Faithful Witnesses in a Hostile World - Acts 14

Pastor Dan Walker, PhD, MDiv

Introduction: Standing Firm on the Frontlines of Faith

This morning we’re going to talk about being Faithful Witnesses in a Hostile World. Imagine with me a soldier on the frontline in a battlefield where the environment is hostile, the dangers are real, and the enemy is constantly on the attack. Yet the mission is clear, to protect and to advance into enemy territory.

Despite the relentless opposition, this soldier knows that retreat is not an option. The lives of many depend on his courage and commitment to the cause. This soldier’s experience mirrors our spiritual journey as followers of Christ.

We are called to stand firm in our faith and to be witnesses of the Gospel in a world that is often hostile to the truth. We face opposition and spiritual battles that can tempt us to retreat or compromise. But our mission is clear, to be faithful witnesses in a hostile world, no matter that cost.

Our culture in America was overall positive to Christianity from its founding to around 1994. The culture then shifted to begin neutral to Christianity until about 20214. Since 2014, our culture has become hostile to Christianity, which is the culture we live in today.

The Christians in the New Testament also lived in a culture that was hostile to the Gospel.

Ephesians 6:13 (ESV) Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Like a soldier prepared for battle, we must equip ourselves with God’s armor to withstand spiritual attacks that come our way.

2 Timothy 2:3 (ESV) Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

Just as soldiers endure hardship for the sake of their mission, we are called to endure suffering and remain faithful in our witness. Today, we’re going to learn how Paul and Barnabus were committed to being faithful witnesses in the face of intense resistance and persecution. So, let’s learn how we can learn from their example how to be faithful witnesses in a hostile world.

Stay Committed Witnesses Despite Opposition

Acts 14:1 (ESV) Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.

Paul and Barnabus traveling as a team preached the Gospel in a Jewish synagogue. Both Jews and Gentiles were in attendance and a great number believed in Jesus. Everything seemed to be going great, but this is just the beginning of the story.

Acts 14:2–3 (ESV) But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

The unbelieving Jews began to oppose the ministry of Paul and Barnabus. The passage says that they “poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against these two witnesses. What does it mean to poison the minds?

Minds are poisoned with lies. The Jews told lies about the apostles and their message. But the witnesses continued to speak boldly for the Lord, and God honored and confirmed their witness with supernatural signs and wonders.

In the book of Acts, signs and wonders are often healings from sickness and deliverances from demons. But the opposition was about to escalate.

Acts 14:5–7 (ESV) When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, they learned of it and fled to the surrounding country, and there they continued to preach the gospel.

When spreading misinformation about the apostles did not stop them or the people believing in them, the opposition increased. They made plans to physically attack them and to stone them to death. The Lord led Paul and Barnabus to get out of that place and move to another location.

There they continued to preach the Gospel. They and we must stay committed as witnesses despite opposition.

Living as a Witness Wherever God Has Placed You

How is God calling you to be a witness for Him? Every believer is commanded to be a witness, but we are each given different people to reach. As you are praying for your five friend focus, ask God how you can be a witness to them.

If you haven’t filled out a five friend focus card, you can find one in the seat back in front of you. Fill it out with the names of five friends who either aren’t believers or are not in a biblical church and pray for them daily. God calls us to be witnesses wherever we go.

Whether on the job, in your neighborhood, among your relatives, in your family, when you shop and so on, God has placed people in your life for a reason. When you are seeking to be a faithful witness, Satan will stir up opposition against you. He will poison the minds of people with lies about you, about the Bible or about the church.

We fight the poison of lies with the truth of God’s Word. Be careful that your mind is not poisoned with the lies of mass media today. Keep your heart focused on being a faithful witness in a hostile world.

Redirect Glory to God Alone

Acts 14:8–10 (ESV) Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking.

This man had been crippled for decades and everyone knew that he could not walk. Paul must have been preaching about the power of the Gospel to now only save, but also to heal. As Paul looked at this cripple, he discerned that the man had faith to be made well.

That is the man believed that he would be healed. So, paul commanded the man to do something which had been impossible his whole life. Paul told him to stand upright, which he never could do before.

The jumped to his feet and began walking, an incredible miracle.

Acts 14:11 (ESV) And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”

The crowds watching understood that an amazing miracle had just happened. They thought that their pagan gods had come down to earth in human form. So they began to call the apostles the names of their gods, Zeus and Hermes.

They people found a pagan priest who brough animals to sacrifice in worship to the apostles. Paul heard what was going on and rushed to address the crowd.

Acts 14:15 (ESV) “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

He informed the crowd that they were not gods, but simply human beings. They had come to tell them the good news of the Gospel. That they should stop worshipping pagan gods and idols and worship the one true living God.

He is the creator of everything and is the only one worthy of worship. The witnesses redirected the worship being offered to them to God alone.

Giving God Credit for Every Blessing

As a follower of Jesus and a witness for Him, God will bless you in many ways. As you honor him with tithes and offerings, He will bless you financially. As you learn to pray prayers of faith, God will answer your prayers.

He will heal you and others that you pray for. God will give you supernatural wisdom in decisions of life. You will be tempted to become proud of the blessings of God in your life.

You will be tempted to receive the complements of others, rather than giving the glory to God. When God blesses us, we must always give all the glory to Him. He is the one who saved us and He is the one who blesses through His power.

As we direct the glory back to God, it helps others believe that God could bless them also. Redirecting all glory and praise back to God is being a faithful witness in a hostile world.

Encourage Other Believers Amidst Hardships

Acts 14:19–20 (ESV) But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city …

The unbelieving Jews just wouldn’t leave Paul alone. They traveled to Lystra where Paul was and stirred up a mob with their lies. The mob stoned Paul and dragged his limp body out of the city thinking they had killed him.

The believing disciples gathered around him and I’m sure that they prayed. Paul came back to consciousness, got up and carried on with the mission.

Acts 14:21–22 (ESV) When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned …, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

Paul had moved on from Lystra where he was stoned to the city of Derby. At Derby, Paul and Barnabus continued to preach the Gospel and again many disciples were made and people believed in Jesus.

Then the team returned to the cities where they had made new disciples. They strengthened them and encouraged them with God’s Word. These new disciples were also experiencing hardship and persecution from the same people who had attacked Paul.

Paul encouraged them to continue in the faith and not to doubt even in the hard times. Entering the kingdom of God is not a walk in the park. Satan and his followers are hostile to believers and will bring about many tribulations.

These tribulations may be attacks of many kinds. The next step was to appoint leaders in the newly formed churches.

Acts 14:23 (ESV) And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

These appointed elders must have been new believers, for the Gospel was completely new to this area. They prayed and fasted as they committed these new leaders to the Lord. We learn from their example of the importance of encouraging other believers amidst hardships.

Strengthening One Another Through Trials

We all go through tough times and encounter hardships in our lives. Some may be because of persecution and reaction to our witness. As we share the Gospel with those around us, everyone will not embrace it.

Those who do not choose to believe often may cause hardship is many kinds in our lives. God will help you persevere through the hardships that he allows in your life. But God also wants us to be aware of the hardships that others in the church family are going through.

We must encourage them through prayer and our words to hold fast to their faith and keep on trusting God. The last lesson we learn from the apostles is the importance of mentoring others in their spiritual growth.

If you’ve been saved for a while, God wants to use you to disciple newer believers. May we always have a heart to see and encourage others in their times of hardship.

Conclusion: Faithful Witnesses Until the End

As we reflect on the journey of Paul and Barnabus, we are reminded that they were soldiers on the frontline. Enduring hardships and persecution but standing firm in a hostile world. We too are called to be faithful witnesses in a hostile world despite opposition.

As we share God’s truth, we must expect to encounter the attacks and lies of the enemy. Yet, we can draw strength from God and give Him all the glory. May God help us to encourage others around us to also be faithful witnesses.

As we are faithful witnesses, we will see lives changed for eternity.

📘 Continue the Journey

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