Written by: Debbie Orriss

Acts 13 v 44-47
On the next Sabbath day, almost everyone in the city came to hear the word of the Lord. Seeing the crowd, the Jewish people became very jealous and said insulting things and argued against what Paul said. But Paul and Barnabas spoke very boldly, saying, “We must speak the message of God to you first. But you refuse to listen. You are judging yourselves not worthy of having eternal life! So we will now go to the people of other nations. This is what the Lord told us to do, saying:
‘I have made you a light for the nations; you will show people all over the world the way to be saved.’ ” 

Notes
When you see a crowd gathering in the streets, it’s like a magnet, drawing you towards it, as you wonder what’s going on. Whether it’s a big sporting event, or a parade, the air will be electric with anticipation. That’s what it was like in Antioch, in what is now southern Turkey. Can you imagine crowds gathering in your local town to hear a group of young preachers? Probably not, but the message they had been preaching had spread, and people were hungry for good news.

The previous Sabbath or ‘holy day’ the people had heard Paul describing how God had protected and guided the Jewish people through difficult times, and had then provided them with a way of receiving forgiveness, through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. The Jews had been trying to keep ‘the Law’, which included the Ten Commandments, but had failed time and time again to live the lives that they were created for. 

So, a week later, word had spread about these preachers, and non-Jews had also gathered, eager to hear the ‘good news’ of forgiveness and eternal life. Sadly, some of the official Jews got jealous. They’d never been able to attract crowds like this, and felt threatened. Paul realised that they were rejecting his message, and told them that the message was also for non-Jews. 

This means that no-one is outside of the reaches of God’s love and forgiveness. Jesus died for the sins – the ‘bad stuff’, of the whole world, so that everyone can know that forgiveness, and that means you too. You can confidently say sorry to God, anytime, anywhere, knowing that He WILL forgive you. He can’t help Himself – now THAT’S ‘good news’.

Acts 13 v 48-52
When those who were not Jewish heard Paul say this, they were happy and gave honor to the message of the Lord. And the people who were chosen to have life forever believed the message.
So the message of the Lord was spreading through the whole country. But the Jewish people stirred up some of the important religious women and the leaders of the city. They started trouble against Paul and Barnabas and forced them out of their area. So Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet and went to Iconium. But the followers were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Notes
What do you do when you hear good news? Maybe your football team has just had a surprising win, or you’ve had an increase in wages in your Saturday job. When my brother told me he was engaged, the first thing I wanted to do was tell someone, and talk about the news!

The non-Jews (also known as gentiles) were so excited! Paul had told them that they could know God’s forgiveness, and receive eternal life. This ‘good news’ wasn’t just for Jews. The non -Jews believed it for themselves, and they wanted to share it, to tell someone about it. As a result, the good news spread, and more and more people became Jesus’ followers.

Sadly, some of the Jews got jealous. They were afraid that they would lose power to the preachers; after all, Paul had been preaching that just trying to follow ‘the Law’ (their Jewish teaching), wasn’t going to achieve forgiveness, because people were failing to keep to the rules. The Jews felt threatened, because of this were unable to hear the good news, and recognise its message for themselves. Has this ever happened to you? You’ve been so wrapped up in your own problems that you’ve been unable to share someone else’s happiness? Or unable to recognise something else that’s good in your life? God really wants us to be honest with him about how we feel, but He also wants to help us to look beyond our immediate situation, and see what’s good in other areas of our lives and the lives of our families and friends. So if you’re feeling a bit weighed down about something that’s troubling you, tell God about it, and ask Him to help you. Also, ask Him to show you something good today. You might be pleasantly surprised!

Acts 14 v 1-4
In Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went as usual to the Jewish synagogue. They spoke so well that a great many Jews and Greeks believed. But some of the Jews who did not believe excited the non-Jewish people and turned them against the believers. Paul and Barnabas stayed in Iconium a long time and spoke bravely for the Lord. He showed that their message about his grace was true by giving them the power to work miracles and signs. But the city was divided. Some of the people agreed with the Jews, and others believed the apostles.

Notes
Opposition had been stirred up against Paul and his friend Barnabas, so they ‘shook the dust off their feet’ which meant that they wanted to leave the whole situation behind. They left, and went to Iconium, where again, many people believed in the good news. However, yet again, some of the Jews refused to accept the message, and stirred up trouble, putting people against Paul and Barnabas. Despite the opposition, the preachers persevered with their sharing of the good news. It’s amazing that they stuck it out, considering the trouble it gave them. They must have been really convinced about what they were doing, and about their faith in Jesus, despite the suffering it was causing them. 

Have you ever had to face criticism for something you felt strongly about? Perhaps for being a Christian, or maybe you’ve decided to become vegetarian. Whatever it is, it’s hard to stand up for what you believe in, when everyone else around you believes or acts differently. It’s encouraging that when Paul and Barnabas did continue to preach, The Lord made some amazing things happen to prove that what they were saying was true. 

So have courage. If you have to stand up for your faith in a difficult situation, you are not alone – the Lord will give you the right words and attitude to get through it, so ask Him for the strength to ‘stick it out’ and not give in to what others think. He will bless you for your willingness to stand up for what you believe.

Acts 14 v 5-7
Some who were not Jews, some Jews, and some of their rulers wanted to mistreat Paul and Barnabas and to stone them to death. When Paul and Barnabas learned about this, they ran away to Lystra and Derbe, cities in Lycaonia, and to the areas around those cities. They announced the Good News there, too.

Notes
Yet again, Paul and Barnabas eventually have to leave Iconium, despite staying ‘a long time’ because of the threat to their lives; stoning wasn’t a form of torture, it was execution. People were stoned to death, and that’s what would have happened to Paul and Barnabas if they’d stayed. What a terrible situation, and yet they kept on preaching the good news in the places they escaped to – is there no stopping them? Again this passage speaks of Paul and Barnabas’ determination and the confidence they had in their message. I imagine if they’d had any doubts they would have stopped preaching, in order to save themselves from possible torture or death. In fact, we know that Paul did go on to experience many years of imprisonment for his preaching, and that he kept on preaching, and teaching Christians, even from prison!

There are people today who are in prison and suffering for being Christians. Pray that God would continue to give them the strength, faith and the assurance of His love in difficult times. Please pray for more tolerance and understanding in the countries where this is happening. Pray also for agencies such as the Barnabas Fund and Amnesty International, which are supporting such people and fighting for their freedom. 

Acts 14 v 8-10
In Lystra there sat a man who had been born crippled; he had never walked. As this man was listening to Paul speak, Paul looked straight at him and saw that he believed God could heal him. So he cried out, “Stand up on your feet!” The man jumped up and began walking around. 

Notes
Healing is such a complicated issue sometimes isn’t it? There are many questions; ‘Why doesn’t God heal everyone?’ ‘Why do some people get healed straight away and others take ages?’ ‘Does God only heal supernaturally?’. Often we have to accept that God understands a particular situation more fully that we ever can. One of my favourite verses in the Bible in this one;

‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’. Isaiah 55 verse 8-9.

This situation though seems simple; the crippled man was listening to Paul speak, Paul somehow ‘saw’ that the man believed he could be healed, so he told him to stand up! And he did! I wonder how the man felt when he was told to stand… if it was you, would you immediately stand up, or would you be afraid in case it didn’t work and then you’d make a fool of yourself in front of the crowds. Would you feel excited? Grateful? Scared? 

God really can do miracles… in anyone’s life. They may not be as dramatic or obvious as a healing, but they are just as significant in showing us God’s love and power. Think back over your last week… can you identify instances where something ‘happened’ that seemed like perfect timing? Perhaps you bumped into someone you hadn’t seen for ages but had been meaning to ring. Or perhaps you prayed for something specific to happen and it did. Don’t forget to thank God for those times, and perhaps ask him something specific and see what happens. Sometimes

Acts 14 v 11-13
When the crowds saw what Paul did, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like humans and have come down to us!” Then the people began to call Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Hermes,” because he was the main speaker. The priest in the temple of Zeus, which was near the city, brought some bulls and flowers to the city gates. He and the people wanted to offer a sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas.

Notes
The reaction to the cripple being healed was interesting. I guess there would have been some who thought it was a trick, but the crowds seemed to be convinced that it had really happened. This should have pointed them to God, but they misunderstood the situation, thinking that it was Paul and Barnabas who had healed the man, when actually it was God at work, with them only the channels of his healing power. The crowds began to treat Paul and Barnabas as Greek gods, and even began worshipping them.

It’s almost as if they need Paul and Barnabas to be gods; they can’t grasp that God is working through them. I wonder where people are searching for gods these days? Football players? Pop stars? TV personalities? Why do we need them? Someone to look up to perhaps, but it’s also that God has created within us a need to worship, to look beyond ourselves and search for Him. I believe that God calls all who worship and follow Him, to be signposts for others, so that they might worship the true God, rather than the false ones that are created.

Perhaps you can think of someone you know who is searching for God. Pray for them, that they would find the true God, and pray for yourself, that you might be a signpost to God for them.

Acts 14 v 14-15
But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard about it, they tore their clothes. They ran in among the people, shouting, “Friends, why are you doing these things? We are only human beings like you. We are bringing you the Good News and are telling you to turn away from these worthless things and turn to the living God. He is the One who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in them.

Notes
Can you imagine Paul and Barnabas tearing at their clothes? It’s an amusing thought, but actually it was a sign of total revulsion, absolute horror at being thought of as gods. Paul desperately wanted to put them right, point them back to the true God, to be a signpost again. He and Barnabas didn’t want to take any credit, but wanted to give glory back to God. They wanted the people to know the living God who created the world, not worship Paul and Barnabas, or idols (statues) made of stone or wood – which was common practice in Lystra as well as in many other places. 

How many of the personalities we thought about yesterday, who are ‘worshipped’ by some people, would be humble enough to deflect the adoration away from themselves like Paul and Barnabas did? Or perhaps they are so insecure in themselves, that they need people to worship the personality they and the media have created, rather than know the real person underneath. Or maybe they are completely unaware of God’s love for them, and that their abilities are from Him.

I wonder whether Paul or Barnabas were ever tempted to accept the praise and worship of the crowds? It can be tempting when we’ve done something well, to forget that our abilities and gifts are given to us by God, and also to forget to pass on the praise to Him. But we need to, otherwise we might start getting over-confident, and stop being the signposts that God wants us to be. Think about this past week and thank God for the good things that He has done though you, and ask Him to continue to use you to show others His love.


word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text taken from the Youth Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright 1993 by Word Publishing Milton Keynes