Manifestation Of The Holy Spirit / Part 4

Series – June 2020 – Grace & Truth Magazine

The Manifestation Or Marks Of The Holy Spirit Versus Imitation In The Church – Part 4

God’s Work Continues
Acts describes seven phases of the Lord’s new work a study in itself as He outlined three successive steps. Once the Holy Spirit had come on the believers, it would impact:

Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and Extend to the ends of the earth (1:8).

Thus it would continue despite opposition.

In Acts 14:1 the Holy Spirit emphasized the side of human responsibility, as Luke recorded they “spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks” (NASB). Acts 13:48 describes how God appointed people to eternal life, because both sides of man’s responsibility and God’s working go together and are inseparable. The new believers were called “brethren” (14:2) since they belonged to the same family of God, and “disciples” (13:52), or learners, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul took his first missionary journey with Barnabas. When they arrived at Iconium, the capital city of Phrygia or Lycaonia, they entered the synagogue. Because of earlier opposition on their journey, the apostles had fled to this area where they remained a considerable time, speaking boldly about the Lord while relying on Him. The exalted Christ confirmed the word of His grace by the signs and wonders He gave the apostles to do (14:3,10), through which He authenticated their message. The Lord in heaven continued His plan, operating by way of His disciples (see Mk. 16:20).

However, the enemy was also active in the unbelieving Jewish leaders who stirred up Gentile elements in Iconium and “embittered them against the brethren” (Acts 14:2). As a result, the city became divided (vv.3-4), and Paul and Barnabas escaped a planned attack by Jews and Gentiles to stone them (v.5). They went to Lystra, where the healing of a lame man took place, after which Paul was stoned to death. Miraculously, he was revived.

Another Lame Man Healed By The Heavenly Lord
Luke’s summary is followed by a more detailed account about the healing of a man who had been lame “from his mother’s womb, who had never walked” (v.8). This man’s physical state illustrated the moral condition of the human race since the fall (Gen. 3), especially of those in Judaism. Both the lame man in Jerusalem (Acts 3:2) and Aeneas at Lydda (9:33), though outwardly close to God, symbolized a condition worse than the far away Gentiles. The hopelessness of those under the law, although seemingly close to God, is especially portrayed in Saul of Tarsus, the chief of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15). At the time very active, he was morally lame before God – helpless.

The man whom Paul and Barnabas met at Lystra was helpless too (Acts 14:8), far away from God (Rom. 1:18-32). Whether in Paganism or Judaism, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (3:23) and cannot reach it, for all are without strength (5:6). The term used to describe the lame man’s condition (adúnatos) also means “impossible,” for “without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Heb. 11:6; see 6:4,18, 10:4). Yet God has a solution for “impossible situations,” provided a person is ready to accept His Word and trust Him. “What is impossible with men is possible with God” (Lk. 18:27 ESV), for “nothing will be impossible with God” (1:37).

Led by God’s Spirit, the apostle gazed 1 upon this paralytic (Acts 14:9, see 3:4) who was ready to believe, aware that he had no strength in himself. The great miracle is briefly described: “Stand up straight on your feet! And he leaped and walked” (14:10 NKJV, consider 3:8). This may have been one of the miracles wrought among the Galatians (Gal. 3:5), demonstrating that the Lord is able. It showed what the Lord has in mind for all who listen to His Word and believe it, so they may walk before Him and for His pleasure (Eph. 2:10, 4:1,17, 5:2,8,15).

God’s plan for His earthly people, even though they are morally lame, is that they will walk as Abraham did. Thus, another miracle will take place when Christ will come to reign on the earth, also over His people when they will be healed from their inabilities (Isa. 35:5-6).

Two Different Kinds Of Response
As we saw when Paul spoke, the man “leaped up” (literal), implying a response from the heart coinciding with his physical healing and new ability to walk.2 The Samaritan woman responded similarly in the spiritual realm to the Lord’s teaching, being introduced into a relationship with the true and living God (Jn. 4). He enabled her to respond to God’s love, something He desires for all. There, Christ used the same verb as Luke did in describing the two lame men who were healed and jumped up (Acts 3:8, 14:10). Jesus spoke of the water He gives which becomes a fountain springing up (Jn. 4:14), linked to the Father who seeks worshipers (4:23). This response is for the glory of God.

The Enemy Responded In Two Opposite Ways
The first was to cause the pagan people to worship Paul and Barnabas as if they were gods who had come in human form to the people of Lycaonia. Their idea was probably based on a legend familiar to them (Acts 14:11-13). Paul’s comment to the Galatians that they had received him as an angel of God (Gal. 4:14) supports this view. Of course this was superstition. It must have caused great concern to Paul and Barnabas’ soul and spirit as they restrained the people from sacrificing to them (Acts 14:18).

At that very moment people came from Antioch in Pisidia, where an earlier persecution had taken place (13:50), as well as from Iconium. Previously, people from Phrygia had planned an assault on the apostles and tried to stone them, but they had escaped (14:5-6). Although the people from Lystra and Derbe spoke a different language (v.11), the former opponents arrived at that very moment and managed to change the people’s minds from worshiping Paul and Barnabas to stoning 3 Paul (v.19; 2 Cor. 11:25). This was a different way in which the enemy attacked them.

These events show how vulnerable multitudes are – fickle and easily influenced – like the crowds in Jerusalem who first had honored then rejected the Lord Jesus. Much later, a similar change of attitude occurred toward Paul on the island Malta. After the serpent’s bite, the people said he must have been a criminal deserving death, but when the bite had no effect on him they said he must be “a god” (Acts 28:4-6).

Paul’s Brief Speech, Equipped By The Glorified Lord
Paul tried to address the company of idol worshipers who wanted to bring sacrifices to him, desiring to bring them to the Lord. However, they were completely different from the audience in the Pisidian synagogue, who knew or knew about the God of the Bible. Paul wisely took into consideration the people’s different background (14:15-17), as he did later while addressing the philosophers on Mars’ Hill (17:22-31). His brief improvised speech in Acts 14 shows how the Lord in the glory through His Spirit equipped Paul to say the right words at the right time to the right people in the right way. We may note that God did not use angels to bring the gospel. No, He was using men of like passion, as He had done when sending Peter to Cornelius’ home to bring to them the message of good news.

Paul declared they should turn away from these vanities – a biblical expression for idols. They are counterfeits of the living God,4 who made the heavens, earth, sea and all things in them (v.15). Besides being the Creator-God, He is the great Ruler who allowed all nations to go their own ways (v.16). The living God showed something of Himself – for He is good – in giving rain from heaven and providing fruitful seasons. He is the great Sustainer and Upholder, filling human hearts with food and gladness (v.17).

Paul and Barnabas convinced the multitudes to refrain from sacrificing to them. At that moment the adversaries succeeded in manipulating the crowd to stone Paul to death, after which they dragged him out of the city (vv.18-19). There, new disciples surrounded Paul after he had been stoned (vv.19-20). Besides working in and through Paul and Barnabas, Christ worked in the believers. When the attackers thought that Paul had died they left him alone, but the disciples did not leave the apostle. Instead, they surrounded him and probably prayed for his recovery. The Lord worked a great miracle, as Paul rose up. Then, he and Barnabas continued their gospel outreach!

They visited Lystra and Derbe, “cities of Lycaonia,” and “the surrounding area” (v.6). Luke mentioned this last point to indicate the good news was not restrained; it was spread abroad. Derbe was where Timothy lived, at least for some time, for he stayed also at Lystra (16:1-5). On their return trip Paul and Barnabas visited the new assemblies and brought a report to their home assembly at Antioch (14:21-28). Later, Paul taught that God’s quality of being and doing good (14:17) must also be seen in the believers (1 Tim. 6:18).

Barnabas And Paul’s Presentation – Followed By James’ Summary
The enemy did not stop, for he soon attacked the new testimony through infiltration by the Judaizers who claimed that the Gentile believers could not be saved without keeping the Mosaic law (Acts 15:1; Gal. 1–2). Their challenges led to the Jerusalem counsel, where Peter rehearsed his God-given ministry and how the believers from among the Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit when they had believed (Acts 10:44-48). Barnabas and Paul related God’s work of salvation through the good news that He had authenticated through signs and wonders performed by them (15:12).

After this, James expressed his agreement (v.13) with Peter’s words (vv.7-11) and quoted God’s Word, applying Amos 9:12 to confirm the reports indicated a work of God in restoration (Acts 15:16). Amos referred to God’s having a remnant among Israel (v.16) and the Gentiles (v.17). The spiritual application is for the present period of grace. James explained that in His ways God always has a remnant. No matter how we take Amos’ prophecy, it confirms the need of a work of God in sovereign grace.

Note the balance in James’ words: a work of God in restoration (v.16) goes together with a human work in faith (v.17; see Jer. 29:13; Heb. 11:6). Both sides are shown as taking place at the very same time, even though this matter remains a mystery to the human mind. This agrees with the first part of Joel 2:32 quoted by Peter on the day of Pentecost where these two sides are linked together: “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). James concluded his remarks by adding an even deeper dimension, saying the things God was doing in the present age of grace (15:17) were known to Him from eternity (v.18). Read Ephesians 1:4-5, 2:10 and 3:8-12 for some additional thoughts.

Prime Objective Of Paul’s Ministry – A Response To God And To Christ
The book of Acts ends in a way which suggests that the preaching of the kingdom of God and the teaching concerning our Lord Jesus are to go on without hindrance. They do, as 2 Timothy and John’s writings show, and will go on to the rapture of the Church. The question is whether we are involved in this exercise.

The kingdom of God is mentioned seven times in the book of Acts, which indicates how important its meaning is for the present – not to be confused with the kingdom in coming glory. That future aspect is mentioned once in relation to Israel’s glorious future (1:6-7). Today the Lord, who is the Son of God, is rejected both as the Messiah and as the King after God’s heart. We believers may honor Him in word and deed during the time of His rejection.

Scripture mentions several examples of service with a response despite opposition or counterfeits. Mary of Bethany’s remarkable response in worship, despite the criticism she experienced (Mk. 14:3-8) is linked by the Lord with the preaching of the gospel throughout the world. He stated that such a response will continue (v.9), as will the preaching of the gospel (Mt. 26:13). The disciples are another example of a proper response. After they had seen their risen Lord “they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs” (Mk. 16:20). Their response is seen in their serving the Lord in heaven through the Holy Spirit, and in their worship (Lk. 24:50-53).

Service linked to worship is a theme that can be traced throughout Acts. The challenge to serve and worship is a privilege for believers wherever they are on the face of this earth. The apostles’ ministry lasted for one generation, as we may conclude from Hebrews 2:3 where “confirmed” is in the past tense. However, the Lord’s working together with His own on this earth continues until the rapture. Are we available to Him, willing to respond to His greatness in service and worship, despite opposition?

ENDNOTES
1. This verb “to look intently” (ateníz) occurs ten times in Acts (1:10, 3:4,12, 6:15, 7:55, 10:4, 11:6, 13:9, 14:9, 23:1).
2. This verb (peripaté) occurs eight times in Acts (3:6,8 twice,9,12, 14:8,10, 21:21) for a new order of things.
3. The Lord had shown Paul how he “must suffer” on behalf of His name (Acts 9:16) and therefore He allowed Paul to be stoned. As a persecutor, Saul had approved of Stephen’s stoning (8:1; see 26:10).
4. “The living God” is in sharp contrast with such “idols,” which do not see or hear. In their superstition these pagans had built a temple for Zeus “in front of their city” (Acts 14:13) as a token of protection for it. The living and true God (1 Th. 1:9) is not served in superstition but in true faith.

By Alfred Bouter

Look for a part 5 of this Series next month!