"Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust."
Acts 14:23
Trust requires humanity to have the courage to let go. To let go of the belief that we can prosper in a state of self-sufficiency. To let go of the notion that we do not need anyone else, especially God, involved in our lives. To let go of the perception that independence, rather than dependence, is an ideal lifestyle trait.
God created mankind to be reliant. Reliant upon Him for spiritual direction. Reliant upon food for physical nourishment. Reliant upon others for emotional fellowship. Not only were we made with the need for reliance, we were made with the capacity to trust. But do we have the courage to exercise it? The first time I took my son, Jayden, swimming, I was reminded of how difficult trust can be to cultivate.
Jayden and I went to my parents’ house one hot summer day so that he and I could enjoy the refreshing water in my parents’ backyard pool. Up until that point, Jayden, who was just a toddler at the time, had only experienced water in the bathtub. Although he was excited about the prospect of plunging into a full-sized pool, I was justifiably apprehensive about it. As I tethered Jayden to a life-vest, I intended to keep him wading in shallow water the entire time we swam. Floating occupied him for a little while, but eventually Jayden eyed the diving board at the opposite end of the pool. He voiced a desire to jump off of it. I tried to reason with him that once he was older and a proficient swimmer, he could dive to his heart’s content. However, my logic did not satisfy Jayden’s adolescent, adventurous nature. He begged repeatedly for the opportunity to launch into the pool.
Realizing I would not be able to divert his interest from the diving board, I told Jayden he could use it contingent upon two conditions. One, he had to leap into the pool feet-first - as opposed to attempting to execute a head-first dive. Two, he had to jump to me as best as he could, rather than performing a carefree jump into the open water away from my grasp. After Jayden agreed to my terms, I led him to the diving board and asked him to wait for my signal before bounding into the pool. Once I was in the water, I got into a flotation ring and drifted towards Jayden. Anxiously awaiting the word to jump, Jayden’s arms furiously waved up and down as he giggled with delight. When I was sure I had found a spot I could safely catch him, no matter how far he catapulted off the diving board, I said, “Alright Jayden. Are you ready? Ready to jump to Daddy?”
When Jayden inched closer to the edge of the diving board, his body posture suddenly changed. Seized with fear, his arms fell limp at his side. His eyes narrowed. His smile morphed into a frown. The more he looked at the water, the more concerned he became. Jayden pleaded with me to take him back to the other end of the pool. “Daddy, I don’t want to do this.” I knew that he really wanted to jump off the diving board, but the possibility of getting hurt, however remote it may be, made him intensely afraid. I cannot recall my exact response to Jayden but I said something to the effect of, “Jayden don’t look at the water; look at me. I’m here. I won’t let you fall. I’ll catch you and I won’t let you go.”Jayden struggled with choosing what he believed to be true. Would he suffer harm or would he land safely in my grasp? As I continued to console him, his confidence slowly began to grow. He asked me, “Daddy, you will catch me right?” “Daddy, will catch you.” Jayden asked me to move closer to him so I moved closer. It seemed like an eternity passed before Jayden finally made a move. When he was convinced I would catch him, he took a few quick steps and rocketed off the diving board. I snatched Jayden just as his feet pierced the water’s surface. He bobbed a little from the impact. After he wiped some water from his eyes, I greeted him with a smile. He responded to my expression with an endearing grin. Then he said, “Daddy, can we do that again?”
I wonder what that scene looked like from Jayden’s perspective. Alone on the diving board, how enormous and deep must the pool have seemed? What certainty did he have that I would be able to prevent him from being engulfed by the water, other than my word? As thoughts of danger consumed him, fear and adrenaline began coursing though his veins. There I was calling out to him, appealing to trust that he would find safety in my arms.
That incident bears a striking similarity to my relationship with God. So often I stand at the shore of life’s sea. The fear of what could happen if I plunge into the expansive waters immobilizes me. As Jesus beckoned Peter to join Him for a supernatural walk across a lake (Matthew 14: 25-33), so God invites me to step away from sure footing in faith. He calls out to me, “Come Kevin. Do not be afraid. You will not drown.” As much as I yearn to focus on God and trust Him, I often stay fixated on the sea. When I do, the notion of stepping onto the water sounds ridiculous. Absurd. “Why should I ever move,” I tell myself. “The sea is dangerous. What could be worth the risk?” God lovingly replies, “Drawing near to me is worth the risk.” When I affix my gaze upon God and allow His message to embolden me, I find the courage and trust to leave my self-perceived plot of security and journey out into the sea, where shelter in the arms of God awaits.
Trust beckons humanity to place our faith in God and trust that His path is superior to anything we could ever construct. It requires believing that His plans, however unorthodox or unusual they may appear, are greater than to our plans. Trust lets God lead us. It does not put stipulations on God or try to hem Him in with preconceived outcomes; it abdicates selfish pursuits and beseeches God to allow His will to be carried out in us.
The first century believers exhibited tremendous trust in God, particularly Paul and Barnabas, two missionaries who were sent out to foreign cities to make people aware of Jesus and His salvation. Their message was polarizing for many sects of society, which made Paul and Barnabas’s commitment to speak the convicting truth of the gospel that much more admirable. In Acts 13, God had brought about a remarkable response from Gentiles in Pisidian Antioch. As a result, the people were thankful that grace was made available to them and honored the word of the Lord. But eventually the Jewish community, out of envy, incited a strong public outcry against Paul and Barnabas, which culminated in their expulsion from the city (Acts 13:50). This act did not deter Paul or Barnabas for they continued on with their evangelism mission elsewhere. The new Gentile converts in Pisidian Antioch were not troubled by Paul and Barnabas’s forceful removal from the city either. One might expect to read that their hope would have been shaken when their spiritual mentors were driven away. But it was quite the contrary. The disciples in Pisidian Antioch were galvanized despite the event. When they saw Paul and Barnabas’s willingness to continue the work God had called them to, in the face of fierce opposition, they were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit (Acts13:52).
Acts 14 chronicles Paul and Barnabas’s movement throughout Asia Minor. From Pisidian Antioch, they went to Iconium. As was their custom, Paul and Barnabas attended a synagogue service in an effort to help Jewish people find redemption in Christ. They spoke so effectively that many Jews and Gentiles surrendered belief in Jesus as the Savior. The initial Gentile converts at Iconium were likely proselytized into the Jewish faith since they were in attendance for synagogue observance (like Cornelius the centurion in Acts 10, who was listed as a God-fearing Gentile before his repentance-induced experience with the apostle Peter).
Akin to what occurred in Pisidian Antioch, Jewish unbelievers were jealous that a large number of people were receiving and accepting the gospel. Therefore, rabble-rousers in Iconium poisoned the minds of Gentile unbelievers to the point that several citizens adamantly resisted Paul and Barnabas’s work. Remarkably, this did not discourage the missionaries for Scripture says Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there (Acts 14:3). The more boldly people refused them the more boldly they reached out to them. It should be noted that Paul and Barnabas are referred to in Acts 14:4 as apostles, an honorable title reserved for those who had been called by Christ directly (in Barnabas’s case by the Holy Spirit per Acts 13:2) and granted the supernatural ability to perform signs and wonders for the glory of God. Acts 14:3 confirms Paul and Barnabas presented many divine works, thus verifying their apostleship.
The conflict with the people outside the faith in Iconium became so heated that they conspired with leaders, likely civil and religious, to kill Paul and Barnabas by way of stoning. But the apostles learned of the plot and fled to Lystra, a nearby city in the province of Galatia. Their exodus was probably generated from a state of foresight rather than fear. Because Paul and Barnabas were the targets of public rage, rather than the legacy of Christ, Paul and Barnabas removed themselves from Iconium so that the community’s disdain could subside, thereby allowing the message of Jesus to prosper without distraction.
In Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came across a man who had been crippled from birth. As Paul spoke, the crippled man listened intently to what he said. Paul discerned, through the power of the Holy Spirit, that the crippled man not only yearned to be healed but believed he could be healed. Evidently, the crippled man’s physical limitation had not dampened his spirit for he possessed enormous faith. Paul demanded the lame man stand, at which point he jumped up and began walking, an act he had never before experienced. This miracle somewhat mirrors Peter and John’s healing of a handicapped beggar in Jerusalem (Acts 3), except that Peter and John’s miracle made way for Jewish people (in Jerusalem) to embrace the gospel, whereas Paul and Barnabas’s miracle made way for Gentile people (in Lystra) to embrace the gospel.
When the crowd in Lystra saw the healing take place, they were astonished. The people declared Paul and Barnabas were immortals revealed in human form, indicating they were heavily influenced by the idolatry of Greek culture and beholden to the worship of counterfeit gods. A commotion broke out and brought about an atmosphere of excited confusion. A false religious leader went so far as bringing bulls to the city gate for a ceremonial sacrifice in honor of Paul and Barnabas. But Paul and Barnabas rejected personal praise and glory. In a display that epitomized humility and brokenness, Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd in an effort to call attention to their mortality. The shredding of their outer garments confirmed they were flesh and bone and were susceptible to pain and harm. Wearing tattered garments, Paul spoke about God being the only true God, the Maker of heaven and earth. Paul’s second evangelistic address recorded in Acts centered on the creative work of God. In essence, the earth’s framework and design expose God’s all-powerful existence. This testimony was the appropriate choice to spiritually provoke a pagan audience. If Paul would have presented a message steeped in Old Testament history and theology to a people unfamiliar with Jewish canon his words would have fallen on deaf ears. Paul later applied the “God is revealed in nature” approach to a Gentile crowd in Athens (Acts 17).
Even after Paul and Barnabas tried to transfer the adulation to the everlasting God, the citizens of Lystra still worshipped them. A short while later, some Jewish followers from Iconium and Antioch came to Lystra to subvert the gospel mission. The people who came from Antioch would have traveled a distance of one hundred miles, which magnifies the depth of their hatred for Paul and the Christian mission. The unrelenting agitators manipulated residents in Lystra and stirred up disdain for the disciples, Paul in particular since he was the chief speaker. In utter malice and rage, a crowd attacked Paul. Without allowing time for a trial or a reasonable appeal, people began stoning the apostle. They pelted him with rocks to such a degree that he was knocked unconscious, and became motionless. This event bore a striking similarity to what Paul once participated in with the stoning of Stephen in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1).
The mob deposited Paul outside the city, as if they were disposing of filthy garbage or waste. Some of disciples immediately gathered around Paul, perhaps to prohibit any further desecration of his body, or maybe to show people that they were not afraid to suffer the same fate for their faith. When the disciples encircled Paul, he got up and proceeded to walk right back into Lystra. Clearly, Paul would not be intimidated or silenced by the vile deeds of man.
The next day Paul and Barnabas went to Derbe, another city in the province of Galatia, where they won a large number of people to Christ. After staying there for an undisclosed amount of time, they backtracked their way through Asia Minor, revisiting all the churches they planted. Many residents of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra had proven to be firmly resistant of Paul and Barnabas’s missionary efforts. But this did not deter the apostles from returning there because they wanted to ensure that the young fellowships they helped establish were staying true to Scripture and growing in their knowledge of God. They encouraged the believers and told them that their personal sufferings were necessary for the advancement of the kingdom of God.
To better facilitate the ministry of the various churches, Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in each church through prayer, fasting, and solemn vows to God. There has been ample discussion as to what role the elders in the New Testament churches possessed. Some believe they were a decision-making body, working in conjunction with the apostles and teachers to settle matters that caused confusion and debate within the body of Christ. This has merit based on references in Acts 15:6 and Acts 21:18. Others believe the elders were pastors for “elder” can be translated “presbyter”, which has a close connection and affiliation with the word priest. This thought too has credibility given that Paul later instructed the elders of Ephesus to be shepherds of the church of God in Acts 20:28. The title of shepherd was synonymous with the function of pastor in the New Testament church. If anything, we can perceive from these biblical texts that the elders were spiritual pacesetters who exhibited an unwavering aspiration to pray, counsel, study Scripture, preach, teach, and abide by the Holy Spirit. All of which made them aptly suited to help serve and oversee the church body.
Acts 14:23 reveals Paul and Barnabas committed the elders to the Lord, in Whom they had placed their trust. This verse beautifully portrays the power of engaging belief in God and highlights three elements of trust. One, trust involves prayer. Paul and Barnabas fell on their knees before God and petitioned Him to distribute the mantle of authority accordingly. The apostles did not base the appointments on popularity, personality, income level, charisma, or background; they based the selections on God’s input and God’s opinion, not man’s.
Paul and Barnabas made prayer a key component of their assessment process. The criticality of prayer is underscored throughout Acts. Every second of every day mankind has the opportunity to speak before God Himself. But do we take advantage of this privilege? Better yet, do we spend time earnestly thinking and interceding for others? Paul and Barnabas consistently beseeched God on behalf of the churches they were integral in establishing. Their supplication had no self-serving agenda. They called out to God and solemnly sought divine guidance for the benefit of the people, as well as the missions, in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch.
Paul and Barnabas trusted God with a supremely critical assignment: to raise up a governing body of leaders. The right people in the right positions could help foster spiritual revival; the wrong people would surely impede it. Exercising trust, Paul and Barnabas brought the matter before God and relied upon the wisdom of the omniscient God, the only One Who can discern the intentions of the heart.
Two, trust involves patience. Not only did Paul and Barnabas pray about the issue at hand, they fasted as well. They temporarily abstained from eating for a period of time so that they could undergo a heightened experience with God. Fasting signified the escalated, urgent yearning to hear from God. Paul and Barnabas had a compelling desire to encounter God and exhibited a willingness to wait on His direction. They resisted the urge to satisfy their stomachs so that they could satisfy their spirits. Paul and Barnabas momentarily refused their physical needs so that they could know the heart of God.
Instilling the appropriate church ministerial base was more important to Paul and Barnabas than the consumption of food. Such dedication required patience. It required passion. It required perseverance. And what was the result? Paul and Barnabas were given the soundness and peace of mind to designate elders in the churches. The elder selections were not achieved in haste; they were achieved by patiently waiting on God for guidance. Paul and Barnabas entered into sacrificial, long-suffering meditation because they knew what they were doing was fundamentally meaningful and required God’s participation and blessing.
Three, trust involves a pledge. Paul and Barnabas commended the newly elected elders to the Lord. The apostles trusted God to steer and sanctify their ministries. This tribute was not a thoughtless conclusion to the nomination procedures; it was a sacred oath that symbolized the elders were in the custody of God’s care. They dedicated the elders to God, knowing that He would watch over them, direct them, discipline them, and consecrate them. God’s providential intervention was requested so that the elders would be watched, directed, disciplined, and consecrated.
In the various references throughout Acts, elders are addressed in plural form, signifying that they did not work in isolation or in an unaccountable executive capacity. They were not autonomous. They were not above correction. They were not beyond the need for encouragement. They were not beyond the need for instruction. They were not above the church because they were beholden to the church. Not only were they liable to the Holy Spirit, they were liable to one another. They had senior status in ministry, but only to the degree that they should be considered the senior or principal servants. They were pledged and entrusted to God in order to advance Christ’s message. After Paul and Barnabas commissioned the elders and further preached the gospel, they made their way back to Antioch (Syria), thus concluding Paul’s first missionary trip. The bulk of his ministry labor took place in Galatia. Paul would eventually write an epistle, or letter, to the churches in Galatia.
Paul and Barnabas understood God can do a mighty work in the lives of Christians. They themselves were living proof. Their reformed hearts were being used in incredible ways for God’s kingdom. Jesus called believers to train up new disciples so that current and future generations will hear the word of truth (Matthew 28:19). As part of that holy mandate, Paul and Barnabas exhibited a prevailing trust in God, knowing that He can and will manifest Himself through Christ-centered efforts.
Does your life exude a prevailing trust in God?
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