Very grateful that we don't tear our clothes as a sign of dismay....
The perseverance of the apostles is amazing to me. They were up against crowds that loathed them enough to stone them yet they continued preaching in city after city. Pretty amazing. We also see the healing of the lame in verse 9/10. Again, it wasn't that Paul healed him but his faith that healed him. I always think of the question of whether miracles such as this happen today - but how many mysteries are their in medicine where the only explanation is faith? Granted their are some healings/recoveries that maybe will have some sort of logical explanation but there are many more where the statistical games say here are less than 1% that live etc and they survive even after losing a couple limbs from a shark. And that boy grows up to say it was a blessing.
Good point. I think miracles happen all the time since the greatest miracle is the renewing of the heart. I can personally attest to that.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing that the very same people that were declaring Paul and Barnabus gods were so easily persuaded by the Jews to stone them! Yet another example of how awe has really nothing to do with belief. This Chapter by the way is a great reminder not to jump on the band-wagon...for ANY reason. People are so easily swayed it really is ridiculous - especially in a dumbed down, don't-think-for-yourself culture that we are becoming.