What is the Good News that Jesus Preached?
Today we are going to look at the reason Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel of Jesus Christ everywhere they went.
As they executed their first missionary expedition, they would preach the gospel of Jesus Christ everywhere they went. Why?
First, they preached in Antioch in Pisidia and had to flee to preserve their lives.
Barnabas and Saul in Antioch in Pisidia preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ and they had been fleeing for their lives since.
There they preached the gospel until the Jews roughly expelled them from the city, consequently, they fled to Iconium in Lycaonia.
Then they also preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Iconium in Lycaonia and there they had to flee again to remain alive.
Why were they repeating this cycle everywhere they preached?
Today we catch up with them in Iconium.
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They Preach The Gospel of Jesus Christ To The Greeks!
Again they shall preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, this is their primary assignment, to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone everywhere they go, but these are Apostles to the Gentiles they are not Apostles to the Jews.
Therefore they travel to countries and cities where the majority of the people belong to the Greek population or non-Jews there were still Jews there but their focus was on the Greek population.
So today I will start a new Chapter I am at Acts 14, I’m going to start at verse one apparently, of course.
So let’s start the Scripture reading now.
“And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.”
Acts 14:1
Observe how the Bible emphasizes that both Paul and Barnabas entered the Jewish synagogue.
Could Anyone Preach The Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Do you recall one of the first things they did when they arrived in Antioch in Pisidia?
Of course, they identified and entered the synagogue. Now in Iconium they are doing an identical thing.
This is their manner of operation. Any town or city they visit, they would first identify the Jewish synagogue and then they would enter it, and sometimes they would be invited to speak.
So in Iconium both Paul and Barnabas preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the church and many people believed on him.
Ultimately, the hearers have two options, to believe or not, but as Ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ our duty is to present it to everyone, their job is to receive it and then believe it.
In the Bible, who preaches? Did everybody preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ? No. Believers in Jesus Christ bring his word.
But wherever the word of God is spoken, Satan is there to resist it and that’s his job. He is the resistor, the tempter, the deceiver.
He Always Resists The Gospel
So on the west coast of Cyprus, mainly at Paphos, Barnabas and Saul first encountered the resistance of the devil.
He presented himself in the person of Elymas, that Jewish sorcerer Bar-Jesus.
Yes, then in Antioch of Pisidia he again surfaced in the unbelieving Jews when Paul and Barnabas preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
So, anytime Believers preach the gospel of Jesus Christ Satan raises his ugly head.
“But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.”
Acts 13:50
They Don’t Want Us to Proclaim The Gospel of Jesus Christ
Even though they’re raising persecution against these Apostles it’s not against them directly.
It is against the gospel because they are just instruments for bringing the gospel to the people and Satan’s plan is to prevent the Greeks from hearing the gospel, because up until that time they had not the word of God.
The Bible said they were lost and in darkness.
So now in Iconium, Satan once again appears to resist the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
True to his nature, he once again manifests through unbelieving hearts, and this is how he always manifests, through unbelieving hearts of both groups, Greek and Hebrews.
Therefore, Acts 14:2 informs us of this, it says.
“But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the Brethren.”
Acts 14:2
Now note who stirred up the Gentiles, the unbelieving Jews.
It’s always through the unbelievers and there are even some unbelievers in the church.
There are even some unbelievers who are preaching the gospel.
Could you see the work of Satan manifesting through those Jews?
Yeah, any place you have resistance to the gospel is demonic, any place.
Again, Satan is using the unbelieving hearts to disrupt the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.
After They Preach The Gospel of Jesus Christ To You – Ignore These Questions!
Who is he using to negatively afflict your mind against the gospel?
This person could be a stranger, somebody you know, a friend, a relative, or an associate at work. But who is Satan using to turn your mind against the gospel?
Now you need to identify that person and stop him or her. How do you stop him?
You reject his negative suggestions and actions concerning the gospel, reject them, if they have no basis in faith in God, reject them.
I am not saying questions about the gospel are demonic, that’s not what I’m saying.
Questions which raise doubts in your heart about the word that you just received are demonic.
The questions that you entertain at that time should be questions which build your faith in the word, not try to snatch the word from your heart because that’s what those questions and comments do at that time, to pull the word that you just received from your heart.
So Satan used the unbelieving Jews to corrupt the minds of the unsaved Gentiles in Iconium against Paul and Barnabas, listen to Acts 14:3.
Paul & Barnabas Preached The Gospel of Jesus Christ In This City!
“Long time, therefore, abode they [meaning Paul and Barnabas] speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.”
Acts 14:3
Nevertheless, Paul and Barnabas then remained in Iconium for a long time, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people.
Their preaching explained the grace of God, that’s one thing it did.
Not only that, but their preaching all so showed that God was with them and approved of what they did.
The scripture says he, meaning God, showed that he was with them by the signs and wonders he allowed and approved by their hands.
That’s what the scripture I just read said. preach the gospel of Jesus Christ
“But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.”
Acts 14:4
Why? Because the devil had corrupted their minds through the unbelieving Jews. The actions and the words of the unbelieving Jews had corrupted the minds of the people in the city.
“And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them.”
Acts 14:5
So they had a plan, they wanted to stone Paul and Barnabas so they planned this, that means the leaders with the people planned this on both sides Jews and Gentiles.
However, when Paul and Barnabas knew of their plans, they fled to the nearby twin cities of Lystra and Derbe.
How to Preach The Gospel of Jesus Christ to Unbelievers?
“They were ware of it, [meaning Paul and Barnabas] and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and onto the region that lieth round about:”
Acts 14:6
So they went not only to Lystra and Derbe but to the surrounding region.
“And there they preached the gospel.”
Acts 14:7
So even though they just fled from Iconium where they escaped death because they preached the gospel, now they were in Lystra and Derbe and they were doing the same thing that they had been doing since Antioch, then Iconium now Lystra and Derbe.
And this is a cycle that they keep repeating. Why are they doing this? And this is the question. That is the one main question I’m answering in this Bible study.
I have plans to start a membership site. This is where I shall create exclusive and premium content to teach people who are interested how to understand the Bible better.
I intend to do this by the first day of January 2023.
If you are interested in such a membership site I would be delighted if you would complete a very short survey for me. I’ll leave a link to it in the description below this video.
Let me conclude this Bible study.
The preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is universal.
Yes, everyone everywhere must hear it because it is the power of God to cleanse us of all sins and to save us.
He Preached The Gospel of Jesus Christ Here!
Even those who died before the birth of Jesus Christ must hear this gospel. And that is why Jesus went to hell to preach to the dead, all those people who died from creation.
After his burial, Christ went to hell for three days to preach to the dead. So that they might hear also the Gospel of Jesus Christ and be free from their sins.
Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fair to them because they would be lost forever.
But unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
So we see that Christ is not only the power of God but also the wisdom of God. So anything that God does he does it through Jesus Christ because he is the power of God.
Anything that Jesus does it displays the wisdom of God because he is the wisdom of God.
And another scripture says:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: [why?] for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; [not just the Jews and Gentile you know toward] to the Jews first and also to the Greek.”
Romans 1:16
So the gospel is only the power of God, if you believe it, thus you have a choice. Will you believe it or not?
Conclusion
If you choose to believe it, it becomes the power of God and there’s no greater force in heaven or on earth greater than the power of God.
Satan will supply his ministers to help you not to believe it.
Anytime you hear that word Satan provides his minister to help you to not believe that word, you need to put a stop to it, you need to recognize it, put a stop to it and believe in the word of God because it’s the only power that can save us.
So they will come asking questions that have no basis in the faith of God. Their only desire is to steal that word of God that you just heard.
Don’t allow them, believe in God by believing in the gospel of his Son.
Doing this will save your soul. Everyone must hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ because by it and it alone God has granted us repentance and remission of sins.
So in closing, the next time, if God grants you that time, that you hear the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, believe it.
It alone is the power of God to save your soul.
I bless you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. The blessings of the Lord are on you.
Bye.
