Sermon about Acts 14:21-22 21 And 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 confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God. (American standard version)

Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ I want to begin with giving you a warm greeting on behalf of the congregation in Waddinxveen. I am most thankful to give you these greetings personally this morning. It is again wonderful to be your guest in this beautiful church. The last time, I was here, was in 2007, when I preached according to Psalm 133. A song about mutual love. The sermon this morning is about a meeting. A meeting of two disciples of Jesus with some congregations. These two disciples of Jesus are Paul and Barnabas. They are traveling through Asia Minor. And everywhere they preached the gospel of Jesus.

In the past months, they visited many places such as, Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe. Nevertheless ... the result of their visits is always the same. They have to flee the city quickly. In Antioch persecution arises against them and they are expelled. Next they arrive in Iconium, where false accusations are launched and as a result they are faced with an assault and they are threatened to be stoned ... And in Lystra Paul actually is stoned.

Quite impressive to read all this. And you would think that Paul and Barnabas will never return to this place again. Yet they do come back. During their journey back to their home church, they visit the places again they previously had to leave so hastily Why would they do that?

It has to do with the people who had come to believe. (14:27) In every place that Barnabas and Paul had visited, there were people who came to know Jesus. They became disciples - the word used in verse 22. Disciple, that means: follower of Jesus. And because they had become followers of Jesus, the orientation of their lives has changed. They want to be guided by Him. To live through His love and listen to His voice.

It’s wonderful, people coming to the Lord Jesus in faith. Whether it happens very suddenly. Or, and that occurs much more often, whether it happens gradually. Often you cannot pinpoint exactly when the Lord has begun in your life. But the question in both cases is: how to proceed?

Precisely that question had been a strong motivation for Paul and Barnabas to return to Antioch They asked each other: how are they doing there? How is Lucius and how is Esther and Nikanor in Antioch? And how about all the others in Lystra and Iconium? How are they holding out? Do they still keep following Jesus after we have left?

I imagine that Paul and Barnabas were warmly welcomed by the Christians in those cities. Soon the whole church was gathered. And the congregation members told them what they had experienced. Some beautiful stories: One slave said: “I feel that God has given me strength to act lovingly towards my master.” One woman explained that she and her husband took care of an orphan. And a rich man told how totally different he invests his money since becoming a Christian. Moving stories.

However Paul and Barnabas also heard about the disappointments.

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Not everyone who had been baptized held on. People went back to their old ways. And they even noticed themselves that believing was not always easy. That was something they had obviously seen when Paul and Barnabas had to flee. But they had also experienced it themselves now. There was hatred towards that new faith. Sometimes they were only laughed at, sometimes it went way beyond that. No, believing does not come easy, they had already learned this lesson in those few months.

Imagine that you would be able to say something to them. To those Christians in Antioch, Lystra, Iconium. What would you tell them? What would they need?

1. The first that Paul and Barnabas do: they strengthen the souls of the apostles. Strengthen, you can also read: encourage. I find that beautiful! You would think: they would say “Think mainly about this.” “Don’t do this, but you should do that for sure.” No, they start with encouraging. And Paul and Barnabas start doing this for a reason. In the New Testament the word ‘strengthen’ is very important for Christians. Again and again you read this word in the book of Acts. Sometimes there are even people particularly sent out. That word strengthen can also mean supporting. Someone who is strengthened will have a solid foundation. It’s someone who can handle more.

If we read, “strengthening the souls of the disciples” - how exactly did that happen? In the next verses we’ll find an indication. Look at verse 27, where Paul and Barnabas return to their home church. “God is definitely working,” they said! “People have come to faith! Don’t you think that´s great? Not only in Lystra, but also in Iconium. And in Derbe and Antioch! God is at work!”

Strengthening means that you bring someone in touch with the work of God, you could say you connected someone to His agenda, His plans. God is working; He is working even if we don’t notice it. Paul and Barnabas tell about Gods work. Do we tell others about His work? Do we share it when someone comes to faith? If a girl opens her heart for Jesus. If God becomes too powerful for someone, even when we thought it was impossible. We need to share stories like this. These stories encourage us. We should encourage one another in the faith.

If we have to find the strength in ourselves, that would be really difficult. But fortunately, that heavy load is not ours. Strengthening means that you bring someone back to God. To God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

2. The following of what Paul and Barnabas have to say seems less encouraging. “That through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.” Obviously the life of Paul also plays a role. Consider the stoning he had experienced, think of all the persecutions. And later on in his life, it even gets worse: beatings, imprisonment, shipwreck, hunger and thirst. But the Christians in Lystra, Iconium and Antioch also knew what it was about. They thought about their neighbours who have turned against them. They thought about the job they couldn’t get, because they would not kneel to the emperor. They thought about times they were laughed at.

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Paul and Barnabas are very honest: we must go through many tribulations to enter the Kingdom of God. Believing in Jesus is certainly not the easiest way. And how is that today? We know of countries where Christians are persecuted. Fortunately that is not what we experience. We live in freedom, without fear of persecution. Yet we must not put this text aside. If the church is the place where Jesus lives, then the Church is like Jesus. And we can never see Jesus without seeing the cross. Following Jesus therefore means also carry a cross. That means for example that the Church always has something strange, something mystifying, something that evokes resistance and opposition. It also means suffering. With the needs of this world. Sympathize with all who live in fear, in war, in pain. Carrying the cross, following Jesus also means that you are suffering from the sins in this world. From everything that is against God’s will. It means that you care for victims en pray for their persecutors. Carrying the cross is also related to your own deficiency. We also suffer from our own sinfulness. And many times we cause God a lot of pain.

Some might even think: why start …? Are you not too gloomy, Paul and Barnabas? “No,” they would say. Because this road, this road following Jesus, a road which can be very tough, this road leads to His Kingdom! After suffering the glory awaits. One day there will no longer be any persecution, pain, sorrow nor grief. Following Jesus is not always easy, and yet it is a joy. For there is hope for the future. Hope for the world, hope for my life. God's Kingdom will come.

3. The fact that Paul and Barnabas encourage the congregation is therefore emphasized. “Exhorting, urging them to continue in the faith.” The Greek word literally means “call over”. That is a very important component in the work of the apostles. Encouraging them to continue in the faith. Staying close to God. Staying faithful to attend every service. Faithful in prayer, in reading the Bible. In verse 23 we read that elders are appointed. People who lead the congeregation. It is obvious they also have an important task in encouraging. In meetings you can speak about this together. How do we continue in faith? It is also proclaimed in this church: living through faith.

But is that just a task for elders and pastors?! Or is it something we can say to each other? Keep each other focused? Perseverance is an important theme in almost every letter in the Bible. “Don’t give up!” Our faithfulness and committed example is probably the best thing we can do to strengthen our children in their faith. And we continue to point people the way to Christ: let us continue in the faith.

Ultimately we should say: let's stay close to Jesus. Like a sheep stays near the shepherd. Holding on although it is difficult. Therefore: stay close to Him. Because following Him is the best way. Those who follow Him will come home in God’s Kingdom. Amen

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