252 – Acts 14: Do You Have the Right Image of God?
While they were at Lystra, Paul
and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from
birth, so he had never walked. He was sitting and listening as Paul preached. Looking
straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed. So Paul called to him in a loud voice, “Stand
up!” And the man jumped to his feet and started walking. When the crowd saw what Paul had
done, they shouted in their local dialect, “These men are gods in human form!” They decided that Barnabas was the Greek god
Zeus and that Paul was Hermes, since he was the chief speaker. Now the temple of Zeus was located just
outside the town. So the priest of the temple and the crowd brought bulls and
wreaths of flowers to the town gates, and they prepared to offer sacrifices to
the apostles. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore
their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting, “Friends, why are you doing this? We are
merely human beings—just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that
you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who
made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. In the past he permitted all the nations to go
their own ways, but he never left them without evidence of
himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and
gives you food and joyful hearts.” But even with these words, Paul and Barnabas
could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them. Then some Jews arrived from Antioch
and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him
out of town, thinking he was dead. But as the believers gathered around him, he
got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for
Derbe. ACTS 14:8-20 NLT
Everyone
has an image of God
It
is easy to have the wrong image of God
Do not put your trust in idols or
make metal images of gods
for yourselves. I am the LORD your God. LEVITICUS
19:4 NLT
I can develop images of God based
upon:
Only
Jesus is the exact image of God
Christ
is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was
created and is supreme over all creation…For God in all his fullness was
pleased to live in Christ… COLOSSIANS
1:15, 19 NLT
Long ago God spoke many times and in
many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to
us through his Son. The Son radiates God’s own glory and
expresses the very character of God. HEBREWS
1:1-3 NLT
Satan, who
is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe.
They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t
understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. 2 CORINTHIANS 4:4 NLT
God
wants to imprint his image on me
Imitate God,
therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. EPHESIANS 5:1 NLT
And we know that God causes
everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called
according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he
chose them to become like his Son. ROMANS
8:28-29 NLT