He had been crippled his whole life. When other boys could run and kick balls or jump over puddles, he could only watch them. I’m not sure that anybody cared very much about this cripple living in the city of Lystra, but God cared, and God cares about you too.
That crippled boy was a man now. His sandals never wore out, because he never walked on them. I’m sure he had sadness in his heart, but there was something else in his heart too. Maybe your heart is sad or maybe it’s full of fun. But do you have this other secret in your heart too? You’re probably asking, “What is the secret?”
The crippled man had something God values, and that something was “faith.” He didn’t wonder and hope that maybe God could heal him. He KNEW that God could heal him. Faith always knows, and faith was the secret in his heart.
If you have faith, you are not wondering if maybe God can save you and take your sins away and make you one of His very own children. You KNOW you can trust His promise; He has written it in the Bible for us to read and believe: “He that [believes] on Me [has] everlasting life” (John 6:4747Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (John 6:47)). Faith always knows, and faith in the Lord Jesus will not only save your soul, it will change your life!
The crippled man heard Paul speak. What do you do when someone is speaking the Word of God? Do you listen? Do you want to hear more? This man did, and this is what he heard: “Stand upright on thy feet” (Acts 14:1010Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. (Acts 14:10)). And for the first time in his whole life, that’s exactly what he did —he stood up on his feet! And not only that, but he leaped and walked!
The crowd of people saw what Paul had done, but they really missed seeing what God had done. Paul’s words were good words, but the power of God was behind those words, and they missed that part.
Bible words are always good words, and maybe you can repeat some from memory, but do you know that the power of God is in those words? And do you know those words are for you? The crippled man knew the power of God was in Paul’s words, but the crowd didn’t know that.
The crowd got all excited about this man’s wonderful healing, and they said, The gods have come down to earth in the likeness of men! They are Jupiter and Mercury! Then the religious priests brought garlands of flowers and oxen to sacrifice to Paul and his friend Barnabas.
Oh, no, no, no! The crowd had it all wrong! There was no faith in their hearts. Paul and Barnabas ran in among the people, crying, We are only men, just like you! Turn to the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea!
Perhaps in your heart you still believe what others tell you or what you can see. But it is the living God who fills our hearts with truth and gladness. Faith says, “Yes, I know,” even if the crowd does not agree.
Some people came from Antioch and talked the crowd into turning against Paul, and the crowd listened to them. Then they picked up big stones and hurled them at him from all sides, until he fell down unconscious. He’s dead, they said, and they dragged him outside the city. But his friends stood around him, and soon he revived, got up and went back into the city. The next day he was off to preach the same good news in another city.
You would expect that Paul would never go back to Lystra, but he did! There were people there who had believed his message, and he came back to encourage and help them. He told them to continue in the faith. Yes, they would have troubles, but it was worth it all.
We are telling you the same message today. Trust Jesus Himself, read His Word, and don’t be surprised if you have troubles. The living God is the One who cares about you. Jesus has gone to heaven, and He has prepared the place for you. Here is His promise: “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself ” (John 14:33And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3)).
You may read this story for yourself in Acts 14:8-228And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: 9The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 10Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. 11And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. 12And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. 13Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. 14Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, 15And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: 16Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. 17Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. 18And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them. 19And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. 20Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. 21And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, 22Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. (Acts 14:8‑22).
ML-09/30/2007