WE MUST GO THROUGH MANY HARDSHIPS TO ENTER THE KINGDOM, Sarah Barry
TURN TO THE LIVING GOD
Passage: Acts 14:8~20  
Key verse: 15b
In Lystra and Derbe
8 In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth(A) 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(B) 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!”(C) At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.(D)
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!”(E) 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker.(F) 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(G) and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human,(H) like you. We are bringing you good news,(I) telling you to turn from these worthless things(J) to the living God,(K) who made the heavens and the earth(L) and the sea and everything in them.(M) 16 In the past, he let(N) all nations go their own way.(O) 17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony:(P) He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons;(Q) he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”(R) 18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.
19 Then some Jews(S) came from Antioch and Iconium(T) and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul(U) and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples(V) had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
Cross references
- Acts 14:8 : Ac 3:2
- Acts 14:9 : Mt 9:28, 29; 13:58
- Acts 14:10 : Eze 2:1
- Acts 14:10 : Ac 3:8
- Acts 14:11 : Ac 8:10; 28:6
- Acts 14:12 : Ex 7:1
- Acts 14:14 : S Mk 14:63
- Acts 14:15 : S Ac 10:26
- Acts 14:15 : ver 7, 21; S Ac 13:32
- Acts 14:15 : 1Sa 12:21; 1Th 1:9
- Acts 14:15 : S Mt 16:16
- Acts 14:15 : Ge 1:1
- Acts 14:15 : Ps 146:6; Rev 14:7
- Acts 14:16 : Ac 17:30
- Acts 14:16 : Ps 81:12; Mic 4:5
- Acts 14:17 : Ro 1:20
- Acts 14:17 : Dt 11:14; Job 5:10; Ps 65:10
- Acts 14:17 : Ps 4:7
- Acts 14:19 : Ac 13:45
- Acts 14:19 : S Ac 13:51
- Acts 14:19 : 2Co 11:25; 2Ti 3:11
- Acts 14:20 : ver 22, 28; S Ac 11:26
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. A lame man healed (8-13)
The people of Lystra lived in the darkness of superstition. They lived by their feelings. But as Paul preached the gospel to the inattentive crowd, he saw one man who was listening. He was a man crippled from birth. Paul saw that he had faith, and he healed him. His suddenly transformed life turned the crowd's indifference into intense excitement. Emotional excitement is not faith. They should have repented and believed the gospel, but they didn't. They called Paul and Barnabas Greek gods and tried to worship them.
2. Creation faith; resurrection faith (14-20)
The apostles refused their worship, tore their clothes in protest, and challenged the people to turn from worthless things and worship the Creator God. They tried to teach them Genesis. But the crowd, incited by some Jews, suddenly turned on Paul, stoned him, and left him for dead. By resurrection faith he got up and went back into the city.
Prayer: Lord, help me to preach Jesus and honor him only in every circumstance.
One Word: Worship the Creator God