Acts 14:8-17 - Uncommonly Good

Chad Werkhoven
Dec 12, 2023
2 min read

God is the overflowing fountain of all good. Who are you giving the credit to?

Read / Listen

Read Acts 14:15-17

8 In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting:

15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17 Yet he has not left himself 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.”

Listen to passage & devotional:

Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 125

Q. What does the fourth request mean?

A. “Give us today our daily bread” means,

Do take care of all our physical needs

so that we come to know that

you are the only source

of everything good,

and that neither our work and worry

nor your gifts

can do us any good without

your blessing.

And so help us to give up our trust

in creatures

and to put trust in you alone.

Summary

If you learned about the Greek gods in school, you likely remember how much drama was involved: from the intricate family feuds and love triangles to the epic battles and cunning schemes, their stories were full of intense and intrigue.

There's a big difference between the mythological Greek pantheon and our Father, "who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them." Whereas the Greek gods were simply reflections of humanity, albeit with superhuman powers, the God of the Bible is the exact opposite. Humanity is created in His image, not vice versa. And although God certainly has superhuman powers, He is much more than an all powerful being; He is the very definition of goodness itself!

The Belgic Confession, which we'll be learning about next year, describes God as being "the overflowing fountain of all good."

Our Father shares this goodness with all people, both those who put their faith in Him and those who continue to rebel against Him. He shows kindness by plentifully providing for needs, sending rain from heaven even filling people's hearts with joy. We call this doctrine common grace.

Dig Deeper

Paul's awesome description of who God is comes in the context of a massive warning. Our sin impaired minds have always attributed the good blessings God gives to other things. In the past, fabricated idols were given credit. In our own day and age, governments, businesses or our own inflated egos are said to be the source of the good life we have.

Whatever it is that you point to as the source of your abundance, if it's not the living God, then as Paul writes, it's a "worthless thing."

"In the past," Paul writes, "He let the nations all go their own way (v16)." God keeps providing rain and joy to people regardless of who they attribute it to, but His patience will not continue forever. He will call all people to account.

As you pray the simple words, "give us this day our daily bread," you're not just asking God for what you need, you're acknowledging that He is the only source of everything good in your life.

AAA Prayer (About)

ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them, and who is the overflowing fountain of all good;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will recognize Him as the source of blessing in your life and that He will continue to provide for your daily needs.
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: