Paul and Barnabas, two traveling preachers, have just been expelled from a Gentile city called Antioch. (This is Pisidian Antioch, not the Antioch in Syria, where the Apostles first started this journey.) “But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.” Acts 13:50
So these two men of God … “came unto Iconium,” a nearby city, God’s servants being “filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.”
And in Iconium (another primarily Gentile city, but with enough Jews to form a little synagogue, a quorum of ten willing men being needed to do such a thing) Paul was soon preaching the Word, the Gospel!
Acts 14:1, our Bible Text for today, reports:
“And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.”
What success!
Not just a multitude, Luke says, but “a great multitude.”
I am wondering today about the kind of preaching Paul did there in Iconium. Obviously it was divinely blessed with success.
But we are given one little adverb that further modifies that preaching. Let me capitalize and underline that little descriptor.
“And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and SO spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.”
In Greek this is spelled “houto,” meaning “on this wise.” Or 3 times in the King James Bible “after this manner.”
Whatever this implies, I long to be able to preach like that too!
Perhaps the context will give us some hints.
As these men arrived in Iconium, already victims of persecution in Antioch, they were of this temperament: “filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.” (These being the last few words of Acts chapter 13, verse 52.)
Paul’s effective preaching in Iconium then was “joyful, victorious, expectant” preaching!
Secondly, it was associated with the “Holy Ghost!” Empowered by the Spirit of God! (Remember the key verse in Acts: “But ye shall receive POWER, after that the HOLY GHOST is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”)
Then there’s another bit of enlightenment in the immediately following context, Acts 14:2. “But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.” It was the kind of preaching that stirred up opposition!
Too much preaching today is bland, plain as vanilla, saying nothing. Never opposing sin or exposing iniquity at all. (I wonder if the devil could attend some Churches anymore, sit on the front pew, and say “Amen” to the proceedings!)
Well, not when real preaching is in the pulpit!
One great Revivalist of the past often said: “If there is enough FIRE in the pulpit, there will not be much ICE in the pew!””
Amen!
Paul SO preached in Iconium that God honored His precious Word, “confirmed His Word,” using the language of Mark 16:20.
But it was joyful preaching!
And Holy Spirit filled preaching!
And fierce preaching, condemning sin and pointing lost men and women to the Saviour!
God, give us more preaching like that!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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