1In Iconium, they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed. 2But the disbelieving Jews stirred up and embittered the souls of the Gentiles against the brothers. 3Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who testified to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4But the multitude of the city was divided. Part sided with the Jews and part with the apostles. 5When some of both the Gentiles and the Jews, with their rulers, made a violent attempt to mistreat and stone them, 6they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, Derbe, and the surrounding region. 7There they preached the Good News.
8At Lystra a certain man sat, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked. 9He was listening to Paul speaking, who, fastening eyes on him and seeing that he had faith to be made whole, 10said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet!” He leaped up and walked. 11When the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of Lycaonia, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12They called Barnabas “Jupiter”, and Paul “Mercury”, because he was the chief speaker. 13The priest of Jupiter, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and would have made a sacrifice along with the multitudes.
14But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they tore their clothes and sprang into the multitude, crying out, 15“Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of the same nature as you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them; 16who in the generations gone by allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17Yet he didn’t leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from the sky and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”
18Even saying these things, they hardly stopped the multitudes from making a sacrifice to them. 19But some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.
20But as the disciples stood around him, he rose up, and entered into the city. On the next day he went out with Barnabas to Derbe.
21When they had preached the Good News to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into God’s Kingdom. 23When they had appointed elders for them in every assembly, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord on whom they had believed.
24They passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26From there they sailed to Antioch, from where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled. 27When they had arrived and had gathered the assembly together, they reported all the things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the nations. 28They stayed there with the disciples for a long time.
The Man Who Would Be King
11 When the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of Lycaonia, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12 They called Barnabas “Jupiter”, and Paul “Mercury”, because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Jupiter, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and would have made a sacrifice along with the multitudes.
Oh, it’s a crazy story, just like something out of a movie. When I first read this, it reminded me of the old classic cinematic rendition of Rudyard Kipling’s story “The Man Who Would Be King”. It starred Sean Connery (Danny) and Michael Caine (Peachy). They were British soldiers, stationed in India, who decided to take a faraway adventure in the land of Kifiristan (part of Afghanistan). They used their military tactics and other devices, mixed with Masonic rituals, to convince the local tribal population that they were gods. Their deceptions succeeded, and a local beauty named Roxanne was given as a gift to “Danny” in marriage. When he was in the tent, readying himself to consummate the marriage, Roxanne bit him, and when she saw the blood running, the scheme was uncovered. She saw that he was a mere mortal, and she outed him to the duped villagers. His head was cut off, and Peachy took off running with Danny’s head in a sack.
Paul and Barnabas ended up in a similar predicament. A healing had occurred, and the Lycaonians concluded that they could not be mere mortals, given the miracles which they performed. Instead, they must be incarnations of Jupiter and Mercury. A pagan priest quickly brought garlands and oxen to offer in worship of Paul and Barnabas. It very well could’ve appealed to their flesh to hear, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men”, but it didn’t. They took the opportunity to direct all of the glory and honor to God, who had performed the healing. They didn’t take advantage of a service opportunity to aggrandize or enrich themselves. They shared the gospel, telling of a loving God who had come and died for all of mankind.
When we do extraordinary acts of mercy while living out the gospel, we will likely receive excessive praise from men. When people feel the love of Christ coming through us, it is easy for them to mistake that the love comes from us instead of Jesus. The love of God is compelling. When we are operating in the Spirit, we become vessels of Christ’s hands and heart here on earth. When that happens, DON’T ACCEPT THE GLORY. It is a trap of the flesh. Let us be like Paul and Barnabas and, in all humility, give the glory to God. Share the gospel message, and point those unto whom we minister to the extraordinary, marvelous, matchless grace of Jesus!