SUNDAY - OCTOBER 19, 2025 "Boldly Proclaim" Acts 14:1-7

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Be in Acts chapter 14, verses 1 through 7 this morning.

Acts 14:1–7

As you turn there, uh, you know, I grew up, many of you, if you if you don't know this, fine, I'm gonna tell you a little bit about myself.

I I grew up, um, my dad graduated from Mississippi State, my sister went to Mississippi State.

We grew up big Mississippi State fans.

Um, grew up there.

Uh some of you know, well, Grant, I thought you were a Southern Miss fan.

Well, I I did.

I am.

Uh we uh when I was in college or right after college, I went and worked at the BSU at Southern Miss and became a Southern Miss fan.

But but I I'm just gonna tell you, my my fandom isn't very very big.

Uh I I don't follow Southern Miss all the time.

I don't know.

I I looked up yester this morning who they played yesterday, uh, but I didn't know before that.

Like I'm not just I don't but I loved I loved college sports.

I love to watch.

I just like to watch the games.

And if I'm gonna pull for the Mississippi team, uh usually, sometimes the Alabama team, uh, I'm gonna pull for them.

And and and so I just I just like to follow and watch.

But but I I remember this time when I was in high school, growing up a Mississippi State fan, and and some of you will sympathize with this.

Uh I remember growing up and we we we lost.

We we lost.

The next week, though, we I went to school, and and one of my friends, she she was talking, she was probably a bigger fan than I was, and she said this.

People were giving her a hard time.

She said, win, lose, or tie, I'm a bulldog until I die.

Better get used to that losing.

You know, but there was something there's something in fandom.

There's something about it that just holds us.

Because here's the deal.

If you're a true fan, win, lose, or tie, guess what you're gonna do?

You're gonna pull for your team.

If you're a true fan, if you go through some very tough years, if you're a true fan, guess what you're gonna do?

You're gonna walk right through those, walk right through those years.

You're gonna go right through those times, and then when things are good and they're going well, guess what you're gonna do?

You're gonna you're gonna cheer and you're gonna go right through those times.

As we come to this passage today, what what we're going to see in this passage is that Paul and Barnabas, there is a stictuativeness with them in proclaiming the gospel message through the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Remember, let's see what what has happened over the past couple of weeks.

We saw two weeks ago, we saw Paul stand and proclaim the message of salvation, that Jesus is the Messiah who came and lived and died and arose to save both Jews and Gentiles.

And then last week, what we what we saw happen is them go back to the synagogue and proclaim that message again.

Yet in this second time, when they proclaimed the gospel message to the Gentiles, the Jews didn't like it.

And so they began to persecute them to the point that they fled the city.

And now, as we come back today, they they have just fled from Antioch and Poseidia, and now they have traveled about a hundred miles to a city called Iconium.

And in Iconium, what they are going to do is they are going to go to the synagogue and they are going to preach the gospel message again, and once again, they are going to face persecution.

We've seen this pattern in Paul and Barnabas so far, and we'll get back to it even more in just a moment, but they begin by going to the synagogue and proclaiming that message.

And you know, while they we today don't face the same kind of opposition, we don't face the same kind of persecution that Paul and Barnabas probably faced.

Because guess what?

I'm here proclaiming today, and hopefully none of you are trying to run me out of town.

There are pastors all across this country today who are standing and proclaiming Jesus and not really facing persecution.

But while we may not face persecution as we proclaim the gospel message, we we do need to recognize and come to grips with we will face opposition.

We will face opposition, and so we need to be prepared to proclaim Jesus always, even in the face of opposition, even in the face of hard times and things going poorly.

You know, opposition, we we need to recognize, I've said this before, opposition typically is what while it while people may be opposing us, it's not people that we need to be concerned about.

Our real opposition is not flesh and blood.

The real opposition that we face, according to Paul in Ephesians, is spiritual powers at work against us.

And we need to be ready to proclaim Jesus always, even facing that opposition.

So the challenge for us today is to proclaim Jesus.

And today what we're going to do in these first seven verses of Acts chapter 14 is look at Paul and Barnabas and how they proclaimed Jesus even in the face of persecution.

Acts 14 · chapter mention

And hopefully from that we can we can be challenged to proclaim the gospel message as well.

So join me this morning in Acts chapter 14.

Acts 14 · chapter mention

I invite you, if you are able, to stand with us as we give honor to the reading of God's Word.

Acts chapter 14.

Acts 14 · chapter mention

I'm going to start in verse one.

Now at Iconium, they entered together into the Jewish 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 Derby, cities of Lyconia, and to the surrounding country.

And there they continued to preach the gospel.

Let's pray together.

God, once again, we thank you for this moment that we have, this opportunity that we have to open your word.

We pray that this morning, as you have revealed yourself to us through your word, Spirit, that you will come alongside us and you will open the eyes of our hearts and help us to see you.

Jesus, it's in your name we pray.

Amen.

So again, the question is, how did they proclaim?

Well, first, I think we need to see that the first way that they proclaimed the gospel is they did it resolutely.

They did it resolutely.

See, back in verse 1, see where they went again.

I know I've referenced it already, but let's spend some time there.

Now at Iconium, they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that both Jews and Greeks believed.

We talked about this.

This is a pattern that Paul and Barnabas have set, and later Paul and Silas will follow the same pattern that when they go into a city, if there is a synagogue, the first place that they go is to the synagogue.

And they continue to go there.

And we talked about last week why they did that back in chapter 13, verses 46 and 47, he says this, and Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you.

That's to the Jews.

Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.

For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.

We talked about it last week that the reason that Paul and Barnabas they went to the synagogues is because the gospel message should go to the Jews first, and here's why.

It's not a nationality or racist thing, but here's the thing: they went to the Jews first because the gospel message came through the Jews, and God's design had been for the gospel message to come through the Jews, and then as he quotes the scripture from Isaiah, for the Jews to be a light to the Gentiles of how salvation should come.

The plan was for them to be light and to show the Gentiles this is how we follow Jesus.

This is what it looks like when we commit ourselves to Him.

This is what it looks like to be a Christian, this is the gospel message.

Let us proclaim it to you.

God came to save us.

And the Jews were supposed to do that.

But what he says here is they thrust it aside, forgetting their purpose.

Yet Paul and Barnabas continually go to the synagogue.

They continually, even after in city by city by city, they thrust it aside, as Luke writes here.

Why?

Why would they continue to do this?

Well, I think in Romans chapter 9 and 10, Paul identifies why he does this.

Romans 9 · chapter mention

In Romans chapter 9, starting in verse 30, Paul writes this.

Romans 9 · chapter mention

That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it.

That is a righteousness that is by faith.

But that Israel, who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness, did not succeed in reaching that law.

Why?

Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works.

They have stumbled over the stumbling stone as it was written, Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.

So Paul's telling us here at the end of chapter 9 that the Jews, they that the way of righteousness for them has become their stumbling stone.

That's Jesus, because they were trying to attain a righteousness from the law based on their works, but they were constantly failing at it.

So God sent Jesus, his son, to keep the law, to die in their place, to arise so that they could have his righteousness.

That was the way to attain righteousness, not from works of the law, but from the works of Christ and His grace.

But they were failing at it.

They were constantly not doing what was happening to the point that even the one who had come to save them had become a stumbling block for them.

But then you come to chapter 10, verse 1.

Paul says, Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.

For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

For being ignorant of the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own, they do not submit to God's righteousness.

For Christ is the end of the law of righteousness to everyone who believes.

See what Paul is saying is he looks at the Jews and these are his people.

And he loves them.

And his desire is for them to come to know Christ.

His desire, the reason he constantly goes to the synagogues first, is not just because they were supposed to be the lights, but also because he loves them and he wants them to know Jesus.

He wants them to attain a righteousness not from works because they're going to fail.

He wants them to attain righteousness from Jesus Christ.

So he constantly, resolutely goes to the Jews and preaches the gospel message.

Even after they constantly throw him out, even when they constantly attack him, even when they constantly persecute him, he continues to resolutely go.

Listen, as I look across this place, I'm sure that there are people in here that have someone or maybe someone in your life that you have been sharing the gospel with.

And they constantly reject and constantly turn away.

My encouragement to you is this resolutely proclaim the gospel to them.

Don't give up.

Continue to proclaim this gospel message of salvation to those who, whether they come quickly or whether they constantly, years upon years upon years, hear this gospel message and you feel like it's not going through, you feel like giving up, you feel like it's not worth it, you feel like all of these things.

My prayer for you, my prayer is for us church, is that we will resolutely proclaim the gospel message, regardless of what is happening around us, regardless of whether whom we are proclaiming this message to denies, rejects, turns aside.

My prayer is that we will be like Paul and resolutely go and continue to proclaim this gospel message.

They proclaimed it resolutely.

Then as we move down to verses two and three, we see that they proclaimed this message boldly.

This is exactly the words he uses in verse 2, but the unbelieving Gentiles, Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their mind against the brothers, so they remained for a long time speaking boldly for the Lord.

We've already seen this even back up in chapter 13.

In chapter 13, we just read it in verse 46.

He says, And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly.

They boldly proclaimed this message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Are they gonna face persecution?

Yes.

Are they gonna have, even in Antioch, Pasidia, where we were last week, we see political opposition come and drive them out of town.

Today, spoiler alert, what we're gonna see is a mob come up and attack them and try to stone them and they leave town.

Next week, we're gonna see not Paul, not the not the mob try to stone Paul.

We're gonna see them actually stone Paul.

And you know what he's gonna constantly do?

Get up and continue to preach the gospel.

Boldly, he is going to go and proclaim this word.

So how does he do this?

Well, he tells us.

In verse 2, these unbelieving Jews, they stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.

They poisoned their minds.

Last week we even saw this group in Antioch Pasidia blaspheme the gospel message.

They're opposing with everything that they have, trying to get those who may hear and may be converted, trying to poison their minds against this gospel message, but they continue to speak boldly for the Lord.

So they remained a long time speaking boldly for the Lord.

Two things.

One is they remained a long time.

Listen, don't get caught up.

Sometimes when we read the book of Acts, we can read it and it feels like a fast-paced book.

It reads like a fast-paced book.

It reads like, well, they were in Antioch Posidia for a couple of days, and the opposition came, and so they go to Lystra and they were there a couple of days, and they go to Derby and they were there a couple of days.

But but that's not actually what happened.

They were in these places that they went, they were there for a long time.

It feels like, if you just, if you just sat down and read the book of Acts, it feels like if you're just reading it, chapter 14 is just a few months after chapter 2.

But actually, it's been years.

Years.

And Paul and Barnabas, they are in this place for years, for a long time, proclaiming this gospel message in the face of persecution, in the face of opposition.

As they would go out and proclaim this message, someone would come behind and start to poison the poison those minds of those who had heard.

But they continued to boldly proclaim.

They did it for a long time.

And they did it for the Lord.

Verse 3 again, and they remained for a long time speaking boldly for the Lord.

We have to ask the question, how are they able to do this?

How are they able to constantly continue on in the face of such opposition?

They were doing it because they were doing it in God's strength.

They were doing it for the Lord.

And then it's interesting.

It's interesting.

The end of chapter 3, there's a little phrase.

It says this, speaking boldly for the Lord, and then it says this, who bore witness to the word of his grace.

So catch that.

They spoke boldly for the Lord.

Who?

Who is the who?

It's not talking about Paul and Barnabas.

It is the Lord who bore witness to the works of his grace.

I don't know if you remember when way back when we started in this study on the book of Acts, I told you there's a guy named Tony Merida.

I've been reading his commentary as we study, and he he thought a good title for this book is this The Acts of the Lord Jesus Christ through the Apostles and the Church by the power of the Spirit.

The Acts of who?

The Lord Jesus Christ.

Through the Apostles and the church, by the power of the Spirit.

That's exactly what we see happening here.

Through Paul and through Barnabas, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord is proclaiming and demonstrating the works of his grace.

He is using them.

They are the vessel.

So how are they boldly proclaiming they are for the Lord, speaking out and allowing him to work through them?

And we know this, we demonstrate this because it is demonstrated through signs.

It is demonstrated through demonstrated through signs and miracles.

He says, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

Now we need to unpack this.

We've done this some already in Acts, but continue.

Let me remind you.

What are these signs and wonders?

Well, we when we see signs and wonders, it's usually the apostles who are doing these signs and wonders.

And they are performing these signs and wonders because that is a new message of the gospel.

And what they are doing, what the signs are wonders are backing up for them, that they are followers of Jesus.

They are doing the same signs and wonders that told the people Jesus is the Messiah.

The apostles are doing these same signs and wonders to show that we are continuing this work of Jesus.

We are doing what Jesus did through us.

Now, as we come to us today, what does this mean?

Does this mean that we are to proclaim boldly this gospel message with signs and wonders?

I don't think so.

The signs and wonders were pointing that God is using the apostles.

We don't need signs and wonders today to reveal what we are proclaiming is God's work because we have the completed work of God.

We believe that the word of God is sufficient for salvation and for sanctification.

This is all we need.

We don't need signs and wonders anymore.

We have the word of God.

So if we are going to boldly proclaim the word of God, if we are going to allow him to proclaim through us the works of his grace, we need to be proclaiming the way that God has revealed himself to us.

God's revelation, the way that he has chosen to reveal himself to the world today in 2025 is through his word.

So if we are going to boldly proclaim God in the gospel message, we need to be proclaiming his word.

Not my opinion, not your opinion.

Not what we think about the situation, not how we understand the situation.

We must be proclaiming the word of God boldly.

We see then they proclaimed resolutely.

We see that they proclaimed boldly.

Finally, this morning, we see that they proclaimed wisely.

See what happens as they were doing this?

It says, but the people of the city were divided.

Some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles.

And it's an amazing thing how this gospel message, which can unite people who would never be united, also divides everybody else.

Again, Tony Merida, go back to him.

He says this about this division.

He says, while the gospel unites people who would never otherwise be united, it also divides the human race.

If the gospel message shared is not both uniting and dividing, in fact, you can be sure that the true gospel isn't being preached.

You say, Grant, how can that be?

How is the gospel message dividing?

Well, Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 18, he says this, for the word of the God of the cross is folly to those who are perishing.

1 Corinthians 1:18

But to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.

It is folly to those who are perishing.

To those who have not believed, the word of God is rubbish.

It's just nothing to be followed.

It is folly.

It is ridiculous.

But to those who are being saved, those who are believing, it is the power of God that is going to divide.

It is going to divide the rest of the world.

And this gospel message that we proclaim, listen, it is very confrontational.

For us to be saved, we got to know we need a savior.

For the world to be saved, it must know that it needs a savior.

So we have to confront people with this idea, this reality of sinfulness.

And that is dividing.

I don't know about you, but I don't like my sins to be pointed out.

It's convicting.

Because it hurts.

But this gospel message that must be boldly and resolutely proclaimed must also be wisely proclaimed.

Jesus says in Matthew chapter 10, verse 16, as he sends the twelve apostles out into the world two by two to proclaim the gospel, he says, This, Behold, I'm sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.

Matthew 10:16

So be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

The gospel message, because it can cause such division, it needs to be shared wisely.

But we also see the wisdom in this proclamation and the fact that Paul and Barnabas fled.

You see it?

When an attempt was made by both Jews and Gentiles with their rulers to mistreat them and stone them, they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derby.

Fled.

And we may say, Grant, how are they boldly proclaiming if they fled?

Well, they are using wisdom.

They're using a wisdom that comes only from a dependence upon the Spirit.

Because there's going to be times, we're going to see it as we progress through Acts.

There's going to be times when Paul and Barnabas or Paul and Silas don't flee.

There's going to be times when they don't flee.

So are they using wisdom now and not using wisdom then?

Or are they using wisdom then and not using wisdom now?

How does it work?

Here's how this wisdom works.

It works when we completely and fully depend upon God.

I believe they flee here because of their dependence and their reliance upon the Holy Spirit.

It is not out of fear, it is from dependence.

How do you say, Grant, how do you know?

I think I know because what they do in Lystra and Derby when they leave.

Look at verse 7.

And there they continued to preach the gospel.

They didn't stop.

They didn't go to a new town and say, you know what, our strategy may not be the best one.

Maybe we should rethink this a little bit so it doesn't end the same way.

No.

They have been called to proclaim the gospel message.

And they continue to do so.

Resolutely, going to the synagogues because of their love for the people.

They do so boldly as they face opposition day in and day out.

They do so wisely in complete dependence upon the Holy Spirit.

So what does this mean for us?

We've already said it.

Acts chapter 1, verse 8, and you shall be my witnesses when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.

Acts 1:8

When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you'll be my witness in both Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

We are to be witnesses and boldly proclaim in the face of opposition.

To those people that you've been proclaiming the gospel to.

Continue.

Continue to share the word of God with him resolutely.

As we face opposition.

And maybe it's not the same.

Persecution that Paul and Barnabas face.

But there is opposition to the word of God as it goes out.

Continue to proclaim boldly.

And do it in complete dependence upon the Holy Spirit, seeking his wisdom.

So we're about to enter into a time of invitation.

I need you to hear this.

We've talked a lot about proclaiming this gospel message.

Let me clarify what this message is.

The gospel message is that we are sinners who need a savior.

You are a sinner who needs a savior.

And if you have never believed in Jesus Christ and you're trying to get by with your good works, listen, it's not going to happen.

You're going to fail every time, just like the Jews that we read about in Romans.

We can't attain it.

You can't earn it.

You need righteousness from somewhere else.

And God loves you so much that He sent Jesus Christ, who came and kept the law perfectly, and who died in our place, who was buried and rose again, defeating our sin, defeating death.

And now after the resurrection, when we believe in him, his righteousness is placed on us.

And so now we can be in relationship with a mighty God.

And if you have never believed that, if you have never truly believed that in your heart, that is the gospel message.

And I proclaim it to you today for you to hear and I pray that you will believe.

May today be the day of salvation.

As we stand and sing in just a moment, in our invitation time, we are inviting you to come.

But if you have, and you've neglected the proclamation of the gospel in your life, I pray that today will be the day of repentance.

That you will repent because He has charged us to do this, all of us, to proclaim the gospel message day after day.

And if we are not recognizing that in our lives, I pray that today will be a day of repentance.

We'll receive you down front, just like if you want to accept Christ, we will pray with you.

Maybe you just need to come and kneel at these steps, or maybe just at your seat, you need to repent.

But if God's doing business with you, do that today.

If you're looking for a church home, we would love to have you here at DeSaills.

As we stand and sing, whatever you need to do, we invite you to come.

I'm going to pray for us and then we'll sing.

God, thank you for today.

Thank you that you love us.

Thank you for the salvation you have provided for us.

I pray that now today, for those who have never believed in you, you will give them the faith that they need to trust in you as their Savior.

God, for those of us who have and need to reset our hearts and reset our minds towards you to depend upon you and proclaim your name.

Give us the faith that we need to trust you in that.

God, whatever decision needs to be made this morning, we ask you to work as only you can.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Thanks for listening to this week's sermon.

If you have any questions for our pastor, feel free to reach out at DeSotoHills.com.