Acts 13:44-52: Wild with Jealousy
Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Johann Heisse: Paul and Barnabas in Lystra
We have visited this reading before and we do well to visit it again. The themes are vitally important to us.
Some of the Jews, seeing the crowds, went wild with jealousy and tore into Paul, contradicting everything he was saying, making an ugly scene.
Whether we are the Jews, the Christians or the Gentiles, we must guard against jealousy and the ugly scenes this negative emotion brings.
But Paul and Barnabas didn’t back down. Standing their ground they spoke.
Like Paul and Barnabas, we must remain in Christ, trust God, and live in the Spirit so that we might share the healing message of the Good News.
All who were marked out for real life put their trust in God—they honored God’s Word by receiving that life.
Like those who heard the good news of salvation, we must open our hearts and minds to God’s movement in our lives.
Some of the Jews convinced the most respected women and leading men of the town that their precious way of life was about to be destroyed. Alarmed, they turned on Paul and Barnabas and forced them to leave.
Like the most respected women and leading men in our town, we must remain in Christ and the surety of Christ’s promise.
Paul and Barnabas shrugged their shoulders and went on to the next town, Iconium, brimming with joy and the Holy Spirit, two happy disciples.
Like Paul and Barnabas, we must shrug our shoulders, move on to the next town, allowing the joy of the Spirit to overflow our hearts.
For other reflections on Paul and Barnabas, enter the apostles’ names in the blog search bar and explore.
For more on Iconium, visit: http://bibleatlas.org/iconium.htm
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