May 25, 2025
Pastor John Hering
Acts 14:8-22
Acts 14:8-22
8 In Lystra there was a man who was sitting down because he had no strength in his feet. He had never walked because he was lame from birth. 9 When he was listening to Paul as he was speaking, Paul looked at him closely and saw that he had faith to be healed. 10 Paul said in a loud voice, “Stand up on your feet!” And the man jumped up and began to walk.
11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying 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 main speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and garlands to the city gates, because he wanted to offer sacrifices along with the crowds.
14 But when the apostles Paul and Barnabas heard about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting, 15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We too are men with the same nature as you. We are preaching the good news to you so that you turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to go their own ways. 17 Yet he did not leave himself without testimony of the good he does. He gives you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons. He fills you with food and fills your hearts with gladness.” 18 Even though they said these things, they had a hard time stopping the crowds from sacrificing to them.
19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and persuaded the crowds to stone Paul. When they thought he was dead, they dragged him out of the city. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he stood up and went into the city. The next day, he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
21 After they preached the good news in that city and had gathered many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. They told them, “We must go through many troubles on our way to the kingdom of God.”
You’re late, driving to your Dr’s appointment and as you approach the intersection the light changes to yellow, then red. You didn’t make the light. Was that good or bad? We might say, “Bad” because now we are going to even more late for the appointment. But, actually it was good because if you have made the light and continued at your pace a mile down the road to the green light at the next intersection someone ran a red light and you would have been T-boned in a horrible crash! Or you go to the eye doctor because you’ve been having trouble seeing and he says, “I can’t find anything wrong with your eyes.” Good or bad? Good! Because he referred you to a brain doctor who did some testing and found a tumor in your head. You had it removed and now you’re fine! It’s a hot summer day and you’re super thirsty. But, you find a water bottle sitting on a table by your front door. You really want to drink it, but you don’t. Good or bad? Good, because your spouse had put some Miracle Grow into the water to put on the plants on the porch and if you drank that water you would’ve gotten real sick.
There are times in your life when you get so excited or upset, maybe even to the point of wanting to scream, or hit someone, or rip your shirt! When you feel powerless and hopeless Is that good or bad? From Acts 14 we join Paul and Barnabas on a journey as they heal a lame man and face the followers of the false gods made up by the Greeks. When we hear that they ripped their clothes we might think it was really bad as first, but then we learn that God has more power than any human and more power than any idols. So, may the Holy Spirit give us a bold heart and recognize that
Believing In Jesus Might Tear Our Clothes
With More Power Than Humans
Today’s message is based on the Book of Acts were Dr. Luke records the early events of the Apostles as they serve in God’s Church. Here is what is before us today:
“8 In Lystra there was a man who was sitting down because he had no strength in his feet. He had never walked because he was lame from birth.”
Don’t you wonder how many people tried to help this man and couldn’t? Was that good or bad? Luke makes it very clear this man’s condition was hopeless. There was no human that could help him physically. Spiritually it would also been a tough place to live for the Roman colony of Lystra was a robust center of pagan religion. On this day, however, God changes his hopeless physical and spiritual condition.
As I read this section, count how many miracles took place:
“9 When 1) he was listening to Paul as he was speaking, Paul looked at him closely and 2) saw that he had faith to be healed. 10 Paul said in a loud voice, “Stand up on your feet!” And 3) the man jumped up and began to walk.”
- A cripple pagan from a Roman colony puts his faith in a crucified carpenter and Savior from the Galilean village of Nazareth.
- Paul somehow can see the invisible faith in this man and sees that the Good News about Jesus Christ has created faith to receive what God has to offer, namely, the power to heal him!
- This man who had no hope to ever walk, jumps to his feet and walks around.
And where does Luke point his camera next? We might expect him to follow the man around but he turns his attention to the reaction of the crowd who witnessed the whole thing. I suppose that’s normal because when the Stars win a game they show the players for a little while, but then they show the crowds cheering in the stands!
“11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form.”
Was this good or bad? It is obvious that they were excited about what they just witnessed. They put two and two together realizing that no human could do what they just saw happen! The crowd figures that if Paul and Barnabas could do this healing, they must be superheroes! That was bad. But, the good thing was that the crowds realized such power had to come from someone more powerful than humans. That’s good!
We see God repeating the fact of mankind’s lack of power all through the Bible. Jesus rested in the boat when the category 5 storms threatened to capsize the human disciples in the boat. Is that good or bad? Jesus didn’t move when Paul pleaded with God to remove his thorn in the flesh. Is that good or bad? The Lord was quiet when messengers, friends and even his own wife reduced Job to sitting in ashes after one tragedy after another happened. Is that good or bad? Ever since Eve lived in the garden of Eden women have experienced morning sickness and the contractions of childbearing. Is the good or bad? Men have followed after Adam and experienced the frustrations at work, powerless to find the perfect project or create the perfect program. God lets hardworking Christians experience their lack of power. People might get their “Clothes of Life” torn. Is this good or bad? It is good when God stands by and lets relationships be ruined and his own children suffer to point out the lack of power in humans, and when they are reminded to lean on the almighty power of God! When God tears stubborn hearts and people finally say, “I need help,” a loving God points to his power of grace and salvation in the robe of Jesus. That’s good! God’s love is greater than my faithlessness. God’s forgiveness is greater than my promise to never commit that sin again. So, as I look out at you right now, I see a bunch of helpless people with “Torn Clothes” who have admitted they can’t walk by human power and have been turned to Jesus Christ Almighty Power that we mighty have our Spiritual Clothes Torn
With More Power Than Idols
We saw the miracle of Paul and so did the people. What follows sounds shocking to us, but probably not to those people.
“11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying 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 main speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and garlands to the city gates, because he wanted to offer sacrifices along with the crowds.”
Zeus was the king of the false gods. Hermes was the messenger of the false gods. Don’t you think Paul had hoped the miracle would draw the people to Jesus Christ? That hope was ripped away!
“14 But when the apostles Paul and Barnabas heard about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting, 15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We too are men with the same nature as you. We are preaching the good news to you so that you turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them.”
Paul doesn’t even give Zeus and Hermes the title of “gods” but calls them “worthless things.” Stones, wood, raindrops, the sun and moon are created objects that have become false gods in the imagination of people’s minds. Today we might add the idol of success, of comforts (bigger homes, nicer clothes, better relationships), we worship at the altar of approval (we allow others to dictate our worth), the idol of control (thin line between diligence and trying to play God), the idol of technology and entertainment (How many of us spend hours scrolling, watching, and consuming but find it hard to spend even a few moments in prayer or reading the Word?) They might make you feel good, but they don’t do you any good. Idols are worthless compared to the Creator God!
Jesus has more power than any false gods. Trees are created by God and then people carve idols from that wood. Stones are created by God and people chisel them into idols. Anything that exists in this world was created by God. So, Paul’s argument is this: What are you trusting? Why trust created things when you can trust the Creator?
This lesson is not just for 1st century Romans, but for 21st century people, too. This is 1st Commandment stuff—You shall have no other gods! (Ex 20). So, what is a 21st century god? To help you find some ask yourself, “Where do I turn first for help?” That’s your idol. You get a text that ruins your day. Your hormones tease you to do what you know you shouldn’t do. You are more excited about the Dallas Cowboys game schedule than the church schedule. How cheated do you think God feels when you choose the nosebleed seats of false gods over the front row seats that God offers you? The Bible tells us God is jealous! You remember what God said when his people were dancing around the gold calf—“They have made me jealous with their non-gods. They have provoked me with their useless things” (Deut 32:21). God desires that you fear, love and trust in him above all things. To be sure trusting in God’s power instead of the powerless idols in our hearts will lead to uncomfortable moments when our spiritual clothes get ripped for standing up for Jesus, but God sees his committed people dressed in Jesus’ robe of righteousness. And don’t worry, God won’t let false gods have the upper hand.
“16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to go their own ways.”
In the Old Testament God focused on his people to fulfill his promise of a Savior, but he also gave the Gentile nations some signs that he cared for them, too.
“17 Yet he did not leave himself without testimony of the good he does. He gives you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons. He fills you with food and fills your hearts with gladness.”
God has More Power Than Idols! What idol has ever pulled flowers up from the bulbs in the ground? What idol has ever put a smile on your face by painting a different sunset every evening? What idol has ever grabbed your attention in a tough situation and then brought you agape love at a cross and the empty tomb of Jesus Christ?
Do you have any skeptical or unbelieving family members or friends. How about we forget all about the religious talk and follow Paul’s lead? How about we talk about the fingerprints of God in nature!?! Talk about how we have 4 fingers and a thumb and not just 5 fingers (for grip strength). How from two cells in 9 months the life of a baby is created with two eyes, one nose, two arms and two legs! How the sun shines, stars sparkle, the rain falls, and the oceans roar. These are the beautiful fingerprints of God. Then when you have their interest, tell them about Jesus who died to pay for all their sins and rose from the dead to prove his power of sin’s curse, the devil’s power, and to open the gate of heaven for them. That’s what the disciples did.
“21 After they preached the good news in that city and had gathered many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. They told them, “We must go through many troubles on our way to the kingdom of God.”
Yeah, no kidding! Their evangelism efforts reached the point of ripping their clothes to get the people’s attention.
Yes, we are going to miss stop lights, find out things at the doctor’s office and even accidently drink from the wrong water bottle. We may not find out right away if it is a good thing or a bad thing, but we know living in the sin infected world we are going to have troubles that might Tear Our Clothes. However today we have also learned to always rely on God’s Power that is much greater than any human or idol power. Actually, I pray you tear your clothes a lot this week because you are standing on the promises of Jesus Christ that have deep and lasting joy that just might get someone’s attention! Amen!
