Keep Moving Forward for Christ!
Acts 14:19-23
Sermon by Rick Crandall
McClendon Baptist Church - May 23, 2007
*God works in mysterious ways. About 20 years ago, out of the blue, God called Gary and Linda to go to Nashville, where he would go to work for the Gideons. They were such good folks and I hated for us to lose them, but I am sure God was in it and He has greatly blessed them there.
*God was on the move in His world, and He is still moving today. Here we are 20 years later, and God has called Alex and Mary to Nashville, where she will serve as an administrator for the Gideons. We hate to see them go too, but God is on the move, and He wants us to be on the move with Him.
*God wants us to keep moving forward for Jesus Christ. And as we take another look at Paul’s first missionary journey, we can see how to do it.
1. First, recognize the magnitude of our mission.
*The Apostle Paul, as always, reminds us of this in vs. 19-21:
19. Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.
20. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
21. And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
*What would make Paul willing to be stoned? What would make him willing to go back to the same place where they tried to kill Him? What drove him to keep telling people about Jesus? It was the cross! It was the good news of salvation for all who trust in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
*As Paul said in Rom 5:6-10
6. . . . when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.
8. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
*So in Matt 28:18-20, the Risen Savior gave us the Great Commission:
18. . . . saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
*Jesus Christ made the ultimate sacrifice for us. And He has commanded us to tell the world. How important then is the Great Commission? Can you think of anything that could possibly be more important?
*Paul Rader once made a visit to the Coliseum in Rome, where in ancient times, tens of thousands would come to watch Christians be torn apart by wild animals. And Paul said:
-"I stood uncovered to the heavens above, where He sits for whom they gladly died, and asked myself,
--‘Would I, could I, die for Him tonight to get this gospel to the ends of the earth?’
-“I prayed most fervently in that Roman arena for the spirit of a martyr, and for the working of the Holy Spirit in my heart, as He worked in Paul’s heart when He brought him on his handcuffed way to Rome.” (1)
*And Todd Coget wrote, “Those early Christians ‘lived on the threshold of heaven, within a heartbeat of home, no possessions to hold them back.’ If so many have been willing to give their lives for the sake of the gospel, isn’t there a greater commitment that we should make?” (1)
*Of course the answer is yes. We must recognize the magnitude of our mission. But the amazing truth is that sometimes a small effort on our part can make an eternal difference. Steve Sjogren is the founding pastor of a church in Ohio that grew from a handful to 7,500 in just fifteen years, and they did it by small acts of kindness.
-Their motto is: “Small Things Done with Great Love Will Change the World.” Here is a small sample of the things they have done:
*This is what they said about a project they call Dollar Drop:
-At local malls where any sort of regular evangelism is not allowed, this is a way to get the attention of many quickly. We attach a connection card explaining our project to a dollar bill. The card would say something like this, “We hope this small gift brightens your day. There are no strings attached. We just want you to know that God loves you and cares for you. Let us know if there is anything we can do for you.”
*We put the church information on the back of the card. Then we go around the mall and nonchalantly drop dollar bills on the ground. For some free entertainment, stand a distance away and watch who picks up the dollar and how they respond to the message. (2)
*I wouldn’t necessarily do that, but they have lots of ideas, like giving away light bulbs. That connection card says, “We’re glad we had the chance to serve you! We hope this small gift will bring some light into your day. It’s a simple way of saying that God loves you -- no strings attached. Let us know if we can be of more assistance.” (2)
*Listen to this idea about giving away drinks: We give cards away with both cold drinks and hot drinks at baseball games, football games, festivals, or in other places. The hot drinks, coffee and hot chocolate, are distributed from a backpack hot liquid dispenser. And the connection card says, “We hope this drink warms you up! This hot drink on this cold day is our simple way of saying that God loves you. Let us know if we can be of more assistance.” (2)
*Again the church information is on the back of the card. These are all small and simple things, but they have made an everlasting difference for hundreds, even thousands of people. And we must do more because of the magnitude of our mission!
-One of the best things you can possibly do is invite people to church. Let me ask you to think about somebody you can invite to church before this Sunday. And if you can’t think of anybody, ask God to steer you to somebody you can invite. We must, because God wants us to keep moving forward for Jesus Christ.
2. So recognize the magnitude of our mission, and help strengthen the souls of the disciples. Paul and Barnabas did this in vs. 21&22:
21. And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
22. strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.’’
*Vs. 22 in the KJV says they were “confirming the souls of the disciples,” but that’s not talking about some religious ritual. It means that Paul and Barnabas were giving the new believers more support. They were giving them the strength they needed to face the trials of the Christian life, and God wants us to strengthen each other.
*Author Henry Cloud gave this great example from his childhood:
-“When I was four years old, I came down with a leg disease that left me bedridden, then in a wheelchair, and then in braces and on crutches for two years. I went overnight from a very active child to one with a serious disability.
*My doctor told my parents it was imperative they make me do things for myself and not spoil my character by doing everything for me. I remember an incident at church when my parents were making me go up a long flight of stairs on my crutches. I was struggling and taking a long time, but they were prodding me on. I stumbled, got redirected, and continued on one slow step after another. I’m sure it was painful to watch.
*Suddenly, from behind us I heard a woman say to her husband, ‘Can you believe those parents are making that child do that?’
-I don’t remember what my parents said, but years later I wondered how my mother did it. One of the most caring people I know, she is also one of the most caretaking, the kind who has difficulty making the dog go outside in the rain. I can only imagine what it was like for her to let a crippled child struggle through things she could have helped with. So, years later, I asked her, ‘You are one of the most [caring] people I know. How in the world did you let me suffer through what I had to suffer through without rescuing me?’
-‘Emmett,’ she said.
-‘Emmett?’ I asked.
*‘Yes, Emmett. Every day, when I had to do something I just could not face doing, I would call Emmett, cry my eyes out, and listen to her tell me I had to do it. She would help me through it each time. It was awful.’
*Emmett was my mother’s best friend, a wonderful Christian woman. What my mother had discovered was that by herself she could not do that was required of her. But with support she could. (3)
*God wants us to strengthen each other, but how can we do it? How did Paul and Barnabas strengthen the souls of the disciples? First it was with Godly living. Paul and Barnabas were not just talking the talk, they were walking the walk. As they went back through those cities, the people knew that Paul and Barnabas had left everything to follow Jesus, and that they had even risked their lives for the Lord. Paul and Barnabas were living a life worth following, and that’s what God wants us to do.
-A few weeks ago Gerald Johns told me something that their pastor in Houston used to tell the church every Sunday:
--“Live a life worth sharing, so you can share a life worth living.”
*How did Paul and Barnabas strengthen the disciples? They did it with Godly living, and with encouragement. Vs. 22 says they “exhorted” or “encouraged” them to continue in the faith. We all need that kind of encouragement, and we all need to give it. But it’s not always easy.
*As Roddy Chestnut said:
-“It’s always easier to tear things down than it is to build things up.
-Dominoes are easier to knock down than set up.
-A meal is easier to burn than cook properly.
-And flowers are easier to cut than to cultivate. (4)
*But God wants us to encourage each other. Bob Soulliere reminds us that encouragement is a dominant theme in the epistles. Paul obsessed with building up the local churches. He realized there was only so much he could do. So part of his strategy was to transfer this concern to others. We can see this in Col 2:1-2, where Paul said:
1. I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.
2. My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, [both of the Father and of] Christ. (5)
*William Barclay wrote: “We must encourage one another. One of the highest of human duties is that of encouragement. Barrie somewhere wrote to Cynthia Asquith, ‘Your first instinct is always to telegraph to Jones the nice thing Brown said about him to Robinson. You have sown a lot of happiness that way.’
-It is easy to laugh at men’s ideals, to pour cold water on their enthusiasm, to discourage them. The world is full of discouragers;
-We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet.
-Blessed is the man who speaks such a word.” (6)
*How did Paul and Barnabas strengthen the disciples? They did it with encouragement, and with the truth. In vs. 22 they didn’t sugarcoat things a bit, but said, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”
-Many tribulations: That means lots of pressure.
*Roddy Chestnut reminds us of the old Irish Blessing:
-"May the road rise up to meet you; May the wind be always at your back;
-May the sun shine warm upon your face;
-The rains fall soft upon your fields;
-And, until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand"
*Then Roddy said. “Wouldn’t it be great if that’s the way life worked? The reality is that sometimes roads rise up to meet you with potholes or big chunks of tractor-trailer retreads dead-center in your lane! No one gets to go through life unscathed! Expect trouble.
-There’s some unhealthy Christian teaching that says Christians should not experience trouble, [but should expect health and wealth.] Was Paul blessed with health and wealth? Was Jesus? Was something wrong with their faith? (4)
*Jesus put it this way, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
*Now that’s the truth! In this world we will have trouble. But be of good cheer, because Jesus has overcome the world! That’s the kind of strength we need, because God wants us to keep moving forward for Christ.
3. So help strengthen the souls of the disciples, and always be on the lookout for leaders. We see this going on in v. 23, which says, “When they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”
*Help! Paul and Barnabas knew that needed help. So they ordained or appointed elders in every church. Every church needs leaders, and every growing church needs more leaders, committed Christians who will step up to serve.
*When I think of Sunday School, the Nursery and VBS, I think of leaders. When I think of ministry Teams and Servant Evangelism and our Capital Funds Campaign next Fall, I think of leaders.
*The church must always be on the lookout for new leaders, but we must also lookout for the leaders we have. How can we do that? The same way Paul and Barnabas did in vs. 23, through prayer and fasting, “they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”
*They “commended” them to the Lord. I really like that word “commend.” The word picture is to deposit something for protection, like putting money in the bank. It’s the very same word Jesus used when He died on the Cross for us. In Luke 23:46, Jesus said, "Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit.”
*Jesus knew that He could safely deposit everything into the Hands of His Father. So can we. We can safely deposit everything we have and everything we hope for in the Hands of our Heavenly Father.
*Robert Leroe told about a preacher who was very close to death, and this is what he said to his son:
-“Don’t worry about me. I’m feeling somewhat better today. But should I slip away while you’re gone, you’ll know where to find me.” (
*And we do! -Safe at home forever in the Hand of God.
Conclusion:
*Christians, God wants us to keep moving forward for Jesus Christ, just like Paul and Barnabas. Here’s how to do it:
-Recognize the magnitude of our mission.
-Help strengthen the souls of the disciples.
-And be on the lookout for leaders.
*Keep moving forward for Christ.
1. Illustration from Our Daily Bread found in SermonCentral sermon “The First Missionary Journey (Part 2)” by Todd Coget - Acts 14:1-28 - July 21, 2002
2. www.servantevangelism.com
3. Adapted from SermonCentral sermon “Desperate Mothers” by John Tung - Exodus 2:1-10
4. Adapted from SermonCentral sermon “An Encouraging Word” by Roddy Chestnut - Acts 14:21-22
5. Found in SermonCentral sermon “An Encouraging Word” by Bob Soulliere - Acts 14:21-22
6. Adapted from the Barclay Study Bible - THE MEANING OF CHRIST FOR US - Heb.10:19-25
7. Sermon Central illustration contributed by Robert Leroe
