Today’s Reading: Acts 19
Paul did not spend much time in Antioch before he set out on his third missionary trip, which had an itinerary to go back to many of the areas he had visited before. His purpose was to encourage and strengthen them. When he stopped in Ephesus, Paul found many believers who had repented of their sins and had been baptized with John’s kind of baptism of water, but they had not yet been baptized by or received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
THEY NEEDED TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN THEIR JOURNEY OF GRACE.
The first thing he said was, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Did you take God into your mind only, or did you also embrace him with your heart? Did he get inside you?”
“We’ve never even heard of that — a Holy Spirit? God within us?” – Acts 19:2 (The Message)
Paul laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. They began praising God and telling others about the actions of a God who would love them enough to live in them. They spoke in other tongues and were given the gift of prophecy.
THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES.
Paul stayed in Ephesus to continue preaching about Jesus and the way to salvation. For three months, he went to the synagogue to debate with the Jews, trying to persuade them about the Kingdom of God. But they stubbornly rejected Paul’s message, speaking out in opposition against the way. So Paul left the synagogue and began teaching in a lecture hall instead, taking the believers with him. I guess you could say that he planted a new church. He stayed there for two years teaching both Jews and Greeks, and possibly writing his first letter to the church in Corinth.
God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled. – Acts 19:11-12
PAUL WAS ABLE TO DO AMAZING THINGS BECAUSE GOD GAVE HIM THE POWER TO DO IT.
The City of Ephesus was known for its worship of Artemis, the goddess of fertility, otherwise known as Diana. With this pagan culture, they were in awe of all that Paul was able to do. Some began casting out evil spirits “in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches.” When the evil spirits acknowledged both Jesus and Paul, the tone of the city changed. The name of the Lord Jesus became greatly honored among the Ephesians because it was evident there was power in Jesus’ name.
Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars. So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect. – Acts 19:18-20
REVIVAL BROKE OUT WHEN THEY WERE WILLING TO WALK AWAY FROM THEIR OLD LIVES IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE LIFE THAT JESUS HAD DIED TO GIVE THEM.
Paul was wrapping up his ministry in Ephesus and making plans to go to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem and then Rome. But before he could carry out those plans, trouble began to brew for Paul. Those who made their money from the worship of false gods were losing business and creating accusations against Paul. A silversmith named Demetrius gathered together the other craftsmen and convinced them of the need to protect the profit-making industry surrounding the goddess Artemis. They took a posture of anger, causing confusion that led to a riot of historic proportion in the Amphitheatre. God rescued Paul from this intense situation, allowing Paul to leave and go to Macedonia and then to Greece, where he wrote the second letter to the Corinthian Church.
Paul was doing a good thing in Ephesus. People were given the freedom to choose the message of Christ over what the culture of Ephesus was promoting. They were throwing out their confidence in incantations and sorcery because they had seen the power of Jesus’ name, and they wanted to embrace all that God had for them. But the anger and jealousy of a small group of people caused confusion in the community and chaos broke out.
Reading through Acts 18 and 19 over the last few days has shed new light on what is happening in the state of Illinois right now. For over 40 years, pregnancy help organizations have been making a difference in the lives of both men and women. Hundreds of thousands of families have received resources and emotional support during difficult times, and the hope they have received has made a generational impact.
But there is a small group of angry people who are upset about what this community impact is doing to their own profit-making abilities, and they are doing everything they can to discredit the professionalism and authenticity of pregnancy help organizations. But we must stand confident in who we are, what we do and how we do it. The words of the Lord to Paul in Acts 18 are a good reminder to us of the Lord’s presence and protection.
One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God. – Acts 18:9-11
Perhaps there are some voices in your life that are seeking to discourage you or shut you down. I pray this morning that you, too, will hear the truth that God is with you. I pray you will see the large number of believers in your life who are there to encourage you and shut out the voices of the few who seek to emotionally destroy you. You are created by God for a beautiful purpose, and you should never be ashamed of how God is calling you to live out your faith. I pray the Holy Spirit will fill you this morning, giving you the power and authority to do all that the Lord is prompting you to do in the lives of others.
DO NOT BE AFRAID. SPEAK OUT. DO NOT BE SILENT. FOR I AM WITH YOU.