Subscription Lists
Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
We are reading in Acts 14, where Paul preaches in Lystra and there is a man sitting there listening to Paul preaching - a man who is a cripple. He has never walked.
Paul saw faith growing in this man. Faith was transforming him. Paul reached that point where he called out - "Stand up on your feet!" - and, the man jumped up and began to walk. When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted, "the gods have come down to us in human form." This was not a strange concept to these people. This was part of their culture. They gave them names of Greek gods, and they wanted to worship Paul and Barnabas.
They get it so terribly wrong! Many want to worship, and many people want to worship men - or things - or people - or heroes - or organisations - and they get it so terribly wrong. You hear people say - 'O he just lived for sport or his family or his work, etc.'. What we are reading of here is not all that strange!
These people even wanted to offer sacrifices to the apostles.
When Paul and Barnabas realised what was happening they tore their clothes in rage and anger and disappointment. They were horrified at what was happening, and they cried out, "Why are you doing this? We too are only ordinary men - human like you. We have come here to preach the good news about Jesus Christ - and what we want you to do is turn from these worthless things - to the Living God - the Creator."
God only wants us to leave things, which will do us no good - to get rid of those things, which might harm us and hurt us and mislead us.
But, people don't like being told they have been spending their time and money and effort on worthless things - on pointless activities - but preachers and apostles and prophets have to do that at times - and take the consequences - and sometimes they have to be ready for anything and everything.
One moment they are about to be stoned to death - that is why they had to flee from Iconium - the next experience they have is that people wish to worship them. Situations can change so suddenly - for good - as well as bad. We need to know that too.
How would handle such a situation? How would you cope with these circumstances which confronted Barnabas and Paul? What would your reaction be if people behaved like this as a consequence of your ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit?
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
Receive the newest devotional each week in your inbox by joining the "Word from Scotland" subscription list. Enter your email address below, click "Go!" and we will send you a confirmation email. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your addition to this list.