Dwell in the Word: Acts 19:21-41

Contemplate these questions as you dwell in Acts 19:21-41:

1. In Ephesus, the uproar led by Demetrius arises primarily due to economic concerns rather than a theological dispute. How does this incident illustrate the potential tension between worldly interests and the proclamation of the gospel? How can modern believers navigate situations where the message of Christ challenges prevailing norms or economic interests?

2. The city clerk attempts to diffuse the situation by emphasizing legal channels for addressing grievances rather than resorting to mob mentality. How does this response align with the principles of justice and order in Roman society? How might this incident offer insights into how Christians can engage with authorities and maintain a peaceful witness in the face of opposition?

3. The disruption caused by the preaching of the gospel highlights the transformative power of God's Word. How can believers today embrace a life that radiates the glory of Christ, prompting a response from the world around them? In what practical ways can we live out our faith in a manner that challenges societal norms and ultimately points others to Christ?

Transcript:

 Well, here's another story that is kind of a passing story. It helps us get.  Our heroes from the story, from one place to another, right? Paul is in Ephesus for a considerable amount of time. We read that in the last couple passages, is that he was there a long time and was doing significant work. Well, now we are finding out that they're going to be moving on and there's this riot in Ephesus.

And what I want us to focus on today is the reason for the riot. Uh, we notice that this man named Demetrius, He made these silver shrines of Artemis and it was affecting his business. It was keeping him from making money. And he, so he went to the other silversmiths, he went to other craftsmen and he says, Hey, you've maybe noticed that this Paul is creating a bit of an uproar and he is saying that Anything made by human hands isn't a god at all.

So, well, you can understand that this would be upsetting to them because this is how they make their money. This is how they become rich. It is also how they feed their families. You can understand that something being upsetting to you would start, right, with the inability to make money or to Hurt your income.

That is going to always be a problem.  Notice there is no contention here by them as the truth it As to whether or not what Paul is saying the truth. Now you have to wonder, this guy is making shrines to Artemis. He knows that what he is making, he is making with his own hands. It cannot have any type of power because he is the one making it.

You know, we, we confess and believe that God created us. He formed us with his hands. We are his workmanship.  It's not the other way around no matter who you are. You have to understand even if you're making money You have to understand that you're not making anything with any type of power, right? And so like I said, there is no contesting to the truth of what Paul is teaching and preaching instead they're concerned about losing their money so he causes this whole incident to be raised and we also see that that what happens here It's similar to other things that have happened.

You get a few people worked up. Uh, you're challenging the way that things have always been and they, they go after the Christians here. As it says in verse 23, about that time, there arose no little disturbance concerning the way. We've seen other disturbances. Uh, it wasn't necessarily put this way, uh, but this is something that has happened.

And so. What happens is, is this whole incident goes down, and someone steps up and says, Hey, we know that this is the place where, uh, Artemis resides. This is, this is where she is considered to have been where she's worshipped, I guess. I don't understand how it all works. But we see here that, um, he basically says, look, we can't have a riot.

We can't have our civilization out of control over this. They haven't done anything and they're just working you up because they're losing money. If you want to say that they're doing something illegal, then bring it to the courts. This is personal. That's the idea of what is happening here. That, that, hey, if they were doing something illegal by Roman standards.

Bring charges, but until then this is a personal dispute. He's causing them to lose money. There's nothing we can do So let's stop these things and let's wait and see what happens Let them bring charges if you would and the people hear it and the people disperse and so The idea again is that this passage is a passive.

It's a passing event that causes Paul to move on. And so, again, I keep coming back to this, and it's not going to be our application today, but, but again, what do we feel here in Acts? What are we meant to feel as we are, as we're hearing this part of the story? Well, it's that the gospel is continuing on.

Even when things are going great in Ephesus, what happens? Something, something happens, and Paul keeps moving on, and he continues to preach the gospel wherever he lands. That's what's happening. And so, as we finish up, I do want to consider something for our application from this. There's not much in the way of much spiritual talk here, right?

So, what could our application possibly be?  But what I want us to think about is, let's think about what has happened with the preaching of the gospel by Paul. There has been a disruption in the culture. Why? Because the truth of the gospel has come in and it has affected the world. Around them now, if we live our lives, the glory of Christ, it is going to affect the world around us because it calls people, it calls us and others to live our lives in such a way that, that God is glorified, not ourselves.

It causes us to desire to sacrifice for others. This is going to cause an upheaval in the world around us. And this is a call for us to stand firm, but it's also a call for us to remember that if, if we live our lives in a godly way. It is going to be noticed it is going to cause the world around us to change And so may we look for opportunities to live in such a way that we are Upsetting the world around us not making the world angry But upsetting the world in such a way that they know that we are Christ followers that they know that we follow the way.

And because it is the truth, because it is what God has called us to do, this will give us an opportunity to continue to advance the cause of Jesus Christ. So may our lives be lived in such a way that the world sees and knows that something is different. And may we share that something different with the words of the gospel that other people might hear and believe.