Ministry in Lystra (14:8-20)
The MIRACLE involved (v8-10)
As Paul is preaching he sees a man who had been lame from birth listening to his message (listening shows repetition)
Realizing the man was showing faith, Paul called on him to stand
The man leaped up and begun to walk
The MOVEMENT involved (v11-13)
The crowd immediately begins to see Paul and Barnabas as gods calling Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes (the messenger of the gods) since he was speaking (v11-12) This unusual response came from the folklore of the town recorded by a Roman Poet which said that in a time past Zeus and Hermes came to Lystra disguised as regular people and asking for food and lodging
The people of the town refused them but a man named Philemon and his wife took them in
As a result a flood came and destroyed everyone else in the city but Philemon’s cottage was turned into as temple of these gods where Philemon and his wife served them as their priest and priestess until they died
The priest from the temple of Zeus brought oxen in an attempt to offer a sacrifice of worship to Paul and Barnabas (v13)
The MEEKNESS involved (v14-18)
Paul and Barnabas are very bothered by this (seen in their tearing their clothes) and rush out to address this movement (v14-17)
We are men like you
The gospel we preached to you is intended for you to turn away from false religion (like worshipping them)
This God that we preach to you has proven His love for you
Thought very difficult they were able to keep the people from offering sacrifices of worship to them (v18)
Herod had the opposite reaction when the people attributed deity to him which resulted in his being eaten by worms (12:20-23)
The MADNESS involved (v19-20)
Jews from Antioch and Iconium who had previously tried to kill Paul come to Lystra and are able to turn the people from wanting to worship them to wanting to kill them (v19)
They stone Paul and leave him outside the city thinking he is dead (v19) surrounded by his disciples one of which could have been Timothy who was a native of Lystra (Acts 16:1)
Paul survives the attack and the next day he and Barnabas leave for Derbe – a 40 mile walk after being stoned (v20)