Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked.
Acts 14:8-18
In Lystra, there was a man, crippled from birth, unable to use his feet. He was listening to Paul preach and Paul could see that the man had faith enough to be healed (this would be only by the Holy Spirit working in Paul). As Paul was peering intently at the man, he said to the man, “Stand upright on your feet.” Scripture says the man “sprang up” and began to walk. The man had never walked before. Yet, in an instant, the man literally jumped to his feet, now healed, and began to walk like everyone else. At the man’s healing, the crowd listening to Paul believed Paul and Barnabas to be gods whom they worshipped now becoming men like them. The crowd wanted to worship Paul and Barnabas, calling them Zeus and Hermes. They even took animals to sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas. When Paul and Barnabas saw what the people were doing, they tore their clothing and rushed toward the people to tell them to stop their sacrifices. Paul and Barnabas explained that they were men just like the people of Lystra. They were bringing to Lystra the good news of the Living God, who made all things and, giving them signs of His existence through the rains in their seasons and the fruits of their labors in the fields in their crops and animals. The people were barely restrained from their worship of Paul and Barnabas. They will continue their work in Lystra for a short time eventually establishing a church there. We will see more of their missionary work in Lystra. Missionaries today face people who see them as gods come to earth because humans need to worship something. If the Living God is not known to such people, they will worship anybody that appears to have more “power” than their “religious” leaders have. God made all humans with a desire to worship Him. But, sin has separated humans from God. They cannot see God or find God without someone sent by God to tell them. Christians must pray to God to send more workers into the field for the harvest of many souls is ripe and ready for the gospel of the good news of God’s Redemption.
Source: S C Ball July 4, 2023
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