TODAY’S MANNA THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2018TOPIC: UNRELIABLEPUBLIC TEXT: ACTS 14:19-281)
THE KEY VERSE: “And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead” (Acts 14:19).2) THE TEXT:(ACTS 14: 19 – 28 KJV) “14:19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.14:20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.14:21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.14:24 And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.14:25 And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia:14:26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.14:27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.14:28 And there they abode long time with the disciples.”3) THE MESSAGE:i) William Tyndale first translated the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into English, making a Bible for the common people.ii) In 1535 he was betrayed by a friend, taken prisoner to the castle of Vilvoorde and continued to work on his translation. He was unable to finish his work because he was sentenced to die a heretic’s death: strangulation and burning at the stake. iii) On October 6, 1536 he cried out his last words, “Lord, open the king of England’s eyes!” and then he died. His prayer was answered within a year. iv) Like the story above, Paul, who was almost worshipped as a god for performing the miracle of healing a man lame from his birth in Lystra, was now being stoned by the same people after they were incited by the adversaries of the gospel. v) He was not only stoned to the point of unconsciousness, but also dragged out of the city and dumped in the outskirts, believing he was dead. Graciously, the Apostle was restored when the disciples stood around him in prayers.vi) Paul and his company still went ahead to fulfil their ministry and returned to their base after encouraging the disciples to continue in the faith, despite the tribulations. vii) Believers must see a) the utter futility of riding the waves of public opinion. b) Another lesson here is about the wickedness of the natural, unregenerate man and what he can do under the influence of Satan. viii) The ease with which the devil persuaded these people to stone Paul after all the good deeds he did among them is a great paradox.ix) We may face or have faced this kind of disappointment and betrayal from people we trust(ed); but like Paul, a) we must not bear grudges. b) We must pick up the pieces and move on in life to fulfil the good purposes of God for our lives.4) THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: It is vain to bask in the adulation of people.5) BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 50; 53; 60; 75
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