“Turn Away From These Things To The Living God!”

“Turn Away From These Things To The Living God!”
(Acts 14:8-18).
The tortoise sent the lizard to go fetch his beautiful bride for him. The lizard went and eloped with the bride. For this reason the lizard is always on the run. He runs, stops, lifts up his head to listen whether he will hear the footsteps of tortoise chasing them.
Messengers face the temptation of taking the credit which belongs to the Sender. This is even more so with messengers of the gospel. At Lystra Paul healed a cripple who was lame from birth. The crowd shouted, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” They called Barnabas Zeus and called Paul Hermes. In Greek mythology the gods resided on mount Olympus. Zeus was like a chief of the gods, though he did not have supreme control over the other gods and goddesses. Hermes was the errand boy and spokesman of the gods. Zeus happened to be the patron god of Lystra. He had a temple outside the city. This explains why the priest of Zeus “brought bulls and wreaths” for him and the crowd to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas.
When “Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, ‘Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. In the past he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left hinself without testimony. He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.'”
Naive recipients of the goodnews are always tempted to elevate the messengers to the rank of the gods. Messengers whose roots are not firmly rooted in Christ easily fall into the temptation.
When this happens, Christ becomes a footnote or at best an appendix in the ministry. But we are reminded that all glory belongs to God alone! That is why the lessons of this week highlights the Sovereignty of God and the Supremacy of Christ over all creation. All glory, praise and honour belongs to no other! Whoever accepts to be elevated to the rank of a god forfeits her/his seat of honour at the honorable salvific banquet table of the Lord. It is like abandoning the substance and straining after the shadow!
Bottomline my friend, Turn from these worthless things to the living God who provides you with plenty of food and fills your heart with joy!
Have a blessed weekend! Happy celebration to the PCC on the occasion of the celebration of the 64th anniversary of her autonomy! Peace be with you!
Rev. Babila Fochang.