Be Bold Like Peter and Barnabas

May 18, 2019

From today’s reading…

Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said,

‘It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first,

but since you reject it

and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life,

we now turn to the Gentiles.’”

We read this part of Acts on Sunday, May 12 so to repeat it so soon shows its significance. 

On Sunday I stressed the reaction of Paul and Barnabas to being contradicted with “violent abuse.”

Today I want to focus on the manner in which Paul and Barnabas stand tall and double down on their message to the fat cats and the spoiled elders.

In what may be the first-ever documented sales tactic of the takeaway close, Paul and Barnabas, while standing in the synagogue*, the “home court” of the fancy-pants, inform them that not only are they not the fancy pants they thought they were but that they have condemned themselves by their own actions.

To add insult to injury, Paul and Barnabas inform the power brokers of the city that the “lowly” Gentiles are now added to those who are chosen.

Paul and Barnabas would eventually be martyred, but their example should help inspire you and me to…

Stay the course.Keep the faith.Endure.

*I assume they’re in the synagogue since that is where they were the previous Sabbath, as indicated in verse 14 of this chapter in Acts, but due to the size of the crowd and the fact that the Gentiles were present, maybe they were outside the synagogue. However, there was an outer court to the synagogue where Gentiles were allowed and it seems Gentiles were allowed in some synagogues in the Roman-controlled lands.