Divided

This week, we are following Paul on the first of his three missionary journeys. There is a link in “the sites” section that will help you track his journey. Each day, I will share with you a thought about one word that really stands out to me.

Acts 13
1 The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. 2 Some of the Jews, however, spurned God’s message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. 3 But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. 4 But the people of the town were divided in their opinion about them. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 5 Then a mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them. 6 When the apostles learned of it, they fled to the region of Lycaonia - to the towns of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area. 7 And there they preached the Good News.


Divided. It shouldn’t amaze me that this message of Jesus ... divided people so personally (Jesus said it would, check out Matthew 10:34-36) ... angered people so deeply (Jesus said it would, check out Matthew 10:22) ... but it does. The question is, “How much division and hate are you willing to experience on behalf of this message?”