Acts 14.1-28

Reader: Jake Elzo Preacher: Jonathan Smith The final chapter in Part III of our series details a pretty wild conclusion to the first missionary journey. In Iconium, the city is divided and a plot is formed to stone Paul and Barnabas. In Lystra, Paul is first mistaken for Hermes and nearly worshipped, then stoned and left for dead in the street. In Derbe, they make many disciples - and then, remarkably, turn around and go back through every city that tried to kill them, strengthening the churches and appointing elders. The key sentence comes in v22: it is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God. This is not a footnote. It is the pastoral message Paul and Barnabas leave in every church they plant. Suffering is not a sign that something has gone wrong - itʼs a prescription for every believer. Red Door is an Anglican Church in Melbourne, Australia. We exist to be a community of people helping people make all of life all about Jesus.