---

I. THE RESULTS of the apostles' labours are set before us in their variety.

1. We see their success. At Antioch "came almost the whole city together to hear the Word of God" (ver. 44). At Iconium "a great multitude, both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed (ver. 1). The quality of this success was, most encouraging.

2. This success was the cause of opposition. The Jews at Antioch, jealous over the impression made by Paul, contradicted what he said, and even cursed the name of Jesus and all concerning Him (ver. 45). Confront evil with the gospel, and you must expect an answer, as the sign that your challenge is satisfactory. A gospel which raised no opposition would be questionable.

3. Out of this opposition came failure. The apostles had to leave Antioch under the ban of the law with their work unfinished. Such is the mixed result of Christian work always. We know no place where the gospel has entered to convert every heart, where no opposition of any sort has arisen to check the peaceful conquest, where every soul has remained wholly true to the Lord Jesus Christ. No. The gospel wins its way by struggling with evil.

II. THE CAUSES of this variety of results are hinted at.

1. Man is shown to be responsible himself for his attitude toward the gospel. The Jews, to whom Paul preached first, rejected the gospel, and Paul told them that they had judged themselves unworthy of everlasting life (ver. 46). The Gentiles of Antioch, on the contrary, by their deeds, by their gladness at receiving the gospel and their glorifying God for it (ver. 48), showed that they were worthy of it in Paul's sense. So there is a curious paradox in the coming of the gospel to men: men think it comes before them to be tested as to its truth, whereas it comes to test them as to their character, whether they are worthy to receive it or not. The responsibility for the result therefore rests with them.

2. At the same time Paul points to the mysterious fact that God works in the choice of men. Man chooses; and God is choosing in man's choice. For God works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. Therefore Paul says (ver. 48) that "as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." He shows us first the earthly stage, with the will of men directing events. Then he draws back the curtain and shows us God at work directing things His way, through the direction of men. But how shall we reconcile the two, the sovereignty of God with the freedom of the human will? They are irreconcilable to a finite mind.

III. THE CONDUCT OF THE APOSTLES in view of these diverse results should be noticed.

1. As opposition arose in the form of contradiction, the apostles "waxed bold" (ver. 46). They told the Jews of Antioch plainly that they were unworthy of everlasting life and showed it by their deeds. They were not afraid of men. The strength of Christian confidence needs opposition in order to be fully seen.

2. As they left Antioch they warned its inhabitants most solemnly: "they shook off the dust of their feet against them" (ver. 51). This was a common Jewish symbolical act.

3. But the apostles did not stay in hostile Antioch while other fields lay untouched; they went on to Iconium. And when this, too, showed itself hostile, they "fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about" (ver. 6). They were but human. They did what they could. When they could do no more they went to new places, and so on and on. In our Christian work we are to do the best we can, using our wisest judgment, going on from Antioch to Iconium, and from Iconium to Lystra, if need be. But in all we are to remember that God works in our presence and in our absence; and even by preventing our active work may do through us better things than we know.

4. For all their hardships the apostles had an abundant joy (ver. 52). And it was just when conscious of their failure that this joy was given. It takes the night time and the prison to bring out the best songs. Earthly disappointment is God's opportunity. Luther wrote his hymns of Christian exultation when his enemies were nearest to overcoming him.

IV. The GENERAL LESSONS of the passage are easily seen.

1. Humanity is a vast democracy in the presence of the gospel of Christ. There is no distinction of persons here. All fall short of the glory of God. All men are equal. The proclamation is to every creature. Let no man say ever that the gospel is not meant for him.

2. Salvation is of grace. The plan of it was formed away back in the counsels of eternity.

3. Every man is responsible to God for his relation to Christ. Our deeds are our own judges.

4. The Holy Spirit goes up and down the world seeking whom He may comfort.

---

---

KJV: And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

WEB: So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.