Overcoming Barriers to the Good News
Acts 14:1-18
Intro: Many Christians believe that they are supposed to share the good news about Jesus with other people who do not know God yet. I would guess that most if not all of the Christian here today have at least some desire to do that. However, most of us recognize that it does not come easy. Sometimes, talking to people about God seems to be one of the most difficult tasks in life. Most of us can only dream of seeing something like Acts 14:1 come true in our own lives. Wouldn’t that be awesome though? I want to speak so effectively about Jesus that a great number of people would believe and become true followers of Jesus? What a tremendous experience that would be!
-But most of us have never been there or done that. In fact, most of us have faced what seem like traumatic obstacles when we have tried to share our faith. We have sometimes faced difficult attitudes: apathy, anger, disgust, disinterest, and rejection. We may have faced arguments, ignorance, frustration, confusion, and deception. How in the world can we share our faith in a meaningful way with all these barriers to overcome?
-Well, I certainly don’t have all the answers today, but I believe God’s word speaks to us about this very issue.
Prop: With God’s help, we can learn to naturally and effectively share His love with others.
Interrogative: Where do we begin? How can we learn to do this?
TS: I see four important tools in our text today that will help us overcome some of these barriers to the Good News.
I. The Power of the Spoken Word (Acts 14:1-3)
1At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.
-One of the most important tools God has given us to help us do what He wants is words. Now you and I both know that words alone are only worth so much. Politicians use lots of words and so do lawyers, but their words are often lost in the wind. And lest I be guilty of demeaning other professions, did you hear about the church that took their towel dispensers out of their restrooms and got new electric hand dryers to replace them? You know, the kind that never get your hands dry? Well, someone taped a note on one of the blow dryers which said, “Please press this button for a short recorded message from our pastor.” So even preachers often don’t accomplish much with words alone.
-So, when we talk about the power of the spoken word, we know that words alone do not have the power to change lives for eternity.
-The apostle Paul told the church in Thessalonica: “… when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know that the way we lived among you was further proof of the truth of our message (1 Thessalonians 1:5).
-So words alone aren’t enough to convey the good news. When we share the words containing the good news about Jesus, we must be empowered by the Holy Spirit. That is how it worked in the early church, and that is how God still works today. Furthermore, we see from this verse that the way we live is also part of the message. If we tell people about God’s love, do they see it in our lives? If we tell people about forgiveness, do they see us giving and receiving forgiveness?
-The power of the spoken word can dispel ignorance about who God is and how much He loves each one of us. The spoken word, carried by the power of the Holy Spirit and backed up by a life of obedience to God can effectively change this world one person at a time.
-We often emphasize how important it is for our walk to match our talk. We talk about being a witness to people by the way we live. I agree wholeheartedly, but I do have a problem with something. Sometimes when we talk about letting our lives do the witnessing for us, what we really mean is that we don’t really plan on using our words to share about God and His plan for mankind. That is called binary thinking. Binary thinking only allows one possibility. Either we share the gospel with words, or we share it by the way we live. However, as I’m sure you can see, that is simply not true. Jesus said, “Do both!” Let your light shine so people can look at your lives and know how awesome your Father in heaven is. But also, go and teach and preach and talk about Jesus and all that He taught. Look at it this way: truth can be explained, and truth can be illustrated. So, every chance you get, explain truth to someone, but as you do, be sure you are illustrating truth by the way you live.
-The word of God is essential to overcome the barrier of ignorance. Many people simply do not know the goodness of God. They do not know that He means them no harm, only good. He wants each of us to live in close relationship with Him, learning to love the way He does, and live according to His good plan for us. We can let people know that God loves them and wants to help them by the power of the spoken word and through a lifestyle of living out that word.
-TS: Secondly, let’s look at another tool that will help us share the gospel.
II. The Power of Presence (Acts 14:2-3a)
2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord,
-As I read this verse, I wondered, “What if these Jews had not come and stirred up trouble? Would Paul and Barnabas have stayed around as long, or would they have finished up with Iconium sooner and gone on down the road to Lystra? I don’t know the answer for sure, but v.3 seems to indicate that more time was needed because of the opposition.
-As a result of the negative influence the Jews had on the Gentiles, Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord.
-Never underestimate the power of presence. Just being there for somebody often does more for them than all the words you can say. However, let’s avoid binary thinking, and realize that when we combine being there for someone, AND talking boldly with them about Jesus and how awesome He is, then we have a powerful combination.
-How important is it that we spend considerable time with those we are trying to reach? Let me just say that it could make an eternal difference in their lives.
-A young man had been working in the inner city with a program to keep kids in school and away from gangs and the gangster lifestyle. He did everything he could think of to show these kids what a dead-end gang life was. Over the years, he saw kid after kid drop out of school and join a local gang. One day he got the chance to meet one of the highest gang leaders. He had a few minutes with him so he asked, “What’s your secret? How are you able to recruit these kids who have so much going for them? Some of these kids could easily go to college on scholarships and make something of themselves.” The gang leader’s answer surprised him. He said, “Hey, I’m here for them. When they need a new pair of shoes, I’m here for them. When they’re out of food and don’t know where to turn, I’m here for them. I’m one of the few things they can count on in their world. That is why they want to join my gang.”
-Wow! Are we doing that for the people we are trying to reach? Are we being the someone they can count on when things go bad? Are we someone they can talk to and receive help from? Are we willing to enter their world, their turf, their life?
-Paul and Barnabas gave the people at Iconium the present of their presence. They were willing to spend considerable time with them, teaching about Jesus and living the life. They were willing to get into their world and make a difference.
-Just being there for someone may be the best way to overcome deception. If someone has poisoned their mind against God and against the good news about Jesus, we may need to spend considerable time in their world, showing them that God truly loves them just the way they are. It is only after people know they are loved and accepted for who they are that they are willing to take steps to make changes in their lives.
-So, let’s be relationship-minded people. Let’s be willing to associate with those who see life differently than we do. Build genuine friendships with people, and give them the unqualified gift of your presence. Be such a friend that even if they never seem to take a step toward God, you will still be their friend! The power of presence can help overcome the barriers of suspicion and mistrust that hinder the good news about Jesus.
-TS: So, Paul and Barnabas used Holy Spirit-empowered words, and spent considerable time with these people. What other tools did God give them to overcome the barriers they faced?
III. The Power of Miracles (Acts 14:3-10)
3The Lord… confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders. 4 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5 There was a plot afoot among the Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6 But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7 where they continued to preach the good news.
8 In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.
-I’m using two different settings for this point, because after spending considerable time in Iconium, the opponents of the apostles decided to try and rock their world. Paul & Barnabas were forced to move on to Lystra, where we see a specific example of the miraculous power of God at work.
-These verses show us that God sometimes uses miracles (supernatural events) to emphasize the truth of the message being given. In Iconium, Paul & Barnabas were facing contradictions to their message. So, they spent considerable time there, they spoke the truth about Jesus with boldness, and they worked miracles by the power of God. These miracles helped people begin to see that Jesus was for real. When was the last time the opposing Jews had produced a miracle? God showed up and people began to realize that Jesus really could make a difference in their lives.
-God still works miracles today. Sometimes He does so to ease our pain or suffering. However, I believe that He wants to do even more miracles while we are sharing the good news about Jesus.
-Here at Christian Life Center, we value relationship, and seek to promote a relational style of evangelism. As mentioned in the last point, we need to build genuine friendships with people who do not know God and look for ways to enter their world. Well, in the context of these relationships, God will give us opportunities to talk about Jesus. As we do talk about Jesus, God will sometimes confirm the message of his love and grace by enabling us to do miracles. Do you think God is interested enough in your friends and family to show them that He is real? Do you think God cares enough about them to heal them when they are sick, or provide for them when they are hungry? Only as we obey what we hear God speak to our hearts will we begin to see marketplace miracles happen. Miracles weren’t intended to be kept inside the church. They were meant to be part of the message that God loves people and is powerful enough to help them through anything they face! Be faithful with God’s word- His message of grace through Jesus- and He will confirm His word with miracles that will show His power and bring Him glory.
-The miracles in Iconium resulted in attempts of murder against Paul & Barnabas. However, the miracle in Lystra resulted in a different kind of test for these men of God. Were they really men of integrity? Did they really practice what they preached, or were they willing to exploit people who mistakenly thought they were divine beings?
IV. The Power of Humility (Acts 14:11-18)
11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 "Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." 18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.
-I’ve never had anyone try to worship me or try to sacrifice to me. However, I have had people say things to me that might make me think more of myself than I ought to think.
-Pride is a dangerous thing, and it has resulted in the fall of many great men. Pride can ruin us! Think about King Saul in the OT. When he started out as king, he was humble and thought himself inadequate to lead a nation. They couldn’t find him and found him hiding in the luggage. Later, in 1 Samuel 15:17-18, 17Samuel said, "Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. 18 And he sent you on a mission to obey Him.” Pride caused Saul to disobey God and do things his own way, and as a result, he lost his opportunity to make a difference in God’s kingdom.
-Barnabas and Paul did everything they could to point the glory and honor to God. They refused to be placed on a pedestal to receive what God alone deserves: worship, glory, and honor. Humility pleases God. The Bible says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (1 Peter 5:5-6).
-Jesus told His disciples that those who served would be the greatest in His kingdom. Let Him worry about greatness. We just need to be humble and obedient, just doing what He has asked us to do. What has He asked us to do? Experience Him. Get to know Him. Share the good news about Jesus with others. Develop them. Help them grow. Disciple them. Bring people to Jesus so He can transform their lives.
Conclusion: In closing, we can overcome the barriers to communicating the good news about Jesus. However, we cannot do this alone. We need the help God promised us in the person of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told His disciples that they would receive power after the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they would be His witnesses…. We need God’s help if we hope to see the Power of the Spoken Word. Our words won’t cut it, but His words will. We need God’s help if we hope to see the Power of Presence. Spending considerable time with people who need Jesus will make a difference as we let Jesus love them through us. We need God’s help to see the Power of Miracles, confirming the truth about Jesus. Finally, we need God’s help to stay humble, so that when we do see success, we will not begin to think that it’s all about us.
-If today, you find yourself in need of God’s help, I can assure you that He is able and willing to help you – as long as you are willing to do things His way. Maybe you are not so concerned about the areas we just talked about, but you need God’s help in some other way. I’d sure like to talk with you and pray for you. Maybe you need a miracle in your life. I know the God who does miracles. Maybe you just want to know more about Jesus and what the Good News is all about. I’d love to talk about it over lunch, my treat. I’d enjoy getting to know you better, and I really would like to help in any way I can. In fact, let me go out on a limb. There are a lot of people in this room who could tell you the Good News about Jesus- probably better than I could. I am certain that any one of them would invite you to lunch today or arrange for another day to sit down for a meal and get to know you better. We’re all just ordinary people who serve an extraordinary God.
-So, as we close, I hope that every Christian here is willing to let God use you to share your life with someone today. Let’s ask God to help us build better relationships and become better friends with others. He cares about what is going on in their lives. We should too. And if you want someone to talk with you or pray with you right now, please come and let someone know. Let’s pray.
