Okay, I'm going to bring you
this message, Lord willing. I'm entitling the message from
what's found and what is said in verse 27, Acts 14, 27. And
they were come And when they were come and had
gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had
done with them, how he opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. So I'm taking a title from that
verse, and the title will be, They Declared What God Has Done. That's the gospel. The gospel
is not what you must do. The declaration of the gospel
is what he has done for us. When Paul and Barnabas returned
back to their home church, they told the brethren there in the
church in Antioch all that the Lord and his sovereign purpose
and eternal purpose and good providence brought to pass. I think of that psalm where David
said, this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous, marvelous
in our eyes. He works all things after the
counsel of his own will. Now, last week in our study,
we saw how the Lord granted faith unto a man who had been crippled
from birth, and the Lord healed his soul by granting him life
and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, And then the Lord healed his
body. We know that all healing is of the Lord. We know that
the salvation of our soul is of the Lord. We read in Isaiah,
with his stripes we are, what? Healed. With his blood atonement
we are made whole, complete. For in him dwells all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily, and believers stand complete. in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Remember too that the pagan Gentiles
when Paul was used as a means and instrument of God to raise
this man up, remember the people wanted to worship Paul and Barnabas
as gods for this miraculous healing. They wanted to give the creature
the glory instead of giving God all the honor and glory. Remember
in verse 15, Acts 14 verse 15, and here's what Paul says, why
do you do these things? where men just like you, sinners,
like passion with you, and preach unto you that you should turn
from these vanities, from these idols, unto the living God, the
living God who made heaven, and who made earth, and the sea,
and all things that are therein. He is the living God, so we turn
their mind away from them, and told them to look unto the Lord
Jesus Christ alone for all salvation. Now we see in our message today,
in verse 19 and following, this same crowd who wanted to worship
Paul and Barnabas. Now we see these people were
agitated and raised up to persecute Paul. The same crowd that wanted
to worship him now seeks to kill him. Remember when the Lord Jesus
Christ came in Jerusalem, they cried, Hosanna, glory to God
in the highest. What did they say just a few
days later? Crucify him, crucify him, we
have no king but Caesar. It just shows you what we are
left to ourselves, rebels against God. Now, the Lord did restrain
these pagans from worshipping Paul and Barnabas, but they did
not, the Lord did not restrain them from stoning Paul. Now,
I don't know what happened to Barnabas, we don't have any record
of it, but we know that Paul was stoned. The Lord restrained
these people, as it says there in verse 18, and with these sayings
scarce, restrained they the people that had NOT DONE SACRIFICE UNTO
THEM. THEY WERE READY TO OFFER AN ANIMAL
SACRIFICE TO PAUL AND MARTIN. AND THE LORD RESTRAINED THEM
FROM THAT. BUT THEY DIDN'T, THE LORD DID NOT RESTRAIN THEM FROM
PICKING UP ROCKS, STONES, AND THROWING THEM AT PAUL WITH AN
INTENTION TO KILL HIM. NOW, WHY NOT? COULD HAVE THE
LORD RESTRAINED THEM FROM STONING PAUL? WELL, ABSOLUTELY. HE'S
GOD OF ALL THINGS. BUT WHY NOT? Even so, Father, for so it seemed
good in thy sight." The Lord could have restrained them. Yes,
absolutely so. In Psalm 76, we read, Surely
the wrath of man shall praise thee, and the remainder of wrath
God will restrain. I'm reading and have been reading
Arthur Pink's book on the Sovereignty of God and the Attributes of
God, and I found this statement by Arthur Pink. He said, God
is no idle spectator on the sideline looking at a distance. HE'S ACTIVELY
ORDERING ALL THINGS, SHAPING ALL THINGS TO HIS ULTIMATE PURPOSE
AND GLORY. GOD EVEN USES THE WICKEDNESS
OF MEN AND DEVILS TO ACCOMPLISH HIS OWN ETERNAL PURPOSE. YOU
THINK ABOUT THAT. We read in scripture, of him
and through him and to him are all things to whom be the glory
both now and forever. We see that here, but also in
the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, hold your place there
and find Acts chapter four. Acts chapter four, those wicked
men did exactly what they wanted to do because they hated the
Lord Jesus Christ, the carnal minded enmity against God. BUT
THEY DID WHAT GOD DETERMINED BEFORE TO BE DONE. ACTS CHAPTER
4 VERSE 26 THE KINGS OF THE EARTH STOOD UP AND THE RULERS WERE
GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST FOR
OF A TRUTH AGAINST THY HOLY CHILD JESUS WHOM THOU HAS ANOINTED
BOTH HEROD AND PONTUS PILATE WITH THE GENTILES AND THE PEOPLE
OF ISRAEL WERE GATHERED TOGETHER FOR TO DO WHATSOEVER THY HAND
and thy counsel determined before to be done. The death of the
Lord Jesus Christ was no accident. Him being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken and by wicked
hand have crucified and slain." They did exactly what their wicked
heart desired to do, but God used the wickedness of men to
accomplish his own eternal purpose and glory. A marvelous thing
is the providence of God. Verse 19 and 20, Paul was stoned and they drew him out of the
city. They drug him by the heels through the city like a dead
dog, supposing he was dead. and left him outside the city.
They left him for dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood
round about him, he rose up and came into the city. And the next
day, the next day he departed with Barnabas down to the city
of Derbe. Now, what a miracle of grace. Remember, they wanted to do this
before and were stopped. CHAPTER 14, VERSE 3 AND VERSE
7, BUT NOW THE LORD BRINGS THIS TO PASS FOR GOD'S GLORY AND FOR
PAUL'S GOOD. YOU REMEMBER HE CALLED THESE
AFFLICTIONS THAT HE ENDURED, REMEMBER WHAT HE CALLED THEM?
THEY'RE LIGHT AFFLICTIONS WHICH DON'T WORK AGAINST US, THEY WORK
FOR US IN ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY. HE SAYS IN ANOTHER PLACE, WHAT
HAPPENED TO ME HAPPENED to the furtherance of the gospel of
the Lord Jesus Christ. All things, and we know all things
work together for good, to them who love God, to those who are
called according to his purpose. A miracle of God's grace. They
stoned him, and they thought he was dead, and maybe he did
die. Some think that he did die and was raised up again from
the dead. You remember in 2 Corinthians 12, where he says that he talks
in the third person. I knew a man that 14 years ago,
whether in the body or out of the body, I don't know, the same
was taken to the third heaven. And he came back and he said,
I can't even put it in words. Some think that that's when that
happened, when he was stoned. Others that he was stoned and
left for dead after they drug him through the cities and left
him outside the gate to perish. But needless to say, here's the
miracle, God raised him up. It's a miracle of God's grace.
And he goes right back into the city. Now when you take a big
rock and hit somebody in the head, what are you gonna have?
You're gonna have bruises all over. WHEN THEY DRUG HIM OUT
OF THE CITY, HE WAS BLACK AND BLUE. WHEN GOD RAISED HIM UP
FROM THE DEAD AND HEALED HIM, I DON'T THINK HE HAD A MARK ON
HIS BODY. I THINK HE WALKED RIGHT BACK THROUGH THE GATES OF THAT
CITY AND SAID TO THOSE MEN, HEY, LOOK HERE. WANT TO TRY IT AGAIN? I'M BACK. I'M BACK. YOU CAN'T STOP THE
PURPOSE OF GOD. AND HE STAYED THERE UNTIL THE
NEXT DAY, AND THEN HE DEPARTED. He departed with Barnabas, and
they went to another city called Derbe. And when they had preached
the gospel to that city, and had taught many, or the Lord
had made many disciples, they returned again to Lystra, right
back to Iconium right back to Iconium they wanted to stone
Paul there and to Antioch as well they spoke evil of him and
ran him out of town in Antioch in Pisidia and he goes right
back to these same places confirming the souls of the disciples exhorting
them to continue in the faith that we must through much tribulation
enter in to the kingdom of God. Paul preached the gospel and
the Lord blessed the word. Many were blessed to hear the
word of truth, and God granted faith. For it says there that
he taught many, or the marginal reference says that he had made,
or the Lord had made many, many disciples. Remember the verse,
you can turn with me if you want to, if not, I'll just read it
to you, where it says here in Acts chapter two, verse 47, Praising the Lord, they continued
daily with one accord, verse 46, in the temple, breaking bread
from house to house, did eat their meat with singleness and
gladness of heart, praising God, having favor with all the people,
and the Lord added, THE LORD ADDED DAILY TO THE CHURCH SUCH
AS SHOULD BE SAVED. I DIDN'T ADD MYSELF TO THE BODY
OF CHRIST. BY THE ONE SPIRIT ARE WE ALL
BAPTIZED INTO THE ONE BODY. WHY DID HE GO BACK? WELL, IT
SAYS THERE IN VERSE 22, WHY DID HE GO BACK TO THESE CITIES? The
Lord called out his elect out of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. The Lord had a people in those
cities that must hear the gospel, that must be called out of darkness
to his glorious light. Here's the reason. Confirming
the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue, that we must
through much tribulation ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. WHY DID THEY GO BACK? TO CONFIRM
AND EXHORT THEM. THEY WENT BACK TO FEED THE CHURCH
OF GOD WHICH HE PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD. HE WENT BACK AND
REPEATED THE MESSAGE HE ALREADY HAD PREACHED TO THEM HOW THAT
CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES. AND THEN IT
SAYS THERE'S SECONDLY EXHORTING THEM TO CONTINUE, CONTINUE IN
The faith, now we need, exhorted, and we need to be taught of God. to continue believing the gospel. Saving faith does not quit. We're kept by the power of God,
but we too need to be exhorted to persevere in the faith. Both are true. Even in the face
of much opposition and heartache, saving faith perseveres and does
not stop. Now, you don't need to turn with
me, but remember back in chapter five, When the apostles John
and Peter were arrested and beaten in Acts chapter 5 verse 40, they
agreed when they had called the apostles and beaten them and
commanded them that they should not speak in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ, and they let him go. and they departed from
the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy
to suffer shame for his name and daily in the temple and in
every house they ceased not to preach and teach the Lord Jesus
Christ." They were beaten and said, don't ever mention his
name again. Don't ever go and preach the gospel again. What
did they do? They continued in the faith.
They continued in the gospel. Saving faith does not quit even
in the face of much opposition and heartache. And then thirdly,
exhorting, confirming them to continue in the faith even through
trials, much tribulation. As it says there, we must, through
much tribulation, enter in to the kingdom of God. Now, what
are these tribulations here? These are not the common problems
that all men experience. All men experience in the flesh
trouble. Man is born a woman, a few days
and full of trouble. But this here is talking about
a specific trouble for taking a stand for the gospel. contending
for the faith once delivered unto the saint. If you take a
bold public stand for the gospel of God, saving sovereign grace,
an uncompromising stand, a yielding stand, and contending for the
truth, you know what you will have in the flesh? Trouble. In
this world you shall have trouble. Our Lord said, you remember to
be a disciple before he went to the cross? He said, these
words have I spoken unto you that in me you might have peace?
In this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. Be of good cheer, I've overcome.
I've overcome. Our Lord told him again, he said,
this world has hated me and they will hate you. They hate me because
they hate my father. The carnal mind is enmity against
God. But we are to continue to persevere
in the faith, and we only do so because we're preserved by
the power of God. And we enter into the kingdom
of God by His grace. By His grace. His grace alone. I am what I am by the grace of
God. And when they had ordained, verse
23, when they had ordained elders, They set men apart who were faithful
believers, and they ordained them to preach the gospel, to
be elders in the church body. And they prayed with fasting,
and they commended them to the Lord on whom they believed. Now, what is the object of saving
faith? What is the object of saving
faith? They committed them to the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ,
whom they believed. Remember what Paul said, I know
whom I have believed, and I'm persuaded he's able to keep that
which I've committed unto him against that day. The Lord was pleased to raise
up in these cities and establish gospel churches. What a blessing
it is for any town or community to have a gospel ministry that's
all about the Lord Jesus Christ, lifting up the gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ. In the 15 years that we have
been doing the sermon audio ministry, one of the constant things I
get feedback from people all around the country who want to
hear the gospel of the grace of God. And they say to me, Brother
Tom, there's no gospel ministry in this town. One of the greatest
blessings God can give to any community or people is a gospel
preacher that's sent of God. What a blessing, what a blessing
it is. I'd find out where that place is and I'd go there and
camp. I'd move there and camp where the gospel is preached.
Paul prayed with them and ordained them elders And committed them
to the Lord. Committed them to the Lord. And
I point you to the Lord Jesus Christ as I did on the radio
broadcast this morning. Turn over here to Acts chapter
20. Look at this verse here. Acts chapter 20, verse 32. This is the Apostle Paul getting
ready to leave the elders there at Ephesus. And here's his departing
words to them. And it's very similar to what
he said to those there in Derby. Verse 32, Acts chapter 20. And
now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of his
grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance
among all them that are sanctified. I commend you to God. to the
word of His grace. His grace is able, His word is
able to build you up and to give you this inheritance of grace.
All grace now and glory forever among all them that are sanctified.
By the one offering hath He perfected forever them that are sanctified
in the Lord Jesus Christ. He commended them to the Lord
to supply our every need. Now, every sinner has a great
need. What is our great need? Christ.
To win Christ and be found in him. My God shall supply all
your need according to his riches in glory through the Lord Jesus
Christ. He is able, so I commend you
to God and to the word of his grace. As he says there, I commend
you to the Lord on whom you believe. Saving faith doesn't look in
here. Saving faith doesn't look to
feelings or experience or traditions of men. Saving faith has an eye
to the Lord Jesus Christ. Looking unto Him who is the author
and finisher of our faith. We had it on the radio this morning
from Isaiah 45 where the Lord said, I'm the only just God and
Savior. Beside me there is none other.
Look unto me and be ye saved. All the ends of the earth. for
I am God and there is no other. Back to the text, Acts 14, 24. After they'd passed through Pisidia,
they came to Pamphylia. And when they had preached the
word in Perga, everywhere Paul went, he was looking for an open
door. To preach the gospel and they
went down to this city of italia, which is a port city from there
They sailed to antioch And went where whence they had been recommended
to the grace of god for the work which they fulfilled remember
How that happened turned back to act chapter 13 act chapter
13 Verse two, and as they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy
Ghost said, separate me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto
I have called them. And when they had fasted and
prayed, they laid their hands on them and they sent them away.
They went away preaching the gospel in different places, and
now that ministry for that missionary journey had been completed, and
now they're coming back home. When they come back to the home
church, they gathered together the church, verse 27, and they
rehearsed. Now watch it. They didn't say,
man, we went out there and we got her done. Man, we went out
there and we were a fireball. We were on fire for the Lord,
as the old preacher said. They didn't go back and tell
what they had done. They went back and rehearsed
all that God had done with them. Now, there's a great difference.
There's a great difference. Paul went back and said, God
had blessed us to preach the gospel. God has sent his word
out to his elect. They were given faith to believe
the gospel. What God had done with them and
how he opened the door. He is the door. He controls the
door. He said, I am the way, the truth,
the life. They rehearsed what God had done,
how He opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, these dogs Great
is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh,
justified or vindicated by the spirit, received up into heaven,
and the gospel was preached to the Gentiles. That's a miracle,
that you would hear the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, that
God would give you the privilege of sitting under a gospel ministry,
and God would open the door of faith to you. What a blessing. What a blessing we have. in the
Lord Jesus Christ. They declared what God had done,
how he opened the door of faith. You remember our Lord said in
John 10, he said, I am the door of the
sheep. All that ever came before me
are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he
shall be saved. And he shall go in and he shall
go out and find pasture. What does that mean, he shall
go in and then he goes back out? That's not what he's saying.
He's not saying a man is lost one day and found one day and
the next day he's lost. You shall go into eternal life
and out of eternal death. That's what he's saying. Pasture. Christ is our bread of life. It's the door of faith. Notice
he says there, a door of faith. It's not a door of works. It's
not a multiple choice. You remember that old game show
years ago, what was it called? You want door number one, door
number two, or door number three? No, he opened the door and it,
the Lord Jesus Christ. It's not a multiple choice. He's
a door of faith, not of work, as any man should boast. He's
a door of faith, not feelings, emotion, or tradition. He's a
door of faith. He is the Savior, God our Savior. It's not free will or works religion. It's free grace. I am what I
am by the grace of God. It's not of him that willeth
nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. God shows mercy, how he opened
the door of faith. And when you see that word Gentile,
when you see that word Gentile put in, right, you know what
you need to remember in your mind? Sinners. Sinners. This is a faithful saying and
worthy of all acceptation. The Lord Jesus Christ came to
save sinners. He didn't come to call good folks.
Good folks don't need a savior. He came to call sinners. Sinners. Oh, wretched man that I am, Paul
said, who shall save me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ,
our Lord. That's our hope. That's our hope.
Barely, barely I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and
believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, shall
not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. How do I know if God's opened
the door of faith to me? What do you think of the Lord
Jesus Christ? Is he altogether lovely to you?
Do you who believe he is precious? He's precious. And there, verse
28, and there, with the church family, they abode a long time
with the disciples, the disciples who were believers. Their heartbeat
is one, with one message, worshiping one true and living God.