THE PROCESS AND PITFALLS OF LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
Acts 19:23-41 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen. 25 He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: "Men, you know 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 man-made gods 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!" 29 Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater.
30 Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. 31 Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater. 32 The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. 33 The Jews pushed Alexander to the front, and some of the crowd shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. 34 But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 35 The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: "Men of Ephesus, doesn't all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? 36 Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and not do anything rash. 37 You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess. 38 If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges.
39 If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly.
40 As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of today's events. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it."
41 After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
INTRODUCTION: THIS PORTION OF ACTS FINDS US WITH PAUL STILL IN THE CITY OF EPHESUS. UP TO THIS POINT, PAUL HAS HAD SOMEWHAT OF A SUCCESSFUL ENCOUNTER WITH THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENCE. PEOPLE HAVE COME TO KNOW CHRIST AS SAVIOR AND PAUL CONTINUES TO TEACH DAILY AND SUPPORT HIMSELF IN MINISTRY WITHOUT INCIDENT. ALL IN ALL, THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD DEAL. THAT IS UNTIL, …..
TRANSITION: AS WITH MANY THINGS, BEING FOREWARNED IS BEING FOR ARMED. THIS PASSAGE PREPARES US FOR SOME OF THE UPS AND DOWNS THAT COME WITH THE UPS AND DOWNS OD BOTH SHARING CHRIST AND SERVING CHRIST.
1. OBSERVATION #1 – IF THERE IS A HONEYMOON TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF IT.
a. PAUL HAD A RELATIVELY EASY TIME IN EPHESUS
b. THE CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE TO HIM, HIS MESSAGE AND MINISTRY.
c. THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR WITNESS AND GROWTH.
i. LIFESTYLE EVANGELISM
ONE DAY IN THE POLICE STATION, I WAS NOTICED THAT THERE WAS THE NEED FOR A PLACE FOR AN INTERVIEW. THE OTHER TWO ROOMS WERE TAKEN, SO I OFFERED UP MY “OFFICE”. I TOOK MY COMPUTER AND NOTES AND WENT INTO THE SQUAD ROOM SO THAT THE DETECTIVES COULD USE MY OFFICE FOR THEIR INTERVIEW. AFTERWARDS IN SPEAKING WITH THEM THEY SAID, ”CHAP, I DON’T IF YOU PLANNED IT OUR NOT, BUT HAVING YOUR OPEN BIBLE ON THE DESK WAS VERY BENEFICIAL TO OUR INTERVIEW.”
NOW, I GUESS THAT THE PRESENCE OF A BIBLE ASSISTED THEM IN GETTING TO THE TRUTH, BUT THE POINT I AM TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT THERE IS A BENEFIT TO CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD IN YOUR LIFE IS EVIDENT!
2. OBSERVATION #2 – BE AWARE OF THE SALVATION THRESHOLD
a. YOU WILL NOTICE THAT PAUL DID HAVE SALVATION DECISIONS IN EPHESUS.
b. YOU WILL ALSO NOTICE THAT PAUL DID HAVE A TIME OF INSTRUCTION, DISCIPLESHIP AND TEACHING THAT WENT ON MOSTLY WITHOUT ISSUE.
c. YOU WILL ALSO NOTICE THAT THERE CAME A POINT WHERE THE COMMUNITY (OR AT LEAST PART OF THE COMMUNITY) WOULD NO LONGER STAND BY WITHOUT ISSUE OR CRITICISM.
THE BASIC QUESTION IS WHY?
IT IS WHAT I CALL THE GOSPEL RIPPLE EFFECT.
SOMEONE HAS SAID, “IF YOU MAKE DISCIPLES YOU WILL ALWAYS GET THE CHURCH, BUT IF YOU MAKE THE CHURCH YOU RARELY GET DISCIPLES.”
PAUL DID NOT BUILD A BUILDING, HE BUILT PEOPLE.
AND WHEN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE ARE CHANGED IN A POSITIVE WAY FOR CHRIST, THEN, …
THEIR HEARTS ARE SOFT AND TOUCHED FOR SPIRITUAL THINGS
CHANGED HEARTS LEAD TO CHANGED ATTITUDES
CHANGED ATTITUDES PRODUCE CHANGED PRIORITIES
CHANGED PRIORITIES BRING ABOUT CHANGED DESIRES
CHANGED DESIRES ARE A SHIFT FROM WORLDLY THINGS TO SPIRITUAL THINGS
d. SERIOUS CHRISTIANS WILL ALWAYS HAVE AN IMPACT ON SOCIETY
i. CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON
ii. JAMES BOICE SAID, “IF OUR CHRISTIANITY IS NOT AFFECTING THE ECONOMY OF OUR WORLD WE DO NOT HAVE MUCH CHRISTIANITY.”
3. OBSERVATION #3 – RESISTANCE BEGINS WHEN MY WAY OF LIFE IS EFFECTED
a. TWO TRUTHS
i. IT TAKES THE SPIRIT OF GOD TO CONVICT THE HEART FOR SPIRITUAL THINGS
ii. AN UNCONVICTED HEART IS EVIDENCED BY AN UNCONVICTED LIFE; A LIFE LOVING AND RULED BY DARKNESS RATHER THAN LIGHT.
b. THE INITIAL RESISTANCE – MONEY AND QUALITY OF LIFE
i. THE FOCUS IS A SILVERSMITH NAMED DEMETRIUS
ii. PROFITS AND WORK WERE DOWN
iii. REASON WAS PAUL
iv. ISSUES WAS HIS TEACHING ON IDOLS
v. THE TRADESMEN REVOLT
1. STIRRED BY EMOTION – “GREAT IS ARTEMIS OF THE EPHESIANS”
2. ONCE OUR EMOTIONS ARE RAISED IT IS HARD TO COME DOWN
3. “BE ANGRY AND SIN NOT
a. WARNING FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE SO THAT THEY WILL NOT FALL INTO TIS TEMPTATION
b. BUT WHEN SOMEONE DOES NOT KNOW THE LORD AND FOLLOWS DARKNESS RATHER THAN LIGHT, THERE IS NO SPIRITUAL PROVISION AGAINST SIN, SO THEIR ANGER IS NATURAL
4. THE TOWN JOINS IN
a. VERY SIMPLY, THIS IS NOW A MOB MENTALITY
i. JUDGMENT AND THINKING ARE SUSPENDED
ii. LITTLE IF ANY AWARENESS OF THE ISSUE(S)
iii. THE COLLECTIVE POWER OF A GROUP IS SIGNIFICANT
Exodus 23:2 "You shall not follow the masses in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice;
BLIND DEVOTION TO ECONOMIC WELLBEING OVER SPIRITUAL HEALTH IS A BARRIER TO THE TRUTH!
c. THE SECONDARY RESISTANCE – THE MOB
i. APPEALING TO THE PRIDE OF THE PEOPLE FOR THEIR CITY
ii. VERY SIMILAR TO THE WAY FANS ACT WITH REGARD TO THEIR SPORTS TEAMS.
LET ME GIVE AND EXAMPLE – I HAVE BEEN TRYING RECENTLY TO RECORD THE “BIGGEST LOSER ON MY DVR, BUT ALL IT SEEMS TO TAPE IS THE GAMES OF NEW YORK SPORTS TEAMS!
iii. PEER PRESSURE – ALL WHO DO NOT KNOW, ….
1. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY TOUGH AS A NEW BELIEVER
a. EASY TO FALL
THE BIBLE AND HISTORY HAVE CONFIRMED THAT ONLY THOSE WHO STAND UP TO THE CROWD MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THE WORLD IS NEVER CHANGED BY THE MAJORITY
4. OBSERVATION #4 -- EVEN IN THE MIDST OF TURMOIL CHRISTIANITY IS VINDICATED
a. SOMETIMES VINDICATION COMES FROM AN UNUSUAL SOURCE
i. PAUL WAS NOT ALLOWED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE
ii. A DISCIPLE – ALEXANDER WAS NOT ALLOWED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE
iii. AN UNBELIEVER ADDRESSED THE ISSUE
1. CHRISTIANITY – THE WAY WAS VINDICATED
2. IF WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS TRUE THEN DO NOTHING RASH
3. IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT, ADDRESS THE CORRECT WAY
4. THERE IS NO REAL CAUSE FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING – CHRISTIANITY IS NO CAUSE FOR WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
PRACTICAL THOUGHTS
USE THE TIME YOU HAVE AS A BELIEVER TO CREATE AND ENVIRONMENT FOR THE THINGS OF THE LORD TO FLOURISH.
THE CRITICISM THAT MAY/WILL COME IS ULTIMATELY UNFOUNDED AND RESTS IN THE RESISTANCE TO THE THINGS OF THE LORD, NOT WHAT LIVING FOR CHRIST PRODUCES.
PREPARE NOW FOR PEER PRESSURE
GOD HONORS OUR OBEDIENCE – SOMETIMES NOT IN THE WAY WE THINK
