August 24, 2014
Evening Service

This morning we saw the end of Paul’s second missionary journey and the beginning of the third.  He and his companions continue to travel out of Antioch to preach the gospel message and exhorting the churches that have been already established.  We have been introduced to some of the other Christians who are also spreading the word.  Aquila, Priscilla and Apollos are now working together with Paul and the other apostles.  That is how the church is designed to grow; Christians winning others to the Lord and teaching them to win others to the Lord.  That is how the church has survived; one generation teaching the next which in turn teaches the next.

Act 19:1 And it happened in the time Apollos was at Corinth, Paul was passing through the higher parts to Ephesus. And finding certain disciples,

·         In chapter 18 Paul had passed through Ephesus and they wanted him to stay with them longer, but he told them if the God was willing he would return.  God does, so Paul returns and is able to share with the believers there for about three years.

 

Act 19:2-7 he said to them, “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?” And they said to him, “We did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit is.  (3) And he said to them, Then to what were you baptized?” And they said, “To John's baptism.”  (4)  And Paul said, “John truly baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe into Him coming after him, that is, into Jesus Christ.”  (5)  And hearing, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  (6)  And as Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.  (7)  And all of the men were about twelve.

·         Here we see yet another conversion in the Book of Acts.  This one is a lot like Apollos’ conversion in that they had been baptized into repentance under John the Baptist’s ministry.  Notice the willingness of them to be baptized into Jesus.

 

Act 19:8-10 And going into the synagogue, he spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.  (9)  But when some were hardened and did not believe, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of one Tyrannus.  (10)  And this happened over two years, so that all those living in Asia heard the Word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

·         Paul follows his usual plan and goes first to the Jews of the town and when they reject his message he leaves them for the Gentiles.  They met daily and Paul preached to them the Word of the Lord.  Wouldn’t you have loved to have been there?  Look at the results!

 

Act 19:11-12 And God did works of power through the hands of Paul, (12) so that even handkerchiefs or aprons from his skin being brought onto the sick, the diseases were released, and the evil spirits went out of them.

·         God was willing that Paul returns here because He had great plans to move mightily in this fellowship and uses Paul as his chief tool.  Oh to be a tool in the Master’s hand!

 

Act 19:13-16  And certain from the strolling Jews, exorcists, undertook to name the name of the Lord Jesus over those having evil spirits, saying, “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”  (14)  And there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.  (15)  But answering the evil spirit said, “Jesus I know, and I comprehend Paul, but who are you?”  (16)  And the man in whom the evil spirit resided leaped on them, and overcoming them he was strong against them, so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded.

·         The enemy in which we battle is real.  Don’t ever be fooled into taking him too lightly.  Remember the apostles couldn’t cast out a demon from someone and Jesus told them that it takes “prayer and fasting.”  When we fight this spiritual battle we must be prepared as he wrote to this church later in his letter to them explaining the “Armor of God.”  Here the quote rings clear, “Don’t fight naked.”

 

Act 19:17-20 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks who lived at Ephesus, and fear fell on all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.  (18)  And many who believed came and confessed and showed their deeds.  (19)  Also many of those practicing the curious arts, bringing together the books, burned them before all. And they counted the prices of them and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.  (20)  So the Word of God grew mightily and prevailed.

·         True conversion brings about change in your life.  Look at the results that occurred here.  All these books of magic were burned in a show of commitment to the Lord, nearly $400,000 of material.  What did you have to burn?

·         “So the Word of God grew mightily and prevailed.”  When a powerful God hooks up with a humble, yielded and hungry people, great things can and do still happen and the name of the Lord Jesus can and is magnified by it.

 

Act 19:21-23  After these things were ended, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, Paul purposed in the spirit to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have come there, I must also see Rome.  (22)  And sending into Macedonia two who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he stayed in Asia for a time.  (23)  And about that time there was not a little a stir about the Way.

·         Our enemy again is not going to quit.  Paul moves on from Ephesus, leaving them on a tremendous spiritual high and immediately they are attacked again.

·         We need to learn from this.  Don’t be surprised that when you experience a spiritual high, soon after you will be tested and tried again.  Our walk with the Lord is not a sprint, but a marathon.  It is not a single hurdle we must jump, but a lifetime of hurdles until we reach our final destination.

·         Let’s see what occurs here at Ephesus.

 

 

Act 19:24-41  For a certain silversmith named Demetrius was making silver temples of Artemis, providing not a little trade for the craftsmen.  (25)  And assembling the workmen about such things, he said, “Men, you know that from this trade is our wealth.  (26)  And you see and hear that, not only at Ephesus, but almost all Asia, this Paul having persuaded, he has perverted a huge crowd, saying that those which are made with hands are no gods.  (27)  And not only is this dangerous to us, our share coming into dispute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be counted for nothing, and her magnificence is also about to be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships.”

  (28)  And hearing, and becoming full of anger, they cried out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.”  (29)  And all the city was filled with confusion. And they rushed with one accord to the theater, keeping a firm grip on Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, traveling companions of Paul.  (30)  And Paul intending to go in to the mob, the disciples did not allow him.  (31)  And some of the chief men of Asia, being his friends, sent to him, begging him not to give himself into the theater.  (32)  Then indeed others cried out, some other things; for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together.  (33)  And they dragged Alexander forward out of the crowd, the Jews thrusting him forward. And waving his hand Alexander desired to defend himself to the mob.  (34)  But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for two hours' time, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

  (35)  And quieting the crowd, the town clerk said, “Men, Ephesians! What one of you does not know that the city of the Ephesians is a worshiper of the great goddess Artemis, and of That Fallen from the Sky?  (36)  Since these things cannot be spoken against, you ought to be quiet and to do nothing rashly.  (37)  For you have brought these men, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess.  (38)  Therefore if Demetrius and those craftsmen with him truly have a matter against anyone, the court days are kept, and there are proconsuls. Let them plead against one another.  (39)  But if you ask anything concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.  (40)  For we are in danger to be accused of revolt concerning today; there being no cause by which we may give an account of this crowding together.”  (41)  And saying these things, he dismissed the assembly.

·         The church is safe for the moment, but the struggle will continue to face the Christians at Ephesus; neither the silversmiths nor the gates of hell will prevail against the Lord’s church.  In the end, they and we win!

·         The future may hold difficult trials in our future, yet we can hold on to this promise as well.

 

In this chapter we have seen God move in tremendous ways.   We should be encouraged to continue to magnify His Name and look for the results.  We have been encouraged to be prepared for a battle and to not be caught unaware.

 

Lord, may we magnify Your Name be prepared to overcome whatever lies ahead for us.