Podcasts about Lystra

We've become a nation drowning in rules. There are so many laws on the books that legal scholars estimate the average American unknowingly commits multiple felonies every day. But the problem isn't just regulatory overload — it's that our relationship with rules has quietly infected the way we think about God, faith, and ourselves. How you perceive rules — whether you love them or hate them — shapes the trajectory and quality of your life more than you probably realize.The book of Galatians was written to a group of young churches in what is modern-day Turkey — people who had just encountered the freedom that Jesus offers and were already having it complicated by others. Paul's first response isn't a lecture on theology. It's a story. In Acts 14, in the city of Lystra, Paul and Barnabas healed a man who couldn't walk — and the crowd immediately declared them gods. Then the very same crowd, persuaded by Paul's opponents, stoned him and left him for dead. Love. Worship. Kill. In one afternoon.The swings the Galatians made were extreme, but the underlying dynamic is familiar: when faith gets filtered through an unhealthy relationship with rules, it becomes unstable. You're either following the rules to earn something or rebelling against them to prove something — and in either case, you're not actually free. That's where Galatians begins.Support the mission of the Salty Pastor ministry! Visit our donations page at https://pushpay.com/g/thesaltypastor to help us continue sharing truth with a world in need. Visit thesaltypastor.com to sign up for our weekly email, designed to coach, inspire, and encourage you to a mature faith.Discussion QuestionsHow would you describe your own relationship with rules — do you tend toward keeping them rigidly, resenting them, or something else? Where do you think that comes from?The Galatians went from worshipping Paul to stoning him in one afternoon. Have you ever seen faith — yours or someone else's — swing between extremes because it was built on rules rather than relationship?Paul's opponents tried to undermine his message by questioning his credentials. What kinds of things have made you doubt whether someone's message about God was legitimate?

The sermon examines Acts 14 to illustrate how deception divides communities, distorts truth, and seeks to destroy faith. Paul and Barnabas face opposition in Iconium where lies poison minds and cause division, and in Lystra where pagan worldviews distort the perception of God's miracles. Despite these challenges, the gospel perseveres through signs, wonders, and the resilient proclamation of the living Creator. Pastor Aaron emphasizes that believers must guard their hearts against deceit by anchoring themselves in Scripture rather than subjective experience or cultural narratives. Ultimately, the message encourages steadfast confidence in the power of God's word to overcome opposition and sustain the church.

In Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas move from bold preaching in Iconium to a stunning miracle in pagan Lystra, only to be stoned and left for dead—yet the living God raises Paul and sends him back to strengthen the very churches that cost him so much. This message confronts our modern hunger for an easy path and shows that the same sovereign Lord who opens doors of faith uses hardship, opposition, and scars to advance the gospel farther than comfort ever could. You will see how intentional discipleship, the appointment of elders, and the honest announcement of tribulation form the pattern for churches that endure. Watch and ask yourself: will you keep speaking the word of His grace, get back up after the stones fall, and follow Christ through the fire into the joy of His kingdom?

July 19, 2026 - Sunday AM Bible Class This episode walks through Acts chapters 13–15 and examines the recurring challenges every church faces. Using the Antioch congregation as the starting point, Hiram traces the Holy Spirit's call to set apart Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for mission work, highlights the church's diversity and gifted leadership (Barnabas, Simeon/Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, John Mark), and outlines practical principles for stewarding congregational gifts: learn people's abilities, diversify service, avoid comfort, and be willing to send leaders to advance the gospel. The message then addresses opposition from false teachers and religious authorities — illustrated by Elymas/Bar‑Jesus and the proconsul Sergius Paulus — including Paul's Spirit‑empowered rebuke and the tactics for countering error: know and preach the truth, call out destructive teaching when necessary, protect seekers, and hold out hope for those ensnared by falsehoods. The class also covers preacheritis (the tendency to idolize preachers), with the Lystra miracle as a case study and concrete signs and remedies (acknowledge gifts without pledging allegiance, point people to God, and prevent idolatry). Finally, the episode confronts legalism and internal disagreement (the Antioch controversy over circumcision and the Paul–Barnabas split), offering responses such as sound reasoning, firm but generous directives for new believers, trusting God's sufficiency, and recognizing that conscientious disagreement can expand the work rather than destroy it. Throughout, the speaker ties each biblical episode to contemporary application for congregations: how to manage talent, respond to false teaching, evangelize religious people, resist pride and envy, and keep unity of mission amid differences.   Duration 44:42

Notice that he does not introduce himself here as “Paul, anapostle of Jesus Christ,” as he does in several of his other letters. Why? Probablybecause he did not need to defend his apostolic authority with these believers.They knew him. They loved him. Paul had personally brought the Gospel to them. Thenhe mentions two men who had served alongside him: “Paul, and Silvanus, andTimotheus.” Silvanus is the longer form of the name Silas. Silas hadtraveled with Paul on this second missionary journey. He had been there inPhilippi when Paul was beaten and thrown into prison. He was there at midnightwhen they prayed and sang praises to God. And now he had helped Paul establishthis church in Thessalonica. Timotheus, of course, is Timothy. Paul had metthis young man at Lystra and invited him to join the missionary team. Timothywould eventually become one of Paul's most trusted fellow workers. What awonderful picture of ministry. God'swork has always been about one generation passing the truth to anothergeneration. Butthen Paul says something especially important: “Unto the church of theThessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ.” Theword “church” comes from the Greek word ekklesia, which basically means acalled-out assembly. These people lived in Thessalonica, but spiritually theywere in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. Think about that. Geographically,they were in Thessalonica. Spiritually, they were in Christ. Thessalonica was apagan city filled with idolatry and immorality. These new Christians weresurrounded by a culture that did not share their faith or their values. Theywere already experiencing opposition and persecution because they followedJesus. But their environment did not determine their identity. They were in Godthe Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. Andthe same is true for us today. We live in a world that increasingly seems to bemoving farther away from God. We are surrounded by temptation. We hearphilosophies that contradict the Word of God. We see values changing around us.But the believer's identity is not determined by the world in which he lives. Weare in Christ. Paul uses that little expression again and again throughout hiswritings. Second Corinthians 5:17 says,“Thereforeif any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” Romans 8:1 says, “Thereis therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” Oursecurity is not found in our circumstances. Our security is found in ourrelationship with Jesus Christ. You might say that these Thessalonian believershad two addresses. Their earthly address was Thessalonica. Their spiritualaddress was in Christ. And every believer has those same two addresses. We livesomewhere on this earth. We have a street address, a city, a state, and acountry. But if we have trusted Jesus Christ as our Savior, our most importantaddress is this: We are in Christ. ThenPaul gives them two wonderful words: “Grace be unto you, and peace.” Wejust finished our study of Philippians by noticing how often Paul begins andends his letters with grace. And here it is again. Grace. Then peace. Noticethe order. Grace comes before peace. We cannot experience the peace of Goduntil we have first experienced the grace of God. Grace is God giving us whatwe could never earn and could never deserve. Salvation is by grace. Forgivenessis by grace. Our relationship with God is by grace. Our strength for each dayis by grace. And when we experience God's grace, we can also experience God'speace. Grace and peace. Their circumstances might change.Their friends might turn against them. Persecution might increase. But theirposition in Christ was secure.  Andperhaps that is the great truth we should carry with us today. Our peace doesnot come from living in a peaceful world. Our peace comes from knowing that weare securely in Christ.

July 8, 2026 - Wednesday Bible Class In this episode Caden walks through the life of Timothy in the New Testament, using his story as a roadmap for how families, mentors, and congregations can develop faithful, effective servants of Christ. Caden outlines four main points — Timothy's upbringing, personality, reputation, and defining traits — and draws connections between biblical examples and practical church life. The episode examines Timothy's spiritual foundation: the influence of his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois, his early acquaintance with Scripture (Acts 16; 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14–15), and a recent Pew Research study about how household religious practice affects retention. The host stresses the central role of the home in training young people and offers concrete ideas for building a child's faith (attendance, family Bible study, visible example, church involvement). Mentorship is a key theme. The speaker explores Paul's investment in Timothy (Titus 2; Philippians; 1 Corinthians) and the importance of both receiving and giving mentorship. Passages such as Proverbs 1 and 1 Timothy 4 are used to encourage younger and newer Christians to accept teaching, grow in knowledge, and set a godly example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. Timothy's personality — commonly understood as timid or shy — is discussed candidly. The class reviews verses that show Paul encouraging Timothy (1 Corinthians 16; 1 Timothy 4; 2 Timothy 1:6–7) and highlights how Timothy overcame fear and insecurity through obedience, faithfulness, and willingness to step outside his comfort zone. Reputation and dependability are analyzed through examples in Acts and Paul's letters. Timothy was well spoken of in Lystra and Iconium, trusted to check on churches and to teach correctly (Acts 16; Philippians 2; 1 Thessalonians; 1 Timothy). The speaker emphasizes how consistent, humble choices build a reputation that opens doors for service. Concrete traits from Timothy's life — devotion to Scripture, faithfulness, selflessness (including his willingness to be circumcised to reach Jews), and sacrificial service — are highlighted as patterns worth imitating. The lesson closes with practical takeaways for listeners: invest in children's spiritual foundations, mentor the young and new, don't let personality or fear prevent service, guard your reputation, remain devoted to study and growth, and live selflessly as Jesus taught (Matthew 16:24). The episode is carried out as an interactive teaching session with audience participation and Q&A moments; there are no external guests. Listeners can expect Scripture-based exposition, real-life examples, statistics to frame the issue, and actionable steps for families and church members who want to raise and mentor the next generation of faithful Christians. Duration 44:46

Reading Acts 14:1-18 as Paul and Barnabas go on to Iconium and then to Lystra, where the people attempt to worship them but they turn the people to worship the true God. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

Austin Payne from 3Crosses Church in Castro Valley shares from Acts 14 on Paul and Barnabas facing persecution in Lystra and Iconium, and what it means to trust God in the middle of adversity. Three takeaways: turn from useless things, turn toward the living God, and ask who you actually trust.

Losing Our Life By the Devil's Helpers David Eells - 7.26.2026 (originally 7/18/19)  (Audio) We Must Lose our Life to Gain Our Life Mar 8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he spake the saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33 But he turning about, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and saith, Get thee behind me, Satan; for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men. 34 And he called unto him the multitude with his disciples, and said unto them, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's shall save it. 36 For what doth it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? The Hatred of the Wicked Crucify our Life Mat 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you; 18 yea and before governors and kings shall ye be brought for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak. 20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. 21 And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and the father his child: and children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. 23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone through the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. 24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household! Joh 15:18 If the world hateth you, ye know that it hath hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which none other did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But this cometh to pass, that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. Joh 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Luk 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy: for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for in the same manner did their fathers unto the prophets. Luk 6:27 But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, 28 bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you. 29 To him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and from him that taketh away thy cloak withhold not thy coat also. 30 Give to every one that asketh thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 32 And if ye love them that love you, what thank have ye? for even sinners love those that love them. 33 And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what thank have ye? for even sinners do the same. 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? even sinners lend to sinners, to receive again as much. 35 But love your enemies, and do them good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. 36 Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Joh 7:7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that its works are evil. Saved From Hateful Enemies Luk 1:67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, 68 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people, 69 And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of his servant David 70 (As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old), 71 Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72 To show mercy towards our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant; 73 The oath which he sware unto Abraham our father, 74 To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Should serve him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 2Ti 4:18 The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. 2Ti 3:10-11 But thou didst follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, 11 persecutions, sufferings; what things befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: and out of them all the Lord delivered me. Psa 34:17-19 The righteous cried, and Jehovah heard, And delivered them out of all their troubles. 18 Jehovah is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, And saveth such as are of a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But Jehovah delivereth him out of them all. We are called to Suffer For Jesus, His people, and His Life in us. Mat 17:12 but I say unto you, that Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they would. Even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them. 13 Then understood the disciples that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. Act 5:34 But there stood up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in honor of all the people, and commanded to put the men forth a little while. 35 And he said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves as touching these men, what ye are about to do. 36 For before these days rose up Theudas, giving himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nought. 37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the enrollment, and drew away some of the people after him: he also perished; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad. 38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will be overthrown: 39 but if it is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them; lest haply ye be found even to be fighting against God. 40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles unto them, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name. 42 And every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ. Act 9:13 But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how much evil he did to thy saints at Jerusalem: 14 and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name. 15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake. 17 And Ananias departed, and entered into the house; and laying his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the way which thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized; Rom 8:16 The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God: 17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him. 2Co 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound unto us, even so our comfort also aboundeth through Christ. 6 But whether we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or whether we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which worketh in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: 7 and our hope for you is stedfast; knowing that, as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also are ye of the comfort. 8 For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9 yea, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead: 10 who delivered us out of so great a death, and will deliver: on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us; 11 ye also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift bestowed upon us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf. Php 1:27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ: that, whether I come and see you or be absent, I may hear of your state, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the gospel; 28 and in nothing affrighted by the adversaries: which is for them an evident token of perdition, but of your salvation, and that from God; 29 because to you it hath been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer in his behalf: 30 having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me. 2Th 1:3 We are bound to give thanks to God always to you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith growth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth; 4 so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure; 5 which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: 6 if so be that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you, 7 and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, 8 rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus: 9 who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day. 11 To which end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfil every desire of goodness and every work of faith, with power; 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2Ti 2:2 And the things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier on service entangleth himself in the affairs of this life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier. 5 And if also a man contend in the games, he is not crowned, except he have contended lawfully. 2Ti 2:9 wherein I suffer hardship unto bonds, as a malefactor; but the word of God is not bound. 10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 Faithful is the saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with him: 12 if we endure, we shall also reign with him: if we shall deny him, he also will deny us: 2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2Ti 4:2 preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables. 5 But be thou sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil thy ministry. 6 For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure is come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: 8 henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved his appearing. 1Pe 2:19 For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21 For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. 1Pe 3:10 For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile: 11 And let him turn away from evil, and do good; Let him seek peace, and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And his ears unto their supplication: But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil. 13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good? 14 But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed are ye: and fear not their fear, neither be troubled; 15 but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear: 16 having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ. 17 For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. 18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial among you, which cometh upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing happened unto you: 13 but insomuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exceeding joy. 14 If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are ye; because the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you. 15 For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men's matters: 16 but if a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name. 17 For the time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if it begin first at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator. Jas 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receive the early and latter rain. 8 Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Murmur not, brethren, one against another, that ye be not judged: behold, the judge standeth before the doors. 10 Take, brethren, for an example of suffering and of patience, the prophets who spake in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we call them blessed that endured: ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful. Rev 2:9 I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich), and the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life. 11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Php 3:7 Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ, 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith: 10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death; 11 if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead. Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear, 8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation; 1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 3 For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries: 4 wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 5 who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For unto this end was the gospel preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. 7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore of sound mind, and be sober unto prayer: 8 above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins: 9 using hospitality one to another without murmuring: 1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; 7 casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you. 8 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, 9 whom withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, after that ye have suffered a little while, shall himself perfect, establish, strengthen you. 11 To him be the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Drop us a note about the podcast. Paul gets stoned, dragged out of town, and everyone thinks he's dead. Then the believers gather around him, and he stands up and walks right back into Lystra. That single moment in Acts 14 forces a question most of us try to avoid: what does faithful perseverance look like when following Jesus costs you something real?We read through Paul and Barnabas in Lystra and Derby, including the miracle that sparks a wave of misplaced worship, the sharp backlash that follows, and the steady work of strengthening new believers. Along the way, we lean on Psalm 140 as a prayer for protection from violent and deceitful people, and we reflect on Proverbs 17:22 about how a cheerful heart can be “good medicine” when life feels heavy. If you're searching for biblical courage, Christian resilience, and practical Christian living, these passages land with surprising clarity.From there, we zoom out into influence and character: who you listen to, how far you should follow any public voice, and why small daily choices still shape your home. We also honor service through a Medal of Honor story, then connect virtue, leadership, and Christian education to the long-term health of a nation, arguing that laws can't substitute for moral people.If this gave you something to think about, subscribe, share the podcast with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it.#AmericanHeritage#ChristianNation#WilliamPennSupport the showThe American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribeCountryside Book Serieshttps://www.amazon.com/Countryside-Book-J-T-Cope-IV-ebook/dp/B00MPIXOB2 America's Christian Heritage Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/2622483

Episode 4184 │ July 19, 2026 Paul was stoned, dragged out, left for dead. He got up and walked back in. That is not a man trusting in himself. That is the gospel working. WHAT THIS EPISODE COVERS  Scott Kesterson and Brad Cummings open in Acts 14 — Paul stoned and left for dead outside Lystra, then rising and walking back into the same city — and use that single moment to dismantle the version of the gospel most people received: a shame management program built on man's decision-making, a transaction between a wrathful Father and a suffering Son, a club with dues and meetings and a form to fill out — none of which appears in the actual text, and none of which produces the power of an indestructible life. Brad traces the thread from 1 Timothy 4:10 through Second Corinthians, Deuteronomy's ox liability law, the rich young ruler, the boy's lunch in John 6, and the Alpha and Omega embedded untranslated in Genesis 1:1 — building the case that the gospel is not about your decision, your performance, or your discipline, but about the owner taking responsibility for what He created, the indestructible One who conquered death taking up residence in you, and the war already being over. The episode closes on the Viking oath as a lens for the founding generation's covenant with Christ — men who understood that giving their word was their sword arm and their bloodline, and that if the war is over and the King has won, the only move left is reconciliation. KEY QUESTIONS ADDRESSED What does Deuteronomy's ox liability law — the owner is responsible for what the ox does — reveal about the gospel that shame-management Christianity has systematically obscured, and why does Brad argue that God taking responsibility for His creation is the central truth the modern church has replaced with man's decision-making? Why does Brad argue that the cross was not the Father punishing the Son for your sin but the gift of the indestructible life — and what does getting that wrong do to your ability to fix your eyes on the Author and Finisher of your faith rather than on your own performance, discipline, and sincerity? What does the Viking oath — where giving your word was your sword arm and your bloodline, and stepping away from it was the most dishonoring act possible — reveal about why the founding generation's covenant with Christ produced a different kind of republic than any that had existed before, and what it would take to return to it? ABOUT BARDSFM BardsFM is a daily independent podcast covering faith, liberty, history, and information warfare. Hosted by Scott Kesterson — combat veteran, documentary filmmaker, and rancher. Over 4,100 episodes and 50 million lifetime downloads. New episodes every weekday. bards.fm This episode was researched and produced under the Spatial Terra Intelligence Methodology (STIM v5) — the analytical framework built by Scott Kesterson — with AI-assisted research synthesis at a 70/30 human/AI authorship ratio, fully disclosed. All analysis, conclusions, and editorial judgments are those of Scott Kesterson. BardsFM's faith archive includes hundreds of episodes on prayer, scripture, and walking the Way of Christ — available free in the full episode catalog. AFFILIATE LINKS Bards Nation Health Store: www.bardsnationhealth.com MYPillow promo code: BARDS >> Go to https://www.mypillow.com/bards and use the promo code BARDS or... Call 1-800-975-2939.  EMPShield protect your vehicles and home. Promo code BARDS: Click here Treadlite Broadforks...best garden tool EVER. Promo code BARDS26: TreadliteBroadforks.com EnviroKlenz Air Purification, promo code BARDS to save 10%: www.enviroklenz.com Morning Intro Music Provided by Brian Kahanek: www.briankahanek.com Founders Bible 20% discount code: BARDS >>> TheFoundersBible.com Windblown Media 20% Discount with promo code BARDS: windblownmedia.com White Oak Pastures Grassfed Meats, Get $20 off any order $150 or more. Promo Code BARDS: www.whiteoakpastures.com/BARDS Mission Darkness Faraday Bags and RF Shielding. Promo code BARDS: Click here DONATIONS: If you wish to support this podcast directly you can donate here... DONATE: Click here MAILING ADDRESS: Xpedition Cafe, LLC Attn. Scott Kesterson 591 E Central Ave, #740 Sutherlin, OR  97479

In a single chapter the crowds try to worship Paul as a god and then turn around and stone him nearly to death, which tells you everything about the fickleness of human approval. When the people of Lystra want to offer sacrifices to him, Paul is horrified and points them away from himself to the living God. Ministry that chases applause will be destroyed by the same crowd that gave it, yet Paul gets up from the stoning and walks right back into the city. This episode is a clear-eyed look at why we cannot build our faith on what people think of us.  The Rev. John Lukomski, pastor emeritus and co-host of Wrestling with the Basics on KFUO Radio, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 14:1-28. The book of Acts picks up where the Gospels leave off. Jesus has risen. He has ascended. And now what? Acts answers that question. Luke tells the story of how the Holy Spirit built the Church from a handful of frightened disciples in Jerusalem into a movement that reached Rome itself. Along the way, you get Pentecost, the first sermons, the first martyrs, the conversion of Paul, the first church councils, shipwrecks, riots, and the persistent, stubborn work of God through Word and Sacrament even when His people didn't have a plan. If you've ever wondered how we got from Easter morning to the Church you sit in today, this is the book. Tune in for this new series on Thy Strong Word with Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors as we open up the Book of Acts.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

July 10, 2026Today's Reading: Acts 14:19-15:5Daily Lectionary: Judges 6:1-24; Acts 14:19-15:5“Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. After preaching the Gospel to both Jews and Greeks in Iconium, Paul remained there a while, “speaking boldly in the Lord” (Acts 14:3), before departing for Lystra. However, a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed that Satan shot his flaming darts through the “poison” of the unbelieving Jews. He sowed the seeds of division and violence, stirring up some Gentiles and Jews to stone Paul and Barnabas. Upon learning of this, they fled to Lystra and Derbe. Yet some Jews pursued him, coming from Antioch and Iconium to persuade the crowds to stone Paul. What God said to Ananias concerning Paul came true: “I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:16). He is afflicted by such violence, but is he crushed? He is perplexed by unbelief, but is he despairing? He is persecuted, but is he forsaken? He is struck down and even assumed dead (Acts 14:19), but is he destroyed? Not at all—for the very life of Jesus is manifested in his earthly body. The power of Christ rests upon him in his weakness. He shares Christ's suffering and becomes like him in his death. So, after arising and entering the city with the disciples, he journeys onward to Derbe the very next day. He is not crushed but renewed. He is not driven to despair but filled with hope. He is not forsaken but filled with the Spirit. He is not destroyed but strengthened for the work God has called him to do. Each trial becomes an occasion for endurance, for building character, and for rejoicing in the promise of God's eternal glory. After preaching the gospel to Derbe, he again returns to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, “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” (Acts 14:22). What an encouragement! Elders are appointed for ministry in the church, and the hearts of the faithful are committed to the Lord through prayer and fasting. From Pisidia to Antioch, the Word of God takes root, and a door of faith is opened to the Gentiles (Acts 14:27). In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. My walk is heav'nward all the way; Await, my soul, the morrow, When God's good healing shall allay All suff'ring, sin, and sorrow. Then, worldly pomp, begone! To heav'n I now press on. For all the world I would not stay; My walk is heav'nward all the way. (LSB 716:6)Rev. David Woelmer, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Smithville, Texas. 

Have you ever noticed how quickly people can change? One day you're the hero. The next day you're the villain. You get the promotion... everyone congratulates you. You make one mistake... everyone questions you. Social media can make you famous on Monday and cancel you by Friday. If your identity is built on the approval of people, you'll spend your life riding an emotional roller coaster. Acts 14 shows us a man who experienced both extremes in less than 24 hours. One crowd tried to worship Paul as a god. That same crowd later picked up stones to kill him. So what kept Paul going? His life wasn't built on the opinions of people. It was built on the mission of Jesus. And that's the question this passage asks every one of us: Whose approval are you living for?

Have you ever noticed how quickly people can change? One day you're the hero. The next day you're the villain. You get the promotion... everyone congratulates you. You make one mistake... everyone questions you. Social media can make you famous on Monday and cancel you by Friday. If your identity is built on the approval of people, you'll spend your life riding an emotional roller coaster. Acts 14 shows us a man who experienced both extremes in less than 24 hours. One crowd tried to worship Paul as a god. That same crowd later picked up stones to kill him. So what kept Paul going? His life wasn't built on the opinions of people. It was built on the mission of Jesus. And that's the question this passage asks every one of us: Whose approval are you living for?

The crowd called Paul a god. Then they stoned him, dragged his body outside the city, and walked away. And just when that quiet ditch should have been the end of the story, Paul opened his eyes, pulled himself up out of the dirt, and walked right back through the same gates where the stones had flown.That is the anatomy of endurance.If you have been doing exactly what God called you to do and still taking hit after hit, this message from Acts 14 is your word for this season. Lead Pastor Talaat McNeely unpacks Paul and Barnabas in Lystra to reveal three of the most dangerous traps believers fall into when the pressure refuses to let up.In this episode, you will discover:✅ How we instinctively try to domesticate God's power the moment it disrupts our comfort, and exactly what that habit costs our faith.✅ Why the same crowd that drapes garlands around your neck on Tuesday will pick up stones by Friday the moment you refuse to perform for them.✅ Why endurance is never a solo mission and how the body of Christ is designed to lift you when you cannot lift yourself.A frictionless path creates a fragile faith. The Kingdom of God is not advanced by smooth roads. It is forged through unshakeable endurance.Scripture: Acts 14:8-20 (NLT)Series: Unstoppable: A Journey Through the Book of ActsPurpose City Church | Aurora, IllinoisIf this message hit home, share it with someone who needs to hear it this week. And subscribe so you never miss a word from the house.

Acts 14:8-21Humility REDIRECTS the glory to ChristIdolatry ROBS the glory of ChristFollowers of Jesus will face RESISTANCEFollowers of Jesus must have PERSISTENCE-Persistence TESTIFIES-Persistence SANCTIFIES

Acts 14 reveals that genuine faith is tested and proven through pressure. Paul and Barnabas faced opposition in Iconium, praise in Lystra, suffering on the road to Derbe, and the challenges of discipleship as they revisited new believers. Through every trial, they remained bold, humble, faithful, and focused on Christ. Like gold tested on a touchstone, true faith leaves its mark when rubbed against the hardships of life, because it is anchored in Jesus, who endured the ultimate suffering and secured the ultimate victory.

Worship Service

Text - Acts 14  Title - Acts 14 ‘The Message, Not the Messanger' by Nick Neves, pastor     Pastor Nick preaches in Acts 14, where Paul urges the citizens of Lystra to worship God alone.

This powerful message invites us to experience familiar biblical stories through fresh eyes—specifically, through the perspective of Timothy as he witnessed the Apostle Paul's ministry. Drawing from 2 Timothy 3:10-11 and the book of Acts, we're challenged to consider what makes someone worth following in our faith journey. The sermon walks us through four transformative lessons Timothy learned: he watched Paul bleed after being stoned in Lystra, he heard him sing worship songs in a Philippian prison, he received encouragement through Paul's letters, and he learned profound humility from a man who considered himself the chief of sinners. What emerges is a portrait of authentic discipleship—not sanitized or heroic, but raw, vulnerable, and deeply committed. We're reminded that true spiritual authority comes not from perfection but from faithfulness in suffering, worship in adversity, generous encouragement of others, and genuine humility about our own weaknesses. The sermon culminates in Philippians 4:9, where Paul urges us to practice what we've learned, received, heard, and seen. This isn't about imitating superhuman saints; it's about embodying obedience over comfort, worship over worry, encouragement over despair, and humility over ego in our everyday lives.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260618dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 Thessalonians 3:1 The Power of the Gospel Paul appealed to the believers of Thessalonica to pray. His concern was “that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored.” The apostle knew the difficulties involved in proclaiming the good news about Jesus. Just before Paul went to Thessalonica, he was jailed at Philippi for preaching God’s word. Before that, he was stoned at Lystra. Just after leaving Thessalonica, he debated with some philosophers at Athens, and they scoffed at his message and rejected it. Nevertheless, Paul’s enthusiasm for sharing the saving message of the gospel never faded. He sought to spread the word of life wherever and whenever he could. He recognized the urgency of telling people about Jesus and how the Savior rescued them from sin and hell. He asked, “How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?” (Romans 10:14). It is vitally important for people to hear about Jesus so that the Holy Spirit can work in their hearts. Therefore, include in your prayers the plea that God will cause the good news of salvation through Jesus to spread rapidly so that many people may hear the message of free forgiveness and eternal life. And pray that the word of God be honored by those who hear it—that through the power of the gospel, the Holy Spirit turn people from damning unbelief to saving faith in Jesus. Prayer: Holy Spirit, use the message of salvation to call many more people out of the darkness of unbelief to the marvelous light of faith in Jesus Christ. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260618dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 Thessalonians 3:1 The Power of the Gospel Paul appealed to the believers of Thessalonica to pray. His concern was “that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored.” The apostle knew the difficulties involved in proclaiming the good news about Jesus. Just before Paul went to Thessalonica, he was jailed at Philippi for preaching God’s word. Before that, he was stoned at Lystra. Just after leaving Thessalonica, he debated with some philosophers at Athens, and they scoffed at his message and rejected it. Nevertheless, Paul’s enthusiasm for sharing the saving message of the gospel never faded. He sought to spread the word of life wherever and whenever he could. He recognized the urgency of telling people about Jesus and how the Savior rescued them from sin and hell. He asked, “How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?” (Romans 10:14). It is vitally important for people to hear about Jesus so that the Holy Spirit can work in their hearts. Therefore, include in your prayers the plea that God will cause the good news of salvation through Jesus to spread rapidly so that many people may hear the message of free forgiveness and eternal life. And pray that the word of God be honored by those who hear it—that through the power of the gospel, the Holy Spirit turn people from damning unbelief to saving faith in Jesus. Prayer: Holy Spirit, use the message of salvation to call many more people out of the darkness of unbelief to the marvelous light of faith in Jesus Christ. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Send us a message!Simon is an actor, evangelist, and children's book author from Melbourne, Australia, where he lives with his wife and two children. For the last 24 years, he has had a particular passion for excellent and engaging Bible reading. He loves presenting "epic readings" of whole books of the Bible, training Christians in public Bible reading and encouraging the Body of Christ to value this vital ministry. Find out more about his ministry at www.PublicBibleReading.com and www.patreon.com/simoncamilleri. We hear Acts 14 and 15 read aloud, then we sit with how quickly crowds can swing from praise to violence and how the church fights to keep the gospel clear. We also wrestle with the temptation to add our own rules to grace and why “Jesus plus” is not good news. • friendship and community in the early church as God pairs people for mission • Paul and Barnabas preaching in Iconium amid division and hostility • the healing in Lystra and the danger of turning messengers into idols • Paul stoned then returning to strengthen disciples and appoint elders • the circumcision dispute and why it threatens the heart of the gospel • Peter's claim that God saves Jews and Gentiles by grace through faith • James's conclusion to avoid extra burdens while urging holy living • the church's letter bringing encouragement and unity • Paul and Barnabas's sharp disagreement and the mission continuing • a direct warning against a modern “Jesus plus” false gospel Be sure to check out Simon's ministry if you enjoyed his time here on the Outloud Bible Podcast today.  At outloudbible.com, you can find free resources to help you study the Bible. And while you're there, send us a message to say hi, or start a conversation about having us at your church or event. If Outloud Bible has been a valuable part of your understanding of the Bible, please consider supporting the ministry by visiting outloudbible.com.Support the showCheck out outloudbible.com for helpful study resources, and to discover how to bring the public reading of God's word to your church, conference, retreat, or other event.

   Have you ever been caught in an unruly crowd, perhaps you might even call them a mob? Did that mob suddenly become violent and were you frightened for your life? That happened once to me, and I was nearly trampled to death as a boy. My father saved my life by raising me up on his shoulders! I’ll never forget that experience and it was probably 65 years ago!  I left you yesterday in a very similar mob scene recorded for us in Acts 14, do you remember? By the power of God, Paul had just healed a crippled man in the town of Lystra. The crowd rushed Paul and Barnabas declaring “the gods have come to us in human form” and they quickly gathered animals and wreaths of flowers about to have a pagan worship service in their honor, including sacrifices! Paul and Barnabas rushed into the crowd declaring “What are you doing? We too are only humans like you…” (Acts 14:11-15) Paul boldly and loudly proclaimed the powerful truth about Jesus. But this crowd had seen a miracle, and, in their delirium, agitators took advantage of the situation and stirred up the crowd turning it into an out-of-control mob. (Click here to see full text, images and links)    Pastor Doug Anderson    “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)Have a comment or question about today's chapter? I'm ready to hear from you, contact me here. Interested in helping "Walking with Jesus" financially? Click here

Full Text of Readings Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle Lectionary: 580/362 The Saint of the day is Saint Barnabas Saint Barnabas' Story Saint Barnabas, a Jew of Cyprus, comes as close as anyone outside the Twelve to being a full-fledged apostle. He was closely associated with Saint Paul—he introduced Paul to Peter and the other apostles—and served as a kind of mediator between the former persecutor and the still suspicious Jewish Christians. When a Christian community developed at Antioch, Barnabas was sent as the official representative of the church of Jerusalem to incorporate them into the fold. He and Paul instructed in Antioch for a year, after which they took relief contributions to Jerusalem. Later Paul and Barnabas, now clearly seen as charismatic leaders, were sent by Antioch officials to preach to the gentiles. Enormous success crowned their efforts. After a miracle at Lystra, the people wanted to offer sacrifice to them as gods—Barnabas being Zeus, and Paul, Hermes—but the two said, “We are of the same nature as you, human beings. We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living God” (see Acts 14:8-18). But all was not peaceful. They were expelled from one town, they had to go to Jerusalem to clear up the ever-recurring controversy about circumcision, and even the best of friends can have differences. When Paul wanted to revisit the places they had evangelized, Saint Barnabas wanted to take along his cousin John Mark, author of the Gospel, but Paul insisted that since Mark had deserted them once, he was not fit to take along now. The disagreement that followed was so sharp that Barnabas and Paul separated: Barnabas taking Mark to Cyprus, Paul taking Silas to Syria. Later they were reconciled—Paul, Barnabas and Mark. When Paul stood up to Peter for not eating with gentiles for fear of his Jewish friends, we learn that “even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy” (see Galatians 2:1-13). Reflection Saint Barnabas is spoken of simply as one who dedicated his life to the Lord. He was a man “filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. Thereby, large numbers were added to the Lord.” Even when he and Paul were expelled from Antioch in Pisidia—modern-day Turkey—they were “filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.”Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

I was a Flash Gordon freak when I was a kid. Now, you probably have led a deprived life and you may be saying, “Flash who?” Let me bring you up-to-date. Flash Gordon was an inter-galactic hero that was made famous in a serialized movie that I think might have been filmed way back in the 1930s. No, I did not see it when it first came out! But it kept going on and on and on forever. I think you might still be able to find it sometimes on late night TV. Every episode ended with Flash Gordon in a jam, and he was always ready to be destroyed by some space monster or death ray. And you were sure there was no way Flash was going to get out of this one. There always was. He always did, and there is always a way out for you and me, too, if you're working for the right director. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Rescued Again and Again.” Now, you probably have a life full of close calls, just like old Flash Gordon. Except his were on movies and yours and mine are for real. There's a man who had a life full of close calls in the Bible – the Apostle Paul. He talks about them in our word for today from the Word of God, 2 Timothy 3:11 he says, “You know the persecutions and sufferings and what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured.” But listen to this, “Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.” Now, I have kind of a convoluted mind (you know that already), because as soon as I read that verse, I think of Flash Gordon. No, he's not in the Bible, and I know I've got a mental problem. I can't help that, but I remember that he was always rescued out of every close call. That's the bottom line for every child of God. He will sometimes let you go to the edge. It may look like there's no way out, but He will never let you go over the edge. “But the Lord rescued me out of them all.” You can say that, and so can I. It's not that it hasn't been close sometimes, but just look at the exciting episodes from your past; the time that the money ran out, or your friends ran out, or your family ran out, or your strength ran out. Maybe you've been so lonely at times in the past you couldn't stand it, or frustrated because every door seemed to slam shut in your face. There were these people that you had depended on, and they were suddenly gone. Or maybe you're hopelessly buried in work and responsibility and stress. And you say, “I'll never get out of this mess!” You've been to the edge of desperation, but remember the Lord rescued you out of them all. Maybe you're in a perilous or a painful place again. This time it looks like there is no way out of this, but then it's looked like that before at the end of other episodes and you're still here. Get some perspective. Stand back. Remember a lifetime of the Lord rescuing you. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out..." He will let you have heavy loads, but never more than you can handle. Jesus is, after all, your Savior. He can save you from this comparatively small crisis. He'll change the situation or He'll enlarge you to deal with the situation. But one way or the other, your Savior will rescue you. Look, He always has. Now, Flash Gordon, my old hero, got in big trouble – some big jams, a lot of close calls – so will you. But Flash Gordon always got rescued, and so will you. The God of the universe is writing your script and the God of the universe is producing your future.

Today we are going to finish Philippians 2 by looking atverses 28 through 30 where we are talkingabout risking everything for Christ. That is exactly what Epaphroditus did. Aswe have read through this chapter, we have seen how Jesus Christ lefteverything in heaven. He gave up His rights, came down to earth, made Himself aservant, and became obedient even to the death of the cross. As a result, Godhighly exalted Him. We also see the example of the Apostle Paul himself. Paulleft everything in his old life. As we read later in the book of Philippians,he counted it all as dung—a pile of manure—compared to what he gained inChrist. He made the great statement in chapter 1, “For to me, to live isChrist, and to die is gain.” Theexample of Timothy shows us the same truth. Timothy left his family, hisparents, and his friends in the city of Lystra to follow the Apostle Paul andto follow Jesus Christ. Now we come to Epaphroditus. He risked his life and “didnot regard his own life.” The phrase “not regarding his life”carries the idea of taking a great risk. Epaphroditus was willing to riskeverything for Christ. Hecarried the offering from the Philippians to Paul in Rome. The journey waslong. The roads were dangerous. The conditions were difficult. Paul was inprison and could potentially be executed, which meant Epaphroditus might sufferthe same fate. Somewhere along the way, he became gravely ill. He became sosick that it appeared he would die. Yet God had mercy on him and spared hislife. God also had mercy on Paul, sparing him additional sorrow. Yetthrough it all, Epaphroditus continued serving. Remarkably, he was moreconcerned about the people worrying about him than he was about the possibilityof his own death. So Paul tells the Philippians in verse 29: “Receive himtherefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem.” Godhonors His servants. The world honors celebrities. God honors faithfulness. Godhonors sacrifice. God honors those who quietly give themselves in service toothers. He also teaches us to honor those to whom honor is due. (Proverbs 3:27) AsI think about this passage, I am reminded of the famous words of Jim Elliot: “Heis no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Thetruth is that every believer is called to risk something for Jesus Christ.Maybe not our lives, but certainly our comfort, our convenience, ourreputation, our resources, and even our time. The greatest investment we canmake on earth is not in temporal things, but in eternal things. Thatis what Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians 4. As he begins that chapter, hewrites: “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy,we do not lose heart.” In other words, we do not quit. We do not give up.We do not faint. Then he goes on to say verses 117-18: “For our lightaffliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceedingand eternal weight of glory... while we do not look at the things which areseen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen aretemporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” RememberPaul on his final journey to Jerusalem in Acts 20:24. The believers repeatedlywarned him that suffering awaited him there. Yet Paul declared: “Nor do Icount my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy.” Myfriend, that was true of Paul. It was true of Epaphroditus. May it be true ofus as well. May we be willing to risk everything for the sake of Christ. Let'spray. Father, help us to live courageously for Jesus Christ. Give us heartsthat value eternal things above temporary comforts. May we be willing to spendand be spent for Your glory. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Godbless and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!

Today we're looking at Philippians 2:22. Here, the ApostlePaul is talking about Timothy. Paul writes: "But you know his proven character,that as a son with his father, he served with me in the gospel." Oneof the most valuable qualities in the Christian life is proven character. Noticethat Paul did not praise Timothy primarily for his gifts, talents,intelligence, or abilities. He praised him for his character. The phrase provencharacter speaks of something that has been tested and approved. Gold istested by fire. Steel is tested by pressure. Character is tested by life. Timothyhad been tested. Whenyou go back to Acts 14, where Paul first meets Timothy in Lystra, Timothywitnessed Paul being stoned for preaching the gospel. It was during this periodthat Timothy gave his heart and life to Jesus Christ. He had a godlygrandmother and mother who taught him the Scriptures, and he grew in the graceand knowledge of the Lord. Then, when Paul began his second missionary journeywith Silas in Acts 16, one of the first people mentioned in Lystra was Timothy.The Bible tells us that, “he was well spoken of by the brethren who were atLystra and Iconium”. In other words, Timothy already had a good testimonybefore Paul invited him to travel with him. Paul said, in effect, "I wantyou to join me and Silas on this missionary journey." Weknow that Timothy traveled with Paul to Philippi, where Paul and Silas werebeaten and thrown into prison. Luke was also with them during this period. Justimagine the privilege Timothy had of being surrounded by and mentored by suchgodly men. Year after year, as Paul invested in him, Timothy grew in his faith,his knowledge of Christ, and his character. Eventually, he became a man ofproven character. Only after proving himself faithful did the Apostle Paulinvite him to become part of this missionary team. Thisteaches an important lesson for all of us. God is more interested in developingour character than displaying our abilities. Many people want immediateinfluence. They want instant success. They want positions of leadership beforethey have developed spiritual maturity. That can become a problem in manychurches when people seek positions for which their character has not yetprepared them.  ButGod works differently. Remember, David spent years tending sheep beforebecoming king. Joseph spent years in slavery and prison before ruling in Egypt.Moses spent forty years in the wilderness before God called him to lead Israel.Timothy spent years learning, serving, growing, and becoming Paul's trustedrepresentative. My friend, we discover that character is more important thanabilities and all the other things for which people are often praised. Yearsago, I taught people not to praise someone merely for their talent or ability. "Oh,they play the piano so well." "They are such a gifted speaker." Instead,praise them for their character and the discipline that enabled them to developthose abilities. Praise them for doing the right things for the right reasons.Praise them for faithfulness, honesty, kindness, loyalty, thoughtfulness, diligence,and integrity. That is proven character. Someone has wisely said: "Godprepares the man before He prepares the ministry." The Christian life isnot a sprint; it is a marathon. Faithfulness over time produces provencharacter. Maybetoday you feel overlooked. Maybe you have been serving quietly for years and noone seems to notice your faithfulness. But God notices. Every prayer. Every actof service. Every sacrifice. Every hidden act of obedience. God sees them all. Luke16:10 says: "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also inmuch." God often develops greatservants in ordinary places.Let'spray. Father, help us today to develop proven character. Teach us to befaithful in the small things and patient during the seasons and years ofpreparation. May our lives bring honor to You. We pray this in Jesus' name.Amen.

What do you do when opposition turns violent — do you stay or do you go? And once someone comes to faith, what does it actually mean to disciple them? Pastors Scott Ethridge and Dallas Mora walk verse by verse through Acts 14, where Paul and Barnabas face a city divided, a stoning, and a long journey back to strengthen the churches they planted. --- Connect With The Healing Place Website: www.thpshreveport.com  Questions or prayer requests: mediahub@thpshreveport.com  Midweek Move is the podcast extension of The Healing Place, Shreveport, LA — where we examine the scriptures in context and ask: "What is happening here?" ___ 0:00 — Intro 0:21 — Welcome  1:06 — Acts 14 intro: Paul and Barnabas in Iconium 1:37 — Acts 14:1–3 read aloud; the gospel divides the city 2:46 — Why opposition didn't stop Paul and Barnabas 3:38 — Expecting resistance: ministry with the bigger picture in mind 4:34 — "They stayed there a long time" — what boldness looks like under pressure 5:07 — When smooth execution is not the measure of God's presence 6:29 — The parallel: Jesus interrupted mid-sermon; the Holy Spirit blows it open 8:51 — Acts 14:5–7: when violence becomes premeditated — Paul and Barnabas flee 9:25 — Discernment vs. fear: how do you know when it's time to leave? 10:57 — When it's no longer a conversation — a real-world example 12:09 — Paul and Barnabas don't pull back the message; they take it to the next city 13:35 — Acts 14:8–20: idolatry in Lystra, Paul stoned and left for dead 14:03 — He got up and went back into the city 14:48 — Acts 14:21–28: making disciples, appointing elders, strengthening churches 15:12 — Is the follow-up as important as the initial gospel presentation? 16:01 — What happens when nobody disciples the people who get saved 17:09 — "TikTok Christians" — why discipleship can't be outsourced 17:44 — We may be discipling people who haven't actually been saved yet 18:24 — The difference between a teacher and a spiritual father or mother 20:37 — What discipleship actually looks like: modeled life, not just curriculum 24:19 — "Your ceiling is supposed to be their floor" — how true fathers lead 26:38 — Closing: Acts 15 preview + prayer request invitation

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick and the Dr. Gregory McBrayer discuss Books 9-10 of the Odyssey--the first half of Odysseus telling his own story and covering such famous narratives as the lotus eaters, the cyclops, and Circe. Check out our WRITTEN GUIDE to the Odyssey--great for small groups!Follow us on X, YouTube, Instagram, and more!SummaryBooks 9 and 10 of the Odyssey feature Odysseus revealing his identity to the Phaeacians and recounting his adventures after Troy. The episodes include the raid on Ismarus, the encounter with the Lotus Eaters (whom Odysseus forcibly removes to prevent them from forgetting home), the harrowing trap in Polyphemus the Cyclops's cave (where Odysseus uses the "Nobody" ruse, wine, and an olive-wood stake to blind the giant before taunting him and invoking Poseidon's curse), the visit to Aeolus (whose bag of winds is opened by the crew, blowing them off course), the cannibalistic Laestrygonians (who destroy the fleet except Odysseus's ship), and the stay with the goddess Circe (who transforms his men into pigs, but is countered by Hermes' moly herb, leading to a year of feasting and Odysseus bedding her under divine instruction before she directs him to the underworld).The hosts explore deeper philosophical and moral themes, viewing these stories as Odysseus's moral and theoretical education. They discuss xenia (guest-friendship) and its perversions, the tension between Odysseus's cunning intellect and his men's appetites or spiritedness, leadership failures, and Homer's intentional dialectic presenting human nature. Particular attention is given to Odysseus's curiosity, pride, and evolving understanding of place, home, mortality, and nature (highlighted in the moly scene as a discovery of physis). The conversation frames Circe as a structural pivot, contrasting earlier moral tales with later intellectual ones, and portrays Odysseus as a complex, self-serving yet learning figure whose narrative may blend truth and rhetoric tailored to his audience.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Ascend and the Great Books07:42 Professional Updates and New Opportunities09:37 Teaching Homer: Insights and Anecdotes10:58 Homer as a Philosopher: Dialectics in the Text14:08 Odysseus: The Complicated Hero15:47 Odysseus' Journey: Learning and Growth17:54 The Role of Storytelling in the Odyssey23:05 The Importance of Place and Homecoming28:08 Odysseus and His Men: Leadership Dynamics35:47 The Lotus Eaters: Virtue and Temptation40:31 The Nature of Happiness and the Soul's Journey44:04 Odysseus and the Cyclops: A Political Critique54:20 Guest Friendship and Ethical Dilemmas01:05:01 Rhetoric and the Limits of Persuasion01:09:21 Understanding Polyphemus: The Nature of Deception01:11:20 Odysseus's Internal Monologue: The Role of Wisdom01:12:46 The Cyclops's Overconfidence: A Fatal Flaw01:13:49 The Role of Wine: A Tool for Manipulation01:14:58 Guest Friendship: A Perverse Parody01:16:36 The Blinding of Polyphemus: A Turning Point01:17:47 Community Response: The Cyclops's Isolation01:18:41 The Consequences of Pride: Odysseus Reveals His Name01:20:51 The Significance of 'Nobody': Identity and Cunning01:23:24 The Escape Plan: Cleverness in Adversity01:24:05 The Curse of Polyphemus: A Divine Retribution01:26:42 The Cycle of Violence: Guest Friendship Violated01:27:34 The Structure of the Odyssey: Peaks and Valleys01:29:09 The Role of Agency: Human Choices vs. Divine Will01:29:38 The Heartbreak of Aeolus: Trust Broken01:33:56 The Lystra-agonian Encounter: A Leadership Crisis01:36:31 Odysseus's Leadership and Responsibility01:39:50 The Enigmatic Circe: Goddess and Witch01:45:13 Odysseus's Encounter with Circe: A Test of Will01:50:59 The Nature of Eros and Odysseus's Choices01:56:56 The Philosophical Journey: Nature and Mortality02:01:51 The Path to the Underworld: Elpenor's FateKeywordsKey keywords for this episode include Odyssey Book 9, Odyssey Book 10, Odysseus Cyclops, Polyphemus, Circe Odyssey, Homer Odyssey summary, Odysseus adventures, Lotus Eaters, Aeolus bag of winds, Laestrygonians, Odysseus and Circe, Nobody Odysseus, Xenia guest friendship, Homer philosophy, Odysseus leadership, Odysseus moral education, Summary of Odyssey Books 9 and 10, Odysseus vs Polyphemus, Circe turns men into pigs, Philosophical themes in The Odyssey, Homer Odyssey Cyclops episode, Odysseus journey home, Guest friendship in The Odyssey, Ascend Great Books Podcast, Harrison Garlick Odyssey, and Gregory McBrayer Homer.

Can suffering or illness in our family be a punishment from God for our sins? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Catholic Answers apologists address this difficult and deeply personal question before exploring a wide range of theological and pastoral topics. The discussion covers whether Catholics may hold the Genesis Gap Theory, how the Church can better evangelize people with disabilities, and why Catholic teaching on the death penalty has developed over time. Additional questions examine the extraordinary endurance of St. Paul, the purpose of offering prayer intentions with the Rosary, why Catholicism claims to be more than just another denomination, and why sacramental confession is necessary before receiving Holy Communion in certain situations. A thoughtful conversation on suffering, grace, Church authority, and the sacraments. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered:  01:12 – Is it possible that God punishes my continuous sin through my son’s disease?    04:19 – Can a Catholic hold to the Genesis Gap Theory? Or is it heretical?   12:41 – How can the Church evangelize to those with disabilities? What are good resources that can help me get started?    19:28 – Can we in good conscience support the death penalty? I can’t seem to understand why the church changed this. In theory can’t the church's teaching on this revert?    28:37 – Is there a miraculous quality to St. Paul recovering from the stoning at Lystra or from all of the other beatings he suffered? It seems any number of the rods, stonings, etc. could have disabled him and made his long-distance travel impossible.    32:49 – How does setting a prayer intention before praying a rosary differ from just praying for that intention directly without praying a rosary, does it have something to do with the merit involved with praying a rosary? Thank you!    36:40 – Why can't Catholicism be just another denomination among the denominations? I think Protestants see Catholicism as a Christian denomination, thus no need to make the move if they are already happy where they are.   43:02 – If priests have the sacramental power to ordain, why has this actually happened so rarely in Church history?    46:50 – Why is it mandatory to go to a priest for confession before one can go for Holy Communion. Why isn’t going to God directly sufficient for this?  If someone sits on his seat because he hasn’t gone for confession, everyone would see that he hasn’t gone to confession, it would elicit some kind of shame on this person. 

In this inspiring message from Acts 14:1-18, Pastor Jason Hatch unpacks Paul and Barnabas's continued missionary journey through Iconium and Lystra, where bold gospel preaching leads to many believing while stirring fierce opposition and even attempts to stone the apostles. Witness dramatic signs and wonders, the apostles' humble refusal to be worshipped as gods, and their powerful call to turn from vain idols to the living Creator who reveals Himself through creation and ultimately through Jesus Christ. This sermon highlights the difference between common grace and saving grace, the joy of the gospel, and why we must respond to the good news by repenting and believing.   Website: redeemermidland.org Instagram: instagram.com/redeemermidland Facebook: facebook.com/RedeemerMidland   At Redeemer, we seek to be a Gospel-Centered, Missional Family. We sing songs to worship our Lord, we preach the Word of God from the Bible, and we love one another.   We would love to see you on a Sunday morning at 9:00 or 11:00 am at 3601 N. Lamesa Rd in Midland, Texas. 

“They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said.” (Acts 14:21–22 NIV) I believe that when we get to Heaven, we’ll look back at our time on earth from a different perspective. I believe we’ll realize that the things we viewed as good weren’t nearly as good as we thought they were. I also believe we’ll realize that some things we thought were bad were, in fact, beneficial. For example, our culture has conditioned us to think of prosperity and success as good things. And for some people, they can be, if they’re used for God’s glory. But quite honestly, for others, financial well-being can be a great distraction, something that causes them to lose sight of God. Material possessions can weigh us down, spiritually speaking, when God wants us to travel light. In addition, we think of sickness or loss or failure as things that are always bad. And they can be bad. Very bad. But they also can be good, because they cause us to cling to God and to lean on Him like we never would have if things had been easier. So, from Heaven’s perspective, a so-called bad thing can be a good thing. When his friend Lazarus was sick, Jesus delayed going to see him in Bethany. John 11:5–7 says, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go back to Judea’” (NIV). Instead of running to help Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, as they hoped He would, Jesus delayed His arrival by two days. Why? He wanted Lazarus’ sickness to run its course. He didn’t simply want to heal His friend. He wanted to bring greater glory to His name. Sickness and death were the means to bring about that greater glory. The Lord doesn’t look at trials and suffering as we do. The question is, whose perspective will we trust? Here’s a hint: “‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8–9 NLT). I believe that God will reveal the whys of our suffering in time. He will help us see the big picture, how our trials ultimately led to a greater good. But until that day, we need to remember these words from Acts 14:21–22: “They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said” (NIV). No matter how many hardships we must endure, the result—eternity in the kingdom of God—is more than worth it. Reflection question: How can you keep a godly perspective on the “good” and “bad” things that happen to you? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday Service | A teaching on Acts 14:1-20 with Pastor Josh BlackVictory Calvary Chapel is a church in Menifee, California. We gather for Jesus, to worship Him, to follow Him, and represent Him wherever we go. To learn more, visit us at www.victorycc.com.

There is a lot to unpack in the readings today. Let's get started! St. Paul is traveling in Derbe and Lystra, which is in modern day Turkey. He meets young Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish mother and a Greek father. Timothy's parents must have had a strong influence on their son, because he is highly recommended by the believers of that area. Paul invites Timothy to join him in his travels from city to city proclaiming the love of God for all peoples. Paul and Timothy also spread the decisions reached by the apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem, commonly known as the decrees of the Council of Jerusalem. The Council of Jerusalem basically said the following (Acts 15): that Gentile converts did not need to follow the Mosaic Law of the Jews, specifically circumcision, to be saved. It affirmed that Gentiles - and all believers - receive salvation through God's grace alone.  The Council of Jerusalem also listed four other requirements. Believing Gentiles were to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, sexual immorality, meat from strangled animals, and blood. They were also asked to continue to remember the poor within their churches, something which Paul was happy to comply. Perhaps some explanation is needed about “meat from strangled animals and blood.” Ancient pagan practices of drinking blood and cooking animals in blood was not an accepted practice in the dietary law of the Jews. It might have been a compromise to help make nonbelieving Jews more comfortable in sharing meals with believing Gentiles. The Gospel of John highlights the difference between living in the world and not being of the world. The “world” can desensitize us. When we watch a steady stream of violent programming, for example, we lose something of our basic human compassion for others. When we let ourselves be consumed by sensuality, we can lose basic respect for the other person and everyone's uniqueness in the eyes of God. Believers know their limits. St. James (1:27) puts it this way: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” James is saying that we must strive to maintain personal holiness by avoiding corrupting influences, selfish values, and the compromising sins of society while still engaging in it. We serve and honor God through our thoughts and actions. As Christians, we must make every effort to turn aside from the capital sins of pride, envy, wrath (anger), sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust. These sins are counteracted by their corresponding virtues: humility, generosity, chastity, meekness, temperance, kindness, and diligence (zeal). Overcoming laziness, for example, is the result of persistent effort and devotion to spiritual and daily duties. We cultivate all of these virtues through prayer and grace, correcting habits through small acts of charity, utilizing the sacraments to strengthen our willpower, and regularly examining our lives to keep these capital sins at bay. It is exciting to follow Paul and Timothy's travels around Asia Minor, but God's invitation to radical conversion and new life is just as alive today. Instead of asking, “What is God calling me to do?,” the better question might be: “Who is God calling me to be?” Easter Blessings,Fr. Kevin MacDonald, C.Ss.R.

Acts 14:8-22,8 Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, 10 said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking. 11 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!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 15 “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. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” 18 Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.19 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. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 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.We conclude our worship gathering here each week with the commissioning, reciting Jesus' words to us in Matthew 28:19-20. He tells us to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all I have commanded you…”The authority given to us from Jesus Christ, to “make disciples” from all the nations, applies to all sorts of tasks: it includes local tasks such as raising children, encouraging a brother or sister in Christ, confronting a friend who is drifting, or explaining the gospel to a Lyft driver. But it also goes beyond our local horizon to tasks like learning a new language to communicate in a different country. When we come to “missions” Sunday, we mean something specific. Missions means that someone is sent, with purpose, for a goal. And the specific goal we understand with that term is, “cross-cultural witness” about Jesus. Why is that?The Great Commission does not allow us to be content with our own home or neighborhood. It requires us to look beyond the horizons of our city, and of our nation or people. God has a special and distinct delight in creating disciples from among all nations.That nudge, that delight, that push to emphasize “all nations” is what we call “missions.” Of all that God calls us to do, one part that requires a reminder and special attention, is to pray for, to send, and to go toward peoples who have not yet heard or accepted the gospel.And in Acts 14 we have an example of the first missionary team to the nations, Paul and Barnabas.This story gives us a picture or model of what it looks like to bring the good news about Jesus to a new place. Whatever situation we face today, we can ask how to respond in ways that reflect what we see from the Apostles. My hope is that this text stimulates us to send cross-cultural witnesses (missionaries). And, I pray that it would confirm some people in this room with the desire to join that work.How does cross-cultural witness glorify God? Cross-cultural witness glorifies (or makes much of) God—through Light, Life, and Love.Light: It shines light into darkness.Life: It brings new groups of people to Jesus.Love: It helps believers walk in a cross-shaped way.1) Light: Light into Darkness (vv. 9-18)How does cross-cultural witness glorify God? It shines light into darkness. This is the main point of the story about Paul and Barnabas's witness in the town of Lystra.The story has three parts: a healing, a misunderstanding, and then light (the explanation).HealingThe Apostles announced the saving power of Jesus through a miracle.Paul says to a lame man, “Stand upright on your feet” (14:10). And the man rises. In fact, the text says that he “sprang up”, and began walking. The people of Lystra were no fools. They must have known this man. They knew he could not walk and had never walked. He was disabled from birth. There was no orthopedic surgery at this time. No Dr. Peter Cole to set those bones, and no physical therapy to train him to walk. And yet, in a moment, the power of Jesus changed everything.We are all familiar with showcased, staged healings. It is difficult for us to contemplate what a real public healing would look like. What would you feel if you were there? Remember, this is someone the townspeople knew. The evidence, for them, was clear as the blue sky. This man couldn't walk, and now he can.And that makes their reaction a bit less surprising.Misunderstanding“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!'” (v. 11) Paul and Barnabas didn't understand what was said. Notice that the people were speaking in Lycaonian. Paul and Barnabas were undoubtedly speaking Greek, and we think most people would have spoken Greek as well. Cities such as Lystra were founded as Greek cities several hundred years earlier.But this verse tells us that there was a deeper culture, an older culture, an older language still at play. When the people were startled by this obvious miracle, they responded in their native language.Verse 12 explains the confusion,“Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.”It would be a big surprise for you and me to be mistaken as “gods”. I think it was a surprise for Paul and Barnabas as well. The people saw the miracle and concluded this must be a divine visit. They picked the most likely visitors from the Greek pantheon—Zeus, king of the gods, and Hermes, the messenger of the gods. The misunderstanding went even deeper when the priest of Zeus proposed sacrificing an ox to celebrate the visit from these god-like figures. The text says that when Barnabas and Paul “heard of it,” that is, someone had to tell them what was going on…they spoke up and explained the true situation.Think about what Paul and Barnabas were feeling at that moment. “We've been totally misunderstood!” Even after Paul's explanation, Luke records that “even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them” (14:18).So, despite a clear word from Paul, there was misunderstanding.Dear friends, have you ever been misunderstood in your gospel witness? It happens that we try as best we can to make the gospel clear, and yet people around us hear it through their own lens. Perhaps, “Ah, so you are religious and I'm not.” “So you hold a particular political view.” Or, as I experienced with a driver in Vietnam once, “You ask Jesus for good stuff, and I ask Budda for good stuff. We're basically the same.”But I want us to see in this text that misunderstanding has a purpose. It fuels clear gospel witness. Misunderstanding forces us to new and fresh ways of speaking. Misunderstanding is the stuff of cross-cultural witness because it forces us to push through. It forces us to learn a new language, whether a literal language or the vocabulary of a sub-culture we've never experienced—maybe even one in our own city.LightA misunderstood healing gives Paul a chance to speak. And he has a message, a beam of light into darkness. He says in verse 15,“We bring you good news.”What is that good news?What was the great problem regarding god in the ancient world? Because there were so many powers in the universe, so many potential gods, the greatest challenge was to know which god should be worshipped. All the sacrifices in the pagan world were attempts to ask, “Will this help?” “Will that help?” My Vietnamese friend treated Buddha in the same way: He can help me get what I want.That is why Paul says in verse 15, “We bring you good news!” It frees us to learn that there is one God above all. It is freeing to hear that this God has spoken. If I am worried about offending one of the many gods, to hear that there is one God above them all changes things.Remember that the priest of Zeus is waiting there with a sacrificial ox. But Paul doesn't say, “Just like Zeus, the god I proclaim is the king of the gods. He directs the lightning. He shows his power in the sky.”The Living God is not like Zeus. He is not a part of creation, but completely separate from it. As the “living” God, he is life and he gives life. He created all things and so rules over all things.And people need that same word today. Without a belief in the living God, people have no real connection to what is bigger than themselves. A world without a creator has a great emptiness. All our quests to be part of something bigger than ourselves are pointing in that direction. We may settle for building our own little empire, or devoting ourselves to a political cause, or vaguely hoping that “helping people” gets us a bit more meaning, but in quiet moments we know that we are alone in this universe without connection to one who created all things.Dear friends, this is the “light” of the gospel message. The God who made the world, the one whom we cannot avoid, has spoken and acted for us in Jesus.Luke doesn't record the end of Paul's message here, but he does in Acts 17, when Paul visits Athens. There Paul says,“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).The resurrection of Jesus Christ has announced God's salvation and judgment to the world.Some of you are facing difficult conversations with friends and family about what you believe. You may be uncertain about how to make clear what you mean by faith in Jesus. Paul's witness here reminds us that even in the midst of misunderstanding, the gospel announces real, solid light to every culture and sub-culture, to every sector of society, and to every man and woman. And the work to make that gospel light clear is the glorious work of witness, particularly cross-cultural witness.2) Life: New Followers of JesusCross-cultural witness glorifies God because it results in life: that is, new followers of Jesus.What Does Christian Conversion Look Like? (v. 15)It is to “turn from vain things to a living God” (Acts 14:15). Paul explains this to the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians 1:10, “you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” Notice the contrast: Vain things, idols, that is, whatever claims to meet our needs. Instead we should turn to the “living God.” “Living God” does not mean simply that “he exists.” Rather, he is life and he gives life. He is not an inert, distant power or force—like gravity. But he is active, alive, and giving life.Psalm 36:9,“For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.” This reminds us why the message is good news.Turning to God is not just doing what we are told: like getting back to your homework after wasting 30 minutes scrolling. It is not like getting serious after throwing around some jokes with friends, or setting yourself a long list of goals to make yourself better. Instead, the New Testament describes conversion as turning from darkness to light. It is stepping away from emptiness and toward fullness. It is to reorder your desires and values so that you look up to the one who is the most valuable and say, “Yes! I have everything I need in You!” Everything else is “vanity,” insufficient, incomplete, temporary, and ultimately unsatisfying. If we have Jesus, then we lack nothing. Our cup is full. And we are satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus. He is to us, not only Lord and Savior, but also our treasure.Have you turned from vain things to the Living God? Have you given up on empty pursuits (and you know deep down that they are empty) to look toward the God who gives real life? Paul calls the people of Lystra to the most significant moment of their lives. He tells them not to miss out on what God gives. And if you have not yet put your faith in Jesus, then God announces this to you again today: Come to him.And the miracle is that people in Lystra believed.New Disciples and New ChurchesActs 14:21-22,“When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith....”They “made many disciples” and they returned to “strengthen the souls of the disciples.” In the midst of misunderstanding, people believed. When Paul and Barnabas came back to Lystra, perhaps a month or two later, there were “disciples.”This is the great promise of gospel witness. Real lives are changed. Human lives take a new direction. And those believers make churches, churches that often endure. Do you remember Paul's companion, Timothy? Do you know where he is from? Lystra. This very town (Acts 16:1-3).I know Lystra is not on a tour of Bible lands today. That part of Turkey was conquered by Muslims in the Middle Ages, but the church in Lystra survived for at least four hundred years after this event. There is evidence that the bishop of Lystra attended a church council in 451 AD. So, the cross-cultural witness here produced fruit for hundreds of years to come.How does cross-cultural witness glorify God? It brings life and joy that transform the lives of men and women…and then it bears fruit in churches and communities for decades and centuries. So, Cities Church, if a mature member of this church says, “Yes. I want to give my life for that work in a fresh, cross-cultural environment,” will we get behind them? Are we ready to send a member or members of this church to live and witness cross-culturally for the sake of new spiritual life? Might that perhaps be you? 3) Love: Believers Walk in a Cross-shaped Way (vv. 19-20)Cross-cultural witness brought Light (out of darkness and into light), Life (new life that grows in Christ), and then Love (Believers now walk in a cross-shaped way).Acts 14:19-20,“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. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.”Can you imagine this scene? As Paul, you are hit in the head with a stone that knocks you out. Next thing you know, you wake up in the dust on a road outside the town.Imagine what that felt like for Barnabas. Here we are, a few months into this journey. We've seen some success, we've seen people come to faith. And even in Lystra it looked hopeful after the misunderstanding. But then, it all comes crashing down in a mob action directed at Paul. How do you respond to that? Luke records this very simply: Paul got up, went into the city, and left the next day with Barnabas. These guys knew what they were about, and they were not surprised.We have been studying John 17, and Jesus makes this perfectly clear:“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (John 17:14)“As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:18)Paul and Barnabas looked at each other that day and said, “Brother, we are not of this world. But we are sent into the world. The world hates our Savior, and so it hates us as well.”Here is how Paul reflected on that day when he wrote to Timothy several years later, 2 Timothy 3:10-12,“You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…”When Paul thinks through his “persecutions and sufferings”, he goes back to this event. He tells Timothy, you want to know what my life looks like? Remember Lystra. We can call it a cross-shaped life. Just as Jesus told us,“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24)Do you believe that, dear friends? The life of love is a life poured out for others in serving them and proclaiming the good news about Jesus Christ. And cross-cultural witness among unreached people makes this abundantly clear. C.T. Studd, one of the missionaries to China in 1885 said about his years there: “For five years we never went outside our doors without a volley of curses from our neighbors.” Those who engage in front-line, pioneering cross-cultural witness often face a negative response from people. And yet there is glory in it. Would it not be a glory to display that cross-shaped life as a witness to a people group among whom there are few believers? Would it not be a grace to spend your life working through the frustration of cross-cultural misunderstanding to see new spiritual life spring up? Would it not be worth it to find yourself spent, tired, and poured out for the sake of people who might not hear the gospel clearly any other way? And for every Christian, it may be that you will face a “volley of curses” when you go outside your door. You might even face such a thing today. And that is why Paul's exhortation to the new believers in Lystra applies also to us, Acts 14:22:“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.”Your “many tribulations” might look like anything: this includes both opposition and just plain difficulty. Paul says to you that “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” This is from God and God is with us in it.The TableAnd how do we know that God is with us in difficulty? One way is through the witness of the Lord's Supper.Believers have a life shaped by the cross. Behind our struggles with misunderstanding and opposition is a confidence in Jesus, who suffered and died for us. And so, if you feel inadequate for a difficult situation. If you feel like your knees would buckle when faced with opposition. If you sense that your body and soul are not sufficient for the risk-taking life that we see in Paul and Barnabas here, then God has a word for you here at this table. Jesus Christ endured all for you, and he gives himself to you to be received in faith, just as we take and eat these elements. And if Christ is in you by the power of the Spirit, then all of heaven works for your good.

In this Missions Sunday sermon, Jon Hoglund expounds upon Acts 14:8-22. Paul and Barnabas embark on a journey to Lystra as the first missionary team to the nations. Their tumultuous story of healing, misunderstanding, and gospel explanation that produces conversions, disciples, and new churches, reveals to us how cross-cultural witness glorifies God.

Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived. . . . — Acts 16:1 In the United States, where I live, it is common for people to have parents and grandparents from different countries or ethnic backgrounds. A neighbor or coworker might have ancestors from India, Africa, and Europe, for example.This wasn't as common in ancient times, and that is why the writer of Acts points out that Timothy had a Jewish mother and a Greek father. In his home community Timothy was unique in that way. Because of that, Timothy may have struggled to find a community in which he truly belonged. Was he Jewish? Was he Greek? Timothy became a believer in Christ, and the community of believers spoke well of him.When Paul and his missionary companions came along, they invited Timothy to come with them. As they discipled Timothy, they likely made clear that his faith, the faith given to him by God and by which he was “in Christ,” made him part of a growing, deeply bonded, and truly beautiful community: the church. Timothy, like them, was a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), part of a growing gathering of new creations.Today, if you meet other Christians, take note that together you are part of that growing gathering. Keep your eyes open for what lies behind the faces, the eyes. You'll be seeing new creations. With you, they are signposts of God's renewal in this world, pointing to his new creation. Lord, help us to see all believers in Jesus as new creations, your handiwork, signposts of glorious things to come. For Jesus' sake, Amen.

Galatians 1:3-5 “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” – Galatians 1:3–5  CSB Saul/Paul introduced at the martyrdom of Stephen. He's ravaging Jesus' followers, Acts 8:1-3. Jesus appears to Saul/Paul, changing his life direction. Receiving a conversion to faith in Jesus as Savior, Saul/Paul is baptized, commissioned, and begins to preach Jesus' Good News, Acts 9:1-31, 28:12-18. Saul, now Paul, and team are commissioned from Antioch for the expansion of the Jesus movement, Acts 13-14. This includes the region of Galatia, a Roman province. Cities like Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe are in the area. Paul and his ministry team pioneered the Jesus movement and church here.  What do we learn? There is freedom in Jesus' Good News. What should we do? 1.    Read Galatians 1 – 2 this week. 2.    Write at least one truth from it. 3.    Pray, asking God what may be pulling you from this. 4.    Think about the contrast between Jesus' Good News and what may be pulling you from it. 5.    Choose to draw closer to Jesus and withdraw from what may be pulling you away from Jesus' Good News.

Acts 16:1-10 (ESV) 16 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him […] The post Discerning God's Call (Acts 16:1-10) first appeared on Hope of Christ Church.

In Dr. Smith's analysis of Acts 14, he explores the persistent opposition faced by believers. During his missionary journey, Paul heals a man in Lystra, but the crowd misinterprets the miracle through a pagan lens, demonstrating how secular culture often distorts spiritual truth. Hostility peaks when outside agitators incite the public to stone Paul and leave him for dead. Miraculously, Paul recovers and immediately resumes his work, illustrating that "many tribulations" are inherent to the Christian path. Dr. Smith emphasizes that believers must remain focused on the primary mission of making disciples, despite personal attacks or cultural distractions. By rejecting worldly worldviews and trusting God’s sovereignty, Christians can remain effective witnesses within their unique circles of influence, refusing to let suffering or hardship hinder their calling to spread the Gospel.

In Dr. Smith's analysis of Acts 14, he explores the persistent opposition faced by believers. During his missionary journey, Paul heals a man in Lystra, but the crowd misinterprets the miracle through a pagan lens, demonstrating how secular culture often distorts spiritual truth. Hostility peaks when outside agitators incite the public to stone Paul and leave him for dead. Miraculously, Paul recovers and immediately resumes his work, illustrating that "many tribulations" are inherent to the Christian path. Dr. Smith emphasizes that believers must remain focused on the primary mission of making disciples, despite personal attacks or cultural distractions. By rejecting worldly worldviews and trusting God’s sovereignty, Christians can remain effective witnesses within their unique circles of influence, refusing to let suffering or hardship hinder their calling to spread the Gospel.

Paul has left Jerusalem after conferring with other apostles and elders about giving instructions for the new Gentiles believers. Having delivered instructions to them in Antioch, Paul and Silas return to Lystra (where Paul was almost stoned to death) to visit the growing church, and while there, they pick up a young man named Timothy who continues on with them. This is the same Timothy to whom Paul later writes the books of 1 & 2 Timothy. They also pick up Luke, our narrator, along the way, which can be noted when he changes from third person plural to first person plural. Later, a slave girl is delivered from demonic possession, which means her owners can no longer profit from her fortune-telling. They rile up the crowd, beat Paul and Silas with rods, and throw them in jail, but the Lord has other plans for them and for their jailer. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Barnabus and Paul are on a missionary journey together, traveling through towns in the Roman empire to tell others the good news of Jesus Christ. They have just left Antioch of Pisidia where they preached Christ in a Jewish synagogue, and while many of the people received them warmly, the Jewish community at large was displeased and expelled them from their district. Today, Barnabus and Paul visit Iconium where the Lord performs signs and wonders through them. When they discover some have plans to stone them, they flee to Lystra. There, a man who is unable stand is healed, and the crowds declare our missionaries to be Greek gods in human form. Jews come from the previous two towns and successfully stone Paul, but escapes death and continues preaching the gospel. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

God uses trials and opposition to forge believers into stronger servants, and we can see that in Paul's mission to Lystra and the modern idol of self-worship and autonomy. // A message by Chris Hyatt.

This is the Apostle to whom two of St Paul's Epistles are addressed. He was from Lystra in Lycaonia, born to a pagan Greek father and a Jewish mother. His mother, whose name was Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, brought him up in piety and love of the Scriptures. The Apostle Paul converted the two women during his first missionary visit to Lystra; returning seven years later, he found Timothy full of zeal for Christ, and baptized him. Timothy became his closest disciple: in his epistles, St Paul calls calls him "my dearly beloved son." So that Timothy would be able to preach the Gospel in the synagogues, St Paul personally circumcised him.   The Apostle Paul consecrated Timothy as the first bishop of Ephesus. As such, he became a disciple and exarch of St John the Evangelist, who supervised all the churches in Asia. In AD 97, he attempted to oppose the celebration of a festival to Artemis; the pagans, enraged, mobbed him and beat him to death. He was buried near the tomb of St John. In 356 his precious relics were translated (along with those of Sts Andrew and Luke) to Constantinople and enshrined in the Church of the Holy Apostles. In 1204 they were stolen by the Latin Crusaders when they pillaged the city.

A man is healed at Lystra, and Paul and Barnabas must stop the people from worshipping them. The gospel is preached, and Paul is stoned. And no small dispute arises concerning the salvation of the Gentiles. Have a listen. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: Coming Home for Christmas: 1517 Advent Devotional Face to Face: A Novel of the Reformation by Amy Mantravadi Untamed Prayers: 365 Daily Devotions on Christ in the Book of Psalms by Chad Bird Remembering Your Baptism: A 40-Day Devotional by Kathryn Morales Sinner Saint by Luke Kjolhaug More from the hosts: Daniel Emery Price Erick Sorenson

As we continue to follow the missions of Paul and Barnabas, Fr. Mike highlights the fickle nature of humanity and the futility of striving for the praise of men. He also encourages us to remain courageous in the tribulations we face, finding strength in other believers, and running toward the eternal and imperishable goal of salvation. Today's readings are Acts 14, 1 Corinthians 9-10, and Proverbs 28:7-9. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.