Last week we ended with the unbelieving Jews from Pisidian Antioch and Iconium followed Paul and Barnabas to Lystra and stirred-up the Jews and others against them. They drove them out of town and stoned Paul believing he was dead. When the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went back into the city. The next day they departed for Derbe and that’s where we pick up this week in Chapter 14 verse 20b.

Study Questions

1.    When they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples: Despite the persecution in Lystra, the work of God _______ – just in a different place, Derbe. Yet Paul and Barnabas continued their work: preaching the ________ and making disciples.

2.    We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God: This is for many a forgotten message today. They consider any kind of ____________ completely counter-productive to Christian living, failing to note the significant place ___________ has in God’s plan.

3.    When they had appointed elders in every church: Paul and Barnabas knew that these churches must have proper ______________, so they appointed _______ in every city where there were Christians.

4.    For the work which they had completed: These beautiful words were only partially true. Although the immediate mission was accomplished, the work of __________ new churches and _____________ existing ones has never ended. This would be merely the first of several missionary journeys.

5.    He had opened the door of faith: The trip was a great success, though not without great obstacles: The difficulty of travel itself, the confrontation with Elymas on Cyprus, the quitting of John Mark, being driven out of the cities of Antioch and Iconium, the temptation to receive _________, and being ________ in Lystra. Yet Paul and Barnabas would not be deterred from the work God had them to do.

6.    By their teaching, these certain men from Judea made a negative judgment on all of Paul and Barnabas’ missionary endeavors. On their recent missionary journey, they founded churches among the _________ without bringing them under the Law of _______. 

7.    You cannot be saved: This was not a side issue; it had to do with __________ itself – how one is made right with God. This was not a matter where there could be disagreement among believers, with some believing you must be under the law, and some believing it wasn’t important. This was an issue that went to the ______ of Christianity, and it had to be resolved.

8.    Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them: In this, Paul and Barnabas showed the hearts of true __________: To confront and dispute with those who insist on promoting ______ doctrines in the church.

9.    It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses: We can imagine how they would have even made a case from the Old Testament for this teaching. They might have said Israel has always been God’s chosen people and that Gentiles must become part of _______ if they want to be part of God’s _______.

10.    Purifying their hearts by faith. Peter showed how the heart is purified: by _______, not by keeping of the law. If they were purified by faith, then there was no need to be purified by ___________ to ceremonies found in the Law of Moses. Christians are not only saved by faith; they are also purified by faith