Chapter 8

Derbe

 

The sun peeped over the mountains to the east as Paul and Barnabas stood at the city gate, saying their farewells

“You don’t need to worry about us,” insisted Paul to one of the new Christians in Lystra. “God has preserved our lives many times, as you witnessed just yesterday, and He will continue to do so until we’ve finished His work.”

“That’s right,” put in Barnabas. “We must go on so we can teach others about Jesus and His love.”

“But will you come back to see us . . . again?”

“We’ll do our best to come back soon,” assured Paul. “In the mean time, you must all stay close to each other and pray for one another. Remember the first law of Christ: Love your neighbor as yourself. Don’t just look after your own interests, but look after the interests of others as well.”

“We will pray for you as you continue on your journey,” offered Lois. “We know God sent you to us. And yet He’s sent you to others as well.” She wiped back a tear from her eye. “We’ll never forget what you did for us here in Lystra. And we’ll never forget what our people did to you.”

“Forgive them,” pled Paul. “They meant to kill me, but God saved me. They didn’t really know what they were doing. I saw the ones who were behind the uproar. I recognized them as Jews who fought against us in Antioch and Iconium. I’ve forgiven them. And since they think I’m dead, I can move about without fear.”

“Let’s pray before we leave,” suggested Barnabas. “Our Father. We thank You for Your grace in leading these many souls to You here in Lystra. Please bless them and care for them as we go on Your way. In Jesus Name, Amen.”

“Amen,” chorused the group.

After the kissing and hugging had run the circle, Paul and Barnabas took their leave. Timothy walked with them for about a mile, before they suggested it was time for him to return home.

“I believe God has plans for you, Timothy,” encouraged Paul as he saw the tears in the lad’s eyes. “When you come of age, I will send for you and train you to become a minister for God.”

“I’d like that,” smiled the youth as he turned towards home. “May God be with you.” He waved as the apostles rounded a corner and disappeared behind the trees.

 

“The Black Mount surely is imposing from this angle,” observed Barnabas, on the second day of their travel. “The base of it must not be more than a mile or two away.”

“Probably more like ten,” replied Paul. “I grew up in the mountains near the Cilician Gates, and I’ve learned that apparent distance can be deceiving. But your right. The mountain is quite imposing.”

“I can see the treetops that stand near Derbe. Perhaps we’ll reach it before dark.”

“I hope so,” Paul responded. “It would be a shame to have to sleep on the ground another night.”

“We’ve done it many times.”

“Yes, but I still prefer a bed.”

“I do too,” agreed Barnabas. “I hope there are some hospitable Jews in the town.”

“Me too.”

 

“Hello! Can we come in?” Barnabas called outside the gate of a wealthy Jew.

A servant opened the gate. “Hello,” he greeted them pleasantly. “Do you wish to see my master?”

“Yes,” answered Paul. “We are travelling and have decided to break our journey in Derbe.”

“Please come in,” invited the servant. “Be seated here on the bench and I shall call my master.”

“Thank you.”

The apostles set their knapsacks on the ground, leaned their walking sticks against the fence, and seated themselves. Getting off their feet brought relaxing, tingling sensations through their feet and legs. But they didn’t sit for long, for the gentleman of the house soon appeared.

“Hello, my friends. I’m so pleased that you chose to stop at my home.” He put his hand on Paul’s shoulder and gently indicated that he wished them to follow. “Let’s get you settled and then we can chat about your journey. Here, you can use this room. There are two couches. We have a drainage canal passing under our home in the rear, so you may relieve yourselves there. Take your time. Let me know what you need, and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

With that he left. The men could hear him calling to the servants: “Prepare food for two men, hurry!”

They removed clean clothes from their knapsacks and laid them on the couches. A basin of water sat on a small table near the door, which allowed the men to wash their faces and hands.

Paul answered the door when he heard a man calling. “May I wash your feet?”

“Yes, please.” The travelers removed their sandals and relaxed as the servant washed and massaged their feet.

“You do your work so well.” Barnabas leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes as the man worked away on his feet. “Such a complement you make to feet that have walked over dusty roads for eight hours.”

“One does his best to be of service,” replied the servant, smiling.

 

“Tell me about your journey, and how you came to stop in Derbe.” The host reclined at the low table as he, his wife and two daughters ate dinner with their guests. The sun had set, and oil lamps filled the room with a soft, warm glow.

“We’ve come from Antioch in Syria,” explained Barnabas, “travelled through Cyprus, and then sailed over to Perga. Then we walked to Antioch in Pisidia, where we stayed for a few days. From that city we’ve stopped briefly at Iconium and Lystra.”

“You’ve travelled a long way,” emphasized their host. “What purpose do you have to put forth such a great effort?”

“Our purpose for the journey, Sir, has been to tell our brethren the good news that Messiah has come to Judah.”

“Messiah!” The word arose from every tongue.

“When?” asked his wife, the Mistress of the house. “Why haven’t we heard of it before now?”

“He was born in Bethlehem,” explained Paul between mouthfuls of food. “He grew up in Nazareth in Galilee, was baptized by John in the Jordan River, and preached throughout Judea and Galilee.”

“Why didn’t we hear of Him?” queried one of the girls.

“I’m embarrassed to say it, but our leaders rejected Him. They abused Him and had Him crucified.”

“No! No! They must have been insane.” The host jumped to his feet, his face filled with rage, his nostrils flared. “They killed our Messiah?” he stomped back and forth in the room.

“Please sit down, my friend.” Paul motioned with His hand. “We bring good news as well. Let us tell you about it.”

Still fuming their host settled, cross-legged, beside the table, but didn’t recline. He’d lost his appetite.

“His name was Jesus—from Yeshuah, God, my Savior. He taught our people for three and one-half years. He healed many people of various diseases—leprosy, devil possession, blindness, deafness. He even raised several dead people to life again. He did everything that the prophets said he would do. But we missed one thing they told us: Isaiah wrote that He would suffer, be wounded by us, carry our transgressions, and die for our sins. He would be buried with the rich and then rise again . . .”

“Rise again?” inquired the Mistress. “What do you mean, ‘rise again?’”

“Just that: Messiah would die, but He would rise again.” Paul looked the host directly in the eye. “And Jesus rose up from the tomb!”

“He did?” Everyone was sitting up now.

“That’s right. He rose on the third day after He died.” Paul sat up too, indicating that he had finished his meal. “He stayed on earth for 40 days and was seen by more than 500 people—at one time.”

“My!” remarked the Mistress. “There’s no question about His rising from the dead, is there?”

“No. But at the end of 40 days Jesus ascended back to heaven—in the sight of many of His disciples.”

“You said, ‘back to heaven.’” The master of the house seemed confused.

“Jesus was a man, but He is also God.”

“A man . . . God!?”

Paul sent up a prayer for the words to explain it. “When Jesus was conceived, God chose a virgin, as Isaiah prophesied—and the Holy Spirit impregnated her. So then the Holy One who was conceived in her became the Son of God. He was human because His mother was human, and yet He was God because God was His father. I suppose you could call Him the God-man.”

“Well, I’ll be.” The mistress’ face showed amazement and wonder.

“That’s what Isaiah meant when He said that we would ‘call his name Immanuel:’ which means ‘God with us.’ He was God, and yet He was with us—He was also a man. I think the most important of all this: that we believe He came down from heaven to live and die for us. He took upon Himself our sins when He died on the cross. He paid the price for our transgressions so that we might have eternal life. If we accept Him as our Savior, then, sinful as our lives may have been, for His sake we are accounted righteous. Christ’s character stands in place of our character, and we are accepted before God as though we had never sinned.”

“Oh,” put in one of the girls, “That sounds wonderful. You mean Jesus did all of this for me?”

“Yes, little one, He did it all for you . . . and for everyone who will accept Him as Savior.”

“How can we accept Him as our Savior?” asked the host.

“Do you believe that He came from Heaven, lived in a human body for 33 years, died for the sins of all the world—yours included—rose to live again, and ascended to the right hand of the Father to minister to our needs?”

“Yes . . . I do.”

“Me too,” reflected the little one.

“I do too,” chorused her mother and sister at the same time.

“Then you’ll need to be baptized.” Explained Paul.

“Put under water?” The host looked askance at Paul.

“Yes, baptized in the Name of Jesus, for the remission of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

“I have a pond at the side of the house.”

“I saw it a few minutes ago.”

“Do you think it’s big enough in which to baptize my family and I?”

“It is. So arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins.” Paul stood up and motioned for the others to follow.

“Master.” A servant appeared from behind a curtain. “I listened to what Paul said. I believe in this Jesus. May I be baptized too?”

“But you’re not a Jew. How can you be baptized if you are not a Jew?” The host seemed distressed, for he cared deeply for his servants, and wouldn’t do anything to harm them or cause them emotional pain.

“It’s all right,” soothed Paul. “Jesus came to save everyone on earth, whether he or she is a Jew or not. Isaiah told us that we were to be a light to the Gentiles.”

“But they’ll have to be circumcised first, won’t they?”

“No. Belief in Jesus is all that’s necessary for salvation.” Paul looked at the ground and then back at the man. “We are circumcised because we are descended from Abraham. It is a sign of the covenant that God made with our ancestor. But your servant isn’t a descendant of Abraham. He isn’t required to carry the sign of Abraham’s covenant in his flesh because he is not a physical child of Abraham.”

“I see.” The host had taken in a lot of information in a short time. “Then my servant can be baptized without being circumcised?”

“Yes.”

“All right then.” He smiled and motioned to his family and to his servant. “As Paul said, let us ‘arise and be baptized,’ and wash away our sins.”

The scene appeared transfixing: the lengthened shadows produced by several oil lamps, cast  silhouettes on the wall, reflecting the actions taking place in the pool. Paul lowered and raised the master, his wife, the girls, first the older, then the younger, and finally the servant—each one lowered into the water, and then raised up again.

The seven sat by the pool after they’d changed into dry clothes. A fire blazed on a brazier before them to chase away the cool of the evening air.

“You were buried with Christ in baptism, and now you have risen to live a new life in Him. You’ve been crucified with Christ, nevertheless you live. But it’s not you who live any longer. Christ lives in you to will and do according to His good pleasure. Amen.”

“Amen.” Chorused the group.

 

“I noticed when we entered the city,” noted Paul, to his host family at the morning meal, “that a brook runs by a group of rocks and that flowers grace the grass in the area . . . beautiful. I’d like to walk out there and sit on the rocks for a while. Would any of you care to join me?”

“Yes,” “Yes,” they replied.

As the group passed through the gate, one of the guards heard them talking about “Messiah.” He recognized it as the Jewish name for a man whom many nations hoped would come and straighten up the mess that had become Planet Earth.

He spoke to his superior officer: “I’m going to take a few minutes off. Is that all right?”

“Of course,” the officer returned. “Take as much time as you like. It’s quiet today.”

As he followed the Jewish people down the hill, Paul’s host turned to him: “Have we done anything wrong?”

The guard smiled. “No, not at all. I heard you mention ‘Messiah’ and I wanted to hear more about Him.”

“Then join us, by all means. Paul here, our guest, has been telling us that Messiah has already come. But come with us, I’m sure that he will enjoy filling you in on the details.”

“I surely will.” Paul turned and greeted the guard.

Reaching the rocks, most found seats upon the cool granite boulders. Paul sat on a rock, facing them. He rehearsed the message that he had shared with his host family and servant the night before. As he spoke in animated tones, several from the city noticed the group and came out to observe. Others who passed stepped over to be among the hearers. Before long, the group had grown into a sizable crowd.

Paul went over the information he’d presented to his host family several times, each time from a different angle, for the benefit of the new ones who joined their group. “We must walk as Jesus walked,” he continued. “We must do all we can to please God.”

“You mean,” suggested a Jewish man in the group, “That we’re to keep the law so we can be saved.”

“Let’s look at it this way.” Paul absently plucked a reed from the edge of the stream. “Moses indicated that the entire law is summed up in a two commands: ‘Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength’ and  ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ If we bite and devour each other by argument, anger, or gossip, we will destroy each other. That, of course, will not be pleasing to God.

“So we should live by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of our sinful natures.”

“What do you mean by ‘sinful natures?’” asked an old man who leaned up against a tree.

“Sinful desires are those which are contrary to the Spirit. And the Spirit is contrary to the sinful nature. These two natures are in conflict with each other, so in the end, you do not do what you want. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Paul moved got up and picked a flower. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

“Oh!” The Jew who had asked the question about law earlier reacted to what Paul had spoken, but said no more.

 “I think you can see,” continued the apostle, “that none of these characteristics can be attained by human effort, nor are they found in the nature of man. These are part of the nature of God, and as such can only be attained through faith in Jesus Christ. By faith in Him these virtues are substituted in place of our sinful characters. Then, at the second coming of Christ, they will actually become ours.”’

“The second coming of Christ? What do you mean by that?” The man had strayed up to the group and had stood on the outskirts for a time, but as Paul talked he had moved incrementally forward.

“I told you that Jesus died and rose again.”

“Yes. I got that.”

“Jesus promised His disciples that He would come again and take us to His Father’s house too. So that’s why I mentioned that at the second coming of Christ we will receive all the spiritual virtues to actually be our own.”

“I see,” the man mused. “I definitely want to be ready for that. Life has to have more to it than the mess I’ve made of it.” He began to weep softly.

“You don’t have to wait until Christ’s coming for these characteristics to be yours. When you accept Jesus as your Savior, He gives you these virtues here and now. In fact, He lives out His life within you. Because those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Then Jesus makes it possible for us to keep in step with the Spirit . . . to be virtuous and loving just like He is.”

 

Several dozen people were baptized that day in the stream that flowed by the rocks. Many more came out of the city to watch the baptism and to ask questions.

“We’d like to hear about this new teaching too,” an older, well-educated man requested. “It’s getting late today, but perhaps you would be so kind as to spend some time with us tomorrow. Your host knows where I live. I’ll invite several of my friends.”

“We’d be delighted.” Paul stood by the river as the man turned toward the gate of Derbe. Lord,  he prayed silently, give me wisdom to know how to answer the questions which that man has. Help me to bring Him to Jesus.

Barnabas came up from behind, putting his hand on Paul’s shoulder. “We’re soaking wet, and there appears that no one else wanting to be baptized today. What say we go home and change into some dry clothes before dinner.”

“Sound’s good to me. We have an invitation to lunch at the home of a wealthy man tomorrow.” The two strode up the hill toward the city gate. “He plans to invite some friends, and wants to hear ‘this new teaching.’ I accepted his invitation.”

“That kind of contradicts an invitation I received to the home of a Jewish woman,” Barnabas stroked his beard as he thought. “Perhaps we could split up for the day. You go one place and I’ll go to the other.”

“I don’t really like to be separated like that. We need to be together so one can pray while the other speaks.” The two passed through the gates and moved on down the main road toward the home of their host. “But it wouldn’t hurt to do it just this time.”

“But we’d really need to spend much time in prayer together in the morning before we separated.” The apostles turned into their road, and Barnabas went on. “It’s essential that we be together in spirit even though we’ll be separated bodily.”

“A good idea.”

 

“Tell us more about the Second Coming of Christ,” suggested their host as they lounged together beside the pool that evening. The converted servant joined them. He still acted the role of a servant, but as a Christian he had really become more like a brother.

“That’s one of the most exciting things about loving and serving Christ. There’s hope for the future.”

“That’s really a wonderful thing. I remember how, before I met Jesus . . . I wondered what the future held.” The host looked up at the stars—brilliant, so near that it seemed he could pluck one out of the sky. “Now I know that one day we’ll all have the ability to visit those stars. But tell me more about the Second Coming.”

“All right.” Paul moved forward in his seat. “Jesus promised the disciples that He would come again. He said:  ‘In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.’”

“That’s a beautiful promise,” put in the host’s wife. “I want to see Jesus when He comes. Knowing that He’s coming makes all the troubles of this life sink into oblivion.” She swatted a mosquito on her arm. “I know that troubles will continue, but with the hope of Jesus’ coming . . . well, life takes on a different perspective.”

“I like the way you put that, dear,” agree her husband: “ ‘Life takes on a different perspective.’ It helps us decide what’s really important and what’s optional.”

“Jesus will come in the clouds, just like the angels explained to the eleven disciples,” continued Paul, bringing the conversation back on track, “Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”

The family all looked surprised at Paul’s sudden change in the train of thought.

But Paul went on. “Actually, the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the brightness of His coming.”

“Sounds scary,” complained the smaller girl.

“It is scary,” returned Paul. “We’re talking about a life or death issue here. Those who side with the man of lawlessness will die when Jesus comes.” He reached behind is neck to scratch a place where a mosquito had bitten him.

“But the coming of Jesus is the greatest thing this world will have ever seen. Everyone will see it.  Look,” Paul continued, “we believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring forth with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, . . . we’ll certainly not go ahead of those who have fallen asleep.

“For Jesus himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

“That just gives me chills down my spine,” mused the mistress. “I can’t wait!”

“That’s how I feel too.” Barnabas had been quiet, thinking about how the Second Coming will work out. “It’s so real to me . . . so real that I can just feel it . . . feel as though I’m standing right here watching . . . watching Jesus come.” He reflected, and continued disjointedly: “And then . . . then I wake up . . . I wake up and  . . . and we’re still here . . . still here in this dumpy, evil world. Oh how much I want Jesus to come . . .”

 

“I’m from the island of Malta, but I’ve made Derbe my home. It’s a beautiful place.”

Paul almost felt that his wealthy inquirer had called him to his home to brag about his own accomplishments, but he soon discovered his error.

“I’ve called you here because I have questions about how Jesus could die for the sins of others. I’m not a Jew, but I’ve learned something about their religion. I just haven’t been able to understand this idea about ‘substitutionary death.’”

“First, I think we need to understand that everyone who has ever lived has sinned . . . all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.” Paul sipped on a drink of water that the host had provided. “Yes, all have sinned and . . . and the wages of sin is death. So everyone is under a death penalty, and without divine intervention we would all be lost.

“God loves us and doesn’t want us, His children, to die. So He arranged that the giver of life . . . who had life within Himself . . . should die so that those who believe that He did this for them, could receive life.”

“Substitutionary. Doesn’t that have something to do with all those lambs that were sacrificed?” One of the friends had been listening, and the word struck a familiar note.

“Yes, it does,” returned Paul. “Sir, mind if I move over here into the shade?”

“By all means. We all should get out of the sun. I became so enthralled in what you were saying that I wasn’t aware it had moved so much, and the shade had left us.”

Several found his wording amusing, and smiled as they moved into an area shaded by a large tree.

“The word substitution has everything to do with the sacrificial system. A lamb was sacrificed each morning and evening as a continual offering made to God on account of sin. These were the daily sacrifice for the sins of all Israel. Any person in the entire world who confessed their sins to God, could, on account of the substitute death of the lamb, receive pardon and forgiveness.

“That’s interesting,” remarked a muscular man in the group. “It’s like I run in a race that my friend has slated. And when I win the race, my friend gets the credit.”

Everyone smiled.

“That’s exactly what substitution means. And the animals were a substitute for the person. The animal died instead of the person dying for his own sin.”

“I see,” put in the host. “Substitutionary.”

“Exactly,” returned Paul. “Now if an individual had committed a sin he thought was so bad he didn’t feel that the daily sacrifice was enough, he brought his own lamb to the door of the Temple, placed his hands on its head and confessed his sin on the head of the lamb. Then he was given a knife and, with his own hand, he slit the lamb’s throat. The lamb was the substitute for the man. The lamb died. The man’s sin was forgiven.” Paul stopped for a moment and drank more water from his goblet. He felt that he was getting dehydrated. He signaled to the servant for a refill, and drank half of the new before continuing.

“In reality, the sacrifice of all of those lambs did nothing. No one could have his sins forgiven by the death of an animal. It’s just that . . . that all those animals pointed forward to the One whose death did count . . . and whose death could make a difference in the life of the sinner.

“Jesus was one with the Father. He spoke this earth into existence. He was the Source of life. When Jesus died on the cross it was as if we had died as well—because our lives are a part of His great life. When Jesus died, it is as though we had died for our own sins, but He was the One who went to the cross instead of us. He is the great Substitute to which all other substitutes pointed.”

Paul looked around, into the eyes of the men and women gathered in the courtyard of his new friend. They all had tears at the edges of their eyelids. Some wiped them off with their handkerchiefs, while others used their hands or just let them trickle down their cheeks. “I love Jesus.” The apostle spoke softly, but everyone heard his simple testimony. “I want so much to be like Him, and to go home with Him to His house.”

“We do too,” chorused Paul’s friend and his wife.

“Me too.”

“I want to live with Him too.”

“I love Him too.”

Were among the statements made around the group.

“Paul,” asked one of the friends. “What can we do to be saved?”

“Repent and be baptized, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

 

Coming back from the river with his group of soggy saints, Paul passed Barnabas who led another group toward the river. They smiled at each other. The apostles hearts filled with the joy of service to God. They did exactly what they wanted to do: they were saving souls for Jesus, future citizens of God’s heavenly kingdom. And the witness of these new Christians, and others like them, would bring in millions in future generations.

And the church in Derbe grew in wisdom and Spirit, and those who were being saved were added to the church daily.