Overcoming Opposition

When Paul went into Ephesus he encountered a set of problems with a throng of people behind it. Paul states that he wanted at times to throw his hands up and go home. Most of his problems came from people that were unwilling to change.

2 Corinthians 1:8-9

Paul explains that we are not going to hide from you the troubles we have encountered preaching the Gospel. We were burdoned so much that we hated our very existance. They cried, why me God? (But we are dead in ourselves, do not trust yourself, but God who raised us up.)

2 Corinthians 4:8-11

We don’t care what we go through as long as we get the message across.

That is hard to do and say, I don’t care what happens as long as I tell everyone about Jesus.

At times Paul felt like a failure, but faith helped him realize that he wasn’t. He felt overwhelmed, but faith shrunk his problems. What Paul was doing was important; if he hadn’t overcome his thoughts miraculous things wouldn’t have been done in the name of Jesus.

Paul’s time was not short of people that were well educated in the Word of God but failed to know the truth for lack of knowledge. So another problem Paul faced was others preaching that the Messiah was coming when actually he had already come.

Acts 18:24-26

After Apollos was enlightened with the Gospel he was an awesome witness for Christ. He preached the coming of the Messiah when the Messiah had already come. He preached the coming to the people of Ephesus. By the time he was taught that Jesus was the Messiah the damage was already done, this made Paul’s and the other disciples job there that much harder. They had to come in to Ephesus and try to undo what a well educated, fluent speaker has taught and his teachings carried a lot of weight.

Acts 19:4-8

Paul went into the synagogue and taught for three months, disputing and arguing and convincing them of the Kingdom of God.

Acts 19:9

When different ones were hardened and believed not and talked bad before everyone, Paul left them and took the disciples and taught them in the school of Tyrannus.

When opposition arose from the traditional leaders, Paul started a school in Ephesus. The school was located in Tyrannus’ private lecture hall.

Acts 19:10

The school that Paul started offered 2 years of training for disciples. The purpose was to multiply disciples who would spread the Gospel. The school knew no cultural lines, students ministered to Jews as well as Gentiles. They reached all of Asia. Just think about it. I am taught and I teach you then you teach someone then they teach others. The Gospel is spread at an astonishing rate.

Do you think the people liked what was happening in Ephesus? NO!

Acts 19:24-32

Demetrius didn’t care about God or Diana just himself. He was worried that if everyone turned to God we would be unemployed. If we teach God’s people how to function in the ways of God, we will overcome. The Gospel is to be given freely, as a gift, not sold.

2 Corinthians 2:17

Oppostion comes and feelings of failure arise. We are only human. The Spirit of God inside of us reminds us we are not failures, despite all oppostion. God loves us and promises us that we will overcome all opposition.