Sermon, 020203 am

Jim Huskey, Walking Through Acts # 27

As we ended our last study, we had the apostle Paul leaving Aquila and

Priscilla at Ephesus and his moving on, going back to Antioch, then

Phrygia, Galatia, strengthening the disciples. Then from there, he

would fulfill his promise to return to Ephesus. In the meantime,

remember, there was one by the name of Apollos who had come to Ephesus,

knowing only the baptism of John, but had been a very powerful man in

his ability to teach and defend the scriptures and to expound them,

but he knew only the baptism of John, so Aquila and Priscilla took him

aside and taught him the way more perfectly. Then he left there and

went to Corinth. So we pick up in chapter 19 today.

Paul, while Apollos was at Corinth, returned to Ephesus. "And it came

to pass that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through

the upper coasts came to Ephesus; and finding certain disciples,"

Acts 19:1. Now remember, Ephesus was a fairly good size city. It was

an important city, both economically and in other ways. It was also

an important city as far as idolatry was concerned because the temple

of Diana was there. So when he arrived he found disciples there and he

posed a question to them. "He said unto them, Have ye received the

Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto them, We have not so

much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them,

Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance,

saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should

come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they

were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid

his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with

tongues, and prophesied." Verses 1-6. Notice that phrase, "when Paul

laid his hands upon them." This is not something that just occurred

because of the fact they had been baptized. "WHEN PAUL LAID HIS HANDS

ON THEM." Now that's important to remember.

There are those over the years, and still today, who teach that the

Holy Spirit just miraculously overwhelms people and comes upon them.

Well, there were two occasions when the Holy Spirit came upon people

in the New Testament. The first was on Pentecost, Acts 2, when he

came upon the apostles. This was a sign to unbelievers. The second

time was at the household of Cornelius, Acts 10, when the Holy Spirit

came upon Cornelius and his family, again as a sign for the unbelievers,

the Jews in this case. But in all other situations, when people re-

ceived the Holy Spirit in such a way that they were able to do these

miraculous things, it was necessary that an APOSTLE LAY HANDS ON THEM.

So, backing up to Acts 8, when Philip went up to Samaria and the

Samaritans believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom

of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized. When the

apostles heard that the people of Samaria had received the word of

God, they sent Peter and John, "Who, when they were come down, prayed

for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit; (for as yet he was

fallen upon none of them; only they were baptized in the name of the

Lord Jesus). THEN LAID THEY THEIR HANDS ON THEM, and they received the

Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through LAYING ON OF THE APOSTLES'

HANDS the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me

also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the

Holy Ghost." Acts 8:15-19. A lot of folks still haven't learned that,

and this heathen (Simon) who had just been converted was wise enough to

catch on to that.

So the number of these men Paul baptized who knew only the baptism of

John was about twelve. So Paul went into the synagogue. "And he went

into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months,

disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God."

Verse 7. That's an interesting little phrase there - "concering the

kingdom of God - because if we back up to Acts 1:1 beginning, we read,

"The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began

both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up, after

that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles

whom he had chosen; to whom also he shewed himself alive after his

passion by man infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and

speaking of the things PERTAINING TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD." Acts 1:1-3.

Paul when into the synagogue and he taught and disputed and persuaded

concerning things relative to the kingdom of God.

But as has been the case so many times, there are some who will not

hear. We might as well get ready for that; there are some who WILL NOT

HEAR. Beginning with Acts 19:9, we read, "But when divers were

hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the

multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples,

disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus." So they got Paul out

of the synagogue, but they didn't get him out of Ephesus. As a matter

of fact, he stayed there in the school of Tyrannus for two years. The

end result we are told was that "...all they which dwelt in Asia

heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks." Verse 10.

Now Paul had a dramatic infuence on the church at Ephesus and the work

in that whole area. While Paul was there for the two years, the record

says all in Asia heard the word. Verse 10 begins, "And this con-

tinued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in

Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. And God

wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul; so that from his body were

brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases de-

parted from them, and the evil spirits went out of them." Verses 10-12.

Now were all the sick healed? NO!!! Were all those who had evil

spirits healed from those evil spirits by having them cast out? NO!!!!

Special - did you notice that??? God wrought SPECIAL miracles by the

hands of Paul. What's the end result? It's going to be amazing!!!!

We've already read that all who were in Asia heard the word. But

with respect to the special miracles, they opened doors.

Then there were those vagabond Jews, exorcists, who decided they would

call over those who had evil spirits, saying, "....We adjure you by

Jesus whom Paul preacheth." Verse 13. Isn't that interesting???

That's a novel approach!!!!! You know, in our day and time, that's

not the way they try to work it, but it would be interesting some time

to see what would happen if the end result was the same!!!!! You see,

there was a Jew, Sceva, who had seven sons. He was chief priest.

Those sons tried that. "And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus

I know, and Paul I know; BUT WHO ARE YOU?" Verse 15. Now the first

thing that's interesting is that the got a response in the first

place. The thing that's more interesting is the RESPONSE THEY GOT!!!

The evil spirit not only said 'I don't know you', that fellow in whom

the evil spirit was residing whipped the tar out of them. They left

naked and beaten - didn't take THAT long to make the circuit, either!!!

"And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at

Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was

magnified." Verse 17.

Now you talking about an unlikely place for the gospel to get a good

reception.....!!!!!! Here we are in the center of idolatry, with all

the opposition, and it (the preaching of the gospel) still works.

But that's not all.

"And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds.

Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together,

and burned them before all men; and they counted the price of them, and

found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word

of God and prevailed." Verses 18-20. That made a pretty good

bondfire!!!!! The devil was being defeated right in his own territory.

Now it's interesting, also, that with all the time Paul spent there,

Ephesus is one of the seven churches to which John is later instructed

to write a letter. Paul spent a lot of time there, had a tremendous

impact; oh, but it's going too well. All Asia had heard the word.

The word of God was prevailing, it was growing. Paul had planed to

go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia.

Then he said he had to go to Rome, also.

"So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him,

Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.

And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. For a

certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines

for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; whom he called

together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know

that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover ye see and hear, that

not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath

persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods,

which are not made with hands; so that not only this our craft is in

danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great

goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be

destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. And when they

heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying,

Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with

confusion; and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia,

Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the

theatre." Acts 19:22-29. Now I want you to notice how this thing

started out. This whole thing started out because as a result of the

preaching and teaching Paul was doing in Asia, the pocketbook was

being affected. I don't think that's the first time we've seen this.

Remember up at Philippi? Those men who had that damsel possessed of

the ability as a sootsayer were disturbed. Why? because their means

of gain was taken from them. Acts 16. This is what it's all about.

So much of the time people talk about this or that being the problem.

NO. The problem is money. It's money. It was amusing the last time the

baseball players went on strike. Over and over we heard 'it's not about

money.' But what was the bottom line? It was about money. What

money? Oh, it was the money TV revenues and things of that nature

brought in. It was about money!!! What was this incident in Ephesus

about? It was about money!!!!!

Now I want you to notice what occurs. Demetrius called these

silversmiths together and this is how the thing started out. But the

next thing you know, 'Great is the goddess, Diana, of the Ephesians.'

They were full of wrath and that's what they were crying. The whole

city was filled with confusion. "And the whole city was filled with

confusion; and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia,

Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the

theatre. And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the

disciples suffered him not. And certain of the chief of Asia,

which were his friends, sent unto him desiring him that he would not

adventure himself into the theatre. Some therefore cried one thing,

and some another; for the assembly as confused; and the more part

knew not wherefore they were come together. And the drew Alexander

out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander

beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the

people. But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice

about the space of two hours cired out, Great is Diana of the

Ephesians." Verses 29-34. This is what you call mob psychology!!!!

Now remember, we've already been told half of them don't know why

they're there in the first place. "...for the assembly was confused;

and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together." verse 32.

That's usually the case when we have a bunch gathered together like

that. They don't know why they're there; they have no idea; and if

you don't have much substance, it's always easy to work them up

emotionally, because no one has to think.

But finally someone with a little bit of common sense gains their

ear. "And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men

of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of

the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the

image which fell down from Jupiter? Seeing then that these things

cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing

rashly." Verses 35,36. Now what he said is not true, but the record

said it appeased them. It got them shut up long enough for him to say

the things he needed to say. That's one of the difficult things to do

most of the time, is get people shut up long enough so they can hear

what they need to hear, because THEY DON'T WANT TO HEAR. "For ye have

brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor

yet blasphemers of your goddess. Wherefore if Demetrius, and the

craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law

is open, and there are deputies; let them implead one another. But if

ye enquire anything concerning other matters, it shall be determined in

a lawful assembly." Verses 37-39. In other words, he's telling them

'if you have a legal, lawful, right approach against these men, take

it to court. If you have a case it will be decided there.' Basically

what he's saying is they DO NOT HAVE A REASON FOR BEING HERE. Notice

what he says next, "For we are in danger to be called in question for

this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account

of this concourse." Verse 40. He appeased them to get their attention;

but when he finally got their attention, he told them, first of all,

'if you've got a legitimate case, take it to court. The courts are

open, the dockets are set, the days the courts are open are set and

are known. If you've got a just case, take it there; but when you're

doing here is unlawful.' Keep in mind, this is during the time that

Rome ruled the world, so basically what he told them is, if this came

to the ears of the emperor in Rome, he may well call them to account

for what they were doing. The BIG PROBLEM was, he reminded them,

there was nothing they could tell the emperor that would "hold water".

Isn't that what he said? "For we are in danger to be called in question

for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an

account for this concourse. And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed

the assembly." Verses 40,41. The word is that's translated "assembly"

there is "ekklesia", same word translated "church", it's an assembly,

a group "called out." The term iself does not designate what they're

called out for, just that they are called out. These were called out

for a meeting of craftsmen to discuss losing their gain. The end

result was an uproar, but it's still called an assembly.

"And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples,

and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia." Acts 20:1.

So he spent over two and a half years in Ephesus this time, his impact

had been tremendous, a lot had happened; but the important is, the

gospel had been planted there. He will later meet with the elders

form Ephesus, he will later write a letter to Ephesus, then John will

be instructed to write a letter to Ephesus. It would be a significant

place of Paul's evangelism, for from that central point, all Asia

would hear the gospel.

We close right here and begin next time, when he will meet with the

elders from the church at Ephesus some time later. I know the things

we've talked about this morning are designed to teach us how the

gospel was spread and what the end result was and why things happened.