Today's readings are Psalm 138.1-6, Judges 4.1-24, and Acts 14.1-18.
Often when we think of persecution against early Christians we think of the Roman government and the pagan citizenry. We notice today, though, that in Iconium it is the unbelieving Jews who stir up trouble for the Christians. The Gentiles generally are accepting of the Gospel, but the Jews fight back. In Lystra Paul and Barnabas are welcomed very warmly. The people are so persuaded that God has visited us that they consider Barnabas to be Zeus and Paul to be Hermes. Of course, the apostles can't allow this blending of religions, but the fact remains that the Gentiles don't seem to have the problem with the Gospel that the Jews do.
I wonder whether a lot of the objections our society has to Christianity are rooted in Christians slandering each other and inviting opposition. It seems possible. Yet it's become quite difficult to decide what doctrines are essential for basic agreement. We find it awfully easy to fight against our fellow Christians but then leave ourselves open to counter-attack from unbelievers who simply see that we object to one another without understanding the nuances of doctrinal debate. May the Lord help us to find clarity and a unity of message.
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