Acts 14:1–7: They Continued to Preach the Gospel
Introduction
As the apostles continue making their way toward the ends of the earth with the gospel of Jesus, many of the scenes in the book of Acts will look familiar. The apostles will preach and many will believe. Then, there will be opposition. Finally, the apostles must move on to preach in the next location. What makes this a pattern is that the apostles move relentlessly from place to place to place, always seeking to preach the gospel boldly, deeply, and widely. Their tireless efforts teach us that we must persevere a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord.
Discussion Questions
1. Where was Iconium (v. 1)? What does the sentence mean if “together” is the right translation in v. 1? What does the sentence mean if “after their pattern” is correct? Why did the apostles continue going to Jewish synagogues? What might we learn from the fact that both Jews and Gentiles believed as well as opposed the disciples (vv. 1–2)? How long might the apostles have labored to experience this reaction?
2. Why did the apostles remain in the city “for a long time” even when they had begun to experience opposition (v. 3)? What role might their success in ministry have played (see v. 1)? What role did the power and presence of the Lord play in their ongoing ministry (v. 3)? What should we glean about the extent of saturation of the gospel that “the people of the city were divided” (v. 4)?
3. Why did the apostles finally leave (vv. 5–6)? Where did they go (v. 6)? What did they do when they got there (v. 7)? Was this an act of cowardice for the apostles to flee persecution? Why or why not? How does the nature of their mission inform the principles for deciding when they would leave or stay in a certain area? How does their ongoing preaching of the gospel in a new area carry forward the mission that Jesus has given to them?
4. How does this passage challenge you to share the gospel boldly with those you know? Are there people you know who do not realize that it is essential to believe the gospel of Jesus for their salvation? How does this passage challenge you to share the gospel deeply, reaching all those in your reach? How does this passage challenge you about the ongoing need for spreading the gospel widely? Where are you most convicted as you read this?
