“Sharing God’s Love Can be Dangerous”

​B I B L E  B I T S  &  B I T E S
Devotions for Families

Season: Book of Acts
Episode 18: “Sharing God’s Love Can be Dangerous”
Today’s Bible Bite: Acts 14

Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1MlI88rtIg (Superbook – Paul & Barnabas in Lystra)

“Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. 20 But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.” (Acts 14:19-20, NLT)

When Paul and Barnabas traveled to Lystra, Paul noticed a man who was crippled. He could tell that the man had been listening intently and believed Paul’s words; Paul told the man to stand up and he was able to. Many of the townspeople thought that Paul and Barnabas must be more than humans to be able to perform this miracle. They were convinced they were gods; they even wanted to make a special sacrifice to them! Paul and Barnabas pleaded with the people to believe them—they were just men; it was the one true God who had performed the miracle.

However, it wasn’t long until some Jews from other places that Paul and Barnabas had already visited, people who had rejected the news about Jesus, showed up in Lystra. They persuaded some in the town to go against Paul and they even stoned him; they literally threw rocks at him until they thought he was dead. But as some of the believers came to where Paul lay, he got up. The next day, Paul and Barnabas headed to a new place to spread the news about Jesus.

Think about it...
• Paul healed a man, so that he could walk. How did the people of the town think this was possible?
• Paul and Barnabas tried to convince the people they weren’t gods. Who did they say had performed the miracle?
• Some Jews arrived in the town and turned the people against Paul and Barnabas. What did they do to Paul?
• Everyone thought Paul was dead after being stone. What happened when the believers came to the place he was lying?
​
Prayer: Thank you, God, that even though Paul suffered by being stoned, that you continued to help him spread the good news about you. Even if people make fun of my belief in you, help me to faithfully share your love with others.