Acts 14 - Part 1

We are back in the book of Acts after a six week break for the Advent season and New Year's.

We're back at our verse by verse exposition. I'm excited for that. I hope that you are as well.

Get to Acts chapter 14. Take something, your finger, your ribbon marker.

Acts 14 · chapter mention

Maybe there's a way to save it on your device if that's the way you're doing it.

Mark Acts chapter 14. There's a bit of a typo on your bulletin, which was not Andy's fault.

Acts 14 · chapter mention

It's my fault because I decided late yesterday afternoon that we're going to look at Acts chapter 14 all together.

Acts 14 · chapter mention

Not all today, but we're going to look at it in its entirety across the coming weeks.

And so it's going to be the text for today is Acts chapter 14 and we're going to address some points and move on.

Acts 14 · chapter mention

But before we do that, I want us to look at Acts chapter 1.

Acts 1 · chapter mention

Mark Acts chapter 14. I want you to go back to Acts chapter 1 with me.

Acts 14 · chapter mention Acts 1 · chapter mention

There's some other places I want you to turn as well.

Because it's important for us to remember, right, it's been some time since the first start of our study in Acts, right?

When we started in Acts chapter 1, it's been some time.

Acts 1 · chapter mention

So time has passed.

And I want to remind you that the book of Acts is Luke's second volume.

First, he wrote the Gospel of Luke, which is his account of Jesus' earthly ministry.

The book of Acts is Luke's account of Jesus' heavenly ministry.

So the Gospel of Luke, Luke's earthly ministry.

The book of Acts, Luke's account of Jesus' heavenly ministry.

It's most commonly known as the Acts of the Apostles.

I think it would more aptly be called the Acts of the Risen Jesus Christ.

Jesus acts as our risen Savior by the agency of the Holy Spirit in the lives of his followers.

And that's what Luke is recording for us here.

In the book of Acts, we see the repetition of the phrases full of the Holy Spirit

and filled with the Holy Spirit throughout Luke's record.

Let me give you some examples if you're taking notes.

It's chapter 2, verse 4.

Chapter 4, verse 8, and verse 31.

Chapter 5, verse 3.

Chapter 6, verse 3, and verse 5.

Chapter 7, verse 55.

Chapter 9, verse 17.

Chapter 11, verse 24.

Chapter 13, verse 9 is bringing us up to where we are.

And there are some more places beyond our text today.

But then at the very end of chapter 13, in verse 52, Luke writes this.

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

I suggest to you this morning that we carry that knowledge,

that Luke intends for us to carry that as he's pinning this record,

that they were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit into this next account.

So fix that in your mind, right?

The disciples filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit

as we are progressing into chapter 14.

But before we get there, before we get into chapter 14 this morning,

I would like to ask and answer two questions concerning

being filled or being full of the Holy Spirit

by way of reminder for those of you who were with us

when we began our study of Acts

and to catch up those of you who were not.

Okay, so you're in Acts chapter 1.

Acts 1 · chapter mention

The very first question,

what is the baptism of the Holy Spirit

that Jesus promises in chapter 1, verse 5?

Beginning in verse 4, we can read,

and while staying with them, he, this is Jesus,

ordered them, the disciples,

not to depart from Jerusalem,

but to wait for the promise of the Father,

which he said, you heard from me,

for John baptized with water,

but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit

not many days from now.

So what is this baptism of the Holy Spirit

that Jesus promises in chapter 1, verse 5?

To answer that question,

let's look at how this phrase is used in the New Testament.

In its entirety, it's only used seven times

in the New Testament.

It occurs four times as the prediction

of John the Baptist concerning Jesus, the Christ.

So four of those seven times,

one example, Matthew 3, verse 11.

Matthew 3:11

John the baptizer said,

I baptize you with water for repentance,

but he who is coming after me

is mightier than I,

whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

You can find similar predictions made by John the Baptist,

Mark 1, 8, Luke 3, 16, John 1, 33.

So in each of the gospel accounts,

John says something to this effect,

four of the seven times.

The next two passages refer directly

to the day of Pentecost.

So speaking in both forward tense, Acts 1, 5, right?

Jesus says, this is going to happen.

You will be baptized.

And then Acts 11, verse 16,

Acts 11:16

Peter refers back to this promise that Christ made,

Acts 1, verse 5.

Acts 1:5

I hope you're tracking me right now.

Peter says this,

and I remembered the word of the Lord,

how he said,

John baptized with water,

but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

The only other reference,

so we've taken care of six of the seven,

the only other reference,

and it is a variation of this statement.

It's found in the New Testament,

1 Corinthians 12, verses 12 and 13.

1 Corinthians 12:12

After Paul has spoken about various spiritual gifts,

he says,

For just as the body is one and has many members,

and all the members of the body,

though many,

are one body,

so it is with Christ.

For in one Spirit,

we were all baptized into one body.

Jews or Greeks,

slaves or free,

and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

The Spirit, right?

1 Corinthians 12, 12 and 13.

The Spirit was the element

in which the Corinthian believers,

Paul's saying believers everywhere,

have been baptized in the Spirit

as the element they were baptized into, right?

Which moved them positionally into the church.

I encourage you to look at 1 Corinthians 12, 12 and 13

with that in mind later on, right?

The Spirit was the element

in which they were baptized,

and that baptism moved them positionally

into the church.

They were baptized in the Spirit

and found themselves in the church.

This is confirmed in other places.

Paul says in Romans 8 and 9,

anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ

does not belong to Him.

So, to be baptized in the Holy Spirit

is to be regenerate.

To be baptized in the Holy Spirit

is to be regenerate.

If you have believed in Christ,

you've been made a new creation.

And this is baptism in the Holy Spirit.

With that said,

I do not believe that disciples were converted

at this point in Acts chapter 2, right?

Acts 2 · chapter mention

We come to the beginning of Acts chapter 2

Acts 2 · chapter mention

in the day of Pentecost.

Because they'd already given many evidences

of repentance and faith.

We find ourselves in this interesting

in-between time

with the way in which God is working

in the world by His Spirit.

I think it's important to remember

that we are observing the transition,

Acts chapter 1 and Acts chapter 2,

Acts 1 · chapter mention Acts 2 · chapter mention

between two economies of the Holy Spirit.

It's moving from one way of functioning

to another way of functioning.

So, I do not think that the promise

in 1.5

that the disciples will be baptized

with the Holy Spirit

not many days from now,

and the fact

that they were all filled

with the Holy Spirit

in chapter 2, verse 4.

So, if you look at chapter 2, verse 4,

are synonymous.

Baptized in the Spirit

and filled with the Spirit

are not synonymous,

but rather that they both happened.

Right?

Chapter 2, verse 4,

they were baptized

and filled.

Baptized into the church,

unified by the gift of the Spirit,

and they were filled

with the Holy Spirit.

And then we see the results of that

as they speak on the day of Pentecost

in many tongues.

Okay?

So, I hope you're with me.

What does it mean?

What is meant by the promise of Jesus

that they will be baptized

with the Spirit?

This thing happens to them.

They're unified.

They're drawn into the church together.

But this is not

the same as being filled with the Spirit.

Right?

We're not like so many these days.

Right?

Not recognizing that we're saved

unless we do some

externally miraculous thing.

Right?

If we have believed in Christ,

that is the miracle

that finds us in the church.

Right?

That is the baptism of the Spirit.

We have been changed.

Therefore, we believe.

Right?

This is the baptism of the Spirit.

Right?

Second question.

What is meant by

they were all filled

with the Holy Spirit?

In chapter 2, verse 4.

Okay?

So, not synonymous with baptized.

Baptism of the Spirit

is to be regenerate.

Right?

To be called gods in Christ.

So, what is meant by

they were filled

with the Holy Spirit?

In chapter 2, verse 4.

The primary role

of the Spirit of God

is the exaltation

of Jesus Christ

in the salvation

and perfection

of His church.

This is the primary role.

He does this in many ways.

But the primary role

of the Spirit of God

is the exaltation

of Jesus Christ

in the salvation

and perfection

of His church.

Let me give you

one textual proof.

If you'd like to go there

with me,

you're welcome to.

Ephesians chapter 3,

Ephesians 3 · chapter mention

beginning in verse 14.

Paul writes

to the Ephesian believers,

For this reason

I bow my knees

before the Father,

from whom every family

in heaven

and on earth is named,

that according

to the riches

of His glory

He may grant you

to be strengthened

with power

through His Spirit

in your inner being.

Why?

Verse 17.

Why?

Why is Paul praying

that they would be strengthened

by the power of the Spirit?

Verse 17.

So that Christ

may dwell in your hearts

through faith,

that you being rooted

and grounded in love

may have strength

to comprehend

with all the saints

what is the breadth

and length

and height and depth,

and to know

the love of Christ

that surpasses knowledge,

that you may be filled

with all the fullness

of God.

So Paul's prayer,

my summary,

Paul's prayer

is that they would be

strengthened with power

through the Spirit of God

so that Christ

would be exalted

in their hearts,

that they would comprehend

the sacrifice

that He made

on their behalf.

The Spirit of God

is often called

the shy spirit.

His job is not

to exalt Himself.

His job is to exalt

the risen Christ.

Martin Lloyd-Jones,

one of the

old dead guys

that we love,

wrote this,

of this text,

the Spirit does not

glorify Himself,

He glorifies the Son.

This is,

to me,

one of the most amazing

and remarkable things

about the biblical doctrine

of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit

seems to hide Himself

and to conceal Himself.

He is always,

as it were,

putting the focus

on the Son.

And that is why

I believe,

and I believe profoundly,

that the best test

of all

as to whether we have

received the Spirit

is to ask ourselves,

what do we think of?

And what do we know

about the Son?

Is the Son real to us?

That is the work

of the Spirit.

He is glorified

indirectly.

He is always

pointing us

to the Son.

And so,

you see how easily

we go astray

and become heretical

if we concentrate

over much

and in an unscriptural manner

upon the Spirit Himself.

Yes,

we must realize

that He dwells within us,

but His work

in dwelling within us

is to glorify the Son

and to bring to us

that blessed knowledge

of the Son

and His wondrous love

to us.

It is He

who strengthens us

with the might

in the inner man

that we may know

this love,

this love

of Christ.

So,

the primary role

of the Spirit of God

is the exaltation

of Jesus Christ

in the salvation

and perfection

of His church.

And,

the primary means

that He uses

to accomplish this

is the Word of God

believed and spoken

by the people of God.

The primary way

that the Spirit of God

does this work

of the salvation

and perfection

of the church

of Jesus Christ

is the Word of God

believed and spoken

by the people

of God.

So,

now,

we are one time

baptized

in the Holy Spirit,

but it is possible

as a follower

of Jesus

to be full

of the Spirit

or to not

be full

of the Spirit.

This can be

an ongoing

fluctuation

in the life

of a believer.

We have the Spirit,

but it is possible

to be filled

or full

of the Spirit

or to not be filled

or full

of the Spirit.

This is why

Paul exhorts

the Ephesian believers

to be filled

with the Spirit

in Ephesians chapter 5.

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

So,

please do turn there

with me.

Ephesians chapter 5.

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

You're going to need

another bookmark

or another finger.

Some fancy Bibles

have multiple

ribbon markers.

Hebrews.

So,

Paul is giving

exhortation,

a strong command

to the Ephesian

believers here.

Ephesians chapter 5,

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

beginning in verse 18.

He says,

and do not

get drunk

with wine,

for that is

debauchery,

but be filled

with the Spirit.

There's a command

given here.

Be filled

with the Spirit.

And I would suggest

to you

that therefore

there's some activity

on our part

in the work

of sanctification

that Paul says

to us,

be filled.

We should be

able to be filled

with the Spirit.

And there's going

to be some things

that are going

to result from this,

right?

Verse 19

through 25.

I'm going to fly

through it really quickly.

Addressing one another.

Being filled

with the Spirit

means we will

address one another

in psalms and hymns

and spiritual songs,

singing and making

melody to the Lord

with your heart,

giving thanks

always and for

everything to God

the Father

in the name

of our Lord

Jesus Christ.

Verse 21.

Submitting to one another

out of reverence

for Christ.

Wives,

submit to your own

husbands as to the Lord.

For the husband

is the head of the wife,

even as Christ

is the head of the church,

his body,

and is himself

its Savior.

Verse 24.

Now as the church

submits to Christ,

so also wives

should submit in everything

to their husbands.

Husbands,

love your wives

as Christ loved the church

and gave himself

up for her.

And it goes on.

So there's these outflows,

these results

of being filled

with the Spirit.

Christian living.

We do the things.

We're obedient

to the high calling

of God

in Christ

that's laid out

for us in the Scripture.

We're able to do

these things

because we are,

in fact,

filled with the Spirit.

But it's still

a little abstract

at that point,

is it not?

Like,

so what does it mean?

How is it that

I'm filled

with the Spirit?

Keep your finger

in Ephesians chapter 5.

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

It's going to get

challenging now,

I know.

And turn to Colossians

Colossians 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3.

There's a parallel text

in Colossians chapter 3

Colossians 3 · chapter mention

to Ephesians 5,

18 through 25.

Beginning in verse 16.

This is shorter.

Beginning in verse 16.

And I'm going to pick up

halfway through it.

You may track my logic

if you're paying

careful attention.

But halfway through,

Paul says,

teaching

and admonishing

one another

in all wisdom,

singing,

this should sound familiar,

psalms and hymns

and spiritual songs,

with thankfulness

in your hearts

to God.

And whatever you do

in word or deed,

do everything

in the name

of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks

to God the Father

through Him.

Wives submit

to your husbands

as is fitting

in the Lord.

Husbands,

love your wives

and do not be harsh

with them.

So parallel thing,

he's walking through

the same things,

the same results

of what it means

in Ephesians chapter 5

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

to be filled

with the Spirit.

Right?

Are you tracking me?

You can flip back and forth.

I'm okay with that

if I hear flipping.

Right?

Notice the parallels

between the two.

But there's a difference.

In Colossians chapter 3,

Colossians 3 · chapter mention

the beginning of verse 16,

he says something different

than be filled

with the Spirit.

What does he say?

Let the Word of Christ

dwell in you richly.

So,

take from this,

from these two texts,

that to be filled

with the Spirit

is to let the Word of Christ

dwell in us

richly.

And there's a lot

of meditation

that could happen

on that.

What does it mean

for the Word of God

to dwell in me richly?

Certainly,

it starts with

reading the Word of God.

Okay?

We're not going to go

too much beyond that today.

Right?

But reading it,

picking it up regularly,

knowing the Word of God

is a starting point

for letting the Word of God

dwell in you

richly.

Now,

if that's just far

too abstract for you,

right?

If you go,

oh,

come on,

Nathan.

You're drawing

some major connections

between the two.

I defend

they're good connections.

But it helps,

I think,

to go to another text.

So,

Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

You'll want to go there too.

Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

verses 5 through 9.

And I'll apologize to you

if I'm moving too fast for you,

but I know how long my notes are.

So,

you don't know that,

I know that,

but I'm trying to push,

push back to Acts chapter 14

Acts 14 · chapter mention

and to the text itself today.

I think this is so important,

though,

as we walk into Acts 14,

right?

They're filled with the Spirit.

What happens,

right?

Acts chapter 14.

Acts 14 · chapter mention

Paul and Barnabas go

and they're filled with the Spirit.

What happens?

What's the result of them

being filled with the Spirit?

Okay,

so Romans chapter 8,

Romans 8:5–9

verses 5 through 9.

So,

right at the outset here,

Paul is drawing this dichotomy,

right?

You're in one of these two categories,

right?

If you live according to the flesh,

you set your mind on things of the flesh.

If you live according to the Spirit,

you set your mind

on the things of the Spirit.

Verse 6.

For to set the mind on the flesh is death,

but to set the mind on the Spirit

is life and peace.

For the mind that is set on the flesh

is hostile toward God,

for it does not submit to God's law.

Indeed,

it cannot.

Those who are in the flesh

cannot please God.

So,

stated rather strongly in the negative,

right?

The person who is not a follower of Jesus Christ,

does not have the Spirit of God,

cannot set their mind on the things of God,

right?

And the result of that

is that they cannot keep the law.

They're incapable of doing that,

and they cannot please God.

So,

what is the adverse,

right?

If you took this

and stated in the positive,

then,

those who are in Christ,

who have the Spirit of God,

who set their minds

on the things of the Spirit,

can keep the law,

can be obedient,

and therefore please God.

So,

are you catching the connection here?

The Christian life

is a very mindful life.

Our minds are constantly active,

set on the things of the Spirit.

But what are the things of the Spirit?

The book that he inspired,

the closed canon,

that he gave us this text.

He set on mine.

So,

are you with me now?

Does Romans 8,

5 and 9 cap that off for you?

I hope it does.

I hope it does.

I don't have time to convince you further.

So,

the primary role

of the Spirit of God

is the exaltation of Jesus Christ

and the salvation

and perfection of his church.

And the primary means

that he uses to accomplish this

is the Word of God

believed and spoken

by the people of God.

I'll email that to you

if you want it later.

There's a wonderful quote.

I've used it multiple times

since we started studying Acts,

but I'm going to read it to you

one more time.

Dan Phillips,

who is a contemporary pastor,

said this,

Show me a person

obsessed with the Holy Spirit

and his gifts,

real or imagined,

and I will show you

a person not filled

with the Holy Spirit.

Show me a person

focused on the person

and work of Jesus Christ,

never tiring of learning about him,

thinking about him,

boasting of him,

speaking about and for and to him,

thrilled and entranced

with his perfections and beauty,

finding ways to serve

and exalt him,

tirelessly exploring ways

to spend and be spent for him,

growing in character

to be more and more like him,

and I will show you

a person who is filled

with the Holy Spirit.

Recall Acts chapter 13,

Acts 13:52

verse 52,

and the disciples were filled

with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

And yes, you can take your fingers

out of all those spots,

and let's observe an episode

in Jesus' heavenly ministry

by the agency of the Holy Spirit

in the lives of his followers.

Beginning in verse 1

of Acts chapter 14.

Acts 14 · chapter mention

Now at Iconium,

they entered together

into the Jewish synagogue

and spoke in such a way

that a great number

of both Jews and Greeks believed.

But the unbelieving Jews

stirred up the Gentiles

and poisoned their minds

against the brothers.

So they remained for a long time,

speaking boldly for the Lord,

who bore witness

to the word of his grace,

granting signs and wonders

to be done by their hands.

But the people of the city

were divided.

Some sided with the Jews

and some with the apostles.

When an attempt was made

by both Gentiles and Jews

with their rulers

to mistreat them

and to stone them,

they learned of it

and fled to Lystra

and Derbe,

cities of Lycaania

and to the surrounding country.

And there they continued

to preach the gospel.

Now at Lystra,

there was a man sitting

who could not use his feet.

He was crippled from birth

and had never walked.

He listened to Paul speaking

and Paul,

looking intently at him

and seeing that he had faith

to be met well,

said in a loud voice,

stand upright on your feet.

And he sprang up

and began walking.

When the crowd saw

what Paul had done,

they lifted up their voices,

saying in Lycauanian,

the gods have come down to us

in the likeness of men.

Barnabas they called Zeus

and Paul Hermes

because he was the chief speaker.

And the priest of Zeus,

whose temple was at the entrance

to the city,

brought oxen and garlands

to the gates

and wanted to offer sacrifice

with the crowds.

But when the apostles Barnabas

and Paul heard of it,

they tore their garments

and rushed out into the crowd,

crying out,

Men, why are you doing these things?

We also are men

of like nature with you.

And we bring you good news

that you should turn

from these vain things

to a living God

who made the heaven

and the earth

and the sea

and all that is in them.

In past generations,

he allowed all the nations

to walk in their own ways.

Yet he did not leave himself

without witness,

for he did good

by giving you rains from heaven

and fruitful seasons,

satisfying your hearts

with food and gladness.

Even with these words,

they scarcely restrain the people

from offering sacrifice to them.

But Jews came from Antioch

and Iconium

and having persuaded the crowds,

they stoned Paul

and dragged him out of the city,

supposing that he was dead.

But when the disciples

gathered about him,

he rose up

and entered the city

and on the next day

he went on with Barnabas

to Derbe.

When they had preached

the gospel to that city

and had made many disciples,

they returned to Lystra

and to Iconium

and to Antioch,

strengthening the souls

of the disciples,

encouraging them

to continue in the faith

and saying that

through many tribulations

we must enter

the kingdom of God.

When they had appointed elders

for them in every church

with prayer and fasting,

they committed them

to the Lord

in whom they had believed.

Then they passed through Pisidia

and came to Pamphylia.

When they had spoken the word

in Perga,

they went down to Italia

and from there

they sailed to Antioch

where they had been commended

to the grace of God

for the work

that they had fulfilled.

And when they arrived

and gathered the church together,

they declared all that God

had done with them

and how he had opened

a door of faith

to the Gentiles

and they remained

no little time

with the disciples.

Beloved,

this is God's word to us

written for his glory

and our good.

We would all do well

to listen to it

in order to believe

its promises

and obey its commands.

Our study in this chapter

is going to be structured

along the following

seven points.

I'm going to do my very best

to get through

the first three this morning,

although that's looking

dismal already.

If I'm unable

in a very MacArthurian way,

MacArthurian, yep,

that works.

I'm going to roll

the points I can't make

into next week

and maybe the week

after that.

But this will be

the structure

for our study

of Acts chapter 14.

Acts 14 · chapter mention

The person who is filled

with the Spirit,

number one,

is fruitful.

Number two,

is opposed.

Number three,

speaks boldly.

Number four,

acts humbly.

Number five,

develops disciples.

Number six,

is committed.

And number seven,

loves fellowship.

So seven points.

Let's start with the first one.

The person who is filled

with the Spirit

is fruitful.

On your bulletin this morning,

it was included

a Charles Spurgeon quote.

Spurgeon once said,

there will never be

any mighty work

come from us

unless there is first

a mighty work

in us.

No man truly labors

for souls

unless the Holy Spirit

has first worked

mightily in him.

Now as soon as I say,

the person who is filled

with the Spirit

is fruitful,

if you're a good student

of the Bible,

you may think

that I am preaching

from the wrong text.

You may think,

wait a minute,

this is not Galatians chapter 5

Galatians 5:22–24

verses 22 through 24

which says,

the fruit of the Spirit

is love,

joy,

peace,

patience,

kindness,

goodness,

faithfulness,

gentleness,

self-control.

Against such things,

there is no law.

I'm essentially saying

the fruit is different

than these fruits.

Why am I able to do that?

In Galatians chapter 5,

Galatians 5 · chapter mention

Paul talks about fruits

that are motivational fruits.

Fruits that generate activity.

He goes on in verse 24

of Galatians 5,

and those who belong

to Christ Jesus

have crucified the flesh

with its passions

and desires.

desires.

So the fruit of the Spirit

are these replacement

passions and desires.

And those passions

and desires

generate work.

Things that we do

as a result

of these passions

and desires.

So when I say

the person

who is filled with the Spirit

is fruitful,

I mean in the Mark

Mark 4:20

chapter 4,

verse 20 sense,

parable of the sower.

But those that were sown

on the good soil

are the ones

who hear the Word

and accept it

and bear fruit

thirtyfold

and sixtyfold

and a hundredfold.

God intends to save

His people

and He uses the proclamation

of His Word

to accomplish this.

Due to being filled

with the Spirit,

Paul and Barnabas

are fruitful

in their ministry.

They see conversions.

Right?

Verse 1.

We see the very evidence

of this right

in the first verse

that they speak

in such a way

that a great number

of both Jews

and Greeks

believed.

And the temptation

at this point

is to quickly say

what is this way

that they spoke in?

Right?

What is this such a way

that they spoke in?

And to falsely think

that it was some methodology

on their part

to see people

converted to Christ.

There are a lot of people

these days

that teach lots of methods

to share the gospel

of Jesus Christ.

But beloved,

the gospel of Jesus Christ

is the power

of salvation.

We preach the gospel.

The Spirit of God

uses the gospel

to bring about those

He intends

to believe.

We can be sure

that Paul

didn't do

some fancy thing.

There were no

parlor tricks.

Even as he pleaded

with them

to place their faith

in Christ

and he writes a bit of this

to the Corinthian church

in 1 Corinthians 2

1 Corinthians 2:1–5

verses 1-5.

He says,

And when I came to you,

brothers,

did not come proclaiming

to you the testimony

of God with lofty speech

or wisdom,

for I decided to do

nothing among you

except Jesus Christ

and Him crucified.

And I was with you

in weakness

and in fear

and much trembling

and my speech

and my message

were not in plausible

words of wisdom

but in demonstration

of the Spirit

and of power.

So the way

that he came

and can we not

come alongside Paul

and say,

yes,

I feel the same

weakness

and fear

and trembling

in the mission

of God

in my life.

Paul didn't try

to dress that up.

He just spoke

the Gospel

in demonstration

of the Spirit

and of power.

And then he says

in verse 5

of 1 Corinthians 2,

so that your faith

might not rest

in the wisdom

of men

but in the power

of God.

There are many

preachers today

who think

that if they craft

the perfect sermon

it will generate

results.

And it will

of a certain kind.

I am deeply aware

and I don't always

function out of this

reality

but I am deeply aware

that if I preach

the Gospel

of Jesus Christ,

God will change

people's hearts.

I with Paul

say of Romans

1.16,

for I am not ashamed

of the Gospel

for it is the power

of God for salvation

to everyone

who believes.

So the,

such a way

that Paul

and Barnabas

are speaking

is that they are

filled

with the Spirit

and they are fruitful.

They are fruitful

at Iconium.

We can see

that the,

first that these

great number

of Jews

and Greeks

believe

and then when

an attempt

was made

by both Gentiles

and Jews

is verse 5

to mistreat them

and to stone them.

They learn of it.

This is not

a matter of cowardice.

This is a matter

of prudence.

And they flee

to a region,

Lystra,

Derbe,

cities of Lycaonia.

Verse 7 says,

and there

they continued

to preach

the Gospel.

They continue

to preach

and they continue

to be fruitful.

In Lystra,

after Paul

is stoned

and presumed

dead,

which Luke

mentions in

such passing

way,

verse 20,

but when the

disciples gathered

around him.

This is new

territory.

Remember,

beloved,

Paul and Barnabas

go to Lystra.

There they are

proclaiming the

Gospel of Jesus

Christ.

We get no

record of converts.

converts.

The story about

them being praised

as Zeus

and Hermes.

But when

he's stoned

and drug out

of the city,

there's a group

of disciples

that gather

around him.

Followers of

Jesus are there

gathered around

him when he

stands back up.

So there's

fruit in Lystra.

There's also

fruit in Derbe.

When they had

preached the Gospel

to that city,

this is verse 21,

and had made

many disciples.

So the person

who was filled

with the Spirit

is fruitful.

But you may

not be fruitful

in exactly

the same

measure.

I am not

this morning

suggesting

that if your

life doesn't

look like the

life of Paul

and Barnabas

on their first

missionary journey,

that you were

not Spirit-filled.

It's not what

I'm suggesting

this morning.

But what I am

suggesting is that

the person who

is filled with

the Spirit

will be used

by God

for the exaltation

of Jesus Christ.

And that,

in some measure,

this means you

will make

disciples of

Jesus Christ.

This means there

needs to be

the evidencing

of the Spirit

of God

filling your life.

You need to be

seeing people

come to faith

in some measure.

Remember Mark

4.20.

I read it to you

a bit ago.

Those that were

sown on the good

soil.

Beloved,

are you good soil?

are the ones

who hear the Word

and accept it

and bear fruit.

We're given

some categories.

I don't think

they're meant

to be strict

categories.

30-fold

and 60-fold

and 100-fold.

Paul and Barnabas

certainly are

our 100-fold

category.

We need,

as followers

of Jesus Christ,

to fall

somewhere

in there.

People who are

filled with the Spirit

will be fruitful.

Now,

let's talk

in the bit of time

I have left

about the external

miracles found

in our text.

There's a couple

things that happen

that are rather

amazing things

that happen.

Verse 3,

we see that signs

and wonders

are done by the

hands of Paul

and Barnabas.

Beginning in

verse 8,

there's a man

who's been crippled

since birth.

That's significant

and he's never

been able to walk.

It's not just

that he has a sprain

and they give him

a little word

and he has enough

gumption to get up

and walk on the sprain.

His feet are messed up.

He's never been able

to walk

and because of

what Paul says

to him,

God works in his life,

he's able to spring up.

Verse 10,

and begin walking.

So these rather

externally miraculous

things happen.

There are a wide

variety of views

out there

these days

about how

that functions

now.

If we're now

filled with the Spirit,

do we have the power

as God's people

to do this?

The question at hand.

Do I have the power

to say to somebody

with a lifelong ailment,

it's healed?

And there's a spectrum.

There's from one end

something called

cessationism,

which would be to say

that all gifts

of healing

and tongues

have completely ceased.

The other end

of that spectrum

is called continuationism.

Active.

Those gifts

are still active.

And there's a lot

of people that fall

somewhere in between

those two.

I'm going to tell you

that I'm a little more

towards this

cessationist spot.

I don't know

that I'm quite

planting my feet

in that camp

because I don't think

we have really clear

biblical evidence

that those gifts

have in fact stopped.

I don't think

there's any like

clear explicit

biblical evidence

that just says

no more.

God never works

in that way

any longer

through the lives

of his people.

I do have a problem

with the far

other end of it.

And I've kind of

hinted at that

along the way.

People and denominations

that exalt the Spirit

above Christ

is troubling to me.

It's very troubling

to me.

We also need to note

going on here

and for our day

that there are

external miracles

happening in our text.

People,

signs and wonders,

they're able to see

these things happen.

There's a man

who's now able

to walk.

But more than that,

more importantly

than that,

there are internal

miracles happening.

The many people,

not counted specifically

in this text,

that have believed.

They've become regenerate.

They've received

the baptism

of the Holy Spirit.

They were once

enemies of God.

They now have become

his friends.

This is an incredibly

miraculous thing

and it still happens

in our day.

I hope that you

have your heart

warmed on a regular basis

by seeing people

come to faith

in Christ.

It's miraculous.

People so set

against the God

of heaven and earth

suddenly turned

toward him.

It's extremely

heartwarming.

So,

miracles do still

happen,

undoubtedly.

Internal miracles,

which I would say

we should rejoice for

because they have

eternal significance

primarily.

So,

let me say a few

things about miracles.

Okay?

So,

wherever you fall

on this spectrum,

I want to give you

some tools to help

you filter through

supposed or possibly

real miracles

in our day.

Okay?

Miracles

are always used,

always used,

to confirm

the message

of Jesus Christ.

There is never

a time in the

scripture that a

miracle happens

and the gospel is

not also being

preached.

Right?

Or the miracle

happens to set the

stage for the gospel

to be preached.

Never a time.

And in fact,

they're very,

very careful

to note that

for us.

So,

if you watch

some YouTube video

of a bunch of

high school kids

praying for someone

who suddenly just

feels a little better,

that pain in my knee

is gone,

and the video cuts,

they never talk

about Christ.

They might pray

in His name,

but they never share

the gospel of Jesus Christ

with people.

Be wary

of things

like that.

Miracles are

always used

to confirm

the message

of Jesus Christ.

This is why

Jesus performed

miracles Himself

by His hands.

John 10,

37,

38.

Jesus says,

I am not doing,

if I am not doing

the works of my

Father,

then do not

believe Me.

But if I do them,

even though you

do not believe Me,

believe the works.

Works are meant

to draw your attention

that you may know

and understand

that the Father

is in Me

and I am in

the Father.

The fact that

Jesus was performing

miracles was to

draw attention

that He was from

the Father

and the message

He was speaking

was true.

This is why

Jesus continued

to perform miracles

by the agency

of the Holy Spirit

in the lives

of His followers.

Again,

look at verse 3,

chapter 14.

So they remained

for a long time.

What does it say next?

Speaking boldly

for the Lord.

And what does God do?

Christ,

working in them

by the agency

of the Spirit

who bore witness

to the word

of His grace

granting signs

and wonders

to be done

by their hands.

Confirms the message

of Jesus Christ

that they're proclaiming.

Before the man

in Lystra

is healed,

Luke records

in verse 7,

and there they

continue to

preach the gospel.

It's in the midst

of them preaching

the gospel

and this man

hears the gospel

that Paul sees him,

sees that he has

faith to be healed

and heals him.

Be wary

of any ministry

who makes it

their aim

to perform

external miracles,

that that is

their ministry.

If they gather

together and say,

let's go out

on the street

and perform miracles

today.

The apostles

never sought

to perform miracles.

There's never

this stated intention.

It's time, guys.

This part of our ministry

where we go

and perform miracles,

it just happens.

Along the way,

being filled with the Spirit,

they do these miraculous

things for the sake

of the proclamation

of the gospel.

The apostles were

always preaching

the gospel

when a miracle

was performed

or followed the miracles

with gospel proclamation

when one was

performed.

Suppose that

external miracles

performed by individuals

who do not

preach the gospel

of Jesus Christ.

You can name

some of those people.

Benny Hinn

does not preach

the gospel

of Jesus Christ

yet claims

to perform miracles.

In our backyard,

beloved,

Jensen Franklin

does not preach

the gospel

of Jesus Christ.

He preaches

a prosperity gospel

and yet

claims to perform

miracles.

It's damnable

to do such a thing.

It's misleading

to do such a thing

and it should

make us angry.

We ought to be offended

that God

is offended.

The third part

of the Trinity

that lives within us

is claimed,

he's paraded about

in a way

that is not

consistent

with what the Bible

says he does.

Primary work,

always about

the exaltation

of Jesus Christ.

So what those men do

may be spiritual

in nature,

but I can promise you

that it is not

the work

of the Holy Spirit.

Very, very cautious

and warn people

that you know

and love

of the same.

Well, I made it

through point one.

John MacArthur

would be so proud of me.

Okay, so I'm going to

conclude this morning.

with some questions

for your further

consideration.

Number one,

do you have

the Spirit of God?

If you recall

the terminology

Jesus and Paul used,

have you been

baptized

in the Spirit?

Do you have

the Spirit of God?

Martin Lloyd-Jones

talked about,

I read that long

quotation to you,

what do we think,

what do we know,

is Jesus real to us?

It's a great evidence

that the Spirit of God

is working in our life.

Don't wait

to speak

in some other language.

What do you know

to be true

of Christ?

And how is it

that the Spirit of God

is working in you?

Last week,

I read this quote

from Charles Spurgeon.

If you can sin

and not weep over it,

you are an heir of hell.

If you can go into sin

and afterwards

feel satisfied

to have done so,

you are on the road

to destruction.

If there are no

prickings of conscience,

no inward torments,

no bleeding wounds,

if you have no throbs

and heavings

of a bosom

that cannot rest,

if your soul

never feels filled

with wormwood

and gall,

when you know

that you have done evil,

you are no child

of God.

Do you have

the Spirit of God?

Are you being moved

toward holiness?

Second question,

if you have the Spirit,

and I hope that all of you

can with confidence

say, yes, I do.

Jesus is real to me

and he's working

obedience in me.

If you have the Spirit,

are you filled

with the Spirit?

Do you find in yourself

any failing

in this matter?

I wrote matters,

so I got to one,

in this matter

of fruitfulness.

repentance.

Repent

and believe.

Repent

and believe

that you are loved

by God