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Sermon Outlines

A Miracle, a Mistake, and a Message (Acts 14:8-28)

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A Miracle a Mistake and A Message Acts 14:8-28

Acts 14:8-28

I. A miracle (Acts 14:8-10)

    A. The healing of a lame man by Jesus (Isaiah 53:3-6a; John 5:8-9)
    B. The healing of a lame man by Peter and John (Acts 3)
    C. The healing of a lame man by Paul (Acts 14:8-10)

II. A mistake (Acts 14:11-13)

    A. Idolatry – Zeus and Hermes (Acts 14:11-12)
    B. The involvement of the priest of Zeus (Acts 14:13)

III. A message (Acts 14:14-18)

    A. Turn from idols (Acts 14:14-15; 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10)
    B. Still today we deal with idolatry (Colossians 3:5; 1 Timothy 6:10)
    C. The argument for God from nature (Acts 14:16-18; 17:30; Romans 3:25; 1:18-21)

IV. The mess (Acts 14:19-20)

    A. Unbelieving Jews and fickle multitudes (Acts 14:19)
    B. God was with His servants (Acts 14:20)

V. The conclusion of the first missionary journey (Acts 14:21-28)

    A. Backtracking to all those congregations they planted – strengthening, exhorting, and appointing elders (Acts 14:21-25)
    B. Returning and reporting to Antioch (Acts 14:26-28; 11:26)
Daily Devotional

Read the New Testament in a year, one chapter a day, five days a week

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Day 38/260: Read Acts 14

Who are your heroes in the faith? Do you ever exalt them more highly than you should?

When Paul and Barnabas preached in Lystra, they performed a miracle to confirm that their words were truth (Mark 16:20). Those who witnessed the miracle, however, exalted Paul and Barnabas to the status of their mythological gods. They called Barnabas Zeus and thought Paul was Hermes, and intended to offer sacrifices to them as deity!

Paul and Barnabas discovered their plan and wasted no time in stopping them. They cried, “We are also men with the same nature as you!” Rather than accepting the worship and adulation of the people of Lystra, these men of God turned the focus upon the true God of heaven.

We must be careful that we do not elevate the servants of God to the level of God. Yes, we can look up to them, and imitate them in the faith, but recognize that as men, they are fallible and can commit sin, falling short of the glory of God.

God is God. Man is simply His servant. Whatever you read or hear from men, compare with the inspired, infallible Word.

Memory (Fill in the blanks)

Acts 16:33. And he took them the _______________ hour of the night and washed their stripes. And _______________ he and all his family were baptized.

Pray

Pray for wisdom to recognize and imitate those with strong faith, putting your hope in God of heaven. Pray for stronger faith when you witness the shortcomings of mortal man.