Luke Crain's Blog

Deferring Praise November 30, 2009

As I was reading this morning, I see how vitally important it is that we do not consume what is rightfully God’s and His alone.  All praise is to be deferred to God!  Paul and Barnabas understood that they deserved no praise for the healing of the crippled man.  God alone is the Healer.

Acts 14:8-18 (New Living Translation)

 ⁸ 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 ⁹ and listening as Paul preached. Looking straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed. ¹⁰ So Paul called to him in a loud voice, “Stand up!” And the man jumped to his feet and started walking.

 ¹¹ When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, “These men are gods in human form!” ¹² They decided that Barnabas was the Greek god Zeus and that Paul was Hermes, since he was the chief speaker. ¹³ 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.

 ¹⁴ But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting, ¹⁵ “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. ¹⁶ In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, ¹⁷ 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.” ¹⁸ But even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them. How easy would it be to accept praise for this miracle of God, or to give God partial praise for what happened.  Paul and Barnabas knew who they were in Christ and that all honor and glory goes to God.

In the previous chapter of Acts 12:21-23 it says:

Acts 12:21-23 (New Living Translation)

²¹ and an appointment with Herod was granted. When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them. ²² The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, “It’s the voice of a god, not of a man!”

 ²³ Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.

Herod did not deny but accepted worship himself as “god”.  There were consequences for not denying and deferring worship and praise back to God alone.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, God can and will use you if you are willing to spread the Good News of Christ to your world.  Remember that it is God’s working in and through you, so always be quick to defer worship and praise back to the only One who can transform your life and others.