Acts 14 Round Two: Riots And Revivals

Riots or revivals—why does Paul keep finding both? We open Acts 14 and walk city to city with Paul and Barnabas as bold preaching collides with mixed crowds, stunning miracles, and sudden opposition. In Iconium, the message of grace lands with power, dividing the town and setting the stage for a flight to safety. In Lystra, a crippled man walks, the crowd misreads the miracle, and chaos swells into misplaced worship, calling the missionaries gods. Paul and Barnabas pull the moment back to center, grounding wonder in creation and inviting everyone to turn from empty idols to the living God who sends rain, crops, and joy.

The mood flips fast when opponents arrive. Stones fly, Paul is dragged out for dead, and the believers gather in a circle of fragile hope. Then he rises. That single act—standing up after the stones—becomes a living sermon on endurance. The next day they move on to Derbe and keep building, proving that resilience can preach louder than a platform. From there they retrace their steps, strengthening disciples and appointing elders with prayer and fasting. Structure follows spirit. The mission matures as leadership takes root, and these young churches learn a hard but freeing truth: we must face hardship on the way into the kingdom, yet we never face it alone.

Back in Antioch, the team reports everything God has done and how a wide door has opened to the Gentiles. The arc of the chapter blends courage, clarity, and community: signs that point to Christ, wounds that don’t stop the work, and leaders who steward growth for the long haul. If you’ve ever wondered how to hold steady when crowds swing from praise to anger, or how to translate spiritual power into everyday faithfulness, Acts 14 offers a map. Listen now, share it with a friend who needs courage today, and if the message resonates, subscribe and leave a review so more people can join the journey.

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Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT).
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