DYNAMIC EXAMPLES OF FAITH AND COURAGE
Acts 14:19-23 NKJV
Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
In these few verses, we see such dynamic examples of faith and courage. It’s too easy to read these words and gloss over the significance of what Paul and Barnabas did.
They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. Okay, what? To stone someone to the point where you think he is dead was not clean and tidy like a G-rated movie. People were picking up fist-sized stones and throwing them full force into Paul’s head and body. Then they gently carried him out of the city. No, they dragged his body out of the city and left him. This is anything but nice and neat. This is bloody and gruesome. The next verse seems almost surreal. The believers gathered around Paul and most likely prayed. And he rose up and went into the city. Come again? Yeah, he rose up and went into the city, and the next day left for another city. Whether or not Paul was actually dead or just unconscious after being stoned, he rose up and went back into the city where they had just tried to kill him. This might be the time I am contemplating a different career path. The miracle of Paul being raised up should not be glossed over, and his courage to go back into the city is courage on another level.
So Paul and Barnabas go back into the cities that had persecuted them. But first, they preached in Derbe and reached a lot of people for the Lord. Then, going back to the cities where their lives were threatened, they went to strengthen the believers. Paul and Barnabas were not trying to build their brand; they were striving to strengthen and establish new believers in the faith. Their message was not sugar-coated. As a believer, you will experience trouble as you walk with the Lord. Maybe by telling these new converts up front what the challenges would be, the churches in these cities would not be as shaken by the difficulties they faced.
Paul and Barnabas appointed leaders in all the churches. Long before leadership culture was a thing, the early apostles knew the importance of having godly leaders. It sounds as if there was prayer and fasting before the final selection of the church elders. Then the believers were commended to the Lord. The new converts were commended to the Lord, not to Paul and Barnabas. Paul understood his role in pointing people to Christ. He knew he was only the messenger, not the Savior.
APPLICATION
There is something about the purity and faith of these early church leaders that is inspiring. Paul and Barnabas faced danger and trouble everywhere they went, but it did not stop them. These were men on a mission, not men looking for money or fame. Their faith and courage are an inspiration and had to have made a strong impression on the people that they reached for Christ. With leaders such as Paul and Barnabas, the early church had a strong foundation to build upon. No wonder the impact of these two men was so powerful and long-lasting.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to face my life and world with faith and courage. I am not called to do what Paul did, but I can live with a sense of mission for my time here on earth.