Acts 14:8-20 

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. ¹⁹ Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. ²⁰ But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

Near Death

Have you ever had a near death experience?

One afternoon, a young person climbed to the top most branch of a tree where other children of his age were scared to climb. The following morning he woke up in a hospital room with pain all over his body; he fell down from the tree. Many people thought, he would die from that incident.

Few years later, another boy fall down from a tree and died instantly.

Why was the first boy survived and lived while the other boy died instantly?

With near death experience, someone great out there whom we identify as Holy God has designed the length of life we are to live. Paul had many deadly encounters but the Lord spared him from death until his mission of spreading the gospel to the Gentiles was completed.

How many of us are very much concerned about keeping life gets going and to be secured financially or physically?

Eating healthy food, having regular exercise, saving more money, hoping to live a hundred year or more, those are but normal and sensible outlooks in life.

For believers, to live longer a life is an opportunity to earn more treasures in heaven. But to non-believers, death is the end of everything.

What concerns you most? What are your interests? How do you spend your time? Even now, are you listening or are you thinking about temporary or eternal things? If everything is recorded, how much time do you spend earning eternal treasure?

1.  Interest

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.

That initial experience of Paul in Lystra of calling out a man who was lame to stand. Interestingly, before Paul left Lystra, he almost died after the Jews stoned him but he also got up and walked back into the city as if nothing happened to him. Those extra-ordinary experiences of Paul were designed for God’s glory.

Among those who came to listen, a man who was lame has shown great interest. Was he thinking of being healed? Did he plan to ask Paul for restoration or healing?

Paul called out the man who was lame to stand. The man didn’t merely stand; he also jumped up and walked. The man did more than what Paul had asked him to do.

Did God save us just to be saved? Does eternal life affect you to obey the Lord?

The best indication of being a believer is active obedience to God’s instructions. What has God instructed you to do when you receive the gift of eternal life?

The gospel of Christ draws interest from those whom God has prepared to believe. Genuine believers will obey; blessing comes with obedience to God’s commands.

Do you agree that God’s commands are given for believers to practice faith? Do you believe that there are consequences when faith is not put into action? Can one practice faith even when having fun like Sport Fest?

Sport Fest

During the Sport Fest, the Red Team won after many hilarious events. Many were baffled how the Red Team guessed the clue for hospital. In that Guessing game, a member gestured as if she was performing CPR [cardiopulmonary resuscitation] and a building structure.

How did the Red Team guess hospital with her simple gesture?

Before the Guessing game was the flipping of coin game. The Red team was ahead in points but received 3 successive penalties. When the instruction required members of both teams to close their eyes, there was confusion among the members of the Red Team. Before participants were required to close eyes, the Red Team was earning more points because of some dishonest trickery.

It was a hilarious learning experience of not following instruction honestly. Cheating may appear to be advantageous but in the end it will cost more damage.

God has already prepared blessing the person who obeys His instructions.

Learn to be attentive when God speaks; listen to God’s instructions. When you find some interest, excitement, nervousness when you hear God’s word, there will always be struggle between obeying and ignoring. Obedience to God should bear joy and peace; obedience to self incites indifference.

2.  Indifference

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.

Here is a practical example that no explanation is possible for those without faith. Paul clearly explained that they were only humans bringing good news about God. Zeus’ priest and his followers were filled with indifference; they have no interest about Christ. They were very sincere and loyal to their religious practices. They didn’t know they were deceiving themselves; they didn’t want to listen. They were no better than those who wanted to kill Paul.

¹⁹ Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. ²⁰ But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

The gospel of Christ is a magnet to hostile people; the Jews wanted to kill Paul. Paul and Barnabas were in constant friction with the Jews but they kept preaching. After the Jews who stoned and dragged him thought he was already dead, Paul, whom God used to heal the man who was lame, got up miraculously and did not leave the city until the next day.

When the Holy Spirit is at work in the disciple’s life, dangers are but opportunities to experience more of God power and provision.

Have you known someone who is prone to accidents?

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Red Light

Not once, not twice, but many time that I have driven through Red Lights.

How many times have you driven through Red Lights unintentionally?

Beating the Red Light are causes of car accidents which may lead to death.

 

Driving through Red Lights unintentionally reminds us that honest and sincere decisions are not necessarily right decision; it can be unintentional mistake.

We desire to be safe, healthy, or live cautiously but in a split second, we may be in danger or even lose our life if God permits them.

Accidents will occur anytime while driving or just by walking.

Not just motorists but even pedestrians died because of car accidents.

 

Paul and Barnabas did not try to prevent accidents; they did not invite hostility.

They were just doing the will of God; they attracted interest and indifference.

We are not exempted; as we obey God we also draw interest and indifference.

Nevertheless, joy and peace prevails if we are in the centre of God’s will.