Acts 14:1-28
There is a cost associated with the Gospel, not only for those who preach it, but also for those who hear it. Neutrality is not an option when it comes to Christ. As we conclude the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas, we will see the impact of their ministry both positive and negative.
THE GOSPEL IS DIVISIVE: Those who hear the message of Christ are either filled with hope or hatred. For those who believe the Gospel brings forgiveness, love, joy and peace. They are filled with a meaning in life that allows them to rejoice in the most dire of circumstance. For those who reject the Gospel it represents condemnation, fear, sadness and anger. There is no middle ground, either you believe it our you don't. Those who believe will continue to reach out in love to those who do not, but what we consider to a gesture of love is usually offensive. This was Paul's experience, those who believed loved him and longed to learn more from him. Those who rejected the message hated him and longed to shut him up for good. If our message is not provoking these dramatically different responses, than we need to examine that which we are preaching.
THE PEOPLE ARE DEVOTED: The response of the people to the miracles of Paul were to worship him as a god. That is what people do because that is who God made us to be. We are worshippers! We worship athletes, jobs, money, fame, stars, animals, trees, statues and, most often, ourselves. God made us to worship Him, but since the Fall, we have turned from that divine purpose to worship idols of our own heart's making. Devotion is part of who we are, we are all devoted to something or someone. The problem is that we are usually devoted to all of the wrong things and not to the One who gave Himself for our redemption. We are too easily impressed by the glitz of this world and become enamoured with the worship of that which is destined for the flame. May our devotion be demonstrated to God and God alone.
THE CROWN IS DEVIATED: In the space of a few hours, the crown turns from worshiping Paul as a god to stoning him. When Paul refused to accept their worship and confronted them with the truth that they must turn from all of their worthless worship and bow before the One and Only True God alone, they were deviated from their worship and it was replaced with rage. Popularity can be so tempting and is very enjoyable, but it is not the way God has called us to walk. We must love and care for people, but we must not allow them to walk blindly into a Christless eternity. We must warn them, point them to the truth and confront them with their sin that they might see their need of Christ. As we do this, the temporary affection that unbelievers might show us as a response to our love will, very often, shift to a bitter and even murderous hatred. This is the cost of the cross.
THE LEADERS ARE DEVELOPED: As Paul and Barnabas preach, teach and get run out of town after town, they are laser focused on training leaders to carry on the work. They leave when they must, but they come back to invest in the lives of faithful men who will carry on the work that God has done. This is the task of missions. We must not only start ministries, but we must prepare those who will carry on the work in our absence. God equips people to build His kingdom and we must allow His work to flourish in the lives of others. Too often we believe that if anything is going to be done right, that we have to do it ourselves. We hoard our pulpits and compete instead of cooperate with other ministries and ministers. Unfortunately, the result is an anemic body that will shrivel and die in the next generation because no true leadership was ever developed. May we be humble enough to equip and encourage others to take the Gospel and fly higher than we have ever been able to soar.
THE GOSPEL IS DIVISIVE: Those who hear the message of Christ are either filled with hope or hatred. For those who believe the Gospel brings forgiveness, love, joy and peace. They are filled with a meaning in life that allows them to rejoice in the most dire of circumstance. For those who reject the Gospel it represents condemnation, fear, sadness and anger. There is no middle ground, either you believe it our you don't. Those who believe will continue to reach out in love to those who do not, but what we consider to a gesture of love is usually offensive. This was Paul's experience, those who believed loved him and longed to learn more from him. Those who rejected the message hated him and longed to shut him up for good. If our message is not provoking these dramatically different responses, than we need to examine that which we are preaching.
THE PEOPLE ARE DEVOTED: The response of the people to the miracles of Paul were to worship him as a god. That is what people do because that is who God made us to be. We are worshippers! We worship athletes, jobs, money, fame, stars, animals, trees, statues and, most often, ourselves. God made us to worship Him, but since the Fall, we have turned from that divine purpose to worship idols of our own heart's making. Devotion is part of who we are, we are all devoted to something or someone. The problem is that we are usually devoted to all of the wrong things and not to the One who gave Himself for our redemption. We are too easily impressed by the glitz of this world and become enamoured with the worship of that which is destined for the flame. May our devotion be demonstrated to God and God alone.
THE CROWN IS DEVIATED: In the space of a few hours, the crown turns from worshiping Paul as a god to stoning him. When Paul refused to accept their worship and confronted them with the truth that they must turn from all of their worthless worship and bow before the One and Only True God alone, they were deviated from their worship and it was replaced with rage. Popularity can be so tempting and is very enjoyable, but it is not the way God has called us to walk. We must love and care for people, but we must not allow them to walk blindly into a Christless eternity. We must warn them, point them to the truth and confront them with their sin that they might see their need of Christ. As we do this, the temporary affection that unbelievers might show us as a response to our love will, very often, shift to a bitter and even murderous hatred. This is the cost of the cross.
THE LEADERS ARE DEVELOPED: As Paul and Barnabas preach, teach and get run out of town after town, they are laser focused on training leaders to carry on the work. They leave when they must, but they come back to invest in the lives of faithful men who will carry on the work that God has done. This is the task of missions. We must not only start ministries, but we must prepare those who will carry on the work in our absence. God equips people to build His kingdom and we must allow His work to flourish in the lives of others. Too often we believe that if anything is going to be done right, that we have to do it ourselves. We hoard our pulpits and compete instead of cooperate with other ministries and ministers. Unfortunately, the result is an anemic body that will shrivel and die in the next generation because no true leadership was ever developed. May we be humble enough to equip and encourage others to take the Gospel and fly higher than we have ever been able to soar.
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