Acts 14: 21-28 Paul's response to being persecuted (stoned and left for dead!) certainly is a model for the new Christians to imitate. This gives him both the clarity and the purposefulness in his message to all the new churches in Turkey. At the same time, he and Barnabas establish some rudimentary structure for the new fellowships to prosper.
Introduction
Paul’s response to being stoned: the different sides of walking with Jesus: Miracles and persecution, wisdom and misunderstanding or jealousy, grace and condemnation.
What happens when our expectations are not met, or we assume our prayers are not answered when they are not answered the way we want them to be? What is our reaction then?
Here we see the impact that Jesus has had on Paul and his experience: He sees both the value and the importance of his mission over his personal comfort. Risking death is not a problem for him.
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Key events: continue to lead people to Christ and faith in Jesus
Started church in Derbe
Returned to the places where his enemies lived to establish leadership in the new churches
Notice the change in his message:
Strengthening the disciples in their multi cultured groups
Encouraging them to continue in the faith with a new message
Entering the Kingdom of God: the next step. Life in this new Kingdom
Establishing leadership
Moving on to two more cities in Turkey
Returning to give an account of the work among the Jews and Gentiles in Antioch.
How do we react to this: