Pastor's Note

 “Thank you!” 

How many times a day do you say thank you? “Thank you” for the person who lets you go in front of them because you only have a couple of groceries and their cart is packed full. “Thank you” to the person who opens the door for you and shows kindness to your gender. “Thank you” for a firm recognition of a job well done.

Hopefully “thank you” will remain on our lips as a way to express gratitude for people’s gracious behavior. But what if you say “thank you” to the wrong person? How much harm could really come from a misdirected “thanks”?

In the case of Paul and Barnabas, this misdirection could allow an eternal distraction, preventing people from seeing the gracious behavior of the One True God, Jesus Christ.

Here is our text:

 Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, 10 said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking. 11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. (Acts 4:8-13)

This incident of divine healing almost takes a very negative turn. Why? Because the people of this region knew of an ancient legend (myth) of Zeus and Hermes coming down to earth in human form, only to be ignored and uncared for. According to the myth, only one elderly couple cared enough to be hospitable to them. As retaliation for the lack of concern on the part of the vast populace, the gods destroyed the people but rewarded the elderly couple.

When Paul healed the man who was crippled from birth, the people of Lystra were fear bound and concerned that they would miss another chance to redeem themselves. This is why they shouted, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” They did not want to be destroyed. 

In essence, they were sacrificing as a way to say “thank you” to the false gods, Zeus and Hermes. Now look at how Paul and Barnabas react:

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” 18 Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them. (Acts 14:14-18)

Paul and Barnabas could not let the sacrifices (thank you) of the people fall on them. The people looked at the two of them and assumed that they were Zeus and Hermes. But this distraction would create a false hope in a false divinity. Paul and Barnabas were appalled because the Real Living God, the source of the healing, was being ignored and lost in their thanksgiving. This could not be.

The actions of these two men (they tore their garments) displays not only anger but sorrow at how the people miss the real Savior in this healing. Jesus is the Great Physician of body and soul but His saving power was almost lost in the accolades to Zeus and Hermes. Thankfully Paul and Barnabas were able to convince some of the people that the real “thanks” belongs to the One True God.

In our world, we don’t believe in such myths as Zeus and Hermes. Yet the danger to have misdirected thanks is just as large in our day as it was in Paul’s. How? I see it on bumper stickers that remind us to thank our “mother” [earth] for life and health. I see it when we raise fellow humans to the ranks of the divine and attribute great healing to them. Humanism is one of today’s rampant diversions for stealing the “thank you’s” from Jesus and giving it to human efforts instead.

May we forever remember that our God is the One True God who provides rain from heaven, controls the climate and the seasons, provides us food for nourishment and joy, and is the only source of salvation. To God alone be the praise and the Thanks!