Disciples Gathered Around Paul
While Paul was in Lystra and Derbe on his first missionary journey, the Jews from Iconium and Antioch came and stoned him. When they thought he was dead, they dragged him out of the city. The next verse is amazing, “the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe” (Acts 14:20).
We can see how despicably men can treat his fellow man when he doesn’t like what is being said. I envision Paul lying in his own pool of blood and his bones shattered. Men grabbing his broken limp body, dragging him over rough pavement through dust and filth, until they reached the spot outside of town to dump his body. Paul became a ready banquet for vultures and wild beasts.
When men decide to hate their fellow man, there’s no limit to the brutality. It strikes me that not much has changed today. If one brother disagrees with another his name is dragged through the filthy city. If there is a disagreement in a local church, brethren bite and devour one another, and destroy the work of the Lord. For some, their only response is to tell anyone who will listen how terribly they have been treated. Resulting in the destruction of the reputation and character of that brother.
Now, notice what happens next. The disciples go out to Paul and gather around him. It’s not hard to imagine their sorrow, or their horror. Here is the man who just brought us the gospel, that saved our souls, and now he is nearly beaten to death. The disciples might have helped by washing and dressing his wounds while comforting and encouraging him. As strongly as Paul was reviled by the Jews, these disciples had a deep love and care for him. All heard the same message, but there were two drastically different responses.
When we are beaten down, discouraged, and in despair, we need disciples who will come to lift us up. We need disciples who will comfort us and speak well of us. It is our choice how we will respond to the downtrodden.
One more thing happens. Paul gets up and goes back into the city to get Barnabas and then leaves. Excuse me? He goes right back into the city! Unimaginable! I would have run as fast as I could in the opposite direction. He went right back into the presence of his enemies, the people who stoned and beat him trying to kill him. It seems to me Paul is saying to them, “I will not quit! You can beat me, but I will not stop! You can harm my body, but you cannot take my soul.” How do we think those disciples who came to him responded? They were emboldened and encouraged.
We get to decide how we will respond to others. We get to decide if we will help or hate. We get to decide if we will encourage or destroy. On one side of the coin – the grace of God was seen. On the other – the work of Satan was seen. Which side will we stand on?
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