What's Next?Sample

What’s Next: Keep Reading the ‘Note’ God Gave You

Successful Mission? | Acts 14 

Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. Acts 14:19 NIV

What did Paul do this time? What did Paul do to get people to stone him!?

Context: 

Paul and Barnabas find themselves in Lystra teaching about God like normal and earlier in the chapter we see that a man was intently listening. This man was born crippled in his feet and while the man is listening Paul realizes that he has faith to be healed. So, Paul tells him to stand up and the man jumps to his feet and starts walking. As we continue through this text there are a few things we need to notice.

1. Paul Deflects Ungodly Adoration (14:14-15a) 

I wanted to know why did the people respond by trying to worship Paul and Barnabas? In the previous chapters people would see a miracle and ask what this means, or how did you do that, and the apostles would share the gospel. But this time they went straight to worshipping the apostles. 

I learned that in this particular valley there is a legend that one day Zeus, the King of the Gods and Hermes, His chief messenger came to this valley in human form. When they arrived, they went to people’s houses to see if they would be welcomed. As they went from door to door everyone in the village ignored them except one couple. So, Zeus took them to the top of the valley’s mountain and then flooded the valley because of the people's attitude towards them. He then gave the very poor couple an upgrade from their shack to a temple with a golden roof. 

Naturally, the people of this community were always on the lookout for the return of the mythological gods. After Paul did this miracle, they responded thinking they were the gods of old. 

2. Redirected Their Worship Towards God (v.15b) 

I remember watching the internet and seeing a pastor addressing his congregation about some expensive scrolls he owned. Next, he gave his scrolls to the bishop of their church. He then called the bishop a king and his elders proceeded to wrap him in the scroll and soon after placed him in a chair that they lifted to the sky as the congregation sang songs of praise. 

As I looked at the video my heart sank because this Bishop did not decide to redirect his church full of thousands to Jesus, but he accepted the adulation. As the internet went crazy talking about it, and soon after apologized saying the bishop apologizes and is merely a servant of the Lord and not a king. 

I am a product of people who decided not to just become famous with their music. I watched young black men who went to bible college and seminary, pastored churches, loving their wives, and still rapping about Jesus so folks like me could understand. Now ten years later I’m a bible college graduate, leading a ministry, rapping to honor God, and loving my bride of 8 years.

Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes and ran amongst the people telling them to stop sacrificing to them because they are only humans. Paul was desperate to point the attention back to God! We should all be in the business of redirecting.

3. Never Stop The Mission (v.21-22)

After being adored the crowd is soon swayed against Paul and Barnabas, leading to Paul being stoned and left for dead. He soon after goes back into the city to continue his work! The people then became Elders and started a church. These are the same people who witnessed Paul get stoned; they saw a man who loved them and God so much that they were willing to endure the same treatment.

Conclusion: 

The other day I was in the barbershop and I began watching Steve Harvey’s last comedy special that was on TV. He began talking about a story from his childhood. His teacher gave him the assignment to write down what he wanted to be when he grew up. Steve wrote that he wanted to be on TV. As the teacher read the papers, the students would stand as she shared what they wanted to be. Bobby wants to be a football player, li'l Timmy wants to be a doctor, Shela wants to be a nurse. Steve said the teacher called everyone’s name except for his. Then she said, "little Stevey come up to the front of the class." 

As he walked up to the front, he knew he was the winner. He was sure his answer was the best one and that's why she called him up front. When he came up, she told him to say what he wrote. And he bravely said, “I want to be on TV!” 

She then asked him why he would write that on his paper. He responded because that’s what I want to be. She said why would you write something like that on the paper! Do you know anybody on TV! He replied, “No ma’am.” She asked, "Have you ever seen anybody on TV?" He replied again “No ma’am.” "Do you know anybody in the school on TV? Do you know anybody in this community on TV?" Again, he replied, “No ma’am.” "I’m gonna send you home with this note to your parents for being smarty pants!"

When he got home his mother was furious as she questioned him; she agreed with the teacher that he was being a smarty pants for his answer. He was sure he would receive a whooping when his father arrived home, even though he was being honest with his answer. When his father arrived, he sent him to his room and said he would be there shortly. 

As his father came to the room, he prepared himself for a whooping by unfastening his pants, but his father stopped him. He said to put the paper in the top drawer. Every morning before you go to school, I want you to read that paper. And every night before you go to bed, I want you to read that paper. 

Now 27 years later, Steve Harvey is one of the most popular and well-known TV personalities in the world, all because his father gave him that one moment that changed his life. 

I want to remind you that our Father has done the same thing for us. God wants to encourage His kids, no matter how absurd the idea may sound. We are the unpopular people, sinners who deserved death. We are the underdogs in every way possible. 

But God gives us a note, that tells us what He thinks of us despite how we should be thought of. He reminds us of the many who failed to embrace his grace and truth, as a warning. He sacrifices his only son to adopt us into his family. 

If we would only take that note, His word, and lock it away in the closet of our hearts. If we would let it penetrate our minds. If we would only read it every day and night, If we would only believe it. God can empower us to change the world of hundreds of people like Paul did. This text isn’t about Paul healing a man, or about the ignorance of the people trying to worship him. It's about the power of God who rewards those who faithfully love and trust Him with their lives. 

What did Paul do this time? What did Paul do to get people to stone him!? He faithfully lived out the mission.  

We want to thank CW Allen, BridgeBuilders Director with Sunshine Gospel Ministries for contributing this day's plan content.