We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God

Acts 14:1-18

At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.

There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, where they continued to preach the gospel.

In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. 

Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.

Why?

One part believed the Lord but the other part refused to believe and was against the brothers. The same word was spoken by Paul and Barnabas but there were two different reactions. Without the work of the Holy Spirit, no one can turn to Jesus and believe it.

Paul healed the lame man, so the people in this city wanted to worship Paul and Banrba as gods. Paul and Barnabas could not refuse them to do so.

Paul and Banaba know who I am, we are only human, for the Holy Spirit working through them so the lame could be healed. It is still difficult to keep the crowd from sacrificing for them. For their idea still existing in the original idea.

How?

Under the work of the Holy Spirit there is nothing impossible, so turning my boss and his whole family to Jesus Christ is possible.

May the Lord change my ideas and my mind for our God creates new things.