Acts 14:8-20 (NIV)
Read by: Chandra Crane
Have you ever tried to explain the good news and find that you are being completely misunderstood?
Today’s passage is comical in that Paul and Barnabas are mistaken for God’s and worshiped on the one hand. And on the other it’s quite troubling to hear that as they were trying to get away from that, they were caught by a group of Jews outside the city and Paul was stoned.
We have to be aware of what stories people see themselves living inm. You see, the city in which Paul and Barnaba find themselves is Lystra, and legend had it that this area had received an ancient visitation from Zues and Hermes, to Greek gods. In the story of this visitation, only two people received the gods graciously and the rest of the population was destroyed in a flood. See they saw themselves living in a story where distant Gods either had favor on them or not and might show up any minute and destroy them. So even when they encounter the truth they are hearing it through the story they knew.
It raises the question, what stories to the people we love and serve and witness to see themselves living in. Some see themselves living in the therapeutic story, where life is about enjoyment and comfort and security, others see it as a story of progress, still others a story of liberty and power. Consider what stories your communities have in mind when they encounter the good news.
----------REFLECT----------
1. What struck you about today’s passage?
2. How have your communities' preloaded stories shaped the meaning that they make of the Gospel? They may not start sacrificing animals to a preacher, but they might expect a certain set of blessings, or comfort, or lack of hardship? What distortions take place?
3. The problems with crowds that are easily persuaded is that anything the sounds right can win them over. This crowd gets used by Jewish leaders outside their jurisdiction who use the crowd to trap paul and stone him. What do you think makes Paul willing to suffer life this?
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Mixed Blessing >>
Bible Project: Acts 13-28 Overview >>
InterVarsity Press Selections: Acts >>
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