Rebuke. Correct. Train.

Pete Kersker - Jul 30, 2026

Paul and Barnabas went to Lystra to teach people that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Upon arrival, the Lord decided to perform a miracle to get everyone's attention. The people misinterpreted the sign.

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 (Acts 14:13 NIV).

This misinterpretation, and the resulting actions, made the evangelist's calling much more difficult. Before telling them about Jesus, they already needed to tell the Gentiles about the one true God (YHWH, THE LORD). Now, they needed to stop the people of Lystra from sacrificing to them AS gods.

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: "Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you” (Acts 14:14 NIV).

It's never fun to tell someone that they're wrong. When it comes to walking with God, though, that's an important part of serving (ministering to) them. God's written communication to us, the Scriptures (Bible), is given to us to teach us, rebuke us, correct us, and train us in what is right. That's because these are the things that truly give us life.

"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” (Acts 14:15 NIV).

Have you ever been rebuked for getting something (about God) wrong?
How did it feel? Did it help you walk with God better after that experience?

Have you ever had to rebuke someone else? How can we do this motivated by love?