Introduction and Prayer
Read Acts 1:8 together: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Pray
Read Acts 14:1-3
The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. 2 Some of the Jews, however, spurned God’s message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. 3 But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders.
Why did Paul and Barnabas go to the Jewish synagogue as a first step?
Why do people spurn the message today? What motivates certain people to poison others against the Gospel?
How did the miracles prove their message?
How is the message of the Gospel proven today?
Read Acts 14:5-7
5 Then a mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them. 6 When the apostles learned of it, they fled to the region of Lycaonia—to the towns of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area. 7 And there they preached the Good News.
Why were the people so angry that they would turn violent?
Even as we observe the war in Ukraine, how does the Russian government justify the violence?
Why were Paul and Barnabas traveling to the small villages of Lystra and Derbe to share the Gospel?
What responsibility do we have to take the truth to smaller, seemingly insignificant towns of the world?
Read Acts 14:8-9
8 While they were at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. He was sitting 9 and listening as Paul preached. Looking straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed.
How would this man have perceived his disability? Was it something that was temporary or permanent?
What would Paul have seen that made him realize he had the faith to be healed?
How does a child show faith in what a parent says?
Read Acts 14:10-11
10 So Paul called to him in a loud voice, “Stand up!” And the man jumped to his feet and started walking. 11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, “These men are gods in human form!”
Why did these people think that it was Zeus and Hermes when they saw a supernatural miracle?
How did Paul and Barnabas respond?
How should we respond when people want to give us glory for something that God has done through us?
What are some of the ways that we bring glory to God?
Think on This…
What is one specific thing you can do this week to bring glory to God?