PT-1 "Boldness" (Acts 14:1-7)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/10/2018 8:25 AM

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  PT-1 “Boldness”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Acts 14:1-7

            Message of the verses:  “1 In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. 2 But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. 3 Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 5  And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them, 6 they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region; 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.”

            Iconium is about eighty miles to the southeast of Pisidian Antioch, and this is where Paul and Barnabas traveled to after being thrown out of Pisidian Antioch, and true to their practice they spoke to the Jews first in the synagogue.  John MacArthur writes that “Iconium was a cultural melting pot—native Phrygians whose ancestors had occupied the area from ancient times, Greeks and Jews who dated to the Seleucid period (312-65 B. B.), and Roman colonists who had arrived more recently.”

            I mentioned that Paul and Barnabas went to the synagogue first as it was their custom to do this and also I believe it was what the Lord desired them to do as we mentioned in an earlier SD, but John MacArthur writes that if they had not gone to the synagogue first that they would not be able to go there after speaking to the Gentiles.  I suppose that this had something to do with how the Jews operated, which may have had something to do with their hatred for the Gentiles.

            We see that their message was a success as they “spoke in such a manner that a great multitude believed, both of Jews and of Greeks.”  I have to admit that I am not sure how the Gentiles heard when they spoke in the synagogue.  At any rate their message was probably spoken out of the Old Testament showing that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah of the Jews and also the Gentiles.

            I have highlighted a few words in the Acts 14:1-7 passage at the beginning of the SD, and the two words I want to focus in on are “but” and then “therefore.”  After speaking with success so that people came to Christ we see the word “but” and then the rest of verse two goes on to tell us that the Jews who did not believe caused troubles.  It seems that the word “but” is and will be seen in this manner throughout Paul’s missionary journeys.  John MacArthur writes on the word “disbelieved” that is found in verse two:  “Disbelieved is from apeitheo and could be translated ‘disobeyed.’  The New Testament equates unbelief in the gospel with disobedience (John 3:36; Rom. 2:8; 15:31; Eph. 2:2; 5:6; 2 Thess. 1:8; Titus 3:3; 1 Pet. 4:17), since ‘God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent’ and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 17:30-31).  Those who refuse to do so are disobedient to God’s command.”

            MacArthur goes on to explain about “Embittered translates kakoo, which can mean ‘to poison.’  We can see that this is what happened to some of the people at Iconium as Paul and Barnabas spent a “long time” at Iconium and while there they “spoke boldly with reliance upon the Lord,” yet their enemies were slowly poising the public opinion of who they were and what they were preaching about.  Something happened at Iconium that we see happening in our country and I suppose many countries around the world and is that Christianity gradually polarized the people there and is here too.  If you are a Christian in our nation today and are in a place where the public can see you and know what you believe you will be made fun of and ridiculed.  John MacArthur speaks of this happening in Iconium “That is the expected result when the gospel is properly presented.”  We actually say that in Acts 13:42-52 when we recently studied that section of Scripture.

            We will continue looking at this section in our next SD.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “The Lord” (1 Samuel 16:7).

Today’s Bible question:  “In what city did Paul leave Trophimus?”  (Hint look in 2 Timothy.)

Answer in our next SD.

3/10/2018 8:58 AM