Our reading today from the Book of Acts picks up shortly after where last week’s reading from Acts left off. Paul and Barnabas had been run out the cities of Antioch and Iconium in central Turkey for preaching the Gospel, and now have arrived in the village of Lystra, around 100 miles southeast of Antioch. The two did not let fear take control and keep them from fulfilling their commission. Nor did they succumb to discouragement and decide to quit and go on home. It was good that that they did not, as Timothy was from Lystra, and possibly came to faith in Christ during Paul’s first visit, though the two did not meet face to face until Paul’s second visit several years after today’s account.
As our passage begins, Paul was preaching a sermon and in the audience was a man who had been crippled from birth (vs. 8). He was listening intently to the message of Paul, which would have been about Jesus, how He was the Messiah, the Savior of mankind, and salvation through His Blood. This crippled man was paying attention, not thinking about how he would get home nor what he would have for dinner, and because he was listening, Paul’s preaching gave birth to faith in his heart (vs. 9). That faith began to grow the more he listened. As Paul later wrote in his letter to the Romans, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17). If this man’s mind had been wandering all over the place, rather than paying attention, faith would not have been planted and had a chance to grow. Because he was listening, the seed of the Word of God was planted in this man’s heart and that seed of faith blossomed. As a result Paul discerned faith, and told him to arise and be healed in the Name of Jesus (vs. 9-10).
This man must have been rather well known in the community that he had been crippled all his life and unable to walk. Yet now he was leaping and walking all around! Word quickly spread through the village. Unfortunately instead of attributing this miracle to Jesus and giving praise to His Name, the people felt that Paul and Barnabas had done this miracle themselves, and were the human incarnation of the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes (vs. 11 - 13). In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the king of the gods, in addition to being the god of the sky and thunder. Hermes was another ancient Greek god, and was the messenger of the gods, and was the protector of roads and travelers. The people started to prepare to offer them sacrifices. Rather than accept the people’s accolades, Paul and Barnabas tried to stop them. How many well known preachers today, though, fall into this trap. Though people today are not inclined to call preachers Greek gods, preachers often let the praise from people go to their heads. When their book sales or TV ratings start to grow, when the world starts to sing their praises, then rather than humbly point the praises to Jesus, they start to get puffed up and strain themselves trying to pat themselves on the back. Paul and Barnabas would not hear of this. Our goal in serving God should never be hoping that people think well and great about us. Our goal should be in pointing and directing others to Jesus. People should not be looking at us. Rather, their focus should be on God.
The majority of the people in this crowd would have been from a pagan background and unfamiliar with the Old Testament Scriptures (the New Testament having yet to be written). Thus, when the crowds gathered together, calling them Zeus and Hermes, Paul didn’t start quoting Scripture to them. Instead, he used nature to point them to Yahweh, the one true living God (vs. 15 - 17). Though they did not have the benefit of Scriptures and the words of the prophets, they did have God’s creation to point to Him all throughout ages. This is true for people everywhere all throughout time. God has never been without some sort of testimony, even in areas where the Gospel has not been preached. God has a witness to Himself in nature that proclaims His goodness. His evidence in nature leaves people without excuse for unbelief. Paul wrote this same thing in Romans 1:18-20.
Some may think that Paul and Barnabas’ trip to Lystra ended disastrously, yet that wouldn’t really be the case. The crippled man came to faith, and was also miraculously healed. And as mentioned earlier, Lystra was where the early Christian leader Timothy was from, and it was on this visit of Paul’s when he possibly came to faith in Christ. If even one soul is saved, coming to faith in Jesus, the work is never in vain.
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