Wrestling With Conflict

Wrestling with Conflict

Acts 19:23-41

Introduction-

Good Morning everyone, please turn to Acts chapter 19 and we will spend some time looking into God’s Word.

This is the last Sunday before we go to the Election polls on Tuesday.

This is the last Sunday before some people will be happy and some people will not.

I am pretty sure since our country is divided about 50% on the issue of President that come Wednesday morning the discussions will be what was done right and what was done wrong.

Who should have stepped up to the plate and who should have shown up at the polls..

All the experts (Self proclaimed) will have an opinion and all the rest of us will just be looking at the results.

For the Christian who puts his faith in Jesus Christ, no matter who wins has to still believe that the Lord is in control! Amen! We do all we know to do by voting and then leave the rest up to the Lord.

But everyday, wither it be the elections or something else, we all deal with conflict. Some better than others-

Prayer-

Today, right now, we pray Lord that our hearts would be open to hear your word. To allow the scriptures to speak to our lives, and guide us as we journey with you. There are not only riots in the streets, there is rioting in our hearts, please Lord speak to us this morning- In Jesus Name! Amen!

Background-

The background of the text that Luke records for us is Paul’s travels just before he begin his missionary travels.

He is in Ephesus after two years of successful ministry.

While some had followed Apollos, some Paul, and some had followed John the Baptist, Paul runs into Apollos disciples in Ephesus and asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit since they believed?

They had no idea what he was talking about and they respond that they were all baptized by John after repentance of their sins and confession of faith in Jesus.

Paul lays hands on them and they were filled with the Spirit and began evangelizing Ephesus and surrounding areas.

In two years time, they had made such an impact that lives were being saved and lives were being changed.

Scripture tells us that because of their witnessing of Christ that the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. Does not mean they all accepted the Word of the Lord but they heard the word of the Lord.

God did such miracles through Paul that even handkerchiefs and aprons that he touched were healing people.

Some Jews who were going around invoking the name of Jesus over those who demon-possessed. They would say “in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.”

How many already know that this is not going to turn out good when you try to cast out demons without the power of God doing it.

Jewish priest does it, and an evil spirit answers him and says- Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?

This man took such a beating from the evil spirit in a man , it almost killed him.

This became known to all Greeks and all Jews living in the area.

Many came to the city square and burned all those things that weren’t of God.

They began serving the Lord and changing their lives.

They stopped doing what they use to do that displeased the Lord.

Revival broke out and people began following ‘the way.”

Jesus said I am the way, the truth, and the life… they did not know what to call it so it was the way!

You can understand how it would cause turmoil as some were being converted and some stayed the same. Kind of what our world looks like today as believers serve the Lord and those that don’t want the way…say no way!

Acts chapter 19:23- 27 Read from Bible

Let’s stop there a minute, we see the first problem.

Conflict of interest

A conflict of interest occurs when a group or individual becomes unreliable because of a clash between personal (or self-serving) interests and professional duties or responsibilities.

A conflict of interest in your faith is where you do things that you know go against your beliefs.

At this time that Paul was in Ephesus, A man named Demetrius who was a silversmith made a lot of money making silver shrines of the pagan god Artemus.

He made man made items that sold well and now those people who were converted to faith in Jesus are going around telling people that these-man made gods are not gods at all!

He calls for a major meeting of all those involved in his industry and says that this trouble-making Paul has to be stopped-