Tenacious Faith in the Face of a Pugnacious World

Acts 14:1-28

Living as a Christian has never been easy. The world is pugnacious. It’ll fight against Christ and his church. This can come from outside. There’s persecution and opposing worldviews. Ironically, it can also come from within. What do I mean? In responding against opposing worldviews, the church doubles-down. Desperate to maintain holiness, it becomes Pharisaical - it swings to manmade religious standards. It becomes the persecutor rather than the lover of sinners. Or to be relevant, the church gives in to opposing worldviews. Then it persecutes true Christians. In Matthew 24, Jesus spoke of both battles. In verse 9, he spoke of the external battle, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.” In verses 10-12, he spoke of internal battles - “…many will be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” The world attacks from without and within. But Jesus said in verse 13 that Christians must fight - “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Don’t give into the world’s opposition or influences. Fight to live the gospel and keep the faith. Today, we’ll look at the external fight. Next week, we’ll look at the internal fight.

So yes, the world will fight against the church. The church must fight to keep and live the faith. We will look at it in 3 descriptive points. Firstly, the pugnacious opposition of the world towards Christ’s church. Secondly, the tenacious witness of the church to a suffering world. Thirdly, the tender care of the church by suffering preachers. By the end of this sermon, I hope to make some applications.

Firstly, the pugnacious opposition of the world towards Christ’s church. When the world fights against the church, what’s it like? We saw in chapter 13, Paul and Barnabas were kicked out of Psidian Antioch by pugnacious Jews. So Paul and Barnabas went to Iconium. There, they faced the Gentile world - also pugnacious. They conspired to poison the minds of others against the church. In verse 1, Paul and Barnabas went into the synagogue to preach. They spoke so convincingly that many Jews and Gentiles believed. But there was also a hostile response. Verse 2 says that “the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.” These Jews poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against the newly converted Gentiles; religious people collaborating with irreligious people, their enemies, uniting as friends to attack God’s people. But Paul and Barnabas didn’t shy away. Verse 3 says they stayed for a long time. They preach boldly and performed miracles. As a result, the city was divided. Verse 4 says,“But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.” The gospel divides. And despite miracles - there was still unbelief. You see, preaching by itself changes no one. Miracles convince no one. Only grace changes the heart. And when grace is rejected, proof doesn’t matter. Grace is rejected because people don’t want to repent. So here, some loved the gospel while others hated it.

But those who hate it really hated them. They’d conspire to violate them. Verse 5 says, “And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them.” Paul and Barnabas discovered a plot by both Jews and Gentiles. This collaboration of enemies was like the Pharisees and Saduccees, the Sanhedrin and Herodians, and the Sanhedrin and the Romans. Here, historic enemies colluded together to hurt the church. Why? Because they hated the gospel. They wanted to assault Paul and Barnabas by all methods - Jewish and Gentile. There was stoning - a Jewish method. We don’t know the Greek methods, but they wanted to abuse them. Man can be imaginative in their ways to hurt others - to get the church into trouble. Remember the words of Jesus - “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.”

Dearly beloved, what’s one application for us? We must know that the world will fight against the church. In the past they did it with torture, lions, gladiators, fire, hanging, etc. In certain parts of the world, such things still happen. But here, they’ll do it by lawsuits - accusations of hate speech and discrimination. There’ll be cancel culture. No longer can you speak the gospel and the truth of God’s Word without fear of reprisals. Those in the office and schools have to be extra careful before voicing their opinions. It’ll be intense - God’s enemies will conspire together to attack God’s people.

But in such times of persecution and opposition, what is the response of Christ’s church? She must be tenacious. Secondly, the tenacious witness of the church to a suffering world. When the Jews first poisoned the minds of the Gentiles, Paul and Barnabas continued to stay and preach. But when they heard of this plot, they fled. Verses 6-7 say, “They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: and there they preached the gospel.” Why didn’t they stay longer? Did they lack faith and tenacity? No. They were wise. Why stay when they’re out to kill you? Leave. Be wise as serpents. Jesus even told them to go elsewhere if they’re not received. So in the face of danger, they escaped like snakes. And they went to Lystra, a short distance away. There, in verse 7, they preached the gospel and demonstrated compassion. As in Iconium, they preached and performed miracles. Here, they encountered a suffering man - a man crippled from birth. As Paul preached, he heard and trusted Jesus. Verse 9 says Paul saw him and knew, by the Holy Spirit, that he believed. And so Paul healed him. The gospel that was preached required repentance - but it also demonstrated compassion. We see this throughout Scripture. In Acts 3, Peter healed the lame man; he told him - “silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” Jesus looked at the rich young ruler who was filled with self-sufficiency, and loved him. But yet, he told him to forsake his covetousness. Dearly beloved, the gospel shows compassion in the same breath as it requires repentance. There must be a forsaking of sin and the ways of the world. Despite Paul’s ministry, we see something unfortunate.

In verses 11-12, when the Lystrans witnessed it, they all said “the gods - Jupiter and Mercury - have come!” These Lystrans were superstitious. As country folk, they spoke a regional dialect of Greek. They insisted on worshiping Paul and Barnabas. Since Paul did the preaching, they called him Mercury, the messenger of the gods. Even the priest of Jupiter came with oxen and flowers! Paul and Barnabas could’ve set up shop there and be set for life - like false teachers. They could’ve given into the pagan superstition. They’d be accepted - relevant! But no, Paul and Barnabas grieved. Verse 14 - they ripped their clothes and ran to the people, trying to stop them from doing this. There was tenacity to oppose superstition. How did they do it? They used apologetics. In verses 15-17, they asked - “Sir, why are you doing this? We’re men - just like you. We’re telling you to abandon your superstition and turn to the Living God. He made the heavens and the earth, the seas and all in them. In the past, he let you all walk in your own ways. But even then, he spoke of himself - he showed his goodness, gave rain, harvest seasons, and filled our hearts with food and gladness.” They defended the gospel by doing 2 things. They attacked false beliefs. We’re men of like nature - not gods! Also, they presented the good news. Repent from your superstition and believe the living God. He’s the Creator who demonstrates patience and goodness. But the people would not. They persisted in superstition. Verse 18 - “And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.” Sad! Despite a tenacious defense, they remained in tenacious and pugnacious superstition. Dearly beloved, in the face of unbelief, persecution, pagan superstition - we must preach the gospel compassionately and resolutely. We ourselves must not give in to it. Sadly, many do - not persevering to the end.

So what can we ourselves do in the face of opposition? It’s hard for me not to talk about 377A, but I don’t want to make this only about that. Whatever it is, opposition comes in different forms. The church must be wise as serpents. We must know how to deal with the various tribulations that come. We must choose our battles wisely. We can be very gungho and have a martyr complex - but even Paul and Barnabas knew when to leave. But they still preached the gospel. And they showed compassion. During these times, Christians can double down on our holiness in very unholy ways. We can preach against homosexuality with vehemence and hatred - despising and mocking. We mustn’t doubt - the gospel insists on repentance, but it’s compassionate. But while it’s compassionate, it’s unmovable in its requirement of repentance. God receives all who would forsake the ways of the world. And we must take the time to engage and defend and to deconstruct the superstition and paganism of the world. But are we prepared to this kind of work? It’s arduous. It’s painful. It requires patience. And you may be cancelled.

Paul knew this. He himself went from Jerusalem to Damascus to persecute Christians. What he did, would now be done to him. But Paul braved this opposition because he had the well-being of the church at heart. Lastly, we see the tender care of the church by suffering preachers. We see that they returned to help struggling churches despite their own suffering. Verse 19 says, “And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.” Paul and Barnabas had left Psidian Antioch for some time. But the Jews there weren’t satisfied. They joined forces with the Jews of Iconium to make him pay. It wasn’t enough that Paul was kicked out of their cities and region. They wanted him dead. So they came to this small town - 150 km away - to persuade the Lystrans to do something wicked and illegal. They stoned him. This was not Jerusalem or Judea. The Jews had no jurisdiction or authority. But they dragged him out of the city. They stoned him so badly they thought he was dead. But in verse 20, he returned for more. He was tenacious. “Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.” There are times when it’s wise to flee. But there are times to be tenacious. And this was one. He returned because of the disciples that surrounded him. These were disciples of Lystra. Perhaps the once crippled man was there. And we can’t forget who else. Lystra was home to Lois and Eunice. Their grandson and son was Timotheus. If Paul only focused on the hostilities, there’d be no Timothy. He returned for the saints. And after going to Derbe to preach, he again returned. In fact, he backtracked. He went to Lystra, Iconium, and Psidian Antioch! To the places of treachery! But he was so near home! From Derbe, he could’ve gone back to Syrian Antioch by land. He’d been away for nearly 2 years in this first missionary journey. But he took the long way home. Why? To support the suffering churches he just planted. This showed tenacity. Lystra is where they were stoned by a mob. Iconium is where Jews and Gentiles conspired to abuse and stone them. Psidian Antioch was where Jews forced the officials to persecute them. With all of this illegal persecution, why did they return? Verse 22 says to “Confirm the souls of the disciples, and exhort them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” The word “confirm” means strengthen. The original word means to come along side to firm up. This is what gardeners do - they secure young saplings to sticks to support them. Jesus also used this word to tell Peter to strengthen his brethren after he was restored from Satan’s testings. As Paul was strengthened by Ananias and Barnabas, he would now strengthen others.

And this is how Paul and Barnabas did it. They taught. They exhorted them “to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” They who believe to the end will be saved. There’ll be a lot of tribulation! And tribulation here is not cancer or job loss but sorrows and miseries suffered by the godly in this life like opposition and pagan superstition. Folks, many people will give up the Christian faith when they don’t have what they want. They will not deny themselves. They will not stop coveting what they don’t have. They will not walk down the narrow path. And in the face of persecution or a changing world, they will feel tempted to abandon the faith. So God’s suffering preachers taught God’s suffering people to endure. Years later, Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3. He told him he faced persecutions and afflictions in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. But he endured them. So he told Timothy that evil men and seducers will increase and deceive. But Timothy was to endure. He said -“But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.” That’s why Paul and Barnabas returned. The world is pugnacious in its persecution and false teaching. God’s people must be taught to love Christ above all.

Another way Paul and Barnabas did it was to ordain elders in every city, verse 23. Each church had elders who were ordained and appointed. These elders would help them to continue in self-denial, in cross-bearing, and in loving Jesus and others more than their own lives. And these elders were needed - because these churches in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra were in the province of Galatia. They would struggle with false teaching. Remember, the world’s pugnaciousness - its war with the church doesn’t only come from outside, but inside. And therefore, elders, who would fight with compassion and wisdom for the sake of the church, are needed.

This was the work of Paul and Barnabas. But why were they tenaciously faithful in the midst of a pugnacious world? Why did they return back to danger? Because they knew their call from God. They were accountable to God. In verses 24-26, they sailed home via Perga to Antioch, “from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.” The believers there had entrusted them to the grace of God to do the work. When they completed it, they returned to tell what God had done and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. They didn’t boast of what they did - but rather what God did. This included the salvation of Sergius Paulus - the proconsul at Paphos. How God saved many in Galatia. How they were alive even though they were stoned at Lystra. How they returned in the face of danger to strengthen and encourage the Christians to live by faith. How elders were appointed and ordained. How Timothy was saved. How John Mark left the ministry. After their ministry, they were exhausted. That’s why after these 2 years, they stayed a long time with the disciples in Antioch. They had a break. They needed rest. But soon enough, they would be up and about again to return to face a pugnacious world. Because the next fight from within the church.

Dearly beloved, there’s a war. The world will fight against the church from outside and from inside by persecution and falsehood. As a church we must be ready to do the work God has for us. Christians need continual teaching. The world will war against the church with its ideas. 377A is nothing. It’s already here. Some have given into superstition and paganism. That’s why we must teach with compassion and tenacity. The world doesn’t love the church. They’ll seek to destroy her. But Christ loves her and her people. And we must remember, the gates of hell will not prevail against Christ’s church.

I close with Paul’s words to Timothy - son of Lystra - in 2 Timothy 4:2-5. These are words also to us elders -“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”