Acts - Week 7 / Thursday

Reading for today: Acts 14:1-20

Opportunity and opposition---we see it again and again in this passage. When Paul and Barnabas fled to Lystra and Derbe to escape the planned stoning in Iconium, they had a really interesting experience.

Paul saw a man who had been lame from birth, and discerned that he had faith to be healed. So he told the man to stand up, the man did, and was miraculously healed. This miracle made these pagan Gentiles believe that the Greek gods had come down, and so they proceeded to prepare to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas.

When Paul and Barnabas finally figured out what was going on, they ran out into the crowd attempting to convince them of the wrongness of what they wanted to do. The message Paul and Barnabas try to convey was quite different from the message they normally spoke to a Jewish crowd. They realized they had to use pictures and language that this crowd would understand. Today, we would talk about being relevant. That's an important thing to remember when we are trying to connect with people.

Use language and terminology that they will understand. If somebody does not have a churched background, don't try to talk to them in "church jargon." Whether we like to admit it or not, we tend to have a language of our own, and quite frankly, it doesn't connect very well with someone who has not grown up in the church.

The greatest thing you have to share is your own story of salvation. Learn to tell it in language that will quickly connect with your hearer. I'm not talking about watering down the gospel. I would make a plea for making the gospel understandable---whomever your listener may be.

Tomorrow: The first missionary journey comes to a conclusion

Acts - Week 7 / Wednesday

Reading for today: Acts 13:42-52

First of all, my apologies for this being so late in the day. I started early this morning with a tight schedule, and plumb forgot about writing the blog.

There was a good response to Paul's message on that first Sabbath in Antioch of Pisidia, with many people deciding to follow Christ. By the next Sabbath, nearly the whole town is gathered to hear God's Word.

The sight of the crowd filled the Jews with jealousy, and they began to speak against what Paul said. The implication is that they were afraid of losing their influence over those Gentiles who had been looking to them for teaching. It may also imply that they had a zeal for a Judaism that had no room for blessing on Gentiles who did not first become Jews.

But Paul and Barnabas are not frightened by this attack. They boldly declare that they intentionally had come to the Jews first with this message,, but since the Jews were rejecting their message, Paul and Barnabas would now go to the Gentiles.

Needless to say, this delighted the Gentiles, and many of them chose to follow Christ. Consequently, the Word of God spread through the whole region.

But, as usual, opposition soon arose in the form of persecution against Paul and Barnabas. As a result, they were expelled from the region. But what interests me is their response to this opposition. You don't find them complaining, or moaning about being picked on, or whining, "Why me?"

It says they were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Is it possible that the two are connected?

How do you find yourself responding when you are faced with some opposition because of your faith in Jesus Christ? Honestly, I find myself saying, "Why me?" far too often. I'm going to work on that one.

Tomorrow: The fickleness of the crowd!