From Pastor's Desk
The Holy Ghost (Spirit) in Action - Scene 32: Acts:14: 1-17 - Paul Preaching at Iconium and Lystra (now modern day cities in Turkey)
This week's lessons continues the record of Paul's 1st missionary journey throughout Asia Minor. Having just left Perga with a bursting revival, the scriptures says that the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Ghost.
Paul and Barnabas then moved on to Iconium, and, as was their custom, went to the synagogue of the Jews, and spoke the word of the Lord. The Bible says in Acts 14:1; "that a great multitude both of Jews and also of the Greeks believed," the gospel. However, the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and corrupted their minds against the Apostles.
These unbelieving Jews did not dissuade Paul and the other brethren with him from preaching the word of God, and they spent a long time in this area speaking boldly in the name of the Lord, who used them mightily through signs and wonders at their hands. This miraculously moving of the Spirit of God in action caused the entire city to be divided; part supported the religious Jews, and the other part believed the gospel preached by the apostles.
The scripture says that a group of Jews along with their rulers and the Gentiles viciously attacked the Apostles and brethren, and attempted to abuse them, and stoned them; but the Spirit of God in action made these men of God aware of the schemes of Satan working through the unbelievers, and they left immediately to the cities of Lystra and Derbe on the outskirts of the Iconium. At this place they resumed preaching and teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
At Lystra there sat a certain man who, from his mother's womb, had a disability of the feet, and never walked. The Bible says that this man heard Paul speak; and Paul by the Spirit of God in action, perceived that this man had the faith to be healed. Paul said unto him in a loud voice, "Stand upright on thy feet". The scripture says that upon hearing this command, this man who was disabled from birth, leaped up and walked. This spectacular miracle by the Holy Spirit, created a huge uproar and astonishment by the people in that area, that lifted up their voices, saying that "the gods are come down to us in the likeness of men."
The people of this city then attempted to deify Paul and Barnabas, and named them Mercurius and Jupiter respectively. They also proceeded to make garlands and sacrifices to honour these Apostles as they believed they were the ones who worked the miracles. When Barnabas and Paul heard of this attempt to make them "little gods", they rent their clothes, and ran into the people, crying out,
"sirs, why do ye these things? We are men of like passion with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways." Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."
The Apostles did all they could to restrain the people that they should not sacrifice unto to them, because it was the Spirit of God in action that worked this miracle. The scripture says that certain other Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, persuaded the people, and assisted in having Paul stoned and dragged out of the city because they thought he was dead.
Readers of this blog, what happened to the Apostles in AD 50, are still happening today in various parts of the world, whenever the only true gospel is preached. If you want to know more about this life changing message, p
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