How you doin? Lately I've learned a lot by watching the response of the people in the Bible. God's word demands a response. I've noticed the response from the apostles, disciples, believers, and nonbelievers. Acts 14 is one big response.
"There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed." (14:1) Paul and Barnabas respond to the Holy Ghost by being obedient. The people respond by believing. Not everyone responded well, "But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers." (14:2) Here we see a glimpse of Spiritual warfare manifested in the natural. Verse 3 is AWESOME!!!!!!! "So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders." (14:3) Here we see a response from the Holy Ghost. The first 3 verses really set the stage for the rest of this chapter.
"There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed." (14:1) Paul and Barnabas respond to the Holy Ghost by being obedient. The people respond by believing. Not everyone responded well, "But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers." (14:2) Here we see a glimpse of Spiritual warfare manifested in the natural. Verse 3 is AWESOME!!!!!!! "So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders." (14:3) Here we see a response from the Holy Ghost. The first 3 verses really set the stage for the rest of this chapter.
The place where Paul and Barnabas were was divided and there was a plot to stone them. They fled to another place... Lystra. Here we see another contrast in response. Paul heals a crippled man (14:8-10). The crowd saw what Paul had done and proclaimed him to be a god, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”. (14:11) The people went on to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas. This is obviously a terrible response. Verses 14-18 describe Paul's and Barnabas' response back. Their response is tremendous. Very Spirit filled and blessed. Jews came from the towns that Paul and Barnabas had been previously and "won the crowd over". The Jews "stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead". (14:19) Yet again a poor response by the Jews.
The chapter ends with Paul surviving the stoning. Paul and Barnabas went on preaching the "good news" in the cities that had just responded so extremely poorly. The best response in this chapter by far is seen in verses 21-22... "They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said." WOW!!!!!!! They didn't sway from following Jesus. COME ON!!!!!!! I can't say that after being stoned, I would have continued on, especially in the same towns that just did me wrong.
The things that stood out the most to me in this chapter was the power of the lies among the unbelievers. They witness the grace and power of God, but couldn't see it or pay attention to it. The other thing was that when Paul and Barnabas returned to the cities that rebuked them, they went to the believers/disciples to "strengthen" and "encourage" them. They did not return to fight with or convince those that rebuked them. They didn't waste their time. Respond well to Jesus today.
The things that stood out the most to me in this chapter was the power of the lies among the unbelievers. They witness the grace and power of God, but couldn't see it or pay attention to it. The other thing was that when Paul and Barnabas returned to the cities that rebuked them, they went to the believers/disciples to "strengthen" and "encourage" them. They did not return to fight with or convince those that rebuked them. They didn't waste their time. Respond well to Jesus today.
No comments:
Post a Comment