Wednesday
Paul and Barnabas continue on their first missionary journey. I find it hard to believe that Paul would ever go on a second one. Talk about a roller coaster journey.
First they find favor with people, and then the next thing you know they want to stone them. Some consider them a god and want to sacrifice to them, others end up stoning Paul almost to the point of death. And through it all Paul is recognizing the amazing work that is being done. (vs 27)
So they start off their journey in Iconium, which is a Roman city in Galatia, located in the central region of modern-day Turkey. Paul and Barnabas start by seeking out the Jews at the synagogue as was their practice. Resistance starts almost immediately. It seems like when there is a lot of good and positive things are happening for the missionaries, it is always met with opposition. And so the city is divide by between those who follow Paul and his message of hope and salvation and those who are listening to the Jews who are hostile to the Christian message.
But, Paul and Barnabas here of a plot to kill them and they are able to escape. The message will not be stopped. In Acts we will see that persecution never achieves its goal of eliminating the Christian movement. Actually, interestingly enough, it takes persecution to keep the message going “from Judea to Samaria and the ends of the world.”
The missionaries move on the Lystra where there was a miraculous healing. Unfortunately, the people don’t understand that it is not Paul doing the healing. This is a very pagan area and when they are introduced to Christianity, they mistakenly think that it is Paul and Barnabas who are gods and want to make a sacrifice to them. (better than making a sacrifice of them.)
But still, Paul and Barnabas are appalled by the thought and tear their clothes. (Tearing your clothes in biblical times was a powerful expression of grief and/or loss.) And so, Paul explains to them about the One True God, the maker and creator of the universe. Taking the focus off of them and putting it where it should be.
Unfortunately, some Jews come along and win the crowd over and persuade them to have Paul stoned. Thinking that he was dead they throw him outside the city. Luke writes that the “disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city.”
I would imagine that they stood over him praying and asking for healing. And then Paul picks up and continues on. They go on to Derby. Nothing bad seems to have happened and many gave their lives to Christ there. Then they make their return visit. Stopping in each of the places to meet with the new converts. Assigning leaders in the new churches and encouraging them. When they return they are able to share with the other Christians the many successes they had.
Isn’t it something that when their trip (this first missionary journey) concluded, what they focused on, what they remembered happening were the successes and how God had opened up the door for the gentiles to come to know the Lord.
There will be hardships, there will be trials, but in the end the thing that the people of God choose to remember are the good things, the achievements, the triumphs. It does us no good to dwell on the bad things, our failures. That is why I am sure Paul wrote those words to the Philippians, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
So what are you thinking about?
Pastor Kathy