The David Spoon Experience 4-6-23 Part 2

1) After Paul and Barnabas made such effective inroads into the people’s lives through their preaching, the religious leaders got exceedingly jealous. Nothing new here. They were so filled with darkness that they convinced the influential women and the leaders to run Paul and Barnabas out of town. The most amazing part of this text is what happens after they were persecuted for the Gospel. They were filled with joy. And the abundance of the Holy Spirit dwelt in them. That’s a pretty good return for persecution.

2) Paul and Barnabas preached with such power that many people believed the Gospel message. But again, jealousy rears its head and this. And this time, in Iconium, the religious leaders stirred up distrust and made up lies in slanders against Paul and Barnabas. This kind of stuff is not new. You might see it in the news today, but it’s been happening for thousands of years.

3) But here is a key to understanding the power of the gospel, and not just when Jesus was on the earth, but afterward. Not just with the original 12 but afterward with Paul and Barnabas, who were not of the original 12. They proved their message was true by doing miraculous and wonderful signs. The proclamation of the Gospel, when people get healed, when the blind people see, when demons are cast out, gives a lot of validity to what’s being spoken. That’s the purpose of miracles amongst the unbelievers. Power Evangelism.