Acts 14:1-28

 Acts 14:1-28

 

There was a pattern to Paul’s mission efforts that is repeated with great consistency. Go to town, bring the gospel, make some disciples, face opposition, be abused, appoint leaders, leave town, and repeat. While not always the case, this is generally a fair account and description of his ministry. The Lystra incident gives us insights into the general from some specific detail. In the span of two verses (18-19), Paul goes from literally being adored to hated, to the point of murder. Paul was so popular with the city elite, the priest of Zeus, that he wanted to lead the town in worshiping Paul. But in verse 19 he was so unpopular that a mob was attempting to kill him. Popularity is as faithful and loyal as a five-dollar prostitute.

One of the Bible verses that we tend to want to ignore is verse 22: “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” This is a remarkable contrast to popular Christianity, which is often presented as a path for peace, prosperity, and ease. The difference between our expectation and experience is either disappointment or delight. If our expectation of Christianity is that it will cause us to have a life of ease and plenty, we will likely find Christianity a disappointment. If we expect our faith to be about a relationship with a loving Savior, we will find it exceeds our hopes and will be a delight. 

In this day of social media and our obsession with image, we must learn the painful lesson of how fickle popularity is. As individuals, as congregations, and as believers, we are all told to brand ourselves and then develop that brand. That is a little more than an attempt to become popular with a segment of society and then exploit that popularity for your benefit. “Decide with whom you want to be popular and then work to become popular with them.” Paul seems to be more concerned with character and mission than brand. After this brutal stoning, Paul went on to Derby, and then he returned to Lystra, where he had been so brutalized. We don’t see him working on branding his life or ministry. We see him making and strengthening disciples. The more the message is about the gospel, the less it will be about us.

"Lord, help me to not care about the opinions of men as your will and opinion. AMEN"