Paul s Third Missionary Journey, Continued

Transcription

1 1 Paul s Third Missionary Journey, Continued Acts 19:1-41

2 2 Text: Acts 19:1-41, Paul s Third Missionary Journey, Continued 1. While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2. and asked them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when[a] you believed? They answered, No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. 3. So Paul asked, Then what baptism did you receive? John s baptism, they replied. 4. Paul said, John s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus. 5. On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues[b] and prophesied. 7. There were about twelve men in all. 8. Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. 11. God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12. so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. 13. Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-

3 3 possessed. They would say, In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out. 14. Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15. One day the evil spirit answered them, Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you? 16. Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. 17. When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 18. Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. 19. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.[c] 20. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. 21. After all this had happened, Paul decided[d] to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. After I have been there, he said, I must visit Rome also. 22. He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer. 23. 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.

4 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 all of them rushed into the theater together. 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 in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they 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: Fellow Ephesians, 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 calm down 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.

5 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 what happened today. 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. (NIV) Introduction: I. Acts 19 (Coffman) centers on:... A. Disciples who needed re-baptism (verses 1-7). B. Paul s successes in Ephesus (verses 8-13). C. Exorcists (verses 14-20). D. Paul s further work in Asia summarized (verses 21, 22). E. Uproar created by Demetrius and the shrine-makers (verses 23-41). Commentary: Acts 19:1, While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples (NIV) I. Paul traveled from Antioch:... A. through the upper country, and This was not the most direct route.

6 The upper country took Paul through Colosse, Laodicea and Hieropolis. B. came to Ephesus. II. At this time Apollos was at Corinth. III. Upon Paul s return to Ephesus he found certain disciples. A. These may have been Apollos converts. B. Paul was not acquainted with these disciples at the time of his return to Ephesus. IV. At first, before meeting Aquila and Priscilla, Apollos knew only the baptism of John the Baptist. A. Paul now met others who knew only the baptism of John. B. These men may have been influenced by Apollos before he learned of the baptism of the Great Commission. Acts 19:2, and asked them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? They answered, No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. (NIV) I. Paul asked the disciples: A. Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? 1. Clearly the Holy Spirit was here distinct from the preaching which led to the disciples belief.

7 7 II. The disciples answered that they had not even heard whether the Holy Spirit was given. III. Can a person be a Christian without having received the Holy Spirit? A. Were these disciples before Paul met them Christians or only learners? B. Acts 2:38, Peter replied, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (NIV) C. Acts 11:16-18, Then I remembered what the Lord had said: John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God s way? When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life. (NIV) D. John 3:5, Jesus answered, Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. (NIV) E. Romans 8:9, You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. (NIV) F. 1 Corinthians 12:3, 13, Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, Jesus be cursed, and no one can say, Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to

8 8 form one body whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (NIV) G. Galatians 3:2, I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? (NIV) H. Hebrews 6:4, It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, (NIV) Acts 19:3, So Paul asked, Then what baptism did you receive? John s baptism, they replied. (NIV) I. Paul asked the disciples:... A. Into what then were you baptized? 1. Luke 3:3-6, He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: A voice of one calling in the wilderness, Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all people will see God s salvation. (NIV) 2. John 1:26, 27, I baptize with water, John replied, but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. (NIV) II. The disciples replied:...

9 9 A. Into John s baptism. 1. John s baptism was in force until Christ instituted the baptism of the Great Commission. III. Those baptized according to the Great Commission would have known of the Holy Spirit because they would have received it. A. What was involved in the receipt of the Holy Spirit? B. How did people know they had received the Holy Spirit? C. What effect did the receipt of the Holy Spirit have on Christians? Acts 19:4, 5, Paul said, John s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus. On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (NIV) I. Paul said:... A. John baptized with the baptism of repentance... B. and said they should believe on him that should come after him; that is, on Jesus. II. When they heard this they were baptized in the name of Jesus. A. Acts 8:15-17, When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the

10 10 Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. (NIV) Acts 19:6, 7, When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all. (NIV) I. These disciples did not receive the Holy Spirit automatically and instantly after being baptized in the name of Jesus. II. Paul laid his hands on these disciples and the Holy Spirit came upon them. III. The disciples, about twelve (12) men,... A. spoke with tongues,... B. prophesized,... C. possessed these supernatural skills. IV. When these disciples learned the word of the Lord more perfectly, they obeyed. A. We must ever seek to know God s will better. B. When we know more, we are to do more! Acts 19:8, Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. (NIV) I. Paul preached in the Jewish synagogue for three (3) months.

11 11 II. Paul reasoned and persuaded those in the synagogue about matters pertaining to the kingdom of God. A. Clearly the kingdom, church, family of God are the same viewed under different figures. Acts 19:9, But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. (NIV) I. Not all, of course, to whom Paul preached in the synagogue believed. A. Some were hardened, disobedient and spoke evil of the Way before the multitude. 1. The Way refers to Christianity. B. God hardens the hearts of willful sinners. 1. Romans 1:25, They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator who is forever praised. Amen. (NIV) 2. Romans 11:7, What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, (NIV) II. Paul departed from the disobedient, took the believers, and reasoned daily in the school of Tyrannus. A. Nothing is known of this Tyrannus nor his school.

12 12 B. Tyrannus may have owned the school or he could have been a teacher, philosopher there. Acts 19:10, This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. (NIV) I. Paul preached daily for two years in the school of Tyrannus. II. Results were that all who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Gentiles, heard the word of God. A. Paul had previously been forbidden of the Lord to preach in Asia. 1. Acts 16:6, Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. (NIV) 2. Now things were different! 3. The seven churches of Asia may have been established at this time. a. Revelations 1:4, John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia:Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, (NIV) 4. The church of Colosse may have also been established at this time.

13 13 a. Colossians 1:2, To God s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. (NIV) b. Many from surrounding areas came to Ephesus, heard Paul preach, were converted and returned home proclaiming the gospel. Acts 19:11, 12, God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. (NIV) I. God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul. A. From Paul s body handkerchiefs (sweat rags worn around the forehead) and aprons (worn by workers around the waist) were taken to the sick. 1. Diseases departed from the sick. 2. Evil spirits went out of the demon possessed. B. Miracles such as these were extremely rare and were regarded, therefore, as special. II. The handkerchiefs and aprons were regarded as extensions of the apostle Paul. A. Mark 5:27-34, When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed. Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that

14 14 she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, Who touched my clothes? You see the people crowding against you, his disciples answered, and yet you can ask, Who touched me? But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering. (NIV) B. Acts 5:15, As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. (NIV) Acts 19:13, 14, Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out. Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. (NIV) I. Counterfeiters:... A. Certain strolling, vagabond, wandering Jews decided to attempt to perform miracles in the name for the Lord Jesus. 1. Acts 8:13-19, Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been

15 15 baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles hands, he offered them money and said, Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit. (NIV) 2. Did the Ephesian exorcists and Simon in fact cast out demons? B. They used the formula: I adjure (earnestly command) you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. II. Involved in this, among the exorcists, were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest. No other reference is found anywhere of a high priest named Sceva. A. Being sons of a high priest or preacher does not guarantee righteous conducts. B. These sons of Sceva, exorcists, changed techniques which indicates their old methods were known not to be effective. C. They used the name of Jesus to their own selfish purposes. Acts 19:15, One day the evil spirit answered them, Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you? (NIV) I. An evil spirit replied to these exorcists, A. Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?

16 16 B. The New Testament attests to the fact of the existence and their effects on people they possess. C. Evil spirits are rational beings and here spoke to the exorcists in an accurate manner. II. This is similar to exorcisms performed by Jesus. A. Mark 1:24, What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are the Holy One of God! (NIV) B. Mark 5:9, Then Jesus asked him, What is your name? My name is Legion, he replied, for we are many. (NIV) Acts 19:16, Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. (NIV) I. The demon possessed man attacked the two so-called exorcists who had approached him and beat them up! II. The exorcists ran out of the place, house naked and wounded. A. This kind of failure never faced the apostles. 1. At the worst they simply failed to get the job done for which Jesus rebuked them saying that kind of demon would come out only by prayer and fasting. 2. Those who were trying to cast out a demon were themselves cast out. III. Are people ever demon possessed today?

17 17 A. If so, how can we recognize them? B. How would today s medical profession diagnose this demon possessed man? C. Would they be right? Acts 19:17, When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. (NIV) I. The news of this spread like wild fire all over Ephesus. A. Everybody heard about what had happened, both Jews and Greeks. B. Fear fell upon everybody and the name of Jesus was glorified, magnified. II. Ephesus was known for its interest in magical arts and witchcraft. Acts 19:18, Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. (NIV) I. Many of the Ephesians who had believed in and practiced the magical arts, confessed their sins, evil deeds. II. The Corinthian church had within its membership some of people who had been the vilest of sinners before their conversions. A. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor

18 18 adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (NIV) Acts 19:19, A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. (NIV) I. Many former practitioners of the magical arts:... A. genuinely repented. B. publicly burned their books which were valued at fifty thousand (50,000) pieces of silver, drachmas. A drachma was an average daily wage. II. Questions: The books, scrolls, to say the least, were very valuable because they contained magical spells and secret formulas. 2. It is uncertain how much these books would be worth today. What would be the total value of fifty thousand (50,000) average daily wages? A. What about today s fortune tellers, palm readers, horoscope readers, writers? B. Which books, if any, need to be burned today?

19 19 C. Did these penitents forsake exorcism altogether or exchange ineffectual pagan exorcism for effective Christian exorcism? Acts 19:20, In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. (NIV) I. Because of the events just mentioned:... A. the word of the Lord grew and prevailed. B. Paul s work in Ephesus was wonderfully successful. II. Here is another of Luke s summaries of accomplishments. A. Acts 6:7, So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. (NIV) B. Acts 9:31, Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (NIV) C. Acts 12:24, But the word of God continued to spread and flourish. (NIV) D. Acts 16:5, So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. (NIV) E. Acts 28:31, He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance! (NIV)

20 20 Acts 19:21, 22, After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome. So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season. I. After these things were over,... A. Paul purposed, decided in the spirit (in his heart and mind) Paul had great success in Ephesus. 2. This did not lessen but perhaps increased his determination to take the gospel to the entire known world. B. to pass through Macedonia and Achaia, C. and then to proceed to Jerusalem. D. Paul then determined to visit Rome. 1. He did not now know he would arrive in Rome as a prisoner. E. He had plans to also visit Spain. 1. Romans 15:20-24, It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else s foundation. Rather, as it is written: Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand. This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you. But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing

21 21 for many years to visit you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. (NIV) 1. 1 Corinthians 3:6, I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. (NIV) II. Paul remained in Asia for a while longer... A. after sending Timothy and Erastus who ministered to him, to Macedonia Corinthians 4:17, For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church. (NIV) 2. Timothy and Erastus were sent ahead to prepare the way for Paul. B. Timothy is frequently mentioned in connection with Paul. C. Erastus is not as prominent Timothy 4:20, Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. (NIV) 2. Romans 16:23, Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings. Erastus, who is the city s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings. (NIV)

22 22 IV. During this period Paul wrote 1 and 2 Corinthians. Acts 19:23-25, About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. 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. (NIV) I. About that time a major disturbance arose in Ephesus regarding the Way. A. Scriptures: Acts 18:26, He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquilaheard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. (NIV) 2. Acts 19:19, A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. (NIV) B. Demetrius, a silversmith, was ringleader in this commotion. 1. Demetrius, named after one of the agricultural gods, made silver shrines of Diana. 2. He had other craftsmen associated with him in this prosperous business. C. Demetrius gathered these craftsmen together and declared:

23 Sirs, ye know that by this business we have our wealth, make our living. 2. Demetrius was not concerned about truth and spiritual values. 3. He was interested in making money!... a carnal pagan. 4. So it is with many today. 5. The temple priests and Diana s devotees would all join Demetrius. II. Five temples were built consecutively to the ancient fertility goddess, Artemis. A. An image of Artemis reportedly fell from heaven which was, in fact, a meteorite, covered with bumps thought by Ephesians to represent breasts. B. The huge Ephesian temple at Artemis (loosely associated with Diana) was considered by the ancients as one of the wonders of the world. Acts 19:26, 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. (NIV) I. Demetrius addressed the gathering:... A. Paul had preached everywhere he had gone in Asia that there are no gods made with hands.

24 24 B. Demetrius could incite a riot, but he couldn t change the facts. There are no gods made with hands! C. Demetrius here declared his mistaken belief that the images they made were indeed gods. II. Demetrius was correct in his understanding of the long term results of Paul s preaching. A. Pliny wrote fifty (50) years later of deserted temples, neglected idol worship and no buyers of sacrificial animals. B. 1 Corinthians 8:5, 6, For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many gods and many lords ), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. (NIV) Acts 19:27, 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. (NIV) I. Demetrius saw the dangers as:... A. Our business will fail and become disrespected. B. The temple of Artemis, Diana, will be neglected, disrespected. 1. This temple was destroyed by the Goths in 262 A.D.

25 25 C. Artemis, Diana, would no longer be worshiped and would be deposed from her place of magnificence. Note: When Rome adopted Greek mythology the name of Artemis was changed to Diana. Acts 19:28, 29, When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. (NIV) I. Hearing these words from Demetrius, the listeners:... A. were filled with wrath, The whole city was in an uproar. B. cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. 1. This reminds us of the Baal worshipers on Mt. Carmel Kings 18:26, So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. Baal, answer us! they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. (NIV) C. filled the city with confusion,... D. acted in unison and seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul s companions in travel, and dragged them into the theatre, an open-air auditorium seating of twenty five thousand (25,000).

26 Gaius a. Acts 20:4, He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. (NIV) b. 1 Corinthians 1:14, I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, (NIV) c. Romans 16:23, Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings. Erastus, who is the city s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings. (NIV) d. 3 John 1, The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. (NIV) e. Gaius was a common name of that time. 2. Aristarchus a. Acts 27:2, We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us. (NIV) b. Colossians 4:10, My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received

27 27 instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) (NIV) c. Philemon 1:24, And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. (NIV) E. The mob evidently intended to do bodily harm to the disciples. Acts 19:30, Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. (NIV) I. Paul, knowing what was happening, wanted to enter the theatre and defend the gospel against the pagan charges. A. Paul was one brave man! B. He certainly wanted to go to the defense of Gaius and Aristarchus. II. The disciples knew what dangers Paul would face in the theatre and did not allow him to enter the theatre. III. Religion and politics are volitable subjects. Acts 19:31, Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater. (NIV) I. Certain Asiarchs, Paul s friends, also sent word to Paul begging him not to go into the theatre. A. Asiarchs were wealthy men of high rank who presided over religious rites and supported Caesar.

28 28 B. That Paul had friends among the Asiarchs shows how successful his preaching in Ephesus had been. Acts 19:32-34, The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! (NIV) I. In the theatre,... A. some cried one thing and some another,... B. the assembly was in confusion, but... C. most didn t know what was going on. II. The Jews brought Alexander before the assembly. A. Alexander attempted to quiet the multitude to make his defense before the people. B. The Greek multitude was prejudiced against Jews and when they saw Alexander was a Jew The Jews were opposed to idols just as were Christians. 2. The plan didn t work. C. They cried out in unison for two hours, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

29 This used much energy and may have left the assembly fatigued and less set on further demonstration. Acts 19:35, The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: Fellow Ephesians, 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? (NIV) I. The town clerk, a high ranking city official, secretary, scribe, was a liaison between Roman authority and city government,... A. quieted the multitude, something that would have been earlier, at the peak of the mob s frenzy, very difficult, and... B. said, Everybody knows Ephesus is the keeper of the temple of Diana, and the image that fell down from heaven. II. Having this designation of temple-keeper was a distinct honor in the Graeco-Roman world. Acts 19:36, Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. (NIV) I. Because these facts could not be refuted, the town clerk gave his advice; viz.,... A. Be quiet and don t do anything rash that you ll be sorry for later. II. Riots in Ephesus could cause the city to lose some of its privileges.

30 30 Acts 19:37, 38, You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess. If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges. (NIV) I. The town-clerk further said:... A. You brought forth these men who are neither robbers of temples, nor... a. Romans 2:22, You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? (NIV) 2. blasphemers of Diana. a. This tells much about Paul s method of preaching. b. H. Leo Boles, He preached positive truths, rather than making direct attacks on error. B. If Demetrius and the craftsman associated with him have charges to make, the courts are open, there are proconsuls, judges, these things should be settled there, not by mob action.

31 31 Acts 19:39, If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. (NIV) I. Any other conflicts Demetrius had with Christians should be settled in the regular assembly. A. The mob was an illegal assembly. B. Illegal assemblies, riots, mob actions were serious violations of Roman law. Acts 19:40, 41, As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it. After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly. (NIV) I. The town-clerk further warned:... A. We are in danger of being accused for today s riot because there was no cause for it. B. We have no excuse for this riot! 1. He then diplomatically called it a concourse and finally an assembly. C. Demetrius charges could not stand the scrutiny of due process. II. When the town clerk had finished speaking, he dismissed the assembly. A. The town clerk was quite a diplomat.

32 32 B. God s providential care protected Paul and the Ephesian disciples.

33 33 Questions on Acts 19: While was at, came to and found certain who had not received the since they. 2. In what ways should we be like these disciples at Ephesus? 3. These had been already unto and now they were in the of the. 4. What does in the name of mean? 5. When did these disciples receive the Holy Spirit, when they came up out of the water or when Paul laid his hands on them?

34 What did the Holy Spirit enable these disciples to do? 7. Do all Christians receive the Holy Spirit? If so, how do we know we have received the Holy Spirit? 8. Paul preached for in the regarding the of. 9. When some became and not, but spoke of the before the, Paul took the and began preaching in the school of. 10. Paul preached in the of for so that all heard the word of the, both and. 11. What special miracles did God perform by the hands of Paul?

35 What did certain Jewish exorcists do? 13. What problem did two of Sceva s sons encounter? 14. What were the results of these events? See verses According to verses 21 and 22, what were Paul s plans for the future?

36 What upset Demetrius? 17. In the theatre some one, and some : for the was ; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come. 18. was brought into the. He was a which caused the assembly to cry out in for, is of the. 19. Why did Alexander who was a Jew cause such a reaction when he appeared in the theatre? 20. What points did the town clerk make when he spoke to the crowd? What results did he achieve?