Sometimes we miss the crux of the matter but I was wondering why Christian doesn’t really have an impact on the World today? What is missing? Let me show you something I saw in Acts Chapter 14 verse 8 to 18. I read that Paul and Barnabas were in the city Lystra and they were teaching the Word of God to the people. Paul noticed a crippled man and it was said the man had been lame from birth and he hadn’t been able to walk.
The cripple man sat there listening to Pauls words. Paul saw that the man believed and knew he could be healed. Paul looked straight at the man and said to him in a loud voice: “Stand up straight on your feet!” The man jumped up and started walking around. It is said when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they started shouting in their own Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us!” They gave Barnabas the name Zeus and Paul the name Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.
Then I read that the priest of the god Zeus, whose temple stood just outside the town, brought bulls and flowers to the gate, for he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice to the apostles. Both Barnabas and Paul heard what they were about to do, they tore their clothes and ran into the middle of the crowds, shouting, “Why are you doing this? We ourselves are only human beings like you! We are here to announce the Good News, to turn you away from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven, earth, sea and all that is in them. In the past he allowed all people to go their own way. But he has always given evidence of his existence by the good things he does: he gives you rain from heaven and crops at the right times; he gives you food and fills your hearts with happiness.” Even with these words the apostles could hardly keep the crowd from offering a sacrifice to them.
It is clear the people in Lystra believed that both Barnabas and Paul where gods. They saw Paul speak a word and the cripple man was healed. It moved them in such away they gave Barnabas and Paul new names “Zeus and Hermes.”
We don’t want to be seen as god but we do want to bring the Word of God to the people the same way Paul and Barnabas did. Paul told the people they weren’t god’s but mere people exactly the same as everybody else the only difference was that they were serving a living God.
Prayer
Lord as mere people we pray that the Holy Spirit will fill our lives and help us in bold when speaking about You. You are our Creator, You are the lover of our souls, You are in control of each and everything we do. Lord bless this word today and let it open the eyes of the people. Guide us and teach us in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth I pray. Amen
