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Acts 14 - Devotion · The Five Minute Bible Podcast

• 0:00
  Welcome to Five Minute Bible in our journey through the New
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  Testament. In each episode, we take just a
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  few minutes to focus on one chapter of the New Testament,
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  exploring the truths God is teaching us through His Word and
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  expanding our view of who He is. Before you listen, make sure
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  you've gone straight to the source, either by reading
• 0:19
  today's chapter of the Bible yourself or listening to today's
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  read along episode in this podcast feed.
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  If you haven't done that yet, feel free to pause and do that
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  now. And when you're ready, let's
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  dive into God's Word together. In Acts Chapter 14, we see Paul
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  and Barnabas continuing on the missionary journey we saw them
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  commissioned for in Acts Chapter 13.
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  In this chapter we see them at Iconium Lyconia.
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  Lystra, Derby. Pasidia, Pamphylia, Perga,
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  Atelia, and eventually back to Antioch.
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  In all these cities, the gospel is met with quite a variety of
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  responses. In Iconium, some of the Jewish
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  and Gentile leaders attempt to stone Paul and Barnabas because
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  of their message and the signs that accompany it.
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  In Lystra, though, the people were so captivated by a miracle
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  of healing God performs through Paul that they think Paul and
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  Barnabas to be gods, saying the gods have become like men and
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  have come down to us. The passage goes on to say that
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  they began calling Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes because he was
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  the chief speaker among these. Though in all the cities that
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  Paul and Barnabas visit, we also see men and women coming to
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  faith in Christ, believing the gospel, and joining together to
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  form a church. Here's where I want us to spend
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  our time. In all of these travels and all
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  of these peoples that Paul and Barnabas visit.
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  In all of these various responses, one thing is
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  consistent the mission of Paul and Barnabas.
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  In every city, Paul and Barnabas have one objective.
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  Listen to how verses 6 and seven puts it.
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  After Paul and Barnabas have fled Iconium following their
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  attempted stoning, it says they became aware of it and fled to
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  the cities of Lyconia, Lystra, and Derby and the surrounding
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  region. And there they continue to
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  preach the gospel. They continue to preach the
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  gospel. That's why they've been sent.
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  That is their mission. Their methods may look very
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  different. That gospel proclamation may
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  have a different tone depending on if you're being stoned or
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  being called a God. The audience certainly looks
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  different. The responses to their message
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  vary. But their message does not
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  change. Their mission does not change.
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  They go from city to city to proclaim that Jesus Christ, the
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  Son of God, lived a perfect life and died on the cross so that
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  sinful man might have relationship with perfect God.
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  And that Jesus rose from the dead to guarantee our victory
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  over sin and death and is seated at the right hand of God,
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  interceding for all those who put their faith in Him.
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  And friends, that message is the very one that we, 2000 years
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  later, have staked our lives on. That message is the very one
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  that we've been entrusted by Jesus to proclaim to the world
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  around us. It will not always be easy.
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  In this very chapter Paul says through many tribulations we
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  must enter the Kingdom of God. But regardless of the response,
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  regardless of the audience, we must take up Paul and Barnabas
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  mission to proclaim this great news to the world.
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  So go out in obedience like Paul and Barnabas did, obedience to
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  the Great Commission of our Lord to go and make disciples of all
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  the nations. You will face hardship, you will
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  face tribulation, but you will experience the great joy of
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  walking in the will of God as He grows His Kingdom on this earth.