Then some Jews came from
Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside
the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples had
gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and
Barnabas left for Derbe. Acts
14:19-20
It’s
astounding to think that Paul, after being stoned to near death by the Jews
then dragged outside the city, would pick himself up and return back into the
city. Why would someone do this?
Love. Commitment.
Passion. If you truly want people
to hear the good news, your death is of little consequence because you know the
death of the people who just stoned you is a permanent separation between
heaven and hell.