The Tension Of Gospel Faithfulness Series

The Tension Of Gospel Faithfulness

Acts 19:21-41

In the Christian faith there are Biblical doctrines that when fully accepted have aspects to them that must be held in tension. What I mean by holding something in tension is that there are aspects of that doctrine that are unsolvable to the human mind and require an element of faith to fully accept and believe. And when we by faith receive and believe these truths we hold those things in tension. Let me give a few examples:

Christian Doctrines Held "In Tension"

1. Ex Nihilo Creation

Ex Nihilo is a Latin phrase that means "Out of Nothing." How could God create something, namely the universe, out of nothing. In our rational minds we know anything that we create must come from some pre-existing matter, some raw materials. God created everything out of absolutely nothing. We hold this truth in tension.

2. The Trinity

How can three be one; how can one equal three. How can He be they and them be him? We hold this truth in tension.

3. The Incarnation of Jesus

How can an eternal, timeless, limitless, transcendent God enter time and space and take on human flesh.

4. Hypostatic Union

This theological phrase refers to the present union of the nature of Jesus. Today, Jesus is fully God; and today Jesus is fully man. How can one person have two complete natures, the nature of God and the nature of man.

5. Election

How can the truth of the Bible that God loves all people and desires everyone to be saved and the truth of the Bible that only the elect will be saved, how do these things coexist? They must be held in tension.

And the thing about each of these doctrines is when you think you've resolved the tension that's in each of them you have undoubtedly slipped into some form of false doctrine. For instance, for those in the centuries of Christian history who have allegedly resolved the tension of the Trinity or the Incarnation usually do so by denying the deity of Jesus. Those who think they've solved the tension of Ex Nihilo creation have usually slipped into some form of theistic evolution.

Now just as these foundational Christian doctrines must be held in tension, there is also a tension that must be held when it comes to Gospel faithfulness; a church on mission. Often what happens in both individual Christians and in congregations is we tend to lose that tension that must be held; we tend to lean too heavily in one direction or the other.

In the passage before us today we will see how two aspects of gospel faithfulness are held in tension by the apostle Paul and the newly formed church in the city of Ephesus. I trust it will be very instructive for us today. Before we read the text, I would remind you of what we learned last week as Darrell Smith did an excellent job preaching about the Seven Sons of Sceva. Following that event, revival broke out in the city of Ephesus. People were converted, they had huge bonfires where they burned all their trinkets and idols and occultic books and paraphernalia; they confessed their sin to each other. A transformational revival was taking place in the city of Ephesus. Paul determines he's going to leave shortly and head to Jerusalem, and eventually Rome. He sends his two assistants - Timothy and Erastus - on ahead of him. But before he leaves to join them, you'll never guess what happens: a riot breaks out in Ephesus. Now most cities it only took 2 or 3 weeks before a riot broke out, here it was over 2 years.

23About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. 24For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. [Don't you love the way Luke writes? There arose no little disturbance; Demetrius brought no little business to the craftsmen. I'm going to eat no little food for lunch today because I'm not a little hungry. This sermon is going to take no little minutes to preach...] 25These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. 26And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. 27And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”