The Gospel Impacts Society

Transcript

GR 1624
12/04/2011
The Gospel Impacts Society
Acts 19:21-41
Gil Rugh

We are in Acts chapter 19 and as we’ve looked at the matter of the early history of the church, we are reminded of God’s grace in establishing the church and in building it from nothing with the message of His Son and the power of the Holy Spirit. Now it is exciting as we look at these early days of the church and cannot help but think as we’ve spent some time looking at the Rapture of the church, how exciting it is to be living in perhaps the closing days of the church.

As I reflect, I think would I rather live in the opening days of the church or the closing days of the church. I think these would be the most exciting days. You can’t help but reflect if someone like Luke was writing the history of the church in these days as we move to its conclusion in anticipation of the Rapture what would that history look like what would our account be like.

We’re following the Apostle Paul on what is known as his third missionary journey. It carried him to new parts of the world. His passion was to take the gospel where it has not been heard before. He thought that was the call God had given him. He referred to that as he closed out the Book of Romans. He told the Romans one reason he hadn’t been to Rome yet was that God had continued to give him opportunities to go where people hadn’t heard. There was already a church established in Rome and believers he loved to be with and minister with, but the priority of His life was to carry the gospel to particularly Gentiles who hadn’t heard the gospel.

He’s in the city of Ephesus. Here (referring to the overhead map) is Ephesus, here is Antioch of Syria what we would maybe call Paul’s home base and down here is Jerusalem. He’s spending three years in Ephesus so the longest recorded ministry that he has. His anticipation is to leave here come up over into Macedonia come down into Achaia and then return and come back down and come back to Jerusalem so he can go back over here to Rome and that’s where Luke is taking us.

We will leave Paul as the Book of Acts concludes in Rome so in Acts chapter 19 we’ve looked through the first 20 verses. The first 10 verses focused on a ministry he had to some disciples of John the Baptist. We see that transition continuing. Disciples who had heard the message, sat under the ministry of John the Baptist, and knew what it entailed, had submitted to that message and repented of their sin to prepare their hearts for the coming of the Messiah. They didn’t know about the finished work of Christ and about the coming of the Holy Spirit so Paul enlightened them on that, they received the Holy Spirit and are baptized.

He took up a ministry in the synagogue, which is Paul’s practice. He is the apostle to the Gentiles but he makes a practice of starting with the Jews carrying the gospel to them first, giving them the opportunity but the door there progressively continues to close. He spends some months, three months ministering in the synagogue before the Jews who have been hardened by the ministry of the Word, become more open in their rebellion, require him to leave so those who have become believers leave with him, meet in a new meeting place at the school of Tyrannus and Paul continues his ministry. Verse 10 told us it took two years and then a little later we’ll see a total of three years will be spent in Ephesus.

The power of the Word, those who tried to imitate Paul’s ministry with Paul’s power are exposed as false with the seven sons of a Jewish chief priest who tried to cast out demons. Many people are being saved and when saved, they abandon their paganism. They abandon their false worship and false practices the sorcery, magical arts and so on. They bring their books and things associated with these kinds of practices, have a bon fire and verse 19 told us 50,000 pieces of silver, a tremendous sum, consigned to the flames because they’re done with this. They’ve become “new creatures in Christ, old things have passed away, new things have come” and so we left it at verse 20.

The Word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing and this is the emphasis on the ministry of the early church. It was a ministry of the Word. We saw this early in Acts in Peter’s ministry and John, those associated with him. A ministry of the Word bringing the gospel and it’s power. That continues with Paul’s ministry. The ministry of the early church is a ministry of the Word, the Spirit using the Word to impact lives.

So we come to verse 21. “Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, ‘After I have been there, I must also see Rome.’” You see his pattern and Luke reminds us here before there is the serious trouble that is going to break out more broadly than just the opposition he’s experienced from the Jews, Paul’s plan was to move on from Ephesus. Paul did not see himself becoming a permanent resident anywhere. He stays here three years which is a long time for him but the ministry there is reaching out as we’ve seen so that all Asia we were told has been impacted by the Word. Some of his fellow workers carry the gospel out to surrounding areas. We know at least seven churches that were established there, we noted, because of the seven churches in Asia to whom Paul writes letters in Revelation chapters two and three so Paul’s summary plan here. “After these things were finished, he purposed in his spirit to go to Jerusalem after he passed through Macedonia and Achaia.”

Now remember what Paul is doing. First, he’s presenting the gospel everywhere he goes giving off the savor, which is the knowledge of Christ in every place as we’ve seen at the end of 2 Corinthians chapter two. Here in Ephesus he plans to come up to Macedonia this northern part of Greece and Achaia the southern part of Greece where Corinth is so he plans to come up across and probably visit the churches that he has established previously. There’s a church at Philippi, a church at Thessalonica, he ministered in Berea then came down to Corinth. Then he said he’s going to Jerusalem.

What he is doing is taking a collection of money for the poor believers in the church at Jerusalem. Its planted right in the heart of Judaism suffers greatly and that has great impact on people’s ability to work to make a living to do those things. Paul’s burden was for the Jews and the church at Jerusalem, which was the foundation for the churches that spread throughout the world. It started with just Jews remember in Acts 2 and subsequently the church was only Jewish basically then it’s Acts chapter eight it reached out to Samaritians and then chapter 10 to the Gentiles so that’s why Paul’s plan. He’s going to come through Greece so he can continue the collection there then go to Jerusalem because you see he’s going the opposite way. Rome over here somewhere. Jerusalem’s here so he’s going to go from here up over to here back to here with the anticipation of going all the way over here and travel was difficult in those days but there’s a purpose.

He’s going to believers because he believes it right for them to support the believers in Jerusalem because these Gentile churches have benefited from what God has done with the Jewish Messiah and then establishing the church there, and reaching out. At the end of verse 21 . . . “After I have been there” . . . ultimately Jerusalem . . . “I must also see Rome.” There’s an indication from Luke where he’s taking us. Paul doesn’t realize what will carry him to Rome when he writes to the Romans anticipating coming; he assumes he will be on his way to Spain, which will be the western outreaches of Roman civilization so carrying the gospel to the ends of the world in effect in Paul’s day.

Now come over to Romans 15 just after Acts. Paul is writing remember about his plans and I’ve summarized some of this for you. Verse 18. “I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed . . .” Then he mentions how he’s brought the gospel . . . “in the power of the Spirit . . . from Jerusalem round about as far as Illyricum. I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” Verse 20, “I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation.” Verse 22. “For this reason, I have often been prevented from coming to you . . .” because my first responsibility is when I have the opportunity to take the gospel to places that have not heard.

The Romans obviously have heard . . . but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you whenever I go to Spain. Again Paul’s ultimate anticipation in his personal plans which are not God’s plans but he doesn’t know that at this point was to carry the gospel to a place that it hadn’t been yet and that would be to Spain but He’ll give him a chance to visit Rome. “I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company . . .” verse 25 . . . “but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.” Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things.

When Paul writes to the Romans remember he is here in Corinth. He’s left Ephesus and made his trip, collected his money, coming down through Macedonia and Achaia. Now he tells the Romans, I have to go back to Jerusalem with the offering I’ve collected and after I do that, I plan to fulfill a desire to come to Rome as a stop and there you’ll be able to help me perhaps with financial support to carry the gospel to a place that hasn’t heard it. To Spain, so Paul’s mind and plan is going and it all involves how he can be used of the Lord, how he can effectively carry out what the Lord called him to do and even collecting this money is not a minor thing for Paul. I mean this supersedes going to Rome. It’s going to go to a lot of inconvenience if he carries out his plan to go all the way over here to collect money to go all the way here.

You could say, well, you know that financial thing, but everything about Paul is a matter of ministry and he sees that the Gentiles have a debt to the Jews and we do. We have been blessed by the promises coming out of the covenant God made with Abraham and in him; “all the nations of the earth will be blessed.” We, you know, are the spiritual children of Abraham, not the physical children but we are a part of the spiritual family as Paul talked about in Romans and talks about in Galatians so this is what he is doing.

Come back to Acts chapter 19. Here we’re told in verse 22, “having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.” We’re reminded Paul had people that were ministering with him that traveled with him at different times even though they’re not mentioned in the account. Timothy hasn’t been mentioned since back in chapter 18 verse five when Paul sent him to Corinth, when he joined Paul in Corinth, while Paul was in Corinth, not when Paul sent him from Corinth when he had joined Paul in Corinth. Erastus, he’s mentioned in chapter 16 verse 23 when Paul writes to the Romans from Corinth so evidently he sends these two men known over there in Greece to be the advance team if you will. They go to get ready and get the offering ready. Paul would tell the Corinthians he didn’t want offerings taken when he came. He wanted that all to have been given, be prepared. It could all be handled properly so they are sent. Erastus, one of those people we don’t know lot about he’s mentioned in Romans 16:23.

Come over to 2 Timothy. I like this because this is Paul’s last letter as you’re aware before his beheading and right at the end we find out Erastus has been a faithful servant with Paul and even now, even though he’s not with Paul, Paul refers to him in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 20. “Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus.” Perhaps left there when Paul sent him over with Timothy. That may well have been his home where he remains so you just see here’s a man who is faithful in contrast to Demas in verse 10 of Paul’s letter here to Timothy “having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica . . .” Paul had established a church at Thessalonica but Demas wasn’t going there because of ministry. He was going there for other reasons that Paul says involved loving this present age but Erastus, I left him at Corinth. I take it he would have had a continuing ministry there so even though Paul is the focal point in the development, there are others being significantly used of the Lord obviously in the early history of the church.

All right, come back to Acts 19 so Paul remains in Ephesus. Two key people, Timothy and Erastus, go ahead of him into Greece. Timothy well known to us. Verse 23, “about that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way.” We looked at this expression as it’s used in the Book of Acts. It was used back in verse nine about the Jews who “became hardened and disobedient speaking evil of the Way,” another way to refer to the gospel, the message concerning Christ who is the way, the truth and the life. “There’s no small disturbance” that’s another way to say there was a riot that involved the whole city. How does it come out? “For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to craftsmen; these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades and said, ‘Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business.’”

The Word of God continues to work and we saw when Paul ministered in the synagogue for three months for a time there are people who are believers because some of the disciples left when Paul had to leave the synagogue. The larger number of Jews because Paul has to leave that place of ministry are hardened, become disobedient, and begin to speak evil of the message about Christ. Now the ministry among the Gentiles begins to have a similar impact. It took longer but now the impact of the gospel is being felt. For the Gentiles it becomes a monetary issue for the Jews it’s the issue of their beliefs regarding the Messiah, His role in suffering in death and so on and a refusal to believe in that.

Demetrius and those who are of similar trade are driven by basically financial issues. Their trade is being impacted by what Paul is preaching so they become openly hostile to the gospel to the message of the Way. Demetrius is a silversmith, he made silver shrines of Artemis, and you have a reference in the margin of your Bible. The Latin name for “Artemis” is “Diana” and we’re a little more familiar with that, the goddess Diana, the name here-to-fore is Artemis, the same goddess. She is the mother goddess of fertility and supposedly, the source of life and fertility for all of nature so all kinds of activity involved in the worship of her, prostitution and so on, part of the worship when you get into fertility aspects and so on.

She is worshipped, obviously, when you think of the name Diana not just throughout Asia but also throughout the Roman world. This worship of the goddess is a key element. They say they’ve uncovered at least 33 shrines to the mother goddess throughout the Roman Empire. It may have been the most popular cult in the Roman Empire. Ephesus is the center of the worship of Artemis or Diana. There’s a temple to her here in Ephesus. It was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. People came from all over the Roman world to Ephesus to come to the temple of Artemis or Diana so you have thousands of people.

What does that do? That creates all kinds of business because people want to buy little shrines to Artemis, little images. They haven’t found the molds for silver images but they have found clay molds for this goddess and so on so it’s just big business. If you care enough about this goddess that you traveled here to be able to go to her temple and to say that you worship there and so on then you want something associated with that and so it becomes big business. Then you have the motels, hotels, and food businesses that come up when you have great tourist things so it becomes a major enterprise for the city of Ephesus and then reaching out into Asia.

Interestingly the temple of Artemis was also the treasury, bank of the ancient world, so you talk about a central bank here you have one, and this is where money from kings and so on was transferred for safekeeping. The bank and it was under the protecting watch care of the goddess Artemis or Diana so you have the economic situation, you have the religious situation and they are inseparably interlocked. We see that with many religious systems. The economics, the money, and the religion they are so entwined and that’s where Ephesus is.

You can understand, Paul’s preaching “there is only one God, that the gods made by men are not gods at all.” Now wait a minute how are you going to now sell this little miniature goddess that people can take home and have the goddess with them. Pretty soon, why would you come to Ephesus to worship at the temple of Artemis if Artemis is not a goddess? Verse 25, the end of the verse as Demetrius who takes the initiative here addresses the craftsmen involved in this business; “you know that our prosperity depends upon this business.” You see and hear that in not only Ephesus, but also almost all of Asia, “this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods.” This is a real problem! This was Paul’s ministry wherever he went. We think well boy people don’t want to hear our message because what we say will be offensive. You understand the world that Paul was moving in, you have to come into a city that is dominated by this and say, “you know the gods made with hands are not gods.”

Look over in 1 Corinthians chapter eight and Paul takes this as common knowledge among all believers because it’s part of what they had come to understand when they understand there is one true and living God. Verse four. “Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world and that there is no God but one. Even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, indeed there are many gods, many lords, yet for us there is but one God . . .” that’s standard. I’m writing to the church at Corinth. If you don’t understand this, you’re not a believer so foundational in Paul’s ministry.

We won’t turn there now but we’ve been there several times in 1 Thessalonians chapter one verse nine, Paul says, “you turned from idols to serve the living God.” That’s the result of the impact of the gospel as we talked. Powerful impact! You’ll note here Paul just comes in and preaches the truth and when lives are changed, there is an impact. You bring the truth. What you are worshipping is not a god at all. You’re worship does not bring you to the true and living God. That’s an offensive message. It was offensive in Ephesus.

Acts 19 verse 27. “Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.” That’s a threatening situation. I mean not only will our trade; I don’t want you to think that I’m being selfish but think of the impact on the world if they no longer recognize Artemis. Verse 28. “When they heard and they were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’”

You know Paul has reasoned with them daily, daily we were told showing the truth that Jesus is the Son of God, He is the Savior, there’s only one God then on showing—but you know the Jews were offended now the Gentiles are offended and these silversmiths are all worked up. What will happen if the world quits believing in Artemis? She’ll be dethroned from her magnificence so they’re crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

Now this spreads verse 29. “The city was filled with the confusion and so they rushed with one accord into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia.” So again, here we find those traveling with Paul. They were from Macedonia and they get caught up with the mob. We’re not given the details of how Paul misses it here. Perhaps he was not at the right spot in the wrong time but with this spreading out, “Great is Artemis” the city becomes aware something’s wrong. Artemis is under assault under attack so they all move to the theater and some of you have been to visit this region of the world and when you go to Ephesus this theater is still in existence. It seats about 24,000 people so it was a huge meeting area.

The city you know like we have going on. You know we’ve had some things go on in cities and they go out and find out some of the people don’t know what’s going on, they’re just there because people are there. You know when I lived in the city and traveled in and out of the city every day and sometimes there would be crowd. Pretty soon, you went because the crowds going and the next thing you know you’re asking, “what’s going on, why are we here?” I shared with you what happened to us when we were in New York City one day. We jumped out, joined the crowd going along, everybody is celebrating, and we finally said, “what’s going on?” “Oh, this is the gay parade.” I think we’ll just drop out, thank you very much, hope it doesn’t make the news in Lincoln.

So here “Great is Artemis, great is Artemis” and it’s spreading throughout the city and everybody is going. They don’t know what’s going on but they’re caught up in it. “The city was filled with confusion . . .” verse 29 “. . . they rushed with one accord into the theater dragging along Gaius, Aristarchus, Pauls’ traveling companions from Macedonia. When Paul wanted to go into the assembly, the disciples would not let him.” Paul wasn’t left out because he was hiding someplace. When he sees what’s happening and his traveling companions had been caught up in it, his first thing is I need to go in and take the stand, present the truth and let God do with it what He will but the disciples say, “no.” They realize things are out-of-control. This is a mob scene right now and you never know what’s going to happen. For Paul to go in could just inflame the mob and you know end up with Paul being killed because the mob is out of control and it could happen.

Verse 31. “Also, some of the Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to venture into the theater.” The Asiarchs came from the upper class, the wealthiest and they were people of influence in the city. They didn’t have necessarily political authority but Rome was always pleased to have these kinds of people serve if they helped keep the order. How Paul became friends with some of these but these people of influence were friends of Paul’s. We don’t know whether that means they were disciples or not, it doesn’t refer to them as disciples. Perhaps more likely they were those who perhaps the Spirit of God was dealing with but they weren’t offended by Paul’s message and ministry and perhaps they were among those considering it. At any rate the Spirit of God is using them and not only do the disciples the believers tell him “no, don’t come in” but the Asiarchs who would have this kind of influence and be able to speak-- this would be a bad idea. These men won’t be in a position to protect Paul either with the mob in the condition it’s in.

So we’re told in verse 32. “So then, some were shouting one thing some another, for the assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know for what reason they had come together.” So you can see as so often happens, you just whip up the mob. You see this in parts of the world where they start a rumor and pretty soon they’re burning parts of the city and killing people and there’s nothing to the rumor. People get going and this is where the majority of the people assembled in this huge theater are. They don’t know why they’re here, what the problem is, they don’t know why they have gathered and they come waiting to find out.

They were told in verse 33. “Some of the crowd concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the assembly.” We don’t know what the situation is. Evidently, Alexander is going to speak up on behalf of the Jews. Perhaps the Jews thought that they could have their side presented here that now they’d take Paul’s life -- and get rid of him because they’ve been opposing him.

Perhaps they’re afraid that the Jews will get blamed because Paul is a Jew and you know when he had to deal before, before a Roman proconsul that Roman proconsul said you know the problem is inner-Jewish I’m not ruling on that. At any rate when the Jews want to put Alexander forth to make a defense and when you say make a defense we get the word, “apology” from that word the Greek word, the mob won’t hear it so there’s not an opportunity for the Jews to defend themselves in this if they’re perhaps being considered for blame. You have the mob, you’ve Paul and what he’s been doing is at the center. The Jews may have thought that they needed to defend themselves that they’re not part of Paul.

At any rate verse 34, “so when they recognized that he was a Jew an outcry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’” The Jews were tolerated, the Jews were not liked so they were tolerated. The Romans had given them cover so to speak as an accepted religion but no one including the Romans liked them because they’re God’s people. The devil is opposed to them as the followers of the devil are and when they see a Jew standing up they all unite. They don’t know what the issue is but agree that Artemis is the only god so for two hours you have this mob just chanting, “Great is Artemis—great is Artemis” and shouted down everyone else. So now you’ve got this whole amphitheater and its “Great is Artemis—great is Artemis” everybody hollering.

Parts of the world where we can see similarities of such activities where they just chant and no one could say or do anything else so this goes on for two hours. Verse 35. “After quieting the crowd, the town clerk said, “Men of Ephesus . . .’” the town clerk is the chief executive officer of the city. Some would refer to him maybe like a powerful mayor, others referred to him as a very powerful city manager but he’s that kind of person. He’s the executive officer of the city so he has the respect of the whole city and they recognize his position. It is a position of importance because if he can’t bring things under control you could end up with Roman intervention and that would be disasterous. Nobody would want that so that’s what he is going to use.

“After quieting the crowd, the town clerk said, ‘Men of Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of the image which fell down from heaven?’” Evidently a meteorite is the usual explanation and perhaps the beginning of the idea that Artemis came down from heaven. You know you get the superstitions attached to this and that was what was believed. He says everybody knows this. Everybody knows that Ephesus, our city, is the guardian of the temple of Artemis and of the image, which fell down from heaven so this temple evidently contained this meteorite. Perhaps it had been carved into an image. I don’t know many of the specific details. Since these are undeniable facts, the fact is Ephesus guards the temple, we are the official guardian of the temple; one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. This is the focal point of the worship of Artemis or Diana. We are the ones who watch over the temple protect it and guard it and that contains the image that came down from heaven. This is common knowledge we know this. This is truth.

“Since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and do nothing rash.” I mean these are facts, nothing can change these things is his line of argument. “For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.” Paul hasn’t directly been going around speaking against Artemis directly in a way he could be accused of blaspheming the goddess. He’s simply stating facts that gods made with hands are not gods. The implication of that is Artemis is not a god but we would believe that Artemis came down from heaven so her origin is not being created by man is the argument here. They hadn’t robbed temples they haven’t been guilty of blasphemy of the goddess.

“So then if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against any man, the courts are in session and proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another.” “But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the lawful assembly.” There’s an order that can be followed. You can take it to the courts where the proconsuls sit and bring your charges against them. If that’s not satisfactory, you can take the next step up to the official assembly. It has to be handled orderly.

Understand we’re in Asia but the Romans rule this part of the world. The Romans were happy we see this in Israel. Herod the Idumean was king when Christ was born. He’s an Edomite, not a Jew, but he was connected with the Romans, so they put him in power but what keeps him in power? His ability to keep control of that part of the world so that’s the argument we’re going to here because verse 40, “For indeed we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today’s events, since there is no real cause for it, and in this connection we will be unable to account for this disorderly gathering.” Ephesus is a free city and so it has great liberty and freedom but if Rome gets the idea that they’re unable to function they will put it under the Roman thumb and they’ll lose that freedom and all that goes with it. That would disastrous for everybody.

Understand the Romans concern is to maintain control throughout the empire and if some part of the empire is getting out of control, we have to take control quickly so it doesn’t spread. This man’s argument, the town clerk as he’s referred to, “we’re in danger of being accused of a riot” in verse 40. Word gets to the Romans that there’s a riot in Ephesus. You may not get to give an explanation to the Romans because once they send a force in, its done. They’re not going to be concerned about Paul or these things because what did they say? Well did these robbers of temples cause this? Or “no” they haven’t done anything and if you think, they have, bring it through the court system. We won’t have any reason to account for this disorderly gathering and so you see something of the situation in the Roman world.

A great city like Ephesus but Rome rules the world and you don’t want word to feedback, you know they had a riot. Even the word of a riot and that kind of out-of-control activity could stir Rome’s concerns so let’s just settle down go back to your homes, your business and if you want to bring charges then we have the lower courts and the higher courts of the city. This can be handled in an orderly way.

“After saying this, he dismissed the assembly” and chapter 20 will open up “after the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples and when he had exhorted them, taken his leave of them, he left to go into Macedonia.” Now remember that’s not because of the trouble at this point. That was Paul’s plan before the trouble in verse 21 and he had sent two of his traveling companions, Timothy and Erastus already ahead of him but we see what’s happening here and you appreciate the ministry that goes on in a city like this because Paul is going to leave. This is one of the cities we’re so familiar with because we have the letter that Paul will write later to the church at Ephesus, and we see something of the situation. We’ll have the letters to the seven churches in Asia and you realize the pressure these churches are under in these cities. The opposition that’s there for a variety of reasons because the whole city’s livelihood and the livelihood of its peoples all intertwined with the religious activity.

What happens when you are a craftsman, a tradesman and the way you’ve been making a living supporting your family is involved with the temple of Artemis? Now all of a sudden I get saved. Wow, now what do I do? I mean I’m out. I’m no longer part of that worship system but I no longer have a job and one thing leads to another and you see the great pressure that’s there. There’s no separation of church and state so to speak so the pressure on believers and it is not just true in Asia, it’s true in Corinth. That’s why Paul writes and we just read a section in 1 Corinthians 8 and in 1 Corinthians 8, 9 and 10. He has to talk about involvement with idols and idol worship and eating things offered to idols and all of this because life, your religious life, your social life, your work life all just tied into this and you see when you come to Christ what happens. You come to believe in Him and you’re baptized . . . that identifies you as a follower of Him. Now here I am out in the open and the pressure and the reality is there.

It is also shown here how Christianity impacts society. It’s not because Paul tried to get the unbelievers to change what they did. He preached the gospel and when he presented the truth people are saved, their lives are changed. Their practices are changed, their worship is changed, and their moral and immoral activities are changed. You know when Christianity becomes involved in moralism and thinking, well we change the political situation or we change the moral--You know what Paul does, he goes in and preaches the truth and what’s happening? People are getting saved! Their life is changing and enough of them getting saved that’s being felt in the city so they think if this continued like this we’d be out of business. But it’s not why Paul is trying to get enough people to oppose the activity associated with the temple of Artemis. He’s here to present the gospel “to give off the savor of the knowledge of Christ in every place” and until the heart is changed, nothing’s been done. There’s a sign the church is losing its way as it shifts more and more of its emphasizes to social things, social justice.

Reading an article this week from the internet of a debate that took place and one of the men who claims to be an evangelical is recognizing himself as such is arguing that social activity is part of the gospel. It’s not that it’s a responsibility even but it is part and parcel of the gospel and this kind of rolling over and the church gets involved more in these kinds of activities. We’re really moving away from what God has called the church to do. If 50,000 people would be saved in a city of a million that impact would be felt; their lives would be changed but that doesn’t mean unbelievers want to change their activity.

Unbelievers will be threatened by it. Unbelievers won’t like it. That’s just part and parcel of what goes on. We’re not here to make enemies with the unbeliever, we’re here to present the gospel but we are the enemies of the unbeliever even though we love them and would love them to come to know the Savior that we know because we belong to the living God. They belong to the god of this world there is enmity and even when we bring them the truth and the message of the love of God and the Savior He’s provided if they don’t respond and receive it they are antagonized by it and their opposition surfaces in many ways.

You know I was thinking through Acts again this week. You know what Luke does not include that we include in our biographies and so on is personal insights into Paul. You know Luke doesn’t say anything here you know in talking with Paul that Paul thought that maybe he shouldn’t have approached it this way. Paul had second thoughts about handling the situation like this and Luke has included everything the Spirit of God wants him to but those kinds of things are not there. Did Paul ever second guess himself and say you know city after city, town after town, trouble after trouble after trouble, you know I’ve sometimes thought that--you know--there is—you don’t get any of this. There’s none of that kind of an analysis, just flat out here’s what he did, here’s what happened.

We just lose our nerve. We get so turned inward we think, “well maybe I’m not handling it right maybe I’m not doing it.” Well analyze it. Are you presenting the message clearly and truthfully, accurately as faithfully as you can? I can’t handle the results I can’t decide on those. Paul couldn’t either so a great church is established at Ephesus. Great churches are established in and around Asia. Colossi will get a letter sent to it so we learn something about it. So just be encouraged as we close out perhaps the history of the church on earth, we want to close out the way it began. People who are bold and fearless with the truth and don’t lose the focus of what God has called us to do. Bring the truth to people who are lost and without hope in the world in very difficult situations and it may bring consequences. We leave those in the hands of the Lord.

Let us pray together.
Thank you Lord for these early days, weeks, months and years of the churches history. Lord, it’s easy to sit back, look at that, glamorize it, and think of how wonderful it would have been and how exciting it would have been and then we stop and realize Lord we are privileged to be involved in the same ministry as these early workers were. We’ve been entrusted with the same message. We’ve been given the same responsibility. We have the added blessing of having churches that have been established over the years and that have multiplied groups of believers. It is encouraging, it is a blessing. Lord pray that we will keep our focus and if indeed we are nearing the end of the church’s history on earth that we would finish well and we would be faithful to You. Use us in the days of the week before us in the accomplishing of the work that only You can do. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen
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