit, stared straight at Elymas and said, “You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery, you son of the devil and enemy of all that is right. Won’t you ever stop perverting the straight paths of the Lord?  Now, look, the Lord’s hand is against you. You are going to be blind, and will not see the sun for a time.” Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.



‌



‌



We see, first of all, this other name for Saul.



‌



‌



Of course, this is his more famous name. Saul is also known as Paul.



‌



‌



You see, Saul was his Hebrew name, and Paul was his Roman name.



‌



‌



He is more commonly known today as Paul, which is due primarily to the fact that Paul is what he is more frequently referred to from this moment in Acts 13 and onward.



‌



‌



So, Paul looks straight at this false prophet sorcerer and says to him, “You are a son of the devil.” He is essentially saying, “Your name may mean ‘Son of the Savior,’ but your behavior indicates that you are a a son of Satan.”



‌



‌



He also says, “You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery,” and you are the “enemy of all that is right.” Then he says, “Won’t you ever stop perverting the straight paths of the Lord?”



‌



‌



Paul told it like it was, didn’t he?



‌



‌



After calling out Bar-Jesus for his sin, Paul then pronounces a prophetic judgment that will come upon Bar-Jesus.



‌



‌



Paul tells him that he will be temporarily blind, and, indeed, that blindness came upon him.



‌



There’s some beautiful irony in the fact that the description of this blindness is very similar to that which Paul himself experienced during his conversion experience with the Lord Jesus Christ.



‌



‌



Who knows, perhaps after this temporary blindness was over for Bar-Jesus, he too would come to the ability to see with his spiritual eyes, not just his physical eyes.



‌



‌



Nevertheless, after the proconsul witnessed all that happened, verse 12 says he “believed, because he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.”



‌



‌



The proconsul heard the message of the Lord, he witnessed the work of the Lord, he was astonished, and he believed.



‌



‌



Church, when people hear the word of the Lord through His people, and witness the work of the Lord in His people, many will be astonished, and they will believe.



‌



‌



As we learned last week also, no opposition can stop God accomplishing astonishing acts and miraculously saving sinners.



‌



‌



That takes us to our bottom line:



‌



‌Bottom Line: God can use His servants in astonishing ways, even in the face of opposition.



‌



‌



God used Paul and Barnabas to minister on the island of Cyprus, and miraculously change the life of that Roman proconsul.



‌



‌



There is nothing that the forces of evil could do to stop Paul, whether it was Bar-Jesus (the son of the devil) or the devil himself.



‌



‌



So, let us serve God faithfully, expecting Him to do astonishing acts through His people.



‌



‌



Challenge yourself this week in the following ways:



‌



‌Weekly Challenge #1 – Pray for faithfulness during opposition.



‌



‌



Listen, God’s people will be opposed. It’s inevitable. The ways of God are not the ways of this world.



‌



‌



People may discourage you, people may insult you, people may hinder you, people may even persecute you.



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Pray for God’s Holy Spirit to fill you with faithfulness.



‌



‌Weekly Challenge #2 – Determine to share the Word of God.



‌



‌



Paul and Barnabas were sent out as missionaries to take the gospel to the island of Cyprus and beyond.



‌



Likewise, some of us may be sent to take the gospel around the world.



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What’s for sure is that we are all sent out, no matter where we are, to take the gospel with us every day to share with others.



‌



‌



(Gospel presentation)



‌



‌



(closing prayer)



‌



‌



COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: The text contained in this sermon is solely owned by its author. The reproduction, or distribution of this message, or any portion of it, should include the author’s name. The author intends to provide free resources in order to inspire believers and to assist preachers and teachers in Kingdom work.

“The Journey to Cyprus” (Acts 13:1-12)

First Baptist Church Bartow

CFC exists to help you Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Purpose and Make a Difference

Live Now!

6 Keys on How the Resurrection give us Hope!

How the Resurrection Gives Us Hope

Questions Answered:
How do I /can I know God’s will? What is God’s will for our lives? 
Why do trials occur and suffering happen? What is the purpose of James 5?
Does a person have to attend church to go to heaven? 
What is the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ in 60 seconds or less?

Q&A Service (Part 2)

Questions Answered:
What is your favorite Bible verse that you live by? 
What book has had the greatest impact on your understanding of leadership?
I trust God, but I still have this creeping anxiety concerning my family, my job, our town during this time. What are some practical ways we can keep our flesh calm in the storm?
Describe your calling to the ministry and why you think you are called?
What is your all time favorite worship song?
My question is on helping your fellow brethren in this time keep the faith that the Lord will still keep providing? I have people I visit via social media and phone. And regardless of what I say about having faith in the Lord, it's as if what I say is bouncing off them sometimes. I use Daniel as a reference as well. He was in the middle of the Lions and his faith did not waiver. But for some, it's not enough. I trust my God will deliver us from this. As he has from many things.
How do I know God is speaking to me? 
How often should the Lord’s Supper / Communion be observed? 
How do I /can I know God’s will? What is God’s will for our lives?

Q&A Service

Dealing with Fear (Part 2) - Pastor Todd & Shelly

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Join us as Pastor Jay Palmer speaks on the book of Jude.

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Jude | Sunday, August 6, 2023

Guest Speaker, Craig Guilbault | Sunday, July 2, 2023

Join us as Pastor Jay Palmer speaks on the church.

To find out more information about Crossroads, check out www.crossroads-wa.org

The Church | Sunday, July 23, 2023

Join us as Pastor Jay Palmer speaks on Philippians.

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Flyover of Philippians, Part Five | Sunday, June 18, 2023

Flyover of Philippians, Part Three | Sunday, June 4, 2023

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Walk in abundance through changing your thoughts and renewing your mind.

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Abundant Life



This is the day You’ve made and I will be glad
Rejoice in the Lord always, it’s a promise to be had
In Your presence there is fullness of joy
At Your right hand pleasures forevermore



Chorus:
Abundant life, that’s what You came to give
When we abide, our joy overflows
For the thief, he comes to steal and destroy
But You have come that we may have life and to the full



There is a new command, to love as You love
And if we’re obedient, then our joy will be full
As a man You had more joy than all men
For You loved what’s right and hated all sin



Bridge:
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit of Christ
The joy of the Lord is our strength in the fight
Even in sorrow we can rejoice
There is hope in our Lord, it will not disappoint











© 2021 Christ Our Life

1. Abundant Life

Pure Devotion



The Bridegroom is coming, for a bride that is spotless
Those who have washed in the blood of Christ
And keeping themselves in the love of their Saviour
Waiting for Him, with their lamps alight



To have my lamp burn bright for You, Lord
And tune my ear for the Bridegroom’s cry
Possessing Your wisdom, with oil in my vessel
Ready for You, this is my desire



Chorus:
Lord Jesus, the time is short
So I bring You this vessel, fill it up with oil
Knowing You, is all that’s important
So I’ll seek Your heart, to live my life in pure devotion



You call me to come, into Your presence
And fellowship here, laying all aside
Through the veil that was torn, to the Holy of Holies
And set my sights on the Bridegroom’s eyes











© 2021 Christ Our Life

2. Pure Devotion

Times of Refreshing



Everyone who’s thirsty, come to the water’s edge
For why spend your money, on that which is not bread
Listen to the Father, draw near to His side
He is greater than all riches, only He can satisfy



Chorus
Seek the Lord while He may be found
Call upon Him while He is near
If we repent and turn to Jesus, He’ll cleanse us by His blood
He will send His presence to us, and times of refreshing will come
Times of refreshing will come



His thoughts are high and mighty, His ways are not our ways
Yet He teaches those who fear Him, those who humbly seek His face
Let the wicked cease from evil, the unrighteous man his thoughts
For the Lord will greatly pardon, when He alone is sought



Bridge:
As rain comes down, His word goes forth
And it shall not return to Him void
As rain comes down, His Spirit’s poured
To revive us, to heal and restore











© 2021 Christ Our Life

3. Times of Refreshing

Trust The Lord At All Times



He’s the portion for my soul
And in Him I put my hope
He is good to those who wait for Him



His compassions never fail
And His love it knows no end
He is good to those who seek His face



Chorus:
Trust the Lord at all times
Call upon His name
Trust the Lord at all times
You won’t be put to shame
                (2x)











© 2021 Christ Our Life

4. Trust the Lord at All Times

Jesus I Come



When Your word cut my heart, I trembled and cried
The weight of my sin, I could not deny
With my hand to the plow, and this world left behind
I marched to the gate with this cry on my heart



Chorus:
Jesus I come to You
In brokenness I come, save me
There’s a longing in my heart for truth
O Jesus I come



When Jesus removed this burden of sin
Then joy filled my heart as His Spirit came in
With each passing day as I walk this pilgrim way
It keeps me on my knees, crying out for grace



Bridge:
I’ve been purchased by God with the blood of Christ
I’m not worthy to be bought with that price
I am not my own, I’m Your servant, here’s my life
                                      (2x)











© 2021 Christ Our Life

5. Jesus I Come

Abundant Life

A weekly discussion of significant issues regarding the word of God and His people.

Pastor Henry Duran and Pastor Fernando Gonzalez join in, watching social media clips on current events and trends in society, as well as discuss what these issues mean for believers in Christ.

Episode 324 - Social Media Surprise

Pastor Xavier Ries and Pastor Tony Scotti continue a discussion on what the Bible says about the armor of God.

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Episode 321 - Missions in Mexico

Pastor Diego Festa and Pastor Fernando Gonzalez join in, watching social media clips on current events and trends in society, as well as discuss what these issues mean for believers in Christ.

Episode 320 - Social Media Surprise

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Welcome to our Discipleship Podcast! Each episode is designed to build your faith and help you discover your purpose in life. 

Please visit our website to send us your prayer requests, feedback and get more resources. www.nowhope.org - Brian & Melissa

Feeling overwhelmed at work, with family or life in general? Not enough hours in the day? It’s time to streamline and simplify!

Streamline and Simpilify

Ministry and Missions interview on the MidNight with host Troy Shedeed, pastor of Generations Church in California.

Live Interview with Brian and Melissa Chu

Today's podcast is a summary of Brian and Melissa speaking on their recent mission trip to Romania. Please excuse the audio quality as the Romania translator has been edited out.

Vision Is Vital Plus Family and Marriage Tips

Melissa and special guest Gabby Spicer discuss finding purpose as a women, wife and mother!
PODCAST host Melissa Chu

Why am I here? What is the purpose for my life?

Eunice Ho of Journey Home Ministries interviews Melissa about her journey with cancer!
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The Power of Vulnerability

Discipleship Podcast

Dr. Joan Boney, born again by God and set in the church by Jesus Christ, in offices of apostle and prophet according to Ephesians 4:8;11-14,  with spiritual gift of exhortation, to deal with current problems faced by body of Christ, focused on doing the Word of God and preparing for the end time and...

Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ... 
 
Joseph's brothers sell Joseph into slavery:
 
Genesis 37
 
1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
 
2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
 
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
 
4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
 
5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
 
6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
 
7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
 
8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
 


Genesis 37 /  The story of Joseph

Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ... 
 
If a person does harm against another person because he is able to harm the other person, this is an action against the Bible.
 
A man became angry with me in the 1990 's and thought to harm me by asking the USA Internal Revenue Service to investigate me.
 
The brothers of Joseph sold him into slavery and caused Joseph to be taken into bondage into Egypt.  God caused Joseph to rise in Egypt to second in command of the entire nation by giving Pharaoh a dream and giving Joseph the interpretation of the dream.
 
By being second to Pharaoh, Joseph was able to feed his father and the brothers who had sold him to slavery.  A famine came and God showed Joseph what to do which saved the people of Egypt and saved even his own father and 11 brothers who were in the midst of famine.
 
Joseph said to his brothers:  "Ye meant it for evil ... but God turned it for good."
 


Taking revenge on another person because you are able to do so is against Bible

Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ... 
 
Jesus says:
 
Matthew 24
 
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
 
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
 
31 And HE shall send HIS angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together HIS elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
 


When Jesus returns and awakens the dead in Christ and removes the elect of God from this present earth

Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ... 
 
The new spiritual body:
 
I Corinthians 15
 
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
 
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
 
(John 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship HIM must worship HIM in spirit and in truth.)
 
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
 
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed,
 
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
 
(Blink ... that is how fast we will be changed out of these physical bodies and given our new spiritual body ... where we will have no pain, no sorrow, no death for we no longer have this flesh, but now will have spiritual bodies in the image of God and Jesus.)
 
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
 
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
 


When we die, our spirit leaves this physical body and God gives us a  new spiritual body for eternal life

Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ... 
 
I Thessalonians 4
 
13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (dead) , that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
 
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with HIM.
 
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (go before) them which are asleep (dead).
 
16 For the Lord HIMSELF shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
 
7 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
 
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
 


Christianity Podcasts / Page 2638

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C. H. Spurgeon on SermonAudio

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