Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Acts, chapter 14, if you would.
[00:00:07] Acts 14, verse one. So we're going to pick back up. We're going to just continue right on in our study in acts, Lord willing, today we'll get through the first, say, 20 verses, 19 or 20 verses of the book of acts, chapter 14, and Paul and Barnabas. Really, this chapter is. Is kind of more of the same, a little bit from what we studied in chapter 13, especially as Paul and Barnabas were in Antioch, in Pasidia. This is more of the same. But something happens in Listra that is not a little bit unique. A lot unique. And so we'll look at that as well. So let's pray, and then we'll begin reading in verse number one and just kind of walk through this passage here. Our father, thank you once again for your grace and help. Thank you for stirring up your people's hearts to be here, to desire to hear the word of God and to fellowship with one another. And I pray that you would just, Lord, fill their cup, Lord, and give them just exactly what they need. Lord, this is not a work of man. You know, Lord, I have no power or wisdom or ability to help your people. But, lord, I trust you. I ask you that your word would help your people, that you would help them through what you have given to us in the scripture. As we look at these things, Lord, you know how to speak to people's hearts where they're at. And I especially, once again, just ask for special grace for Eric and for Eric's family with his dad, went to heaven. Lord, please comfort them and give them grace and sustain them and hold them up in this time.
[00:01:49] So bless our time together as we look at your word in Jesus name. Amen.
[00:01:54] Bible says in verse number one, and it came to pass in iconium that they went both together. Interesting. It just occurred to me as I was reading this, the news from Eric's dad that we're reading about what happened in central Turkey. What we're reading is central Turkey, iconium, Antioch, and Pasidia, Lystra, derby, Lychionia. These are all places that in what is modern day turkey. So there's a little coincidence there. So they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews. Of course, that's the standard kind of the sop of the apostles Barnabas and Paul, and so spake that a great multitude, both of the Jews and also of the Greeks, believed.
[00:02:48] Now, as I read that verse, and I'll touch on this in a lot more detail tonight, that's one thing I felt like as I was doing the year in review. And I was asking Sister Karen and Sister Amy and my wife about different events that have happened, trying to make sure I cover everything and I'm liable to make a mistake about the days things happen and stuff. But I tried to look back at records and see what all had happened in the church over the past year. And there have been significant things that have happened. But the Lord really seemed to remind me of something as I was going through that and trying to intentionally remember the things that have happened. And in verse number one is they preached in such a way that people believe the gospel. And as we went out yesterday and we had a little time before we went out and we tried to talk about what's the best way to get the gospel and be able to engage with people so that they don't just look for an out and try to get them to engage with us further so that we can have an opportunity. And the Lord really answered in that. And please continue to pray for, especially for Carlos and for help me, Ari Tyrone. That's right. That no devilish bird will come take the seed away from their heart and they would continue to be open to hearing the gospel because really it comes down to this, comes down to the word of God.
[00:04:20] That's what they have to hear. That's what we heard that led us to believing Christ. And so they're preaching the word of God, verse number two. And the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.
[00:04:39] Evil affected against the brethren.
[00:04:42] So basically, because of what the Jews had done, the church, these little fledgling infant churches, not just here, but in Antioch and Pasidia and later on in Lystra, all of a sudden had a bad know in the way we live. And again, we'll see more of this as we go on. But in the place in which we live, especially in Greenville, it is considered. Know, if you're running for a political office, you want to be a Christian, right? I mean, if you're a sinner or right, you want to be a Christian, you definitely want to be, air quote Christian. You definitely don't want to be known as a Satan worshipper or whatever. You don't want to be that. Because in our society, to be a Christian is considered one of those necessary things. If you're not a Christian of some kind, then you're kind of weird. Kind of weird. I know growing up in school, we would have people maybe that came from other countries and they were whatever religion from the country from which they came and they were kind of unusual. It just wasn't real common.
[00:05:50] But that's not the way this is here. Rather the reverse. The Christians is not the common belief system. And I just wonder, how would we fare? How would you as a believer, as a child of God fare if being a child of God was not considered a good thing, but detrimental to your honor and respectability in society? How would I fare in that kind of situation?
[00:06:18] This is exactly what these people were faced with, and that directly affects how open people are to the gospel. People think through this. If I become a Christian, if I open my heart to this, what will be the effect? How will it affect my business? How will it affect my family?
[00:06:41] How will it affect my situation at my workplace? People think through these things. People really do. Verse number three. The Bible says, long time, therefore abode. They speaking boldly in the Lord. Just because there is contention does not necessarily mean that we need to be quiet just because we were talking about it yesterday as we went out. How know sometimes you say things and I think they had an instance where they were talking to a fellow. They didn't say anything out of the way. I think it was Brother Ari and brother Ben talking to them. And they said everything right. And yet the man was upset with know. Well, man, you must have did something wrong. No, they didn't do anything wrong. It's just that that's the way sometimes people respond when you give them the truth for just plain, honest, humble offer of the truth. But that doesn't mean we ought to just. In other words, we can't always judge whether or not we're doing it right based upon people's reaction. Now there is a balance to that.
[00:07:42] We can be offensive and not pay attention to those kinds of things, but we can't always judge just based upon people's response, because there's a lot of reasons that people respond negatively to the gospel. It's not just about the what you're saying. It could be that they knew someone who was a hypocritical, professed Christian. It could be that their parents were that way. It could be that they got hurt in a church. It could be that whatever, it could be a lot of things.
[00:08:09] It's just simple obedience to what God says.
[00:08:13] Take it to God. And what you usually will find is that when people eventually come to the Lord, it's because over a long period of time, their heart changes toward the gospel. What was once offensive to them becomes attractive to them. You know why? Because God is working in their heart. God is working in their heart. This is not a work of man.
[00:08:37] This is why we pray. This is a work of God. Verse three, it says, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. Now, we've already studied that, so I won't stay here long. But the Lord did miraculous things through Paul and Barnabas that confirmed the word. Again, those signs and wonders were not the main thing. The gospel was the main thing. But the Lord gave them these additional things to confirm the word. Verse four. But the multitude of the city was divided and part held with the Jews and part with the apostles. Now, while you're here in verse four, just as a side note, look at verse 14.
[00:09:22] It says, which, when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of, they rent their clothes and ran in among the people. Notice that in verse four and verse number 14, Barnabas is called an apostle.
[00:09:33] An apostle. Now, Barnabas wasn't one of the twelve apostles chosen by Christ, but he and Paul were certainly apostles of the church at Antioch in Syria. In other words, they were missionaries. This is what I think is the biblical term for a missionary, one who is sent by the church to preach the gospel. That's what I think you see here, because Barnabas has called it just as well as Paul is. But look back at verse number four. But the multitude of the city was divided and part held with the Jews and part with the apostles. So you see, whatever they're doing, people have believed the gospel.
[00:10:10] The whole city is affected. Now, understand, when we talk about city, in this case, we're not talking about a huge expanse like some, like Atlanta or New York or anything like that. But this is a place where you could walk everywhere within the city.
[00:10:24] You could spend a half hour and you could walk to everywhere in the city. The cities were not like they are now with these freeway loops and all that kind of thing. But nevertheless, here's what I want you to see. Everyone, practically everyone in the city, the Bible says the multitude of the city, everyone had been brought to a decision, not necessarily by Barnabas and Paul personally, but everyone in that city had to make a decision, up or down, for or against the gospel.
[00:11:01] In other words, people were not left to be neutral just because of this circumstance, this uproar, this stirring by the Jews of the Gentiles. In verse two, everyone had to decide whether they were going to be favorable toward the apostles or they were going to be hostile toward the apostles and their message.
[00:11:23] Now, if you would hold your place here and look back at Matthew, chapter ten.
[00:11:28] Look at Matthew ten. And this is definitely counter. What I'm about to say is counter to the prevailing wisdom of Christianity.
[00:11:41] But we'll just read it out of the Bible, right? Matthew ten, verse number.
[00:11:47] Verse number 34.
[00:11:50] Think not that I am come to send peace on earth.
[00:11:54] Didn't we just get done with the incarnation of Christ where the angel said, peace on earth, goodwill toward men? Of course, we know we're talking about two different things here, but notice what he says. Think not that I'm come to send peace on earth. I came not to send peace, but a sword.
[00:12:15] For I'm come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth we. We looked at this verse not too long ago. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.
[00:12:34] And he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
[00:12:40] All right, let's look at a similar passage in Luke twelve.
[00:12:51] Luke twelve, verse number 49.
[00:13:05] Notice what it says. Therefore, I also. Excuse me, I'm sorry. I'm in the wrong chapter. Luke 1249.
[00:13:13] Jesus says, I am come to send fire on the earth.
[00:13:16] And what will I if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straightened till it be accomplished? Suppose ye that I come, that I'm come to give peace on earth. I tell you, nay, but rather division.
[00:13:34] For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two and two against three. The father shall be divided against the Son and the Son against the father, the mother against the daughter and the daughter against the mother, the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. Listen, this is not popular teaching about Jesus. This is not the go to verses when you want to talk about Jesus.
[00:14:01] Jesus is always presented as he's a unifier and he's love and peace. And you know what? He does all of those things.
[00:14:12] But as we see in acts 14, when Paul and Barnabas went to preach the word, that whole city was divided because of that gospel. Before they got there, everybody was in unison. Everybody was unified. Everybody was worshipping the devil. The Jews did their thing, the Gentiles did their thing. And they didn't really cross that barrier between them. And the Jews are content to be there. The Gentiles are content to be there. I read one commentator, he says about this subject of division. I didn't write it down, but I thought it was really good. He said, better for those that got saved than the whole city. Go to hell with unity. It's better to have division and some of those people come to Christ and are actually saved and have eternal life than for the whole city to continue floating down the river, off the edge, over the edge of the waterfall and perish in unity.
[00:15:15] So what do we see from this? The Lord intentionally sends the gospel into families. Is that not what we're reading in Luke twelve, fan, mother, daughter, that kind of thing. He sends the gospel into families, and the presence of that gospel causes division.
[00:15:33] You know what? That's not a bad thing.
[00:15:36] You know why? Because everybody, every person should have to be made to choose whether they receive Christ or reject Christ. But see, in our society where we are now, it seems that everyone wants to be in the middle.
[00:15:54] Everyone wants to be in the middle. No one wants this division. In fact, division is bad. That's the way it's always considered. That's why they don't ever read these verses that Jesus spoke. It's a negative. It's bad.
[00:16:08] But here's the problem.
[00:16:10] When you have this kind of lukewarm reception to Christ, like in revelation, chapter three, it does nobody good.
[00:16:21] When we give the gospel, it ought to be a point where people have to choose and not be left kind of floating.
[00:16:29] It ought to be such that you either have to receive or reject Christ. Now we know if you do not receive Christ, you might fancy yourself as being in the middle, but you're not. You have. By not receiving Christ, repenting and trusting in him like he has commanded, you have rejected him. But we fancy kind of, we're in the middle. I'm okay.
[00:16:51] That's not what happened in this city. Look at John seven, if you would.
[00:16:59] This is not uncommon in the ministry of Christ at all. John seven, verse 40.
[00:17:07] The Bible says, many of the people, therefore, John seven, verse 40. Many of the people, therefore, when they heard this saying, said of a truth, this is the prophet. Others said, this is the Christ. But some said, shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said that Christ, that Christ cometh of the seed of David and out of the town of Bethlehem where David was. It's funny because Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but they don't know that.
[00:17:33] Look at verse 43. So there was a division among the people because of him.
[00:17:41] The moment the gospel comes, people must decide.
[00:17:46] They must decide.
[00:17:50] The Lord does that intentionally.
[00:17:55] Now look back at our text in acts 14, let me just say this.
[00:18:06] There are many people that come to church. You might think, well, those people in the comfortable middle who haven't quite decided to put their trust in Christ and haven't quite decided to reject Christ in their own mind, well, those people probably don't attend churches. Wrong.
[00:18:25] They attend church.
[00:18:28] They have a form of religion.
[00:18:31] They want the morality.
[00:18:33] They like to hear the nice teachings.
[00:18:37] But there are many people in churches that have not trusted in Christ that don't want to be brought to a place where they have to face the fact that they are sinners before God, condemned, and don't want to face what their life might look like if they put their trust in Christ.
[00:19:01] They want to be in that healthy middle where they tolerate Christianity. But just not for me.
[00:19:08] That is rejection.
[00:19:11] It's rejection under a label of tolerance.
[00:19:15] That's what it is.
[00:19:18] Look at verse number five in our text. In acts 14, Bible says, 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. Now stop there. Stop. We just studied on Wednesday night, the 6th commandment, there is murder in the hearts of these religious people.
[00:19:41] These Jews. These Jews are the masterminds. They have actually traveled at their own dime from Antioch and Pasidia to iconium. They're going to follow them to Listra. They want these men dead. That is Cain and Abel. That is hatred. That is murder in the heart, nothing less. That is what we talked about on Wednesday night, just exactly.
[00:20:09] And the Bible says they tried to stone them. Verse six.
[00:20:14] They were aware of it and fled unto Lister and derby cities of Lychonia and unto the region that lith round about. And there they preached the gospel. Not even Paul, we think, of the martyrs and the martyrs of the church that shed their blood for Christ. But they weren't trying to. They weren't looking for that. When they got a chance to leave, they left. They realized they weren't going to be received and they left. So let's just keep our estimation of Paul and Barnabas human. I mean, they are human.
[00:20:46] They didn't intentionally rush headlong into danger if they had a choice in the matter.
[00:20:51] But notice these Jews and then the Gentiles want to stone them. I just noticed as I was reading, there is no freedom of religion here.
[00:21:02] There's no freedom of religion.
[00:21:05] You see, when the multitude of the people in Iconium did not like the teachings of Paul and Barnabas, you know what they did? They sought to silence the teaching by killing them. That is not freedom of religion.
[00:21:20] And because of that, now follow me. There was no ambiguity as to which side you were on.
[00:21:28] You were either on the side of the murderers who wanted to silence Paul and Barnabas, or you were on the side of Paul and Barnabas and were friendly to their message. There was no middle. There was no squishy middle, comfortable middle like I just described a minute ago.
[00:21:42] You see, hatred and violence in this case forced people to choose a side.
[00:21:54] Now, that's what it's like, for instance, in the communist USSR, that's what it's like in muslim countries.
[00:22:05] Are there far fewer christians in muslim countries, or at least professed christians? Yes, there are, but they pay a price because there is no middle. There is no toleration in Islam. It is actually against Sharia law.
[00:22:20] In many muslim countries, you can be put to death for converting to Islam, to Christianity.
[00:22:27] So you don't do that.
[00:22:29] You don't kind of play the field and dip your toe in the water and kind of see how it is. No, you either trust in Christ with all your heart or you don't. You remain where you are because there is a threat.
[00:22:44] This is the result of a place that does not have freedom of religion like we have, but that's not where we live. We live in a place where freedom of religion abounds. Now, it might not be to our preference in every single way. There's people that are trying to take freedom away in various ways and stuff, but to a large degree, we have freedom of religion.
[00:23:07] And so you know what we have? We have this squishy metal.
[00:23:11] Christianity is tolerated and people don't have to choose.
[00:23:15] There's no price to pay, really.
[00:23:19] People in this case, in where we live, people settle into what might be called an ambivalent and disinterested frame of mind where they don't really have to choose, so they're not going to.
[00:23:30] They choose not to choose.
[00:23:36] Now, on the one hand, freedom of religion allows believers to worship God and serve God without any danger. And I thank God for that. If we didn't have freedom of religion, it would have been far more difficult to do yesterday what we did in witnessing and knocking on people's door.
[00:23:57] But on the other hand, the same freedom of religion deadens spiritual interest because there's no price.
[00:24:07] So I summarize it like this.
[00:24:10] In places without freedom of religion, people must choose.
[00:24:15] And many people, the reality is, in places that are hostile to the gospel, people don't choose Christ because they're afraid. And so the numbers are far less. But when you have far fewer numbers, what do you have in those numbers?
[00:24:32] You have people who have paid the price. You have people who have been brought to a point of decision and have chosen to trust in Jesus.
[00:24:44] They have chosen to follow him.
[00:24:48] And so that those that do choose Christ are fully persuaded and are certain.
[00:24:56] But then also, christians often suffer for their faith. But on the other hand, in places like we live, where freedom or religion is abundant, people don't have to choose, and so many choose not to choose. As I said, christians do get to live and serve the Lord freely, but they do so without any persecution.
[00:25:17] And so people with mixed motives, we might call it the mixed multitude.
[00:25:22] People with untested and often false faith infiltrate the church.
[00:25:28] It's that squishy middle.
[00:25:31] And, of course, that existed in the New Testament as well.
[00:25:36] You see in our text here in acts 14, that's not what they had.
[00:25:41] A decision had to be made. There was a division, verse eight.
[00:25:48] And there sat a certain man at Listra, impotent in his feet, being of cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked. The same heard Paul speak, who steadfastly beholding him and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
[00:26:06] Now notice that. What a picture. And this happened in acts chapter three, where a man who could not walk was healed by Peter in the same exact fashion, and the response was exactly the same. He jumped up and leapt and walked. And it happened in John, I think it's John, chapter six. Is it John six? I wrote it down. John eight. I'm sorry. Jesus healed an impotent man by the pool of Bethesda. Very similar case. He didn't touch the man.
[00:26:30] He just said, rise up and walk. And the man did.
[00:26:34] It's a very good illustration in physical things of a spiritual transformation, as this man couldn't walk. So, sinners, and again we talk about being impotent, the idea of being spiritually impotent or spiritually dead, as a person who is without hope, without God in the world, who is, we say, lost, who doesn't have God.
[00:26:58] Look, why do sinners sin? You know why they sin? Because they're sinners.
[00:27:06] That is what they do. That is what I did before I knew Christ. I'm no better, no different. Neither are you.
[00:27:13] It's natural. It's what sinners love.
[00:27:19] And so sinners sin. It's like this impotent man. He can't walk. We can't walk uprightly.
[00:27:27] We're broken if you use the term handicapped spiritually.
[00:27:34] But then verse nine, the gospel came to us. Somebody spoke the gospel to us, and the gospel created faith in our heart. You see, this man, he had faith to be healed. So this isn't so much Paul and Barnabas. This is, they're just talking about Jesus, and the man is believing that regarding his physical condition.
[00:27:58] And so Paul says, stand upright. I mean, it's a perfect illustration. The Lord brings the gospel to a person who doesn't live right. They live dirty, they live in sin. That's the way sinners do. They just live in sin. And the gospel comes to them. They're awakened to it. It generates faith in their heart, the gospel. This is why we have to tell people.
[00:28:24] And then once that faith comes up, they put their trust in Christ. I put my trust in Christ, and all of a sudden I was healed. And all of a sudden, that wicked life I used to live like the man who couldn't walk. He was impotent. Now I can walk. I can live for God. I can walk in the way that God wants me to walk. Of course, walking is a reference and a picture of our life, the way we live, the choices we live. But notice this man did not remain impotent after he had believed. No, he was healed physically, but the picture is so it is with a believer. This is why when you put your faith in Christ, you say, I have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why your life ought to be different. Your actual lifestyle should be different than before. It should not be dead like you were impotent previously.
[00:29:15] Salvation is a miracle just like this. It's a miracle of a moment.
[00:29:23] And from that moment, our life, which was once characterized by wickedness and death, is now characterized by life and the ability to follow the Lord and walk uprightly.
[00:29:38] Yes, christians should be different. Yes, they should be different.
[00:29:46] Verse eleven. And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying, in the speech of lychionia, the gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. You think of the incarnation of Christ, how that Christ came into the world. But this is different. This is different. This is not an incarnation. This is what makes the incarnation of Christ, his advent, so important. He didn't just come down and appear like they assume Jesus was born.
[00:30:17] He didn't come to just look like us. To our eyes, he became us so that he could die for us.
[00:30:27] And they call Barnabas Jupiter. That's the roman equivalent of Zeus, which is the greek version. And Paul Mercurius also called Mercury, the roman equivalent of Hermes, which was, it says, because he was the chief speaker, because Hermes or mercury was the communicator of the gods, apparently.
[00:30:50] Verse 13. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates and would have done sacrifice with the people, which when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of, they rent their clothes and ran in among the people crying out and saying, sirs, why do ye these things?
[00:31:13] We also are men of like passions with you and preach unto you. Notice, listen now, listen now. This is St. Paul. This is St. Barnabas, as they're called. There's some like superhuman, super Christian. No, Paul and Barnabas, both of them. You know what they're saying? We are no better than you.
[00:31:35] These are idolatrous people getting ready to worship a human being. I mean, this is raw paganism. And Paul and Barnabas, even though they are children of God, apostles, all the things they're saying, we are just like you. So listen, the depiction of Paul and Barnabas in modern religion as some sort of super, you know, demi God of some, that is all false. That is not what they said. That is not what they were. They understood they were sinners that God had saved, and that was it. You see, this attitude they have.
[00:32:11] We also are men of like passions with you and preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven and earth and the sea and all things that are therein, who in time passed, suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless, he left not himself without witness in that he did good and gave us rain from heaven in fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
[00:32:36] And with these sayings scarce restrained, they, the people that they had not done sacrifice unto them. Notice they don't bring up the Old Testament scripture like they often do when they're in the synagogues, like we've read in chapter 13 and chapter 14, the beginning of the chapter. They go straight. These people don't have any reference to the scriptures of the Old Testament. You know what they're doing? They go straight. And they say, and we'll see this later in chapter 17. But he goes straight, for God is the creator. Remember, we talked about that when we were talking about the ten Commandments and the first commandment and the second commandment. God, who is the true God. He is the creator, the one who created heaven and earth and everything in it. This is what they know. Sister Judy Johnson asked me several weeks ago about witnessing to someone in an eastern religion. I think it was Hinduism.
[00:33:25] And what are some good ways to start? This is it.
[00:33:30] Who is God? God is the creator.
[00:33:34] He is the almighty.
[00:33:37] You see, because all men have a relationship to God as the creator. Not everybody's been to a church. Not everybody has been part of a religion, but everybody on this planet is a creature of God, someone that God has created. So we can always start there. But what it tells us in our witnessing when we talk to people, start where they are, start where they are and go from there. This is exactly what Paul is doing.
[00:34:11] Mmm. Look at verse 19.
[00:34:15] This is the most startling part of this passage. Last thing I want to point out to you.
[00:34:19] And there came thither, certain jews from Antioch and iconium. Here they come again, chasing the apostles down, trying to hurt and hinder their work, actually trying to kill them.
[00:34:35] Who persuaded the people?
[00:34:37] These are the same people that had just tried to do sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas, who called them Jupiter and mercurious, who said that they were gods manifest in the flesh.
[00:34:51] And now it says, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead, howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up and came into the city, and the next day departed with Barnabas to Derby.
[00:35:11] In two corinthians 1125, says this Paul, referring to his sufferings, he says, thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned.
[00:35:22] He says, in two Timothy 311, he said, persecutions, afflictions which came unto me at Antioch, at iconium, at Listra, what persecutions I endured. But out of them all, the Lord delivered me.
[00:35:42] They thought they had stoned Paul to death.
[00:35:46] But lastly, what I want you to see is this.
[00:35:51] What a radical change of mind.
[00:35:54] I read one commentator, he says this.
[00:35:58] How hard it is to keep men from throwing themselves at wickedness. That's the beginning.
[00:36:07] When they wanted to worship Paul and Barnabas, it says, verse 18 says, they scarce restrained the people. In other words, they just barely were able to convince them not to worship them.
[00:36:21] How hard it is to restrain or prevent people from doing wickedness. But on the other hand, those same people, how easy it is to lead them to do evil.
[00:36:34] Listen, this is the human condition.
[00:36:38] This radical change of mind from one extreme, bloodthirsty for Paul and Barnabas, all the way to rather wanting to worship Paul and Barnabas, to bloodthirsty wanting to kill Paul and Barnabas within just a short period of time. We don't know the exact time, but it was a brief period of know. Matthew Henry said it like this. If you know your Bible, he says, today hosanna, tomorrow, crucify.
[00:37:05] That's true.
[00:37:07] When Jesus was coming into what's called the triumphal entry, you remember, they were laying down the palm leaves and all the people, even the kids, were like, hosanna. Blessed he that cometh in the name of the Lord. And it would not even be a week later.
[00:37:21] Those Jews, possibly those same people, were saying, crucify him. Why the change?
[00:37:29] Why the change?
[00:37:32] You see, what this shows is a shockingly dark view of an unregenerate person.
[00:37:43] He's prone to do evil and difficult to dissuade from it, and he has no stability in his thought. He swings wildly from extreme to extreme in the pursuit of sin and doesn't see the contradiction. You see this in popular culture all over the place, how that this month they're all about this thing, and six months later they believe and are holding and are preaching something totally different that contradicts you. See, this is an insight into mankind that leads to what I want to read to close, which is John two.
[00:38:34] When psalm 14 says that the Lord looks down from heaven to see the children of men, and what he finds is, he says, there's none that doth good. They are all gone out of the way. They are all corrupted themselves.
[00:38:49] This is why the Lord says this, John two and verse 23.
[00:39:05] Now, when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover in the feast day, many believed in his name when they saw the miracles, which he did.
[00:39:17] So jesus did miracles.
[00:39:19] Everybody's on his side, right? Hurrah.
[00:39:24] Jesus is great. Look at what he's doing. All these miracles. This must be him.
[00:39:30] Verse 24 says, but jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men. You see that?
[00:39:43] Jesus did not trust men. You know why? Because he knew how fickle they are.
[00:39:54] You see this fickleness, spiritual fickleness in man.
[00:40:01] He throws himself at sin, he reforms himself, wants to make himself better, then throws himself back at sin. This kind of swing, it's a feature, it's a characteristic of human nature.
[00:40:17] It's a mark of a lost nature. You know what? Even as a believer with that, it's all wicked flesh. We have tendency to do that. We'll be love you, hate you, love you, hate you, love you, hate you. But listen, when you get saved and you begin to walk with God, the Lord stabilizes you, he makes you steady. Now, we know none of us have lived up to that.
[00:40:42] None of us. I mean, anybody who, if you're married, you know that your spouse sometimes goes like this.
[00:40:48] But there is a certain stability that comes with growth because we live by principle of the word of God and it maintains our values, and we don't go like this all the time.
[00:41:01] Jesus did not trust man because he knew what was in it, what was in man.
[00:41:07] And verse 25 says, and he needed not that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man. Even the people that were believing on him, he didn't trust them.
[00:41:20] Okay. You believe me? You got these pictures of these silly movies. Oh, you know, the crowds.
[00:41:26] He's like. He withdrew because he knew. Those people at this moment seemed to be saying positive things. But in the next moment, if there was not a true regeneration in that person's heart, they were born anew, right? And they had a new man that was created after righteousness and true holiness. If that was not present, those people would turn on him on a diamond. You know what they did?
[00:41:54] That's not theory.
[00:41:57] They actually did.
[00:41:59] They received him with palm leaves and shouts of acclamation and in the end turned on him.
[00:42:10] You say, I would never do that.
[00:42:13] Oh, every one of us would.
[00:42:17] Every one of us would put in the right. This is what we have to understand about ourselves as a sinner.
[00:42:26] Put in the right condition, in the right circumstance, under the right pressure, we are all prone to do wicked things like that.
[00:42:36] But maybe you're here and you're not saved. The Lord is talking about you.
[00:42:42] He's describing you.
[00:42:47] And see, that will come out in your life, in the works that you do.
[00:42:53] This is why Jesus said, ye must M-U-S-T ye must be born again.
[00:43:00] Ye must be born again. Let's pray.
