TURN TO THE LIVING GOD
Acts 14:1-18
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. (15b)
chapter 14
1. At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed.
2. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.
3. 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.
4. The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles.
5. There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them.
6. But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country,
7. where they continued to preach the gospel.
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.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
1. Paul and Barnabas, after leaving Antioch, went to Iconium, where they preached the gospel with great success. As a result, many Jews and Gentiles came to believe. However, as usual, when God works, Satan works, and opposition arose as some unbelieving Jews stirred up hostility against them. Despite this, Paul and Barnabas continued to speak boldly, performing signs and wonders to confirm their message. The result was that the city became divided, with some supporting the apostles and others opposing them. When a plot to stone them was discovered, they fled to Lystra and Derbe, where they continued preaching the gospel.
2. Witnessing this miracle, the crowd mistakenly believed the apostles were gods. The local priest prepared sacrifices in their honor . Distressed, Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes and urgently corrected the misunderstanding, stating that they were mere humans proclaiming the one true God. They urged the people to turn from idolatry to the living God, who provides for all. When people are not rooted in the word of God, they end up worshipping any fancy thing that catches their eye. They confuse these for what is worthy of worship. But only the one true God is worthy of our worship.
Prayer: Father, many people are confused and do not know where to turn. Help them to turn to the one, true, living God and worship you alone.
One Word: Turn from worthless things to the living God!