According to the New Testament account of Paul’s missionary journeys, the people in two cities with the same name, Antioch, had very different reactions to the Gospel. Antioch of Pisidia, the smaller city, was located northeast of Ephesus in what is now modern day Turkey. In the first century, it was part of the Roman Empire and had a population of just over 50,000. Antioch on the Orontes, also known as Antioch of Syria, was about 300 miles north of Jerusalem and had a population of more than half a million. In Acts 13:14, Paul and Barnabas departed from Perga and arrived in Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath they preached to the Jews about Christ (13:6-41), and on the following Sabbath, they preached to the whole city, focusing more on the Gentiles (13:44-47), since many of the Jews had rejected the Gospel. Eventually, these Jews stirred up the chief men of the city, persecuted Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from the city (13:50). The Jewish leaders were not satisfied with forcing the missionaries to leave town, and they pursued Paul and Barnabas to Lystra (Acts 14:6-8) where they stirred up the people, stoned Paul and threw him out of the city, thinking he was dead (14:19). However, Paul lived and continued to preach the next day before departing for Derbe. Today, we remember the Jewish people at Antioch of Pisidia first “followed Paul and Barnabas” and then became envious and opposed them because they spoke to “multitudes” of

The evidence that the Bible is the Word of God is overwhelming. Consider: 1. Claims Inspiration – Any claim of inspiration must be tested. However, an inspired book would acknowledge its source (2 Timothy 3:16-17). 2. Unity – The Bible contains 66 separate books written in three languages by approximately 40 authors from different locations and diverse backgrounds over a period of 1,500 years, yet there are no contradictions. The theme is consistent resulting in a rich harmony lacking in literary works by mortal man. 3. Scientific Understanding – While atheists attempt to pit science against religion, true science is the Christian’s friend. The Bible demonstrates inspiration both by what it omits and by what it includes. The Bible avoids errors about astrology, false medical cures, divination, omens, the earth’s shape and position, which errors contemporary literature and culture contain. Yet, the Bible includes scientific information unknown when it was penned, such as ocean currents, logical dietary laws, the water cycle, seabed topography and quarantine. 4. Fulfilled Prophecy – The Bible contains verifiable prophecies about nations (Daniel 2:37-45) as well as 300 prophecies regarding the Messiah, including predictions about His birth, death and resurrection, which were fulfilled in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. One man could not have accidently fulfilled all these prophecies (Luke 18:31-34). 5. Historical Reliability – The Bible’s historical accuracy has been proven. In Acts, Luke mentions 32 countries, 54 cities and 9 Mediterranean islands. He also names 95 people (Metzger, Bruce. The New Testament: Its Background, Growth, Content). These citations contain

In the late 1600’s and early 1700’s, Antonio Stradivari produced the finest musical instruments ever created. In his lifetime, he is known to have produced 1,101 instruments. These included guitars, cellos, violas and at least one harp. His crowning achievements, however, were his violins. They are known for their clarity of tone and ability to resonate so perfectly. His violins are what make his name synonymous with quality and fine craftsmanship. To be called the “Stradavari” of any field is to be designated as the finest there is. There are approximately 650 of his instruments (called strad or strads for short) still in existence today, and almost all of them are very well accounted for. They are played by the best classical musicians including Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman. There is a large collection of his instruments at the Vienna Philharmonic and another at the Library of Congress, which holds concerts each year featuring the top students at Julliard. His instruments have their own names, such as Solomon and Lady Tennant, and they command top dollar at public and private sales. One of his violins that went up for sale in 2006, known as “The Hammer,” sold for $3,544,000 to an anonymous bidder. There is one, however, that is prized above all others. Its value is not known, but could easily be several times that of other Strads. It occupies the same place in musical history as the Mona Lisa does in painting. Made by Stradivari in 1716, and kept