 Yeah, yes, Dave, please go ahead and pray. I think the others will join us soon. Father, we come before you and we thank you for this wonderful new day that you have given us, Lord Jesus. We are thankful that you have been so wonderful, so gracious, and you have always been so faithful to us, Lord Jesus, no matter how we are, no matter how we worship you, Lord Jesus. But your love and your faithfulness always draws us, Lord Jesus, and we thank you, and we especially pray this day as we go for our classes, Lord Jesus. Let our hearts prepare, Lord Jesus, so that we can receive your word, Lord Jesus. Let our hearts be as a good land that you can bear much, Lord Jesus. Okay, thank you. I pray that you are knowingly with us, Lord Jesus, and let you are knowingly with all the students. Those who are still yet to join, Lord Jesus, help them to join faster and in time, Lord Jesus, and let each one of us come to Him and understand everything that our pastor is teaching today. In your name we pray, amen. Amen, amen. Thank you. Thank you, Dave. Yeah, so just give me a moment. There's like a lot of light in my room. I'll just see if I can adjust the light. Oh, oh, oh, oh, sorry, no. Yeah. No, I was saying I'm not able to do much about the light, so we'll just go ahead and we were in Acts chapter 13 and we saw how, as the leaders in the church of Antioch were praying, God told them to separate for Him Paul and Barnabas for the ministry for which He had called them, and then the church obeyed what the Holy Spirit spoke to them and allowed Paul and Barnabas to move in that specific direction. So we saw that Paul and Barnabas, they chose John Mark from Jerusalem, they chose Him as their assistant and they went on this missionary journey, and this is known as Paul's first missionary journey, basically preaching the gospel, planting churches through the region. And this is very much in line with what the Holy Spirit had spoken earlier in Acts 1-8. Actually, Jesus said, you shall receive power. Excuse me, when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be my witnesses in all, in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. So the gospel will spread from Jerusalem to other parts of the world. So that's what we are going to see happen starting from Acts 13. Now that the journey has started, we saw that they start traveling, they stop at a couple of places and finally they come to, okay, I'll tell you Cyprus, Salamis, and then they came to the island of Paphos. And in the island of Paphos, we saw how there was a procuncel or one of the officials who wanted to know about Jesus, he was very interested, but there was a spiritual barrier and the spiritual barrier was created by a sorcerer. So we know that the demonic powers can interfere with the receiving of the gospel. So we have to pray against the demonic powers and even as we do that, that understanding of the gospel will become clearer for the people. So here is a very clear example of a demonic interference. So Paul understands that and then in this situation, Paul had to rebuke this sorcerer by the name of Bar-Jesus or Elimus. So he had to rebuke this person and we know that it was like the judgment that earlier also we've seen in the book of Acts when the grace of God, when the power of God is abundant, we also see God's judgment coming through in a very strict way. So he rebukes this sorcerer and he says something like, you are going, you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time. So that was the judgment which was pronounced and it took place. So this person, he could not walk, he had somebody to lead him, but when the demonic power was dealt with, we see that the procuncel, he heard and he believed. So this is a good example of spiritual warfare over the lives of individuals. So why sometimes people are not receiving the gospel, there can be a demonic interference. So we must come in prayer, we must come in faith to break that and then we can actually see an openness. And we know when we've read about revivals, visitations, moves of God, how communities of people gather together and they prayed over an entire region, what happens? We've talked about territorial spirits. This is at a different level. So we go against these opposing spirits and that entire region is kind of opened up for the gospel, actually more of the understanding of the gospel in the hearts of the people and they are able to receive. So in that manner we find here in Paphos, God's power being demonstrated and a leader. An influential person receives the gospel. Now what else happened in Paphos? We don't read here, but it is understood that if there is an influential person who has accepted the gospel, what will happen? He probably would have gone ahead and shared it with others. He would have had good opportunities to minister to people and bring many more people to Christ. So that is the progression of events that could have taken place. Now after Cyprus, Salamis, these places we've seen, Paphos, so you can imagine, it's like when you see the metro track, you see points where you can change your track. You can move from the blue line to the green line. So you see those dots, these are the stations. So you can kind of look at the missionary journey like that. So you have these places, Cyprus, Salamis. Through that he goes, he makes a stop at Paphos, there he ministers to the procuncel, Sergius Paulus and one more beautiful thing is he's an intelligent man. So sometimes people wonder, is the gospel for the poor and needy and those who lack understanding? You see here that there was an intelligent man who was interested in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. So how is it that people come to this conclusion that only those who are in need of food or in need of money or in need of some material blessing, they accept Christ so that they have a better life. Maybe as Paul and Peter and John said, silver and gold we don't have. But some people perceive that, oh look at the church. The church again a very general term and people use that term. The church is well to do and so if we connect to the church, maybe they will give us food, they will give us facilities to help us with a better living and that is the reason people accept Christ. But look at this passage. Sergius Paulus is an intelligent man, he's an intelligent man and yet he's interested in the Gospel, wants the demonic power. And in this case, we said that the demonic influence Calvary at various levels. Now we have an individual who has become a source of a demonic influence in that region of Paphos. We've seen others like Simon the sorcerer who was an influence in where he was an influence in Samaria out of his black magic and witchcraft and sorcery and things like that. So Satan can also, it's not just possession, it's like empowerment. So there can be individuals in regions who are empowered in that way and through their hindrance, an intelligent man was not able to receive the Gospel. But once the power of God was demonstrated and this person was, his influence was taken off of Sergius Paulus, he accepted Christ. So we saw that impact made on Paphos. Then we continued, I noticed verse 13, it says, now Paul and his party set sail from Paphos. Very interesting, isn't it? Till now Paul is not at all in the four. He is one of the apostles. Now he is a learned person, a good teacher obviously, which is why Barnabas needed his help and brought him to Antioch. But now suddenly Paul has got that limelight. The team is no longer called Barnabas and Paul, it's called Paul and Barnabas. Some people say that Barnabas is like a mentor to Paul. Now if that is the case, it's true Barnabas really invested in Paul's life and Barnabas brought Paul. He searched for him and he brought him to the church of Antioch. Now you just think, how would Barnabas have felt when the team, Luke is calling the team as Paul and party. In Kingdom Builders, we study about this fathers and mothers in the house of God. A true father will be proud that, oh wow, somebody that I have worked with, somebody that I have guided, they have now become a prominent person for the Kingdom of God, for the glory of God. So we don't see Barnabas trying to fight this title, Paul and party. So now Barnabas is not in the picture. Paul is in the picture. So it kind of shows that healthy mentoring relationship where Barnabas is not taking offense from Paul receiving the recognition. So they're traveling again. So now they come to Perga in the region of Pamphalia and that's where John Mark departed and I told you about John Mark going away. Now I gave you some reasons for John Mark going away, but some people also say that maybe John Mark was upset that now the team is called Paul and party because apparently John Mark is also relative of Barnabas. So we don't know if Barnabas was mature enough to handle Paul, getting all the attention, but John Mark may have been a little upset that suddenly Paul is taking charge of the entire mission trip. So yeah, anyway, he departed and so we see from Pamphalia, they go to Pisidia. I told us that there were many Antiochs and this particular Antioch is in Pisidia and over there they start preaching the gospel and we see how Paul actually preaches. He says he talks about David and he talks about the references in the Psalms that say that David is saying he will not see decay. But then obviously David died. So who is this person that David was actually referring to and Paul brings the attention of the people and shows them that David was talking about the Lord Jesus Christ and that they should trust in the Lord Jesus Christ because he is our Savior, that he is our Lord, that he is the one who is our Redeemer. So he brings the attention to the Lord Jesus Christ and when people hear this, the Jews hear it and they're very happy. So at the first instance, it seems like they were kind of open to listening to what is being taught in the synagogue. So in verse 42, we see, so when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath and there were some Gentiles who were also interested in the God of the Jews, so they too would kind of come to worship there. Now these Gentiles, they wanted the same preaching to be shared with them. Now one more thing we can notice is you see when you read the sermon of Paul, it sounds very much like the sermon of Peter. So remember early on we said that the believers were committed to the apostles doctrine. You know the way people trusted in the Word of God, they committed themselves to the Word of God was amazing. It's like maybe over a decade since Peter preached his first sermon, but Paul is preaching the same doctrine. There's no error. So today in the mentoring hour, there was a question about the end times. How do we stay strong in the end times? How do we not depart from the faith in the end times and different points were shared? One of the things that Pastor shared towards the end is he said, don't be given to strange doctrines. We are warned about strange doctrines, right? That we should not assuage towards all kinds of teachings that are coming, but we must be strong in what we have already learned about the Lord Jesus. So you notice the commitment of the early church, how they have stuck to the apostles doctrine and Paul is preaching almost the same kind of message that Peter preached. Doctrinationally, they were very strong. So people could not come and mess up their understanding of the gospel and that's a very key thing that we see here in the ministry of the early church. So this was preached and the Jews were receptive and the Gentiles also were very interested. So they told Paul and Barnabas, how about you come again next Sabbath and you preach to the Gentiles. So some of them they were so convinced it says that many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas who speaking to them persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. So there was a ministry taking place there because people accepted the gospel and here are Paul and Barnabas after people accept. What should we do? Should we just leave them? Okay, everybody has given decision card. Wonderful. We had a great crusade in this particular city. Now let's pack our bags. Let's go. What happens to those who sign the decision card? What happens to those who have accepted the Lord Jesus in their lives? What about their journey of faith? We have to be responsible for that. So what do Paul and Barnabas do? They are continuing to speak to them and they are persuading them to continue in the grace of God, meaning they're encouraging them to have a walk with God. So when believers come to know the Lord, we read about many things. We said they are baptized in water, they are baptized in the Holy Spirit but here is another aspect we can add to it. We must encourage them in the Lord. Believers need to be encouraged in the Lord. They need to know the word of God. They need to continue in the grace of God upon their lives. So on the next sabbath, just the way the people had requested, are you fine? Paul and Barnabas, they are ready to preach the gospel but what is the response? Whenever you have a good program, I don't see much of it these days but I remember when I was in school and college, there were different programs that would be organized in a palace ground, some music concerts and some exhibitions and there were also some Christian programs. So attending these programs, I've noticed whenever you go for a program and it's really good, the next or the last date of the program or something like that, there will be so many people. The exhibition is good. You'll find like people are just thronging there, wanting to buy things before they are out of stock. So in the same way, we can see that there is an impact which Paul and Barnabas have made in the city of Antioch, of Pisidia. So on the next sabbath, they were only expecting the Gentiles to come but in verse 44, you read, the whole city came together and Luke is writing and Luke is a physician. We know that he was quite good with the details and we don't expect Luke to exaggerate. So when Luke says, whole city came together to hear the word of God, it's probably that there was a great response, a wonderful response. And who, which minister of God or which preacher would not like it, they would love it. So the whole city has come together and here Paul and Barnabas have a wonderful audience and they minister. But now what's happening? As long as the message is being preached and it is not a threat to the surrounding, to the existing setup, people are comfortable because yeah, it's a good concert, go attend it, you know, be entertained. That's it. People are fine with that. But now that the Jews understand that people are listening, multitudes are listening to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Now what if these people, Paul, Barnabas and the team, they are trying to establish some form of a government and the people run behind them, you know, what will happen to our authority over them? So all that confusion started among the Jews. So how are the Jews reacting? They are filled with envy and contradicting and blaspheming. They are opposing whatever Paul is speaking because now the reality is before them. They understood, oh, people are responding to these men. It won't take long before they have taken over the city. So we better step up. So they are opposing the ministry of Paul and Barnabas. Is this something new? Not at all. Even Jesus experienced so much of opposition. In fact, he was moving from place to place whenever, when he saw in John, you know, what we are studying in our other course, we saw how Jesus moved away because the Jews were getting upset with him. So instead of kind of contending with him, I also understood that it was at his time, so he just moved to another place. So Paul and Barnabas are in a similar situation, but over here it's like an entire, you know, like a large number of Jews who are against their ministry. What do you expect Paul and Barnabas to do? What would you have done? You're preaching and you find that there are leaders in that town, they are turning against you. What would you do? You could just share your thoughts. It's good to think along. Run away, pack our bags. Yeah, okay. So that says walk away. Yeah, walk away. Makes sense. Yeah, if you say, if you feel that you are not going to accomplish anything much led by the spirit, you can actually move to another place where people are willing to listen to you. True. That's true. Yeah, how about the others? All right. So just think about it. They're facing opposition and similar to what you saw, the believers in the initial, you know, Jerusalem church too, they pray for more boldness, isn't it? So verse 46, we learn that Paul and Barnabas grew bold. So they're giving it one more shot. They don't leave immediately, but they're becoming more bold and they are, you know, wanting to preach the gospel in a stronger way. So they now say that it's necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first, but reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life. Behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so, God has commanded us. I have set you as a light to the Gentiles. You could be a for salvation to the ends of the earth. Okay. So what we understand here is that they want to persuade the Jews, but they are speaking in a bold way and letting them know that, you know, what you should have listened to our message. So they, they're not trying to mince words or trying to please the Jews by just pacify them, make them feel good. Oh, okay. Okay. If you don't listen, it's fine. It's not like that, but they're being strong and they're saying, you're supposed to listen because Jesus came for the Jews, you know, God's promises are for the Jews first, but you're not willing to listen. And there, you know, they are making their point clear that, okay, if you're not going to listen based on what God's word has spoken now in the Old Testament, they're quoting and they're saying, I've set you as a light to the Gentiles that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth. So they're saying, okay, fine. If you are not going to listen to us, we will just focus on the Gentiles because who were the troublemakers? Who were the opposers? They were the Jews and the Gentiles were willing to listen. So it was an easy thing to decide. Paul and Barnabas decided, let's focus on those who are willing to listen. Why waste time on those who are not willing to listen, right? So that is the approach which they had taken. So now they continue to minister to the Gentiles and we are told when the Gentiles heard this or they heard the message, they were glad and glorified the Word of the Lord. So, you know, it shows us about how Jesus talked about in, was it Matthew 13? Yeah, he talked about the sower, right? The sower sows the seed and the preparedness of the heart, how some people receive it quickly and then they, you know, it doesn't develop any roots, but then there are those with good ground who receive the Word of God and who let it nurture. Now, at the first instance, we are quite clear here that they had an open heart, not like the Jews, you know, which their hearts were like the rocks themselves, the Word was not going in. So where is the question of the Word growing? But the Gentiles at least had that open heart and they were glad, it says, they heard and were glad. So remember, we talked about the city of Samaria also, the impact, what impact will the gospel have on the cities? The city of Samaria rejoiced, there was joy in the city. Okay, when the works of God are done, when the Word of God is preached, there is joy in the city. So that is the blessing that comes with the gospel over the city. Now, here we see that in Antioch, Pisidia, not among the Jews, but among the Gentiles, because they have a heart that is receiving the gospel, they are glad and they glorify the Word of the Lord, which is being spoken to their hearts and so they received it. And we also see that and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. Now, we can take this one line and we could say things like, oh, those who were appointed to eternal life, only they were chosen by God. But, you know, we've addressed this issue and maybe you can go back and listen to the mentoring hour. Many a time, we have addressed a free destination. So, you know, God is not the one who decides our decision about salvation. It's a choice we have to make because we, yes, there is a sovereign God, but we have a free will and free will is so clear in scripture. God never interfered with Adam and Eve, the choice which they made. How would he interfere with our decision of salvation? We have to choose. So, it's not that the Gentiles were predestined to salvation and the Jews were not, but the Gentiles made a choice to receive. So, they believed and it made them glad and they were the ones who, you could say, you know, the church in Pisidia, Antioch of Pisidia, this is the church. Who is the church, the body of believer. So, there is a church there now. There's a local church there. Now, we continue to read and the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region. Okay. Is there opposition to what Paul and Barnabas are doing? Yes, there is, but still the work is continuing on. Have we seen this earlier? We have seen this very much in every incident where there was a challenge. We saw Peter was imprisoned. He came out, but later on, what do you see? The word is going out everywhere. So, again, what Gamaliel said, right? He said that if this is God, nobody can stop it and we see that happening. Nobody is able to stop it. Is it dependent? Is the work of God dependent only on one person or two people? You know, you don't see a Peter and a John here anymore. The completely different set of people. There is Paul. There is Barnabas. But what is the common denominator, the work of God? The work of God continues and does God work through different people? Yes. New people have come on the scene and they are ministering, but by the grace of God, by the leading of God, but God's work is continuing. So, that's what we see. How beautiful. It's like a revival, right? Where nothing is able to stop, not even opposition is able to stop. So, we see that the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region. Okay? When this is happening, you know, the Jews get more and more agitated. They are scared now. Look at these people. You know, all this entire decade, they are creating trouble. Persecution was happening. Now, look at Paul. He was a persecutor. He has become a, you know, a preacher of that same truth and, you know, what is going to happen to our authority? What is going to happen to our position? So, you see here that the Jews started stirring up people in the city. So, you see a list of people that devout prominent women, chief men of the city, and they started raising up persecution against Paul and Barnabas. So, Paul and Barnabas, did they walk away from the city? No. In this situation, immediately they didn't. They just came back and they undressed the matter with the Jews in a very bold way, but they walked away from the Jews. Yes, because they started ministering to those who are willing to listen. Okay? So, that's how they continued their ministry. They did not waste their time on those who were hard-hearted. Now, you find that they are still in the city and the Jews decide, okay, enough is enough. These people are not leaving our city. They are continuing to indoctrinate the Gentiles over here. How about we create an opposition in such a way that we throw them out of the city? So, we read here that they were expelled. They were expelled from the region. So, they no longer could minister there because they have been asked to leave. Okay, please guys, stop, leave right now and they had to leave. So, what do they respond with when they are expelled from the region? No, we read that they shook off the dust from their feet. You remember Jesus said that you go to cities and you minister there. If they accept you, well and good, you know, God's power comes. God's truth comes. God's blessings come in that place. It's beautiful. But if they don't, Jesus also said that you shake off the dust from your feet. That's an expression, you know, in the Jewish world and the times that Jesus lived in. It's a way of saying, okay, forget it. You don't want no problem. You know, we will just move on to the next destination that God shows us. And it's also a form of a, it's not really, I don't know, you could say it's somewhat like a judgment sort of a thing also to shake the dust off your feet and say, okay, I give up on you, that kind of a thing. So, it's very unfortunate that that city of Antioch, the Jews brought it upon themselves where ministers of God, they shook the dust off their feet and said, okay, you don't want to listen, don't listen. You face the consequences. We have nothing to do with it because what is the responsibility that the minister has, the responsibility which the minister has is to preach the gospel. Did Paul and Barnabas fulfill their ministry? They did. What will God hold them accountable for? Their part, which is to preach. Now, the people did not listen. They can't do, Paul and Barnabas can't do anything about it. So they have done what Jesus taught them to do, leave them, leave them to their own, you know, their own destiny. Hopefully, if they change, that's great for them. But if they don't, they face the consequences. So they left to the next place. So their stop was in Pisidia, Antioch, now they're moving to Iconium. Okay, they're in Iconium. And again, you know, in Iconium, we read, the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Okay, so, as Paul and Barnabas are ministering, we find that, you know, people are being filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Now, that's very beautiful. Okay, because we as believers today, you know, we are walking with the Lord. And the times that these believers lived in, it was definitely not an easy time. There is opposition. There are struggles. But in the midst of all that, is it possible for a believer to have joy? Is it possible for a believer to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Yes, it is. You could say that circumstances don't determine the joy and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. So we can be in very difficult times. Paul and Barnabas had opposition rising up against them. But as part of the body of believers, they too were filled with joy. They were filled with Holy Spirit. So immaterial of our circumstances as believers at all times, you know, we can be filled. Remember, Paul wrote that in the book of Philippians, he says, rejoice in the Lord always. And again I say, rejoice. So every day we can be joyful in the Lord. Every day we can be filled with the Holy Spirit. Whatever is happening, good things are happening, bad things are happening. Okay, doesn't matter. I still, because Jesus said, right, I'm not of this world. I am from above. So we have a life here which is from above and we can live that life no matter what circumstance. We are in no matter what situation we are in. So this is the journey that we are noticing about Paul and Barnabas as a team. They've gone, they've done quite extensive ministry in Antioch of Pisidia, after Paphos, of course, and now they're going to a place called Iconium. So what are they going to do there? So we see here they went together. So team ministry, is it possible for ministers of God to get along, serve together? Very much. You see that here, Paul and Barnabas. And Barnabas doesn't seem jealous of Paul at all because Paul is preaching and it's being called as Paul and Party. Luke is addressing the team as Paul and Party. And still there is that unity, there is that understanding. So what is the mindset which they carry? Kingdom mindset. Kingdom mindset, we are going to take the gospel out. We are going to touch regions for the gospel sake, for the kingdom sake. They are not thinking Paul's ministry, Paul, awake Paul ministries and hopeful Barnabas ministries, which ministry has to increase? That's not the question. We are going to work together. So Iconium, it says they went together. And then they went to the synagogue of the Jews. And this was a common practice. Where do the preachers have an opportunity to minister? Usually the synagogues. I told you last time that they would give an opportunity to learn with people to come and share there. So they went to the synagogue and there they spoke and a great multitude. Again, both of Jews and of Greeks, they believed. So what is happening? Are there results for the ministry of Paul and Barnabas? Actually, yes, everywhere they are going. It looks different. The results look different. But there are results. People are believing. Is everybody believing? No, even in the ministry of Jesus, there were people who did not believe. They listened. They ate the bread. They ate the fish. They took the healing. They went away. There were some people who followed Jesus for some time, disciples. Later, when he was talking about my body, you will drink my, you will eat my flesh. You will drink my blood. They said, what is he talking about? I quit. I cannot continue with this man. So there were people. When he left him and then Jesus looked at his disciples that will you also leave me? So it's like the response is not, you're not getting, we're not reading the whole city believed and things like that. But definitely there were people among the crowd who believed. We see Jesus say that even if one sinner repents, what is going to happen that is going to be rejoicing in heaven that one person has turned. So God is working in every place. There are people who are believing and here particularly in Iconium, we read great multitude, great multitude of both the Jews and the Greeks believe, not the whole city yet, but a great multitude believe. Again, you have a set of unbelieving Jews. What are they doing? They are continuing with their work of opposition. They are continuing to stir up the Gentiles and stir up how we are told here, they were poisoning the minds of the Gentiles. So they would have told them things like, these people don't believe them. They are after money. They are after power. Do you know Paul? Paul was one of us and I don't think this message is going to last for long. Just wait and watch. He is going to change. This is all a show. These are all sheep, sorry wolves and sheep's clothing. We don't know what are all the things the Jews actually told the Gentiles, but they were instigating, they were poisoning the minds of the Gentiles so that they don't believe what is being preached to them. But then what do Paul and Barnabas do? They continue to stay there. It says that they stayed a long time speaking boldly in the Lord who was bearing witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. So the same pattern of ministry. Immediately they're not leaving because people have believed. Now people have to be discipled and not just that, we have to continue preaching because there are others. The laborers, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. So still work has to be done in Iconium. What if there is opposition? Okay, let it be there. Let's continue our work. That is the mindset which Paul and Barnabas are carrying right now and they are ministering. They are ministering to the people and their format of ministering. They are staying for a long time, it says. So obviously comparatively, compared to your Antioch of Pisidia, they stayed back longer because discipling has to be done. You remember it was the same Paul, Barnabas team and Antioch for one entire year, one year, they're teaching the believers, they're teaching the believers. So they know the value of equipping the believers because that will bring maturity. So they stay a long time, they talk to them. How do they talk boldly? They talk boldly. They're not afraid. Even if rumors are going around, Jews are spreading rumors. They are poisoning the minds of the people. Paul and Barnabas have nothing to hide. It's the same message. Message is not going to change about Jesus. So boldly, they are speaking the message and the way we read about the Lord Jesus, the power of God was present. And again, at 1038, we see the Lord Jesus of Nazareth went about doing good works. He was anointed by the Holy Spirit. He was anointed by the Holy Spirit. So these two were also doing the supernatural works by the Holy Spirit. So we read about signs and wonders and granting signs and wonders, meaning it's not something that these two were doing, but it is God who is working in and through Paul and Barnabas to release signs and wonders in Iconium. So they are bearing witness to all these things. So when we preach the message, we know that it is God who confirms the word through the work of power that he does. So when they're doing effective ministry, yes, because lives are, people are turning around for the gospel, God's power is being demonstrated. And people are being equipped to stand strong in the faith for the gospel. All this work is going on and really good ministry is going on. At the same time, there is definitely opposition. So even here in the city of Iconium, people are divided, it says. So we see that one part, they were believing in what the Jews were saying, but the other part were believing the apostles. So it was hard to navigate through this place as well. So in every town, it's like that. Some are believing, some are creating trouble. So finally, the Jews here in Iconium, they decide enough is enough. The way they got expelled, they got expelled from where? From Antioch Pisidia. Now, there is a violent attempt, which was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers to abuse and to stone them. So earlier, we don't read about physical harm, but now these people, they decide, it's better to just kill these men. Let's harm them physically. Let's harm them. But when Paul and Barnabas came to know that they're going to be physically harmed, that is when they leave that place. So before that, they're staying there for a long time, but they've heard that they're going to be killed. So just the way Jesus, Jesus said, it's not yet my time. I think Paul and Barnabas had that understanding. This is not our time. We have more work to do. And if this place is not going to listen to us, let's move on to the next place. So we see them fleeing, fleeing means running away. So they ran away to Lystra and Derby, Derby, different ways to pronounce it. So I'll just say Derby, Derby cities of Lyconia and the surrounding regions. And what do they continue to do their job? They are ministers of the gospel. They continue to preach the gospel there. So this is what we have seen so far in the missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas. So we will continue. If you all have any questions, you just stop and ask. I'll just keep moving forward. I hope that's okay. Is that fine? Okay. Yeah, let's continue. So now they are in this place called Lystra. What happens in Lystra? As part of the ministry, obviously, they are preaching the gospel, but they also minister to the needs of the people. So there is a man in Lystra. We are told without strength, he did not have strength in his feet, takes us back to Acts three, you know, where the man at the gate, beautiful, he could not stand. And he was crippled from his mother's womb. Now in Lystra, a similar situation, there is a person crippled from his mother's womb who had never walked. So the people around knew about this man. Now, I don't know how old this person was, it's not mentioned here, but very similar to the man at Gate Beautiful. So this man, he heard Paul speaking. Okay. And then he was observing. Paul was also observing him intently. And he saw that this man had faith to be healed. You see here the working of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Peter in Acts five, when he rebuked Ananias and Sapphira, he said, you have lied to the Holy Spirit. How did he know words of knowledge? Okay, gift of the Holy Spirit was activated. It was working in Peter. When Peter was directed to go to Cornelius's house, you know, you go there, street calls, trade. What is that word of knowledge? But now you understand here the discerning, discerning of spirits, discernment within him. We are told that Paul is preaching but he's looking at this man and he senses or he discerns this man has faith to be healed. Okay. And he goes ahead and ministers to this man. And so how does he minister? He says with a loud voice, stand up straight on your feet and he leaped and walked. Okay. Little different from the way Peter ministered. Peter said, silver and gold I don't have, but in the name of Jesus, you know, rise up and walk. I give you what I have in the name of Jesus rise up and walk and by the, and later, you know, they, Peter said that it's through the name of Jesus that he received strength in his feet. What is happening here? Paul is commanding, stand up straight on your feet and in response to the faith which he already had. Okay. This miracle is taking place. So this man also leaps and walks. So another notable miracle in the book of acts takes place. So what happened because of acts three, a lot of people started believing, they started responding. And that's when, you know, they caught, they seized Peter and John. What are you all doing? Why are you preaching about this Jesus? Don't use his name again. Don't preach in that name again. So we will see what happens because this man now in Lister got miraculously healed from his condition. Okay. So it's time right now. Let's go for a break. We will come back and we will continue. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you.