Having been expelled from Antioch by the unbelieving Jews, where would Paul and Barnabas go next? Ch.14 gives a 3-part answer to that question - a bit like a missionary slide show, giving details of the places they went, the people they met, the experiences they had. Let's look at those slides.
1. In Iconium (vv.1-7)
Their first stop was Iconium, where they followed their usual pattern of going to the synagogue first. Here they met with real success: "they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed" (v.1). How encouraging this must have been for them, having so recently been troubled in Antioch!
But trouble is never far away! The Jews who didn't believe "stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers" (v.2). They deliberately opposed the message and distorted what was being said and ran down the messengers. This is clearly very serious. God is at work in a powerful way; many people have been saved. But the opposition is also real and powerful. What will Paul and Barnabas do? The situation could get very ugly.
Despite the potential for danger, and on account of the trouble stirred up by the Jews, they "spent considerable time there" (v.3). Where the gospel is opposed and distorted, it needs to be met with a determination to explain and defend it; the lies need to be countered and answered. And so the disciples stayed on there, "speaking boldly for the Lord" (v.3).
But they were not on their own: "the Lord...confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders" (v.3). This is not a settled pattern but where the Lord chooses to do so for his own purposes, he can confirm what is being said in incontrovertible ways. And yet, despite the display of God's power to authenticate his word, the city is split over the issue and a plot to mistreat and stone the disciples is hatched. Because of this turn of events, it's decided that it would be best for them to leave.
Here is an issue still faced by missionaries today. When trouble comes, should you stay and face it or should you leave and hope to return when things are quieter? Didn't Paul and Barnabas trust the Lord to protect them? Hadn't he shown his power in the miracles they'd done? So why leave now? And what about those who can't leave?
Great wisdom is needed on this issue because both courses of action are found in the NT. It seems the usual option is move on or to withdraw for a time, except where it is clear that the Lord has other plans. We need to pray for missionaries and mission boards handling such issues and also for those they leave behind, that they would be kept safe and that they would understand the decision taken.
2. In Lystra
The second slide takes us to the city of Lystra. Here they "continued to preach the good news" (v.7); they weren't put off by what had just happened. Again the Lord is at work: a crippled man is not only healed but saved as he listens. This amazes the crowd who think that the gods have come to them in human form and want to sacrifice to them.
They could have been glad to be popular for once but they won't have anything of it: "We too are only men, human like you." And with that they try to enlighten the crowd with the truth.
As we've seen, the gospel is shared according to the context. Paul doesn't speak about God's dealings with the Jews as he did at Antioch; he starts where these people are, with God's dealings with them in what we call common grace.
He speaks of the Creator and the evidence on every hand of the his care for them. Like all the nations they had gone their own way in sinful idolatry but God had not abandoned them; every day he'd given a testimony of his care and concern.
Here is a vital lesson in speaking to people with little or no Christian background: start where they are, with what is common ground. They had experienced God's care without knowing it, so Paul used that as a way in to sharing with them.
And yet still they want to sacrifice to him and Barnabas. When confronted with the gospel, paganism doesn't simply roll over. The human heart is highly resistant to God's truth. It needs God's truth to be accompanied by God's power to change the heart.
The perversity of human nature is seen in the way the crowd is so easily won over by the Jews from Antioch who come to cause trouble for the apostles. The next thing you know they're stoning Paul and dragging him outside the city. From a god to a dog in no time at all! A crowd that has been impressed by a healing is suddenly incited to hatred. Such is the human heart.
Paul is very badly hurt. But the disciples gather round him and he's soon back on his feet and, amazingly, goes back into the city. But they leave the next day, it's simply got too dangerous to stay - both for them and the new converts.
3. To Derbe & Back
And so they head off to Derbe. Luke gives a quick summary of what happened there: nothing dramatic, just preaching the good news and a large number saved. Just an ordinary day at the office!
Luke's focus here is on what they did on their return trip and what they did when they got back to Antioch.
i) On the Way - Instead of simply going back by the shortest route, they go back the way they came, stopping in each place and "strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith". Life would be tough for these new believers; Paul makes that clear (v.22) but commits them "to the Lord in whom they had put their trust". The Lord would be with them and would bring them safely into his kingdom.
Along with their own work of teaching and encouraging, Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in every church, men who would be able to lead the churches and teach God's Word, keeping going what had already begun.
The work of mission is not simply about gaining converts but also equipping them for a life of discipleship in a hostile world. A ministry of strengthening and encouraging is vital to that, as is the appointing of elders in the churches. That's something to pray for every church.
ii) Reporting Back - When they reach Antioch, Paul and Barnabas called the church together and told them all that had happened to them, dwelling on what God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
This isn't a debriefing session, with the church sitting in judgement on what they'd done. Here are believers gathered to hear what the Lord has done and to give him the praise and glory. Paul and Barnabas had been faithful to the task the Lord had committed to them and he had been faithful to them in keeping them safe and blessing their labours.
May we too be found faithful and know ourselves the ongoing faithfulness of God as we seek to serve him in our own day, whatever the cost. Amen.
