Acts 19:23-31 Speak of Grace!

Acts 19:23-31  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.  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.  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.  ”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.  Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him.  Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.   

Before this disruption by the silversmiths about Paul ministry, he had already decided to go back to Jerusalem by the way of Macedonia and Achaia.  His intentions were to encourage the nascent churches he had established in Greece.  However, preceding his departure there arose a great disturbance about the Way.  As happens sometimes when religion is turned into a commercial activity, merchants were making money from the religious fervor of people.  Jesus found this kind of activity in the temple in Jerusalem very upsetting to him, where the courtyard of the temple was turned into a place of making money.  Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there.  He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.  “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”  (Matthew 21:12)  Even today we find people using Christianity as a way to make money.  Commercialism has always been a part of religion.  In Ephesus we see the silversmiths tremendously upset that they were losing money because of the spread of Christianity in Asia.  The followers of Christ were no longer buying the silver shrines that the silversmiths were making.  Paul had exposed the Asians to a God who could not be visualized by an image of any kind.  He preached of one God, not many.  This ministry of one God, the Creator of all mankind, was hurting the businesses that revolved around serving the goddess Artemis.  Ephesus was an important community in that time because the temple of Artemis was there, a beautiful, large worship facility that is considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.  Now Paul’s monotheist teaching was destroying the commercial activity functioning around that great temple to honor Artemis.  He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all.  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.  Of course, these silversmiths were probably not more religious than other worshippers of Artemis, but their livelihood revolved around the people buying shrines and articles that pertained to the worshipping of Artemis.  The silversmiths were making a good living because Artemis was very popular in the Greek communities, especially in the rural areas, for she was the goddess of nature, of hunting wild animals, and of protecting chastity.  It is easily understandable why Demetrius was upset with Paul and Christianity.  Paul and The Way were infringing on the livelihood of these craftsmen.  Therefore, Demetrius gathered the craftsmen together and riled them up to oppose this strange religion of The Way.  They began to chant,  “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”   With such commotion and shouts, Soon the whole city was in an uproar.  Of course angry people are dangerous in a mob.  The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia.   Mob actions are always uncertain, maybe even death might be the result of their anger, so Paul was warned not to go into the theater to reason with these angry people.  He was persuaded by some of the prominent officials in the province not to try to reason with this mob at this time.  Eventually the mob calms down because the officials in the city did not want to get the Roman legions involved, for they might punish the Ephesians for being so disruptive to the stability of their rule in Asia.

Paul’s wanting to go into the theater to explain the Good News to the Ephesians reveals why Jesus called him.  He was willing to go into the fire of commotion, a place where his life might be lost for the Good News.  Later we see on his journey back to Jerusalem Paul talking to a few of the leaders of the Ephesians.  He reveals his determination to follow Christ regardless of the cost.  And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.  I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.  However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.  (Acts 20:22-24)  He will meet a mob in Jerusalem that will cause him to be in chains the rest of his life.  He will end his life in imprisonment in Rome.  But Paul was commissioned by Jesus, and Jesus did not hide anything in his calling of Paul.  Jesus told Paul he would face much adversity in serving him.  Paul not only faced deprivation and the hardships of nature in fulfilling his commission, he also faced severe physical abuse by the people: flogging, whipping and stoning.  As with the disciples, he counted these hardships and persecution as nothing in comparison to knowing Jesus as his Savior.  When the Sanhedrin flogged the disciples they left that scene rejoicing.  They called the apostles in and had them flogged.  Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.  The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.  Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.  (Acts 5:40-42)  The disciples and Paul went from house to house propagating the Good News in every community, willing to face opposition and even violence for the cause of Christ.  They never delivered their message of the Good News with threats or violence: they delivered this message with love and concern for those they were ministering to.  In fact, Jesus tells them that when they face hatred and violence from even their own families they are to flee to another area.  Even though they are put upon by others, they are to forego violence and revenge.  Why?  Because revenge and judgment belong in the hands of the Lord, not in the purview of people.  “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.  You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.  When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another.  Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.  (Matthew 10:21-23)  Paul was not going to flee from Ephesus, but others convinced him to move onto other areas.  If called, you might confront your enemies with words of persuasion, but if not called to do so at that time, you should move onto other areas, spreading the Good News to others.  Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews.  Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.  (Acts 11:19-20)  All through the millenniums the Good News has been spread like seeds from a tree blown by the wind.  Every nation, every tongue, every race and every ethnic group will eventually hear the redemption message: eternal life through the  death and resurrection of Christ the Lord.  Some who carry this message to others will die.  Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.  (Psalm 116:15) The martyrs will be honored greatly in heaven.  Most Christians will live normal lives, but always fixated on doing the will of God in their daily routines, knowing that every action they do and every word they say is watched by a dark and weary world.  Every Christian is a planter, sowing seeds in the soil around them, expecting good results from their efforts in exposing Jesus to others.  

Christians should be gracious and loving to others.  Jesus tells us to love our enemies, to do good to those who abuse us.  This is the nature of God, who tolerated the Jews’ misbehavior through the ages even though they were his treasured ones.  From the very beginning we see as Ezekiel 20:8 says, They rebelled against me and would not listen to me; they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.  Before and in Egypt, they attached themselves to other gods, but God was patient with them.  His grace and mercy was his promise to them through his covenant with Abraham, but Abraham’s descendants were obstinate, self-willed and rebellious to God their Creator in their daily lives.  In the wilderness, they carried their personal idols in their satchels, revealing their desire not to serve God who delivered them out of captivity.  But God was merciful and gracious to them.  He gave them Canaan, a place of milk and honey to abide in.  But in Canaan, they still lusted after other gods, even though they understood through the law God’s demands on their lives.  Instead of serving him, they sought the gods of their ancestors.  But God was gracious and loving to them, but finally He expelled them from Canaan, sending them to foreign lands.  He always preserved a remnant of the Jewish people because of his covenant with Abraham that he would some day be the father of many nations.  This remnant came back to Israel from these many nations with the intention not to serve idols or other gods, but they still needed to know that the law would not redeem their souls to God, for the law was breaking their backs, too hard to obey all the time, and any violation of the law at any time would condemn them to everlasting punishment.  Paul is now ministering the Good News and not the law that the chosen could never satisfy.  The Good News is that Jesus paid the complete price for the disobedience of mankind.  This sacrifice for the sins of people made those who trust in Jesus’ work on the cross right with God.  This  mystery in the heart of God was so important to Paul that he was willing to give his life for this redemption message.  Surely, it took many words to convince Paul not to go into that theater to reason with that mob, to tell another group of angry protestors about his ministry of the Good News that God has planned for their redemption to him the Creator through Jesus Christ the Lord.  Paul was filled wth the Holy Spirit.  Jesus had told the disciples that He must go away so that He can send the Holy Spirit to them.  “But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going.  Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you.  But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come.  If I do go away, then I will send him to you.  And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.  The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.  (John 16:5-9)  Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to us as an advocate of his work, to convince the world of Jesus Christ's complete work for the salvation of men and women.  The human race has always been God’s great love.  His plan of redemption for his chosen loved ones has eternally been in his heart.  But the darkness of rebellion has ingrained men and women from the very beginning.   Jesus tells us explicitly what sin does, how it alienates people from the plan of God which is Jesus:  The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.  (John 16:9 NLT)  Jesus goes back to his Father God, showing the Father that He has completed the Father’s will: that He alone has paid the price for all the sins of the people.  Paul preached that victory; he was willing to go anyplace to tell of the work of the cross.  Jesus Christ said the kingdom is near.  Dear friends, accept the kingdom of God in your life by fully embracing that efficacious work of Jesus on the cross.  IT IS DONE!  IT IS FINISHED!  AMEN, AMEN!  

    

 

 

Acts 19:13-22 Be Full of Light!

Acts 19:13-22  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.  One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?”  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.  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.  Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done.  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.  In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.  After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.”  He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.

We see in the above focus that sometimes God moves in mysterious ways to bring people to the knowledge of Jesus Christ as redeemer of all mankind from their sin.  After the seven sons of Sceva were overcome by the demon they tried to exorcise, a revival broke out in Ephesus.  The demon within the man acknowledged the names of Jesus and Paul and their power to cast him out, but he would not relent to these sons of the high priest.  He knew they had no power to exorcise him from this man’s body.  “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?”  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.  We can assume that this demoniac was well known in Ephesus because the Sceva sons failure to cast out the demon in him caused men and women to reevaluate the Good News that Paul taught.  They now understood that Paul and Jesus contained power over the ether world, the unseen principalities and spirits that harassed men and women by possessing their souls.  They were aware that Paul’s ministry was accompanied by great power over demons and sicknesses.  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.  (Acts 19:11-12)  We do not know the reasons why the sons of Sceva were in this spiritual endeavor, or if they were attached to some cultish behavior, but we do know that Ephesus was a place of worshipping other gods, participating in cultish beliefs.  These beliefs tend to suggest that the people who practice them have power over the spiritual entities. The high priest's sons were using the names of Paul and Jesus as a power source to defeat demonic activity.  However, when the people of Ephesus saw that these men were not only defeated by the demon but brutalized too, they realized their belief in cultish power was not enough to defeat some demons.  As with many in the occult world, charms, amulets and talismans are worn for protection.  These items are not only worn for protection, but also to have influence over the spirits of the unseen world.  Whether the Sceva sons wore these items or not, they had no power over the demoniac.  Their attempt of exorcising the demon from this man went horribly wrong, exposing the feebleness of their power over evil.  We do not know the extent of the Sceva sons' belief in the cultish world, but we do know that their failure to drive out this demon caused the community in Ephesus great fear.  The Ephesians began to reconsider their dark practices and the power of their spiritual belief over evil.  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.   In comparison to their cultish ideas and idol worshipping, the name of Jesus and his power became well known and honored.  Many became followers of Jesus and renounced their former devilish activities.  As a result of their repentance, they destroyed any vestige of their former cultish lifestyle.  The sorcerers brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly.  We also can assume that all charms, amulets and talismans in their possession were destroyed too, cleansing them completely of their former lifestyle of spiritual darkness.  The eye is the lamp of the body.  If your eyes are healthy, our whole body will be full of light.  But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.  If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!  No one can serve two masters.  (Matthew 6:22-24)  Christians are to be a lamp placed on a stand so all can see its brightness, exposing the darkness in any community, city are neighborhood to the cleansing light of God.  

The sons of Sceva’s activity of exorcising demons maybe spawned from their desire to be remunerated with money.  As sons of the high priest, they had been immersed in the idea that there is only one God, so they were doing good by driving out demons who possessed the souls of people.  But if they were exorcising demons for any kind of remuneration, they were wrong in this activity.  “No one can serve two masters.  Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money.  (Matthew 6:24)  Today, anyone who is exercising the power of God before people with the intent to earn something from people, even prestige, is doing it for the wrong reasons.  Jesus says that you cannot serve your selfish desires and God too.  John puts this dichotomy in succinct words.  Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.  For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.  (1 John 2:15-17)  Jesus describes people who are using the power of God for their own personal reasons.  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!’  (Matthew 7:21-23)  Why such a strong description of such people who serve God for their own gratification: evildoers?  The world is lost in a hopeless condition of darkness, under the bondage of sin.  The light of the world: Jesus Christ, is a man of power.  His light penetrates the darkness because He comes with power, not just words. His power is like lightning flashing through the darkest clouds of a storm.  He allows people to see supernatural miracles, see visions or dreams that change their attitude about God.  Through these marvelous activities, He penetrates the darkness that surrounds humans in their daily lives.  People are awakened from their lifeless stupor when God touches them with his light through supernatural activity.  However, when people engage in a counterfeit activity that opposes God, it sows confusion and wrong desires, deserving the strong title of evildoers.  This kind of discordant activity sows weeds in a community that God desires to reach.  A self-oriented and self-willed life that wishes to win this world for himself or herself, will give the new believer the wrong idea of life.  Although good words might be said by ministers, their lifestyles will reveal the truth of their salvation.  Are they sold out to the world, desiring to win a materialistic life, gathering the goodies the world produces.  Jesus describes this kind of ministering as evil, not focused on heavens but on the earth.  The sons of Sceva were using the names of Paul and Jesus for themselves, to achieve their own ends in life.  They might have coveted, as the Pharisees did in Jesus’ time, the large crowds that followed Jesus.  Maybe now these sons of the high priest, coveted  the large crowds that gathered around Paul.  However, the demon had another idea about their pursuits.  He stripped them naked and bloodied their bodies.  Demons are not powerless but are strong and vicious; they do not bow down to frail men.  As we see with Legion, Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.  (Luke 8:30)

This failure of the sons of Sceva brought fear on the Ephesians, but also the reality of the message Paul was preaching.  The word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.  But as with Jesus, he was to move on ministering to other communities.  He would not stay in Ephesus and minister there the rest of his life; he would keep moving from one city to the next.  Jesus told his disciples that He would not stay in Capernaum where a revival was taking place, but move on to other cities.  We must go to other Jewish communities for this is my assignment that my Father has given me; his will is to be done.  Now we see Paul fulfilling God’s calling on his life,  Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.”  He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.  As Jesus went from community to community spreading the Good News that He is the Redeemer sent from God to deliver the Israelites from their sins, so now we see Paul doing the same thing but in the communities of the Gentiles.  He could not tarry very long in these communities, for he had an assignment to reach as many Gentiles as he could in his short life.  He came to these communities with not just words but with the power of God.  Jesus talked about Paul and many others who would carry out his commission.  Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.  (John 14:12-14)  What is meant by greater, maybe that Paul’s handkerchiefs and aprons carry the power of God in them, maybe the healing power of Peter’s shadow as he walked through the streets, maybe the speaking of tongues of those who were baptized with power.  Who knows?  But God’s power has been evident in communities down through the ages; the message of Jesus has hit every dark corner in the world.  The name of Jesus has been honored in all the continents on earth.  However, because of the miraculous spread of the gospel throughout the world, we also see many deceivers amongst the believers too.  Wolves have come to devour the believers.  People like the Sceva brothers contaminate the Good News for their own benefit. As with the Old Testament, false prophets enter the sheepfold, leading many astray.  Jesus told his followers, Watch out for false prophets.  They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  By their fruit you will recognize them.  (Matthew 7:15-16)  They always come identifying themselves as sheep, but their purposes are devious, and you see their fruit of their lives by the acquisition of the world’s goods.  Their intentions are aways the same: to win the world.  But praise God, we are not of the world.  At Lazarus death scene, Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life.  The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.  Do you believe this?”  (John 11:25-26)  Martha responds just as Peter under the power of God responded to Jesus when he asked Peter, who do you think I am?  “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”  (John 11:27)  Martha believed who Jesus really was, the Messiah.  Jesus is telling Martha, you will live for eternity with my Father God.  Dear friend do you really believe the truth as Martha and Peter proclaimed.  If you do believe from the bottom of your heart, you presently have eternal life--you shall not die.  As Jesus said about Lazarus, he is merely asleep.  At the tomb, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!  (John 11:43)  Breakfast companions, put your name in place of Lazarus’ name, for surely you will hear the voice of our Lord and the grave clothes will be unwrapped as you enter into eternity.  Hallelujah!   

 

Acts 19:8-12 Give Thanks!

Acts 19:8-12 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.  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.  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.  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.

As with the Old Testament, we see the Lord introduces himself to the Gentiles in the province of Asia through miracles.  In the Old Testament we see God performing many miraculous acts so that the people would know that the Creator of all things is still active in the world.  He is not a clock master who sets the gears in place to run automatically without his involvement anymore.  No, the God of Creation is involved with his creation intimately.  When He selects Abraham, a man of faith, He performs an impossible miracle by having Sari with a dead womb birth Isaac.  Because of God’s involvement in Abraham’s life, Abraham could believe the promises God gave him of having descendants as numerous as the stars and that he would be the father of many nations, of course, blessing all people on the face of the earth with the coming of the Messiah through his loins.  God tested his descendants by sending them to Egypt where they became slaves in a wilderness of emotions and distractions.  The Israelites assimilated into the lifestyle of the Egyptians, but God never forgot his covenant with Abraham, the man of faith.  He saw the agony of Abraham’s descendants in slavery and after a long time of 400 years.  He sets about to deliver them through a man who was raised in the household of Pharaoh.  Moses enjoyed all the luxury and finery of Pharaoh’s household, but one day he decided to visit his biological brothers and sisters, the Jews.  In his visit he observed his people's great bondage of slavery.  The Jews were in a hopeless situation of slavery, providing wealth for the Egyptians but receiving hardly anything for their service.  In his anger about the situation, he killed an Egyptian who was mistreating a Jew.  He knew this act of violence against an Egyptian would bring violence on his head, so he fled into the wilderness and became a sheepherder for 40 years.  From the lavish household of Pharaoh to a sheepherder in the land of the Midians, for 40 years he was tested by this huge change in his life.  We can assume over those many years that he regretted killing the Egyptian who was harassing his fellow Jew, for now he was banished to a land of mere survival.  Probably in those many years in Midian, he tried to figure out the purpose of his life.  Why was he born?  What is life all about on the barren hills?  Was sheepherding the reason for his existence?  This was his time of testing, until he saw a burning bush that did not waste the plant.  Out of the bush came a voice, When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses!  Moses!”  “Here I am!”  Moses replied.  “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned.  “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.  I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”  When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.  (Exodus 3:4-6)  The Lord then told him that He has seen the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt and that He was sending Moses to rescue them from the hands of the Pharaoh.  In God’s covenant with Abraham, He promised Abraham that his descendants would someday occupy the Land of Canaan.  For them to do so, they had to be released from slavery.  Now in the days of Moses, they would see this miracle happen.  The Egyptians would feel God’s mighty hand of judgment upon them because they oppressed his people.  They (Jacob’s small band of people) wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.  Yet he did not let anyone oppress them.  He warned kings on their behalf: “Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets.”  (Psalm 105:13-15)  Now we see the Jews, a nation of many people, being oppressed by the Egyptians who were ripe for the punishment of the Almighty God.

In this deliverance from slavery, from the hands of Pharaoh, we see miracle after miracle happening; we see the plagues fall upon the Egyptians.  The Jews were but observers, no plagues struck them.  They saw the hand of God come to their rescue.   Praise the Lord!  Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!  His faithful love endures forever.  Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord?  Who can ever praise him enough?  (Psalm 106:1-2)  These miracles in the land of Egypt did not go unnoticed by the surrounding nations.  They had heard about these miraculous events, and they knew the Jews were leaving the land of Egypt for Canaan.  This news was broadcast everywhere: unbelievable miracles had delivered the Jews from captivity.  Now we see in Paul’s time the same thing happening, but this time the hand upon the Gentiles in the province of Asia is the devil himself.  These people in Asia were living in impenetrable darkness; no good words could penetrate the blackness that the devil had placed on the Gentiles.  Just as the Egyptians in Moses’ time, the darkness of the unseen world of evil rested upon the Gentiles.  Who can know the heart, for its wickedness is not recognized.  The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.  Who can understand it?  (Jeremiah 17:9)  What could rescue the Gentiles from the hands of Darkness?  Only God’s supernatural intervention could overcome such an enemy.  The Israelites in Egypt were rescued by God’s miraculous deeds.  Now in Asia we see God allowing Paul to possess supernatural power.  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.  This corresponds well with Peter’s power given to him by the Holy Spirit.  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.  (Acts 5:15)  We see Peter’s supernatural power given to him by the Holy Spirit for the benefit of the Jews in Jerusalem, but now we see Paul possessing this power for the benefit of the Gentiles.  Paul was discouraged about the Jews rejecting the Good News of Jesus being the Messiah, so his ministry was focused mostly on the Gentiles.  But some of them (Jews) 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.  As with the nations around Egypt hearing of the miraculous events in Egypt, they became aware of God’s hand on the Jews.  Now in the province of Asia, the teaching and miracles in Ephesus spread throughout the whole province.  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.  We see in this account that miracles and wonders were necessary to shine the light into the impenetrable darkness, into the deception that Eve fell into when she decided to disobey God, choosing her own way to live as a human being.  Because of this deception within the hearts of men and women, the human race carried a waywardness in their existence.  The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.  (Genesis  6:5)

This is a harsh assessment of mankind, for we know men and women do many wonderful things; activities of compassion, love, forbearance, kindness, and the like.  We also know people have created and invented many things for the benefit of mankind.  We know the knowledge and wisdom of men and women can help the human race and many times calm the restless seas of discord and disturbances.  But even though we recognize the goodness of God in men and women, we also see the horrible disharmony in the human race.  We see the willingness of people to destroy each other; we see wars, violent riots, and hatred in the hearts of men and women.  We see the fuse of anger in every human, easily set off if the situation is right for the explosion.  We do not often see the enduring love of God displayed regardless of circumstances.  How do we break through this nature of humans?  How can God be revealed to humans if their hearts are not like his?  Good words, good teaching, godly wisdom and knowledge can help men lean toward the light of God.  But Jesus said something very profound, Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.  (John 3:3)  No man or woman can live eternally with God in his kingdom unless they are new creatures.  How can this happen to people who are  living in wayward darkness?  They must become aware of the fact that the Good News is for them.  We see God’s intervention in the province of Asia.  We see the lightning of the Good News strike through the dark clouds in these people’s lives though miracles and wonders.  Paul had so much power radiating in his body that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him had the power to heal and cast out demons.  In these scriptures we find God's enduring love for all people, regardless of their disobedience.  He is willing to show himself to them through mighty miracles and signs.  When the Israelites left Egypt after viewing the great miraculous plagues; they carried with them the lifestyle of the Egyptians, even their idols in their satchels.  But God’s love is enduring regardless of the hearts of men and women.  Miracles did not hold the Israelites.  They needed something stronger, born again hearts.  The law was never able to birth new hearts.  Words will never birth new hearts.  Man’s efforts will never birth new hearts.  New hearts are a product of faith, the faith of Abraham.  He believed God regardless: as it was with Job, Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.  (Job 13:15)  Yes, in Asia, miracles were necessary to spread the Good News throughout the province, but miracles are just a shot of light through the dark clouds in people’s minds.  Jesus said to the  Pharisees, I will not give you a miracle to show my divinity, that I am the Messiah.  Miracles as in the days of Moses did not hold the Israelites to faithfully following God.  Neither will miracles hold us.  Yes, they show the God of creation, but they will not change the mind to become a faithful follower of God.  The heart must be changed, and that comes through faith in the One who spent three days in the belly of the earth.  Faith in his work on the cross changes the heart.  Faith is enduring; God is enduring; love is enduring.  Let us fix our hearts and minds on Jesus.  Let us know him as the way, the truth and the life.  Amen!  

   

 

   

  

 

Acts 18:27-28, Acts 19:1-7 Walk a Straight Path!

Acts 18:27-28  Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus.  He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.  He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.  He began to speak boldly in the synagogue.  When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.  When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him.  When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.  For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.  

Acts 19:1-7  While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.  There he found some disciples 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.  ”So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”  “John’s baptism,” they replied.  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.  When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.  There were about twelve men in all.

In the above focus we see Apollos introduced to Priscilla and Aquila.  Apollos is a man of letters, intellectual, a learned man of the Scriptures.  He is a Christian who knows only the baptism of John.  John’s baptism is an outward sign of committing yourself and your life to God.  It is one of dedication to God, to repentance, focusing your life on doing good to others.  Apollos is at this time a disciple who believes that Jesus Christ fulfills the scripture; therefore, He is the Messiah.  Apollos is so well grounded in his knowledge of the scriptures about Jesus being the Messiah that in public debates he vigorously refutes the Jews who do not hold this same opinion of Jesus.  After hearing him speak in the Ephesus synagogue, Priscilla and Aquila invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.  We do not know the substance of their conversation with Apollos, but we can only assume they were explaining more about Jesus Christ and his teachings.  They were dealing with a man well versed in the scriptures, but felt he needed to see some things more accurately.  He probably understood that John’s baptism was one of commitment to God and subsequently to the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  However, John talked about the Messiah baptizing with fire and power.  “I baptize you with water for repentance.  But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  (Matthew 3:11-12)  Apollos needed the baptism of fire and power in his life, for he had only experienced John’s baptism.  Apollos was a learned man of words.  However, Paul tells us, the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.  (1 Corinthians 4:20)  The apologist might explain why someone should believe there is a living God and that one should believe in him and follow his Son Jesus Christ, but just believing does not contain the power to transform a person into a new creature—that is God’s work not man’s work.  Jesus did not want his disciples going out to the world without this power to change lives.  They knew that Jesus had risen from the dead, exciting news in itself, but Jesus told them not to go anywhere until the transforming power of God had come to them.  Jesus knew the power of God makes new lives.  The Spirit inside the new wineskin propels new creatures to good works.  The old flesh, the old wineskin, cannot hold the power of a new life.  It will burst with disbelief, wild stories, and cultish ideas.  Only the power of God can make new the soul.  Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.  He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  You are witnesses of these things.  I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”  (Matthew 24:45-49)  When Peter, previously fearful of the authorities, gets up to speak to the crowd who had gathered around this group of Galileans who were speaking in tongues, he is now a man who is clothed with power from on high.  (Luke 24:49)  Peter is not just speaking mere words now: he is speaking with the power of God and because only God can draw people to him, we see about three thousand added to their number that day.  (Acts 2:41)   We do not know what Priscilla and Aquila revealed to Apollos, but we do know he desired to go to the churches in Corinth and Athens, churches who were functioning in the power of God, with the gifts of the Holy Spirit manifested.  Knowing the baptism of power and fire would be important to him in these cities.  When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed, speaking the same good news that Priscilla, Aquila, and Paul preached.  

John’s ministry of repentance was a necessary preparation for Messiah’s work on earth.  “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way” — “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”  (Mark 1:2-3)  The Jewish community needed to repent of their carnal ways and turn to God to accept their Messiah.  Probably because of the heavy oppressive hand of the Romans upon the Jews, Palestine was ready for the powerful Messiah to come upon the scene to throw off the yoke of Rome.  Maybe by turning to God, they could achieve this end.  John’s ministry of repentance fit well into that need of deliverance from Rome.  But repentance and dedication to God could not change the internal hearts of the Jews, nor rid them of the Romans.  What the Jewish people really needed was an eternal, lasting freedom from the yoke of sin and despair.  The Messiah, Jesus Christ, came to release them, not from Rome, but from the oppression of the devil.  Jesus knew the transitory nature of political power is not the answer to life.  The answer to life lies in a born-again experience, a relationship with God as his children forever.  And only He could deliver that Good News of eternal life with God, the Father of all mankind.  And through Christ, God will draw all  people to him if they place their trust and faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior.  For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”  (John 6:40)  This is the good news that Priscilla, Aquila, Apollos and Paul preached.  But we see in the above focus that Paul believed that those who followed God by John’s baptism needed to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.  ”So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”  “John’s baptism,” they replied.  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.  When these fellows dedicated to God heard this appeal from Paul, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.   We then see the reality of this baptism by them speaking in tongues.  Something changed within them that not words or convincing them by rational thinking could do: the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.  This experience of knowing Jesus Christ as their Lord became a reality within them.  These twelve men were probably excited to see their fellow believers in their group talk in tongues.  This might have been what Apollos needed in his life before journeying on to Achaia where the Spirit of God was functioning within the churches.

The Jews of Palestine wanted freedom from the Romans, but we see in the baptism of the twelve that freedom actually comes from God’s presence within people.  Paul knew that these twelve men were good men, but still functioning out of their own will, for their efforts to be dedicated to God.  These men were considered disciples, giving their lives for a good cause, maybe performing many good works out of love for others.  But Paul knew they needed to know the power of God, and we see them manifesting this power through speaking in tongues and prophesying.  From now on they will see their dedication to God in a different light, more focused and powerful.  Paul understood well what Jesus would bring to people’s lives if they dedicated their lives to the Christ.  His statement of dedication to God is very strong and powerful to read.  But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.  I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.  (Philippians 3:7-11)  Paul considers his life worth nothing; he is not preaching for notoriety or wealth.  He preaching the words of God out of necessity, for that is the purpose of his life.  We who are in Christ should also be so focused on the purpose of our lives as God has designed us.  We possess gifts from God that are to be used for the benefit of the kingdom of God.  Sometimes we seek changes in our lives for our own purposes and not because God desires the change for us.  We must seek first the kingdom of God in our lives, not our will but his will for our lives.  Do not let the restlessness in your lives cause you to step out of God’s calling for your life.  Were you a slave when you were called?  Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so.  For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave.  You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings.  (Corinthians 7:21-23)  Apollos went on to Greece to minister God’s good news to people.  That was a big change, but he was prepared by Priscilla and Aquila before going on to Achaia.   The twelve disciples experienced a big change by being filled with the Holy Spirit.  Change does happen and changes should happened, but never to appease our flesh and its desires.  We are slaves to our Lord and Master.  We are as the above people in our focus today, moving through this life, a journey sometimes peaceful, but other times traumatic.  But we must alway remember never be slaves to this world, for we have been bought with the highest price imaginable: the blood of Jesus Christ.  We are treasured people by God.  When God looks at us, we are worth more than all the gold and silver in existence.  Yes, we should carry on with our lives, but not just as any ordinary person, lost in the milieu of millions.  No, we are treasured.  Learn of our Savior.  Understand how lost we were before we met him, but now we are saved.  Learn as Apollos learned, the way of God more adequately.  Why, so that as we learn, we might be at peace with God and mankind and know the love of God that passes all understanding.