I am currently studying Acts of the Apostles in BSF (Bible Study Fellowship). This is my second year, having had BSF-Trial-By-Fire last year in the study of Isaiah. This study of Acts has been so interesting, having so much to do with the work of the Holy Spirit and His empowerment in our lives to be Christ's ambassadors.
This week's lesson was on Chapter 14, which records the conclusion of Paul's first missionary journey. This chapter tells us about Paul and Barnabas witnessing to the grace of Christ in the pagan cities of Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. In the first city, Iconium, they are speaking to a mixed crowd of Jews and (Greek) Gentiles. Many believed, but some of the unbelieving Jews stir up the crowd and "poison their minds".
Paul and Barnabas could have looked at this situation and just decided there were many other places that would be more receptive to the Gospel, and that they would be better used of God to just move on. Instead, they heeded the Spirit's urging to stay, and not just stay, but spend considerable time there. They stayed there,
"...speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders." (vs. 3)
I will get back to Paul and Barnabas in a moment, but I must interject here with some absolute praise to God for giving me a husband who so often and so ably speaks boldly for the Lord. He doesn't just do it to strangers in a foreign city (though I'm sure he would if given the opportunity). I have been watching him in the last few months be incredibly bold when speaking to his father, his brothers and sister, and several cousins who show a genuine desire for Truth. I believe the Lord will do as He did with Paul and Barnabas and confirm the message of His grace in the hearts of these people--perhaps not through signs and wonders as we think of them, but I can testify to the fact that listening to him weave the gospel and logic with such wisdom is a wonder. As with the apostles, the result is not up to Rob, but up to the Holy Spirit. I am so thankful and proud of him for speaking with greater concern for these people's eternal relationship with God than any possible rending of his relationship with them here and now.
As I write here, he is on the phone with his cousin who, after seeing her pictures on facebook two nights ago, stayed up two hours past when he wanted to be in bed to write her a very clear, detailed, and bold message on facebook, encouraging her to turn to God and away from the pit she's sliding into. She wrote back and asked to talk to him, and he's been on the phone for at least an hour. Praise you, Oh God, who have by Your Spirit empowered your son Rob to bear witness to the Truth of Your Word! Soften A's heart! May the light that You are shedding on her heart right now illuminate her desperate need for you!!!
Okay, so back to the apostles, the ones who did this best (next to Jesus) and gave us such awesome examples of personal surrender to God's will. They eventually moved on from Iconium, when they discovered (most likely by the discernment of the Spirit) that those in that town had hatched a plot to kill them. They escaped and moved on to witness in Lystra. It is here that Paul is nearly stoned to death. Then he does the unthinkable:
"...he got up and went back into the city..."Could I do this? Could I return immediately to those who had just stoned me practically to death, and then dragged my body out of the city to avoid being defiled by a dead body (a head-scratcher of an oxymoron in Jewish culture)?
(Acts 14:20)
I'm not sure that I have a clear conclusion to this post. I just wanted to write about how thankful I am for the Spirit witnessing through my husband, for getting to see it and learn from Him/him every time, and to share about the amazing work that God did at the start of the church and continues to do in our day! May we all be that devoted, that committed to the cause of Christ!!
~Stephanie
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