Long Time Therefore Abode They Speaking Boldly In the Lord, Which Gave Testimony Unto the Word of His Grace - Part 1727

There was a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet. Being crippled from his mother's womb, he had never walked. This man heard apostle Paul speaking, and Paul, perceiving that he had the faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, "Stand upright on thy feet." And the man leaped and walked. When the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, "The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men." (Acts 14:8-11)

Before continuing, let me say this first. People are being led astray by false doctrines and teachings within the modern age religious culture all the time. The example above is not the only time the apostles had to boldly proclaim the Lord Jesus as their Lord God and Saviour, or to similarly point out that there is only ONE GOD and His Name (in this current dispensation of grace) is JESUS. (Matthew 1:21-23; John 20:31; Philippians 2:9; Acts 4:12)

While in the first example, the people thought the gods had come down in the likeness of men, there is another example wherein the people were bewitched by sorceries -- in the plural. We learn more about this in Acts 8. Situated in a city in Samaria wherein a certain man called Simon used sorcery to bewitch the people. "To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the great power of G/god!" And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries [magic arts]. (Acts 8:5-12)

There is yet another example worth noting, whereby the people thought Paul was a god in Acts 28. Herein, the centurion willing to save Paul commanded those who could swim to shore to do so when the ship broke in the place where two seas met. This place was called Melita [Malta] wherein "the barbarous people showed us no little [unusual] kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one because of the present rain, and because of the cold." (Acts 28:1-3) Apostle Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks to lay on the fire. When he did, there came a viper out of the heat and fastened on his hand.

"And when the barbarians saw the [venomous] beast [creature] hang on his hand" -- the people thought Paul to be "a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffer not to live."  When Paul shook off the beast into the fire and the people saw that he felt no harm, and was not swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly; they changed their minds and said "that he was a god." (Acts 28:1-10)

What is consistent in all three examples, is that the people obviously did not know the one true God. Neither did these understand that in this current dispensation of grace, wherein "God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for HIS NAME!" (Acts 15:14) Instead, these either willingly worshiped men as a god, or as detailed in the first example, believed the "gods are come down to us in the likeness of men." (Acts 14:11)

At this point, none understood that God robed Himself in sin-prone flesh (yet without sin) so that He could become the perfect sacrifice -- "after the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that we being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7)

Instead, these people were willing to attach their loyalty to others. So in Acts 14 (where we started) let's look at what happens when they called Barnabas Jupiter and Paul Mercurius -- because he was the chief speaker.

"Then the priest of Jupiter (Zeus), which was before their city. brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people [which] when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard, they rent their clothes and ran in among the people, crying out, and saying, "Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein; who in times past [past generations] suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless, He left not Himself without witness in that He did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." And with these sayings, scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them." [scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them] (Acts 14:12-18)

Along come thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuade the people, having stoned Paul to draw him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. "Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up and came into the city; and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. And where they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. And when they had ordained [appointed] them elders in every church and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed." (Acts 14:19-23)

Note here that the apostles did not commend [commit] them to gods that appeared in the likeness of men, or a god, or conversely, attach the label of God to a man performing sorceries in the public square. Rather, Paul pointed them to the ONE LORD -- on whom they believed. The "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all -- but unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." (Ephesians 4:5-7)

The apostles preached the Name of Jesus to one and all -- "as the truth is in Jesus." (Ephesians 4:21)

Indeed, as Jesus said to His disciples before telling them that if "ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also, and from henceforth ye know Him and have seen Him that He -- Jesus -- "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man comes unto the Father but by Me." (John 14:6-12)

Even when the Pharisees commanded believers to keep the law of Moses,  the apostles spent their lives preaching Jesus, intent on declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, confirming the souls of the disciples, and, as well, exhorting them to continue in the faith.

What is the point herein? That at the end of the day, there will always be certain sects that will try to draw you away from our One and Only Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ. There will also be trying to keep those who came to Jesus by faith under the law of Moses.

But even when the apostles were abused and an assault made under the further threat of being stoned, the apostles continued to preach the good news gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the liberty wherewith is in Him. And that gospel message?

“Men [and] brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the Word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knows the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost even as [He did] unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers, nor we, were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” (Acts 15:7-11)

The Son of man now glorified, and God glorified in Him. (John 13:31)

Hold fast to the faith and remain steadfast in the apostles' doctrine wherein we know that this SAME JESUS whom ye have crucified was then, and is now BOTH LORD AND CHRIST. (Acts 2:1-47; 36, 38-42)

Stand in the offering plate.