OzThoughts – Tuesday, 30th June, 2009

OzThoughts – Tuesday, 30th June, 2009

I have been doing some research on “religions” in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. One thing that is common in all three countries is that there are many people who are willing to tick the box in their national census as being affiliated to various religions. There are a lot of course who say “no religion” but I have been looking at the big majority of people who tick the box.

There is no doubt that people are ready and willing to identify with believers. I see this was the experience of Paul and Barnabas in Lystra.
“There was a man in Lystra who couldn't walk. He sat there, crippled since the day of his birth. He heard Paul talking, and Paul, looking him in the eye, saw that he was ripe for God's work, ready to believe. So he said, loud enough for everyone to hear, "Up on your feet!" The man was up in a flash—jumped up and walked around as if he'd been walking all his life.” (Acts 14:8-10 The Message).

Now immediately the crowd reacted. They named Paul and Barnabas as two of their gods “Zeus” and “Hermes”. They even organised a parade to welcome and celebrate their visiting gods!

Now, Paul and Barnabas could have enjoyed the people’s acclaim but they put the people right about God, and introduced the people to the God who had made them and sustained them, and whom they served.

When we meet people who identify as spiritual believers , do we make “clear and plain” the God of the Bible whom we serve?

[Listen: http://www.regalzonophone.com/audio/WGBMF824%20-%2004%20-%20Hymn%20-%20Maryton.mp3]

O Master, let me walk with thee
In lowly paths of service free;
Tell me thy secret; help me bear
The strain of toil. the fret of care.

Help me the slow of heart to move
By some clear, winning word of love;
Teach me the wayward feet to stay,
And guide them in the homeward way.

Teach me thy patience; still with thee
In closer, dearer company,
In work that keeps faith sweet and strong,
In trust that triumphs over wrong;

In hope that sends a shining ray
Far down the future's broadening way,
In peace that only thou canst give,
For thee, O Master, let me live.
Author: Washington Gladden (1836-1918)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 519

Acts 14:8-18 (The Message)
8-10 There was a man in Lystra who couldn't walk. He sat there, crippled since the day of his birth. He heard Paul talking, and Paul, looking him in the eye, saw that he was ripe for God's work, ready to believe. So he said, loud enough for everyone to hear, "Up on your feet!" The man was up in a flash—jumped up and walked around as if he'd been walking all his life.
11-13 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they went wild, calling out in their Lyconian dialect, "The gods have come down! These men are gods!" They called Barnabas "Zeus" and Paul "Hermes" (since Paul did most of the speaking). The priest of the local Zeus shrine got up a parade—bulls and banners and people lined right up to the gates, ready for the ritual of sacrifice.
14-15 When Barnabas and Paul finally realized what was going on, they stopped them. Waving their arms, they interrupted the parade, calling out, "What do you think you're doing! We're not gods! We are men just like you, and we're here to bring you the Message, to persuade you to abandon these silly god-superstitions and embrace God himself, the living God. We don't make God; he makes us, and all of this—sky, earth, sea, and everything in them.
16-18 "In the generations before us, God let all the different nations go their own way. But even then he didn't leave them without a clue, for he made a good creation, poured down rain and gave bumper crops. When your bellies were full and your hearts happy, there was evidence of good beyond your doing." Talking fast and hard like this, they prevented them from carrying out the sacrifice that would have honored them as gods—but just barely.



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