Acts 14: 8-28

8In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. 9He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.
11When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" 12Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13The 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.
14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15"Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. 16In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." 18Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.
19Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
21They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said. 23Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. 24After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, 25and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
26From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. 28And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.

Questions to consider:

• How does Paul’s approach at Lystra differ from his approach at Antioch or Iconium?
• How would you describe the religion of the people of Lystra? What do they learn about
God on this day?
• What ideas about God are held by those around you?
• How important is follow-up to Paul? How does he counsel new Christians?
• How do Paul and Barnabas provide for the future needs of the people of Lystra, Iconium,
and Antioch? (hint: check out verse 23!)
• What is Paul’s relation to the Antioch church which has sent them out? Can you derive any
principles from this about you and your faith-related work should be tied to a local church?

Possibilities for prayer:

Paul and Barnabas continue to encounter difficult situations on their journeys. First the crowd wants to offer sacrifices to them as gods, and then they want to stone Paul to death! It seems like these two can’t win, even though the power of God is enabling them to perform miracles like healing people who cannot walk. Paul seems to manage humility on a consistent basis, which is something for which we can all be striving. Today, let’s ask God to give us the words to give Him the glory, and acknowledge Him as reigning supreme.