But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe. After 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...When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Acts 14:19-23
At Pisidian Antioch the Jews drove Paul out of town. At Iconium they plotted to stone him, and they followed him all the way to Lystra to do it. This is how much they truly hated the Apostle Paul and his gospel. They left their families, their businesses, and their homes and traveled for days and possibly weeks just for the chance to end the life of this religious rabble rouser. For those from Pisidian Antioch this meant travelling 100 miles! That's how much they hated Paul.
When they got to Lystra this bloodthirsty mob convinced a crowd of locals to help them stone him. They picked up stones and hurled them at Paul has hard as they could until they thought he was dead. They drug Paul's lifeless body out of the city and left him for the scavenging birds and dogs to eat. But God had other plans. As the few converts who had believed Paul's message gathered around his lifeless body, Paul got up! He wasn't dead after all! In fact, he walked right back into the city.
The next day Paul began a 60 mile trek to Derbe. After making many disciples there, Paul does something very surprising. He turns around and goes right back to every town that had opposed and tried to kill him. Why?
Paul was concerned for the believers he had left behind in those towns. Paul had been forced to leave these towns before the churches were strong enough to make it on their own. He hadn't been able to finish his teaching or appoint pastors for them. How could the faith of these new believers survive the opposition they were bound to face? It couldn't. So Paul went back to each church to strengthen and encourage them and to appoint pastors for them. He went back to Lystra. He went back to Iconium. And he went back to Antioch.
We learn something about Paul's grit in the details of this first missionary journey. Paul was willing to give up everything for the sake of the gospel. What are you willing to give up to share the gospel? What are you willing to risk to talk to somebody about Jesus? Don't let anything keep you from it! Commit with me to take a risk and find an opportunity to talk to somebody about Jesus this week.
For further reading...
- Philippians 3:7-11- Count all things loss!
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