Gospel power at Lystra

Cp v6-20. The gospel ministry continues among these pagans.

1. The healing of the lame man, v8-10. Again the connection between the message Paul preached, faith to receive it and the witness of God’s power is seen. N.b. the word testimony v3. The miracle is in essence a repetition of the gospel message. It is a visible illustration of the spiritual change that the gospel effects. The gospel work in this city begins with a dramatic and irrefutable display of Divine power.
2. It is a real miracle, v10. The gospel makes a real change to men. It is not a superficial, undefined change. Cp 2Cor 5:17.
3. It was entirely a work of God. The miracle was wrought in a man without any previous ability!
4. It was effected through Paul’s words. The miracle power that changes lives lies in the message that the Apostle preached.
5. A heathen reaction, v11-13. How often in the very moment of God working in power there is an outbreak of the wickedness of the human heart. Man by nature can only sin! Such is the perversity of the human heart that even the proofs of God’s existence and power are used to bolster their idolatrous superstitions.
6. The Apostles curb this reaction with a passionate declaration of truth, v14-18.
7. A passionate, sorrowful resistance of heathen ideas of God. Their idols are dismissed as vanities. There is no syncretism here! This is not just a question of different names for the same God!
8. The actions of these men were not rendered acceptable by their high views of Paul and Barnabas. The apostles were not swayed by popularity into moderating their message. God’s servants must resist every honour that undermines the truth of God.
9. A presentation of God as the benevolent Creator to who they should turn from their idols. Creation is part of the testimony of God (v3) to men! That testimony included the miracle and the message Paul preached.
10. Opposition from the Jews, v19. This leads to the stoning of Paul which was a death sentence. Another notable miracle—this time with Paul as the object—is seen.

III   THE END OF THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY.

Cp v21-28.

1. Retracing their steps. They visited the places they had been before. They went back even where serious threats to life and limb had been made. Their reason was to establish the works that had been started, v23. The establishment of the spiritual life/souls of these new believers involved several things.
2. The preaching and teaching of v22, 25. This is what strengthens the Christian’s spiritual life! Exhortation to keep on believing is needed. Opposition is to be expected!
3. Elders were ordained, v23. The criteria for this office is enlarged upon in the pastoral epistles. They were men of a certain kind, carefully chosen and solemnly ordained and inducted into their office.
4. Earnest prayer. With such prayer the work of each church was committed into the hand of God.
5. Back to Antioch, v26-28. Here they gave report to the Church. There was obviously an interest in what had happened and the Apostle recognized the right of the church to know! The tone of the report is eloquently expressed—all that God had done with them… The work was the Lord’s and the glory, His alone.