Mistaken Identity
Opening Prayer
Great Father God, You are the source and giver of life and health. I give You my thanks and worship.
Read Acts 14:8-20
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
[8] In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. [9] He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed [10] and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. [11] When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” [12] Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. [13] The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them. [14] But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: [15] “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. [16] In the past, he let all nations go their own way. [17] Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” [18] Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them. [19] Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. [20] But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
How did Paul and Barnabas react to the crowd's worship?People respond to the good news of Jesus in a variety of ways, often misguided and ill-informed. Today’s account is one such example. Lystra had been made a colony by Caesar Augustus in 6 BC. Often described as a rustic cultural backwater, the crowds may have recalled the account by the Latin poet Ovid of a visitation of the gods Jupiter (Zeus) and Mercury (Hermes) to the region, disguised as mortals. Villagers who welcomed them were blessed, while those who rejected them had their houses destroyed. Recalling this ancient story may account for the elaborate and utterly mistaken way Barnabas and Paul are received. Paul tears his clothes (14), a gesture to protest against blasphemy, and then passionately rejects the Lystrans’ pagan response to the healing, urging them to turn to the living God (15). His argument is rooted in an acceptance of God’s common grace, in stark contrast to his previous speeches. Lystra was only a few miles from Iconium, close enough for Paul’s enemies to find him (19), and it was only when they arrived that the crowds in Lystra abandoned their desire to worship Paul and Barnabas and turned to violence (19).
Apply
Pray that unbelievers who come into your church may truly discover Jesus’ identity and a true, warm welcome.
Closing prayer
Lord, I thank You for Your grace which is for all people who truly want to know and worship You.
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