596 - Moving Forward with Faith#
(JP Text Group - shalom 整理)
Peace be with you, dear family, and welcome. Today is Sunday, and we will look at God's word together. Today we will examine Acts 14:8-20.
The title of our sharing is: Moving Forward with Faith.
Acts 14:8-20:
8 In Lystra, there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. 11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way; 17 yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” 18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them. 19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
Let us pray together.
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you. Thank you for preparing such a wonderful time for us to study your word together. Your word carries faith and power, guiding us on how to walk, especially when making choices in our lives. Relying on your word gives us the confidence to move forward with hope for a beautiful outcome. You have given us this vision through today's message, allowing us to gain strength and revelation before you. Thank you and praise you, Lord. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
This message is not only for believers who share the gospel but also for all who serve. If a person sharing the gospel sees no results, they may become discouraged and weak, wondering if God is displeased with them. Conversely, some who share the gospel may have a significant impact but face persecution everywhere. Without faith, one can still be influenced by their environment and people.
Paul was a faithful servant of God, sincerely preaching the gospel of the kingdom. However, every time many believed his message, some Jews would come out to disrupt them, and some even stoned him. Paul did not lose heart; instead, he moved on to another city to continue preaching the gospel of the Lord.
Therefore, regardless of whether our work for the Lord bears fruit, we must focus on the Lord Jesus, ensuring that what we speak is correct and knowing whom we believe in. This is a crucial part. Even if we share with others and they do not believe, we must not doubt ourselves. Similarly, if your evangelism brings great results but you face persecution, do not doubt yourself, for truth is often not held by the majority. Whether it aligns with the truth depends on what is written in our Bible. If it aligns with Scripture, hold on to it and believe that God is an absolutely just and faithful Lord; what you invest will eventually yield beautiful fruit.
When Paul and his companions arrived in Lystra, they encountered a man who was lame from birth. The Bible says he had never walked, indicating that he could never heal himself. The detailed description of this man in the Bible tells us that he had no hope. In the eyes of the world, it seemed he had been given a final verdict with no chance of recovery.
So how did this man receive healing? Some say he had great faith, but where did his faith come from? Verse 9 says: he listened to Paul speak. This is a crucial statement.
Romans 10:17 states: Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
What a person hears will direct their life and actions. If a person hears the wrong message, their life will inevitably go wrong, and the outcome will not be good. For example, if someone tells you that a certain industry is very profitable and that you will make money just by entering it, but you later find out that the information was incorrect, you will realize the mistake you made based on what you believed.
If the information a person hears is correct, such as what the Bible says about working diligently and not dreaming of getting rich overnight, they will not be deceived. This is related to what we believe. Likewise, our lives are the same. If you believe correctly, believing in Jesus Christ, you will have the life of Christ; if you believe in something else, you will not have the life of Christ.
This man, who was lame from birth, may have only heard others express pity for him: "What a pity that this man has been lame from birth." That might have been the best he heard. After expressing pity, others might have given him some money, which would have been very good. But these words could not save him. Although what people said was a fact, sometimes facts can still lead to despair. So what different message did Paul convey to this man? It was the message about Jesus Christ.
Always remember that believing in Christ's words will bring you hope. Even if others state facts, saying you are powerless and that no one can help you, seeking Jesus remains your hope.
The people of Israel had such a God, and He has always watched over them. It is not that the Israelites were clever, but that this God is faithful. He speaks His word and fulfills it; He makes promises and brings them to pass. Therefore, He hopes that the Israelites will listen to His words, keep them, and follow them, so they will truly be blessed.
Deuteronomy 6:3-4:
3 Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey, so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
In Deuteronomy, Leviticus, and Exodus, God tells the Israelites to listen to His words. He does not force them to listen; rather, He knows what paths to take and what paths to avoid. When people listen to Him, they will not go wrong. Since God has established a covenant with the Israelites, He must inform them of these matters, placing life and death, blessings and curses before them, ultimately allowing them to choose. If the Israelites listen to God's words and keep them, they will indeed be blessed in the land flowing with milk and honey. But what if they do not listen? Then they will violate God's words, and those blessings will disappear.
However, it all begins with listening. If a person has not heard the gospel of Christ, how can they be saved? If a person has not heard the words of Christ, how can they have faith? This man, who was lame from birth, was blessed because he listened to Paul preach and heard a different message. We call it the gospel, which is good news. Some may ask, "What exactly did Paul preach to him?" The Bible contains quite a bit about Paul's preaching. Today, we will look at one passage.
Acts 13:38-39:
38 Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.
The content of Paul's preaching can never be separated from Jesus Christ and His cross; this is what he himself said. He knew nothing else but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. This is also the experience and lesson Paul learned after many years of service, as he had once walked a crooked path and tried to persuade others with philosophy and theory, only to find failure. Only when he lifted up Jesus Christ and His cross did the power of God manifest through those words. Thank the Lord. So do not be surprised if Paul's preaching seems special; just listen to our past messages, and you will find them all included. Amen.
Let’s look at the passage we read: Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
First, Paul presents to everyone the way of forgiveness. Why does the way of forgiveness have such power? Because there is condemnation everywhere in the world, self-condemnation, and condemnation of others, saying things like, "You did not do well, and that is why you have such results today," etc. Or if someone believes in a religion, it is because they are bad, and that is why their god punishes them. Apart from Jesus Christ, there is no way of forgiveness. Apostle Paul speaks of the redemptive grace of Jesus Christ on the cross, letting people know they have been justified.
Here it mentions: Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin. In the past, the Israelites relied on keeping the law of Moses. What result did they want? They simply wanted eternal life and sufficiency in their lives.
But could they obtain these by relying on the law of Moses? Because the law of Moses has requirements: if you obey God's words, you will be blessed; if you violate God's words, you will receive curses. Therefore, although the Israelites have been blessed, most of the time they have suffered.
Now it is different. After Jesus Christ came, He bore our sins on the cross, shedding His blood for our sins. He has overcome sin and given us His righteousness today. As long as we trust in Him and believe that He shed His blood on the cross for our sins, we are justified. This justification is very simple; if you believe that what Jesus did was for you, you will receive it.
But because it is too simple, many people find it hard to believe. This is something they could not obtain by relying on the law, but now they can easily receive it, based on what? Based on the faith they receive. Some say, "Why can't I receive it?" You need to develop a habit of starting with hearing the correct message. You need to know that every day you are hearing information. What do you listen to when you wake up in the morning? Is it the news? Are you checking the stock market or reading gossip? The information you receive directly leads to different outcomes. If you put God first and receive the correct message in the morning, listening to sermons and reading the Bible, then you will have received that faith, and you will experience the blessing of justification. Amen.
Taking this man as an example, we do not know if he was a Jew. If he was a Jew, because of his congenital disease, he could not go to the temple to pray to God. People around him might have thought that he or his parents had sinned, leading to his misfortune. The Israelites would certainly not believe that such a person could be justified; he himself would think so too.
What if this man did not believe in the Lord? In other words, if he was not a Jew, it would be even worse. You must know that in the past, many people saw congenital disabilities and thought that person was problematic and would bring disaster to the family. This was worse than being a Jew. So regardless of whether he was a Jew, the message Paul preached brought a shock to his life; it was the message about Jesus Christ that brought him faith and hope.
Perhaps he heard Paul's own testimony and the things Jesus had done in the past. The more he listened, the greater his faith grew, filling him with strength, feeling accepted by Jesus, and filled with hope! As he continued to hear such messages, eventually, this message transformed into faith that manifested. People can see it, where? Through the eyes.
Let’s look at an example, Matthew 9:1-2:
1 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”
Here it mentions that Jesus came to Capernaum and preached there. Some men brought a paralyzed man to Jesus. Jesus saw their faith. How was this faith seen? You can imagine that at that time, Jesus was preaching in a house, and the courtyard and entrance were crowded with people. When they saw a man being carried and wanting to get in, no one would make way for them. But the problem was that this man did not want to miss this opportunity.
Some might say, “There’s no need to be so extreme; you can believe in Jesus, but there’s no need to be so extreme. Can’t you wait for Jesus to go to another place? Why must you go to such extremes to tear down the roof to get to Jesus?”
In fact, if we analyze this paralyzed man's heart, you will understand. Jesus came to Capernaum, and this opportunity was too rare, so he thought, “No matter what, I must get to Jesus; He can surely heal me.” Those who have been sick know that waiting another day is an extreme torment. If you have an opportunity to be healed in the morning, why wait until the afternoon? Unless it is not your own problem.
For example, the Bible records the situation of the Israelites leaving Egypt. When all the water in Egypt turned to blood, Pharaoh was not in a hurry. Sometimes when disasters occurred, such as flies, Moses would ask him, “When do you want me to stop these animals from harming you?” Pharaoh would even say, “Tomorrow.” Why didn’t he say now? Because it did not involve his own interests. Until the plague of the firstborn, that night, Pharaoh immediately ordered, “Get these people out of my country at once; do not let them stay another minute.” Through these events, we can see why Pharaoh did not want to keep the Israelites any longer; he knew that if they stayed, he did not know how much more suffering would occur.
Conversely, a paralyzed person longs for healing. He thought of nothing but getting to Jesus, but no one would make way for him. He thought, “I must go, regardless of all obstacles, to get to Jesus.” Even if it meant climbing on the roof, which posed a life-threatening risk, if he climbed up and one of his friends accidentally dropped him, wouldn’t he fall to his death? Despite such great risks, he still decided to get to Jesus. He did not make any excuses or complain but instead urged his friends to find a way. His friends thought of a way to go up to the roof from the back of the house, tear the roof open, and lower him down to Jesus. These actions sufficiently demonstrate his faith in wanting to see Jesus; he believed that getting to Jesus would surely lead to his healing. Thank the Lord.
Returning to our text in verse 9: he listened to Paul preach, and Paul looked directly at him and saw that he had faith to be healed.
We do not know how long this man listened to Paul, but one thing we see is that the more he listened, the more faith he had; this is the correct message! Dear family, no matter whose preaching you listen to, if what they preach makes you like Jesus more and more, enjoy reading the Bible, listening to sermons, attending gatherings, and grow in faith, that is the correct message.
Do not keep searching everywhere; you can discern whether what you hear is the true message by this simple method: see if your faith grows larger and your hope in Jesus increases. If the message brings you to Christ, that is easy. No matter what problem you encounter now, when compared to Jesus, your problem is not that big, and you will have the faith to overcome everything you need to overcome.
Paul looked directly at him and saw that he had faith to be healed. What kind of state is this? This faith can be seen through the eyes. Some people may be listening to the message but do not feel it is God's word; perhaps they see it merely as a religious ritual. “Because I am a servant, I must come to listen; because I am a pastor, I must sit down and listen.” They treat the message as a lecture. Or they just listen casually; that will not produce such a state. Others may be distracted, their bodies present but their hearts absent, which will not produce the same state as this man.
This man's state was that he completely immersed himself in the power of Christ, as if Christ were right beside him, as if what Jesus did was happening at that moment. Therefore, when this state was manifested, Paul saw it. I have encountered many people with such a state; it can be seen through their eyes that they already have faith. But remember, this faith is not blind faith; it is certainty in Jesus. Hallelujah.
Verse 10: He called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.
This man listened to what Paul preached about Jesus, and Jesus filled him until he believed, “Jesus shed His blood on the cross for my sins; I am justified by faith; by His wounds, I have been healed.” He no longer considered the opinions of those around him or his parents' comments, nor did he rationally think: I am congenitally paralyzed; how is this possible! He did not consider these anymore.
At that moment, his heart was filled only with Jesus, and he believed that Jesus could heal him. This faith, combined with Paul’s final declaration, he fully accepted. Paul said, “Stand up on your feet!” This was the final encouragement he needed; what he lacked was Paul saying these words to him. Thank the Lord.
So many times when we pray for someone, we need to use declarations. Perhaps that person's faith has already reached a certain level, but what they lack is the final affirmation from the servant they recognize, which ignites their faith. It is not that the person had no faith at all and was dragged to find a famous pastor, and then the pastor prayed for them, and they gained faith. It is not like that. This person already had faith, and the faith generated from the message of Jesus Christ spoken by the pastor added to it, leading to a change in their situation.
What did Paul tell him to do? To get up. He had never heard anyone say such words to him before. Perhaps while listening to Paul preach, he thought he might get up, but now through Paul’s mouth, God’s words were declared, and he completely believed and accepted it, so he really jumped up and began to walk.
Perhaps we might think: this kind of thing cannot happen again, right? But it really does; we have such testimonies around us. Some say, “Why haven’t I encountered this?” Do not think about finding that person to tell you their testimony; there is no need for that. Such testimonies last at most three days.
I tell you this to make you believe that what is written in the Bible is true, that God can heal this person and can heal you; God specializes in solving impossible things. Hallelujah! For Him, nothing is impossible. When people say it is impossible, God says, “This will be done.” Whom do you believe? Therefore, focus your gaze back on Jesus Christ. Do not look at how this person was healed; look at the fact that Jesus can heal him and can heal me! Amen.
If you listen to someone who has been healed every day and they tell you their testimony, and after hearing it several times, you still have no faith, what is most important? You must listen to the word continually; this will increase your faith within. Hallelujah! Because the words of Jesus have this power; if you believe, you can also receive.
Luke 5:12-13:
12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” 13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
How could a man covered with leprosy have the qualifications to come before Jesus? He had heard about Jesus and knew that Jesus could do such things. Perhaps other lepers thought: it is impossible; no one can save us; we are full of sins, and God does not delight in us. But this leprous man thought differently; he thought, “I will go to receive Jesus’ power by faith.” As a result, the leprosy immediately left him. This is directly related to what he heard.
Matthew 9:20-22:
20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” 22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.
Let’s look at this woman; her situation is quite similar to that of the leprous man above, isn’t it? Those who come to seek Jesus have heard about Him, know that Jesus is different from others, and understand that Jesus genuinely cares for them. They have heard such things, and their hearts have been filled with faith. Thank the Lord.
This woman had been bleeding for twelve years and had spent everything she had on doctors, yet her condition did not improve. This is a characteristic of worldly people; we seek help from people, but they may not be able to help us completely.
However, she came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his cloak because her faith was there. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Her faith was in this.
Now do not say, “What is the biblical basis for this? Why can touching Jesus’ cloak lead to healing?” This woman’s faith was here because at that time, for her to touch Jesus’ cloak was already quite irregular. She was a woman with a bleeding issue, which made her unclean in the eyes of the Jews, and everything she touched would become unclean. So according to the law, she had no right to touch Jesus.
Do you really think she did not want to shake hands with Jesus? She felt unclean, which is why she said, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” She did not ask for much. It was precisely this kind of thinking that achieved great faith. They are all people who move forward with faith; perhaps many have similar experiences, but those people have stagnated.
So dear family, as long as you continually get to know Jesus and draw near to Him, there are many ways to receive God’s blessings. Amen, do not be limited by these. For example, when Paul preached the gospel, some people took the clothes Paul had used and placed them on the sick, and they were healed. Where is the biblical basis for that?
Also, some people sat by the roadside waiting for Peter; when his shadow fell on them, they were healed. Where is the biblical basis for that? But what did these people rely on? Faith. They believed that these people were servants sent by God and that what they spoke was the truth, so such power was released.
This woman was the same. She only wanted to touch the edge of Jesus’ cloak, saying, “Then I will be healed.” Jesus turned to her and gave her even more. Jesus said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has healed you.”
What does this mean? Do not think of yourself as unclean; it is your faith that has saved you! Her faith was not blind self-confidence. We cannot say, “Now I understand; today I will find a Bible and hold it in my hand every day, just like touching Jesus.” It is not like that. Or some might say, “When we take communion, isn’t that the same as touching Jesus? If I eat a few more pieces today, I will receive healing.” It is not about these external things; the focus is truly on the inner faith.
Do you believe that Jesus has such power? Jesus is the God who can do all things! So do not think that today we are only talking about healing; many believers have a narrow view. When they want healing, they listen to messages about healing; when they want economic turnaround, they listen to messages about economic growth; when they want faith, they listen to messages about faith. In fact, it should not be thought of this way.
As long as you hear the message about Jesus, His power is universal. If you receive blessings from Jesus in one area, this method can be applied to other areas as well. This is the greatness of our Jesus. This is why I always encourage everyone to listen in order. Do not pick and choose; if you think that this message about healing can only bring healing, you are limiting Jesus’ power.
We are talking about Jesus; He can bring you prosperity, healing, and eternal life; all of these are possible. You only need to ensure that what you hear is the true message. Do not listen to mixed messages. What is a mixed message? It is when someone mixes psychology, metaphysics, philosophy, etc., into the process of preaching Jesus; do not listen to these because they are not the truth. We only need to look at Jesus and what He did on the cross; these are universal truths, and this is the greatness of Jesus. Amen.
So do not think that when we talk about healing scriptures, we are only talking about healing; we can also talk about prosperity, abundance, and success, depending on what you need. Because the Jesus you believe in can do all things.
11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
Paul had made a lame man stand up and walk. When the crowd saw that Paul could perform miracles, they suddenly felt that these two were not ordinary people but divine beings! So what did they want to do? They wanted to worship them as gods. You might say that when work bears fruit, the local people warmly welcome you and even call you gods; is that good? Let’s read on.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way; 17 yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” 18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.
Why were the local people so enthusiastic about Barnabas and Paul? Because they performed things that humans could not do. We usually call this a miracle. In that era, people particularly loved miracles. Of course, in this era, high technology is constantly creating things beyond human imagination, so we become accustomed to it and do not see it as a problem. But in that era, when people could see such miracles, they felt that these two were extraordinary and wanted to deify them.
However, when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd to tell everyone not to do this because Barnabas and Paul knew who they were. This is crucial; they are our example. Many people, when first used by God and achieving fruitful work, soon feel they are not ordinary people, that they are somehow superior to others. This is wrong; they do not recognize who they truly are.
Barnabas and Paul knew that no matter how many miracles they performed, it was Jesus who did them, not them. But the people could not absorb what they said; they only wanted to deify the two. Let’s look at what Paul and Barnabas said next: “We are also human, just like you.”
First, Paul and Barnabas acknowledged their identity: we are human. So where is the difference between us and the world? We have the Holy Spirit. We know the truth, so we are human but can do divine things.
“We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and everything in them.” How is the gospel spread? On one hand, it is through preaching to let everyone know the truth; on the other hand, it is through performing miracles to let people know that God’s words are effective. In this way, people can turn away from these worthless things, away from these false gods, and truly worship the living God who created heaven and earth.
16 “In the past, he let all nations go their own way; 17 yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”
This shows that God’s grace and blessings have always been present. In the past, among all nations, not many cared about this God, and no one truly wanted to seek Him. But God still continually revealed Himself to the world, giving grace, such as sending rain from heaven, providing abundant harvests, etc. Paul wanted to tell the local people through these things: you must believe in the true God; what you eat, drink, and use today, the rain that falls from heaven, the air, etc., are all blessings from God! But where is everyone’s focus? Can miracles be performed?
I do not know how many believers listen to sermons just to see miracles. There is nothing wrong with this, but if the focus is only on this, there is a problem because they want to see something strange. Now let’s look at how high the local people’s evaluation of Paul and Barnabas was. Why should we learn from them and not care about this? The higher the evaluation, the more we need to recognize ourselves correctly.
My advice is that no matter what others say about you, do not pay too much attention. If what others say is exaggerated, then believing it will inevitably lead to pride and ultimately not recognizing yourself, which will not end well. If others are just saying things, then you will be even more saddened. Today they can deify you, and tomorrow they can deify someone else; can you still believe what such people say?
Let’s look at the Israelites. At first, Jesus performed many miracles for them, feeding them with bread. They saw Jesus being hailed: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” This was when Jesus could bring miracles and benefits to them. Later, when Jesus was arrested, the chief priests and elders incited the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and to destroy Jesus, and it was the same group of people. At that time, the governor Pontius Pilate asked the crowd, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”
The crowd answered, “Barabbas.” Pilate asked them, “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They all answered, “Crucify him!” “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
This has already happened to Jesus. At first, they shouted “Hosanna” because He could bring them benefits! Later, they found out, oh, you are a criminal. So when the officials incited them, they immediately wanted to kill Him.
From this, we want to tell everyone not to pay too much attention to others’ evaluations of you. Who you are is not determined by the crowd but by what Jesus says, by the truth. If you want to know who you are, read the Bible, and you will know who you are. If others’ evaluations of you do not align with what God says, do not believe too much, because what they say today may change tomorrow; why take it seriously? What happened to Jesus later happened to Paul.
19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
We see how the two ended up. At first, they were called gods, and later they were stoned. Would you dare to enjoy such titles from such people? Here I want to tell everyone, especially those in service, not to think that your service will always be met with applause and fanfare. That is not the case. Do not pay too much attention to such things; you are working for the Lord. Even if only three or two people are impacted, even if just one person’s soul awakens, that is an extremely important matter before God. Amen. God values people’s souls far more than the treasures of this world.
So dear family, do not pay too much attention to the comments of the world; we must move forward with faith. If the world recognizes you, we thank God; if the world does not recognize you, we continue to hold on to faith and move forward because we are doing the Lord's work. Hallelujah. Do not focus on the things of this earth; focus on Jesus. Have you thought about it? Especially for those of us who preach and serve, we are the channels of faith, a very important link. Whether this faith can bring hope and change to people depends on whether the message we preach is a pure message about Jesus. If we mix in too many of our own ideas, the power of this truth will diminish.
So family, at all times, move forward with faith. No matter how the environment changes or how many obstacles you encounter, seek Jesus first, and receive faith and strength from Him to continue moving forward.
1 Peter 1:17-21:
17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
What kind of God do we believe in? He is a God who does not show favoritism and judges each person’s work impartially. This means that as long as you uphold the truth and act accordingly, you do not need to worry about anything else. God knows everyone’s actions, and you do not need to argue with others; truth is truth, and there is no need for debate.
Others either believe or do not believe; there is no need to argue with them to make them believe. Therefore, when you know what kind of Lord we believe in, you should live your time here on earth in reverent fear. The Lord Jesus is coming soon; how should we live on earth? We cannot waste our time like the world.
Knowing that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold. This means that we are valued by God, able to change our lives, and everything is turned around, not by our actions. What is it based on? It is based on the precious blood of Jesus Christ; it is His blood that changes everything for us. This is the salvation and blessing that God has prepared for everyone. Some may not want it, which is their loss; but if today you share this gospel and someone accepts it and believes, they will be blessed. Amen.
Through Him, you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him. What Jesus Christ did on earth, we must also do. Jesus Christ rose from the dead; in the future, we will also rise from the dead. This is our hope and glory.
So what do your circumstances matter? What do your problems matter? You must know that Jesus has already risen from the dead. Ask yourself, “Can He solve my current problems?” If He can, then move forward with faith and hope, praying about everything, and you will see God’s beautiful blessings come upon you.
Let us pray together.
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you. Thank you for bringing us revelation and renewal through your words today, allowing us to serve without looking at others’ evaluations of us, but to move forward with faith. Our focus should be on Christ; He is our example, our supply, and our strength. We believe that as long as we uphold the truth and act, this truth will ultimately bear beautiful fruit. A new week has begun, and I believe this week will be a blessed week. No matter what happens, I believe the Holy Spirit is with me; He will help me and lead me through safely, allowing me to experience His beautiful blessings in my life once again. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.