Peace In Spite Of Panic Series

SERMON OUTLINE:

The Uproar at Ephesus (vs 21-28)

The Turmoil in Ephesus (vs 29-34)

The Reprieve at Ephesus (vs 35-41)

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• Hello - English

• Bonjour - French

• Guten tag - German

• Namaste - greeting practiced most in the Indian Subcontinent.

• Ciao - Italian

• Olá - Portuguese

• Buna ziua - Romanian

• Howzit - traditional South African greeting

• Shalom – Hebrew (is the odd one out!)

• TRANSITION: Shalom (Hebrew) is much more than saying, “Hello”

• When two Jewish people greet one another this way, they are offering a blessing!

• They are saying, “Peace be with you”

• On a number of occasions, the apostle Paul and his companions.

• Literally caused a riot because of the message they preached.

• They faced persecution…and they also experienced unbelievable peace.

Ill:

• I am reminded of the words of F.B. Meyer,

• (he was a British Pastor and prolific author 1847 - 1929).

“If in an unknown country, I am informed that I must pass through a valley where the sun is hidden, or over a stony bit of road, to reach my abiding place – when I come to it, each moment of shadow or jolt of the carriage tells me that I am on the right road.”

• TRANSITION: Those words so describe the life of the apostle Paul,

• He was used to bumps in the roads and shadows hovering over him.

• Yet he also knew, ‘Shalom,’ the peace of God amidst the turmoil.

• We see another example of that in today’s study.

(1). The Uproar at Ephesus (vs 23-28)

“About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. 25 He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. 26 And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. 27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

28 When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!””

Two things about Ephesus:

FIRST: Ephesus was one the great cities of Asia Minor:

• In the First Century, Ephesus was the second largest city in the Roman Empire,

• And the second most important and influential city as well.

• It was also a great commercial and governmental and educational center,

• And it was a melting pot of many cultures, languages, races, religions and philosophies.

SECOND: Ephesus was renowned for its pagan religion:

• One Building dominated the skyline of the city,

• You could not miss it!

• It was the temple of the Greek goddess Artemis.

• The temple was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

• So, it was pretty impressive!

• (Great Pyramid of Giza, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Statue of Zeus, Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, Colossus of Rhodes, Pharos (Lighthouse) of Alexandria and of course Temple of Artemis)

• It was 420 feet square.

• One of its features was its pillars, it contained one hundred and twenty-seven pillars,

• All were made of marble, and some were studded with jewels and overlaid with gold.

• The temple of the Greek goddess Artemis is also known by another name,

• In Roman mythology, Artemis was known as Diana.

• Both these names would be used by the various citizens who lived there.

Notice: The opposition:

• Or rather who the opposition is,

• Up to this point in the book of Acts.

• Most of the persecution and hostility the church had faced.

• Had been from religious leaders, particularly the Jewish leaders.

• But this time in Ephesus the opposition would come from a new source,

• The business community - the makers of idols in Ephesus.

Ill:

• I confess to buying tourist junk from my trips abroad,

• i.e., Holding up a model of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy.

• i.e., Holding up a model of clay figure from Mexico.

• i.e., Holding up a clay model of the library at Ephesus.

• TRANSITION:

• In this city tourists and residents bought silver idols of Artemis.

• And displayed them in their homes.

• Or they purchased representations of her seated in the temple.