Having been expelled from Antioch in Pisidia, Paul and Barnabas travelled down the Roman military road some 60 miles south-east to Iconium (the modern Turkish city of Konya). As Jewish teachers, their strategy was to go first to the local synagogue and speak about Jesus, who fulfils the Old Testament prophecies. They spoke effectively: that is they spoke truthfully according to the Scriptures, and according to the Holy Spirit's inspiration. The effect of that combination of truth, with the Holy Spirit speaking to the listeners, was that many of them believed.

Once again, opposition came from those who refused to believe. They were not simply agnostic about the teaching but decided that they would actively fight against the gospel (Acts 19:9); and did so with such fervour that they poisoned the minds of open-hearted people. However Paul and Barnabas kept on teaching the truth about Jesus without fear. And the Lord performed miracles through them – marking them both as apostles (2 Corinthians 12:12).

So, some people took sides with Jesus and some against Him. It was God's plan. Everybody was engaging with Jesus, either to support the apostles or to slander them. Jesus was the big topic of conversation in the city. It was rather like Jesus' last week before the cross: the leaders stirred up the people's hostility against Him, but the crowd made it look as though it was a popular decision to crucify Him (Mark 15:9-15). Once the death threats had been uncovered, Paul and Barnabas left the city and travelled further south-east along the Via Sebaste to Lystra and Derbe. But by that time a church had been planted and gospel ministry continued in Iconium.

Most of us stop witnessing if there is opposition: the apostles continued. We might run away at the first sign of trouble: the apostles kept going until it was impossible to do any more in one place. We might be so discouraged by opposition in one place that we are ashamed to speak about Jesus in the next place: the apostles were not ashamed of Jesus or the gospel and they intentionally proclaimed Christ wherever they went. Opposition did not stop them; it focussed them on the importance of being gospel messengers. If we are different it is because we have lost sight of the real Jesus who gave His life for us; we fear other people more than God; we are more concerned about our own comfort than the eternal salvation of people we meet. Pray for forgiveness and then for boldness to witness in the power of the Holy Spirit.