Paul Persecuted But Not Forsaken

Passage: Acts 14:9-28

You will recall from last week Paul and Barnabas were barely able to keep the people of Lystra from sacrificing to them as gods. Don’t miss the irony here. They are stoning their gods. It was with great difficulty that Paul and Barnabas restrained the people from making sacrifices to them as gods. It was with no difficulty that some Jews from Antioch and Iconium persuaded them to stone Paul and Barnabas. One day they were sacrificed to, the next day they were the sacrifice. One day they are ready to bow down and submit to anything they say, the next day they hate what they have to say and stone him to silence him. Crowds are fickle, mobs are easily manipulated. Today they shout hosanna, tomorrow they shout crucify. We usually read over this passage quickly and casually. What was it like to be stoned, to be pummeled by rocks, bruised and battered, in terrible pain until mercifully he finally went unconscious? There is more than just the physical pain, there is the mental anguish and utter humiliation. Then to be dragged out of town and thrown on the town trash dump for dead.