This post is also on You Tube here: https://youtu.be/oL60FhEMw-U
Acts 13:42 – 14:7 If you haven’t read the passage yet, here’s a link: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2013%3A42%20-%2014%3A7&version=NLT
Well, Paul’s sermon/history lesson certainly made an impact! People were intrigued and wanted to hear more. They invited him to speak again the following week, and by the time the day arrived, the entire town had heard about this astonishing message from this remarkable teacher.
The synagogue leaders are thrilled and pull out all the folding chairs so more people can hear this hope-filled message…
Ya, no.
That’s not what happened.
It’s funny. When Paul was a novelty in the area, the synagogue leaders were interested to hear what he had to say, but when he attracted a crowd, when people were more interested in him than in the synagogue rulers, they became jealous. They start slandering him and bickering with him. They tried to reassert their own importance rather than actually look into whether or not Paul’s message might be true. People haven’t changed much, have they? As long as you are useful to me, I’m happy you’re here. But if your popularity threatens mine? I’m ready to show you the door.
Paul recognises what is going on and clearly explains that he started by sharing his message with the Jews who already had the historical context for his message. But if they weren’t interested, Paul was prepared to share it with anyone who would listen. In fact, he quotes scripture to explain that it had always been God’s plan to spread his message beyond the Jews. This is exciting news for the Gentiles and infuriating for the Jewish leaders.
They realize that they aren’t going to beat Paul by defeating his message. It’s solid and they know it. They aren’t going to get rid of him by demonstrating that he is wrong, or immoral. He is neither. So they change tactics. If they can’t stop people listening to him, they will just drive him out of town. They go to the people who really run things, the influencers if you will. They convince the powerful people, the city leaders and the influential women (Did they have mean girls all the way back then?) that Paul is trouble.
It’s a great strategy. If you can’t defeat someone by demonstrating that their message or their character is flawed, just start a mob scene. Get a few popular people to oppose them publicly. Suddenly people shut off their brains and follow mindlessly. “What? They don’t like him?? Well I’m certainly not going to stick up for him or I won’t be allowed to hang out with the cool kids.”
Very quickly Paul and Barnabus are run out of town and the leaders have won. Except they haven’t. The message still spread throughout the region. Paul and Barnabus just went and preached at the next town. Of course in the next town it’s a very similar scene. First interest, popularity, people want to hear their message because they are a novelty. God just kept blessing their work, even allowing them to experience miracles that validated their testimony. Then they are getting too much attention and some important people feel threatened and incite a mob. Here they are threatened with violence which will be a recurring theme for Paul. But instead of being filled with fear, we are told the believers were filled with joy.
Joy? Joy because people who are teaching about Jesus have been slandered and run out of town? Joy because they are being threatened with violence? Yup! Joy! Because if God allowed it, he would use it for his glory. If God let them be run out of town it’s because he had somewhere else for them to be. The Jewish leaders may have thought they won, but they were just being used by God to keep the message spreading. You can’t win a fight against God. Wicked people can fight and fuss and cause a lot of trouble, but God will simply use their behaviour to further his purposes. It’s just what he does!
