BELIEVERS MUST ENDURE MANY HARDSHIPS

PROCLAMATION

“And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch; Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”  Acts 14:21-22 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the acts of the apostles of Jesus, The Christ, as written by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Luke records that Paul and Barnabas preached so effectively in Iconium that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. (Acts 14:1)  But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the people so that the city was divided.  There was a plot to stone them, but they fled to Lystra. (Acts 14:2-7)  In Lystra, Paul healed a man who was lame from birth and the people thought that they were gods and wanted to offer sacrifices to them. (Acts 14:8-18)  Some of the Jews who came from Antioch stirred up the people, won over a large crowd and they stoned Paul and left him for dead. (Acts 14:19)  The next day Paul and Barnabas left for Derbe. (Acts 14:20)  After preaching there and turning a large number of people to Christ, they left and retraced their steps and went back to the cities of Lystra, Iconium and Antioch. (Acts 14:21-22)  After they had ordained elders in every church, they went through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia.  They preached in Perga, a city in Pamphylia, and then went down to Attalia and from there sailed to Antioch. (Acts 14:23-26)  Upon arrival in Antioch they gathered the church together and reported on all that The Holy Spirit of God had accomplished through them with the Gentiles. (Acts 14:27-28)

 

APPLICATION

It is not easy to be a Christian.  There is a price to be paid for being a believer and following Christ.  Jesus, The Christ, said that we must take up our cross and follow Him. (Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, and Luke 9:23)  Implying that we suffer if we are to follow Him.  He also said that we would be hated among men for His sake. (Matthew 10:22, Mark 13:13, Luke 21:17, and John 15:18)  However, if we endure the hardships in this life, we will be rewarded in the next life. (Matthew 5:10)  So, keep the faith, we may suffer now but joy is coming. (Psalm 30:5)