Offended By The Gospel

OFFENDED BY THE GOSPEL

a prayer to open

Holy Spirit, come. Center my heart.

Fill my mind. Guide my steps.

The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. Some of the Jews, however, spurned God’s message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. But the people of the town were divided in their opinion about them. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.

Then a mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them. When the apostles learned of it, they fled to the region of Lycaonia. . . . And there they preached the Good News.

While they were at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. He was sitting and listening as Paul preached. Looking straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed. So Paul called to him in a loud voice, “Stand up!” And the man jumped to his feet and started walking.

When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, “These men are gods in human form!” They decided that Barnabas was the Greek god Zeus and that Paul was Hermes, since he was the chief speaker. Now the temple of Zeus was located just outside the town. So the priest of the temple and the crowd brought bulls and wreaths of flowers to the town gates, and they prepared to offer sacrifices to the apostles.

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting, “Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings—just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.” But even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them.

Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

A common theme begins to emerge as we follow Paul and Barnabas in their Holy Spirit–guided journey to share the gospel “to the ends of the earth” (13:47, NIV): They were repeatedly embraced and then chased away under persecution and threat of death. In each new place they found themselves, they received initial favor as they shared the Good News and demonstrated the power of Jesus. But inevitably they offended one group or another because what they shared undermined those in power. Paul and Barnabas’s message resonated deeply with some (who we are told believed) and offended others so much that Paul and Barnabas had to run for their lives.

• Read this passage again. What word or phrase stands out to you? Sit quietly, reminding yourself that you are in God’s loving presence, and ask him to show you how that word or phrase connects to your life.
• Reflect on the parts of the gospel that were the hardest for you to hear (needing to repent; needing to receive the gift of grace, as opposed to earning salvation; turning away from certain behaviors; believing in the supernatural). Why were those parts hard for you to hear and receive?
• Are there parts of the gospel that you still haven’t fully embraced or that you continue to struggle with? Which parts? Why? What long-held beliefs or sensibilities are being offended or challenged?

Father, thank you for the truth of the gospel. Thank you for the gift of repentance and forgiveness. Thank you that I don’t have to work to earn salvation or your love; I am already fully and unfailingly loved. Thank you that you have promised to redeem my sin and pain and bad choices and that you want to transform me and restore me to wholeness. Help me release every part of my mind, heart, and body to you for healing and to be used for good. Amen.