05/10/2025
SERMON TOPIC ON:
THAT WE MUST THROUGH MUCH TRIBULATION ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD
TEXT: Act 14 vs 19-22.
Speaker: Elder Afia U. Afia
Interpreter: Bro. Effiong Inyang
The passage from Acts 14:19-22 vividly illustrates the reality that followers of Christ will encounter significant hardships and persecution as they pursue their faith. It recounts an incident where Paul, after successfully preaching in Lystra, was stoned by a hostile crowd influenced by Jewish opponents from Antioch and Iconium. They dragged him out of the city, presuming him dead. However, through divine intervention, he recovered and, remarkably, the very next day, he and Barnabas departed for Derbe.
Upon arriving in Derbe and proclaiming the Gospel there, they chose to return to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, the very places where they had faced severe opposition and even life-threatening violence. Their purpose in revisiting these dangerous locations was not to avoid further suffering, but to strengthen the disciples, encouraging them to remain steadfast in their faith. They explicitly taught that it is through enduring many trials and afflictions that believers are destined to enter the kingdom of God. This narrative underscores the New Testament teaching that tribulation is an expected and integral part of the Christian journey, serving as a pathway to spiritual growth and ultimate entry into God's eternal reign.
