Burunche’s Blog

Acts 14:1-7 At Iconium

“Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. Therefore, they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. And they were preaching the gospel there.

When you are acting for the Kingdom of God, there will always be opposition. And the more effective your ministry, the stronger the opposition. Here, Paul and Barnabas have been preaching and teaching and many people, both Jews and Greeks, have been streaming into the Kingdom of God. But traditional leaders whose commitment to their own power is greater than their commitment to God’s truth are doing everything they can to fight these men. Finally, Paul and Barnabas find themselves on the road again, fleeing to Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding region, preaching the gospel as they go.

While Paul and Barnabas are probably thinking only of escaping opposition, God has far bigger plans. For as these preachers are fleeing from one place to another, they are teaching people about Jesus wherever they go, lighting fires of hope in people’s hearts. Psalm 37;23 tells us that “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.” While Paul and Barnabas might feel they are wandering aimlessly across the countryside, meanwhile, God is moving them into strategically important connections with spiritually hungry people ready to hear the gospel and accept it.

Acts 14:8-18 Idolatry at Lystra

And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked. Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless, He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.”

The people of Lystra have been worshiping fake Grecian gods, even though the myths describe these beings as far from having any purity or holiness. When Paul and Barnabas speak to a man crippled from birth, he leaps up healed and whole. Local people are so thrilled that they can only conclude that their gods have descended and are favoring them. But now Paul and Barnabas have a new set of problems: the temptation to allow themselves to be worshiped as gods. Quite sensibly, Paul and Barnabas refuse, doing everything they can to convince these people that the God of heaven and earth has done this miracle and that they are only His agents.

The temptation to take glory reserved only for God continues to this day. Here in Ghana, it is quite common for those conducting crusades to spread posters portraying the evangelist and the dates of the crusade as widely as possible, advertising healing and deliverance. But without God, these people are nothing, powerless beings who can only mouth platitudes. The question is this: who is doing the healing and who should receive the glory? While God may work through men and women, He alone deserves the praise and the glory. People do get healed in these crusades; however, the healing comes through their faith in God and not because the evangelist has the power to heal. All power must come from the One True Living God. Paul and Barnabas know that God has healed this man in Lystra and they are doing everything they can to avoid being confused with traditional Greek gods. (Study Greek mythology, and you rapidly realize that the Greek gods are far from holy or pure!)

As God’s ambassadors, we must not take credit when all the glory belongs to God. There is a fictitious story about the donkey that carried Jesus on Palm Sunday feeling proud that all the adulation was for him; meanwhile, the donkey was only a means to an end. Like that donkey, we must allow God to use us but remember that He is the only One worthy of praise.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to continually point people to You, for You are the Source of light and life while we are only messengers. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 26:57-68 Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin

“And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.

Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ”

And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”

Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! What do you think?”

They answered and said, “He is deserving of death.”

Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?”

“Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’”

Jesus has been hauled off for a mock trial before the religious authorities. It’s obvious from the beginning that Jesus is innocent; however, these men feel their positions are threatened and they are fighting for their existence. Under such circumstances, these men violate the very Mosaic Law they have sworn to uphold. When the high priest puts Jesus under oath, Jesus states that he is the Christ and that the high priest will see him at the right hand of God. Jesus is speaking the truth, but even the high priest twists his statements. Finally, two false witnesses claim Jesus has said he can destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days; meanwhile, they have twisted a statement Jesus has made regarding his death and resurrection. If you check the original statement, Jesus was not referring to the temple of God.

While we might think that Jesus’ sufferings only began during the beatings and crucifixion, being misunderstood and lied about are actually the beginnings of his sufferings. What a temptation that must have been when one of the crowds challenged Jesus to prophesy as to which men were striking him! Jesus could have given them names and lineages going all the way back to Adam, but he didn’t. Here Jesus is setting an example for his disciples, for there will always be times when we might be insulted or lied about.

Matthew 26:69-75 Peter Denies Jesus, and Weeps Bitterly

“Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”

But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.”

And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!”

And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man! “Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.”

Oh Peter! So sure of yourself earlier and now you are doing the very thing you have sworn you would never do! We need to learn from Peter as well, for any one of us might make the same mistakes as Peter at any time. Oswald Chambers makes the point that we don’t generally fail at our weak spots, but at our strong ones. When we know we have weaknesses, we are far less likely to trust ourselves in those areas; however, we are more than willing to barge ahead without consulting God in areas where we feel self-assured. Those are the very places where failure is most likely. The predictable happens; Peter denies Jesus three times just as Jesus has said, and then weeps bitterly over his failures.

What can we learn from Jesus and Peter? Jesus sets the example for times when we are under interrogation or even torture. Later, Peter himself describes Jesus’ behavior. (1 Peter 2:21-25) “For to this you have been called, for Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps. “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when he was reviled, did not revile in return, when He suffered He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness-by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Sheperd and Overseer of your souls.”

Peter suffered for his self-assurance, but he also learned from that suffering. Forever after that night, Peter would never again trust himself as completely as he had before denying Jesus. And it’s likely that as Peter was uttering that final denial, Jesus looked at him with eyes of love with a look that pierced Peter’s very soul.

May we learn from both Jesus and Peter so that we will follow hard after Jesus as true disciples!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You and not ourselves. Help us to remain humble, realizing that our strong points can become our points of greatest failure. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.