You’ll Be Hated!
Acts 19:8-41
The rest of Acts 19 focuses on the persecution and opposition faced by believers in Jesus Christ. This is a fundamental truth: commitment to Jesus Christ often brings opposition. Jesus taught this theme, which is vividly illustrated in the experiences of the apostle Paul in Ephesus.
Paul’s Experience in Ephesus: Paul spent three months teaching in the synagogue, facing some individuals’ resistance and hardness of heart.
Isn’t that true…. It is always some that cause trouble. You can be progressing so well, growing so fast, enjoying the beautiful joys of living in and for Jesus, and some person can try to steal your joy. All it takes is some event, and some thoughts are left unchecked. We must guard against this by keeping our mind focused on God’s Word so the Holy Spirit can use it to prepare you and use it to strengthen you, and use it to establish you when that some event or that some person comes to rip you off.
Unusual Miracles: Acts 19:11 begins recounting the unusual miracles God performed through Paul, including healing and deliverance through items associated with him, such as handkerchiefs and aprons. The Lord used these dirty, sweaty, gross items as points of contact to draw out faith in those seeking healing and deliverance. It’s a reminder that while God can use various means to perform miracles, the ultimate source of power is Him and Him alone.
Caution Against Exploitation: When we are desperate, we become vulnerable, and it’s crucial to turn to God and be wary of individuals who claim special anointing in exchange for financial contributions. True deliverance and freedom come from God, not those seeking to exploit vulnerability.
Transformative Power of the Gospel: Here in Acts, we see the dramatic impact of the gospel in Ephesus, where many people turned away from magic and idolatry, symbolized by the burning of their books of magic. I encourage you to follow suit and fully embrace your new identity in Christ. This will look different for each of us. Maybe it’s the music you are listening to, the TV or movies you’re watching, or your language. Let go of past practices and symbols of your old life, and live out the fruits of repentance in tangible ways.
Engaging in Spiritual Warfare: This chapter ends with the story of Demetrius, a silversmith who profited from idolatry and opposed the gospel’s spread. This would cost him considerably, so he stirred up confusion and caused a riot. This illustrates the spiritual battle faced by believers. I want to remind you that we must engage in the spiritual warfare we encounter through prayer and obedience to God as believers are called to engage in spiritual warfare, not through physical violence or mob mentality, but through prayer, obedience, and reliance on God’s power. Sharing Jesus’s love with others is how society is changed from the inside out.
Acts 19 offers valuable insights and practical applications for navigating persecution and opposition as followers of Jesus Christ. By understanding the reality of persecution, relying on God’s power, embracing the gospel’s transformative power, and engaging in spiritual warfare, believers can stand firm in their faith and experience the fullness of life in Christ.
Full Transcript
Open your Bibles to Acts chapter 19. We’ll pick up where we left off last time in verse eight. Acts chapter 19:8. And the title of our Bible study today is, “You’ll Be Hated.” A super encouraging title, “You’ll Be Hated.” But we see this over and over and over again in the Bible, that your commitment and association with Jesus Christ will bring the hatred of the world to your doorstep. Jesus said as much He taught us, if they, “hated Me,” Jesus said, they will hate you (John 15:18). And today we see the phrase, “great wrath,” being used against Paul the Apostle for the sole reason that he brought the Gospel to the city of Ephesus.
That’s all he did, and it drew out anger and animosity toward him. And you’ll remember in Acts chapter 19, Paul met, when he came to the city of Ephesus, he met these twelve disciples. He began to talk to them. They hadn’t so much heard about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He began to teach them and explain that to them. And they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the empowerment of God through his Spirit for all that God wants to do. And it was just the beginning of what God is going to do in Ephesus. And notice in verse eight where we left off, it says, “And he,” speaking of Paul,
Went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. But when some were hardened, and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And he continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus from both Jews and Greeks. Acts 19:8-10, NKJV
For now three months, Paul is teaching in the synagogue. That was his model of how he would come to a city: Find a synagogue; share the Gospel. Because there would be a lot in common, already automatic bridges built with the Gospel. They would know the scriptures. Some would believe this was the pattern: some would believe; most would resist. And notice what happens here. It says in verse nine. “Some were hardened.” And this is just what happens when you share the Gospel. Some receive and some harden their hearts. And I know it’s discouraging. It’s discouraging when you’re loving someone, sharing with someone, telling them about the things of God, excited about what God’s doing in your life, and their response is anger. And hardness. And notice with this hard heart stirs up all kinds of evil. Verse nine, “they stirred up all kinds of evil,” because they’re recognizing that Paul, and bringing the Gospel, is disrupting this city. We learned earlier that leaders would look at the believers in Christ coming to town and how would they describe them? Oh, those guys, they’re coming here and they’re going to turn the “world upside down” (Acts 17:6).
They’ve now come to our city. And this is how the world views us today. And notice, I love in verse nine, there’s so much in these first few verses, but our goal is to finish the chapter and I know we will. But notice, in verse nine the church is described as the Way (Acts 9:2, 24:14). I like that they’re not described as a denomination. They’re not described by a church name. They’re being referred to as “the Way.” That’s what the church was known as. And it reminds us, doesn’t it, of what Jesus said in John chapter 14 verse six, Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” And there’s no one going to come “to the Father except through me.” It’s really unfortunate that the church isn’t known as the Way. Today. The church is known as a lot of different things, but the Way is not high on the list. As a group of people just following the Lord, trusting the Lord, elevating Jesus Christ, living in the agape love of God.
And it’d be good to get back to this, just be the Way. Just knowing that we’re following Jesus while they stir up evil. Verse nine. So Paul removes himself and he begins to teach during the day in the school of Tyrannus. Now remember, Paul was a tent maker. And history tells us that in the city of Ephesus and in that region, it would get so hot in the afternoon that the typical workday there would be working in the morning; take a long siesta break in the hot heat of the afternoon; and then they go back to work in the evening. So Paul is taking advantage of not only the work time as he’s building. He’s building tents. And he’s taking care of his needs and what is needed for him to live his life. And then during this time he’s like, “okay, I’m going to take advantage of every situation.” There’s a lot of people around resting, hanging out, sipping their coffee. I want to teach them and take the opportunity. Go to work; disciple; go to work.
And I love that about that, because it’s good for us to “take advantage of every situation,” to fill our time with the things of the Lord. I think that’s a word for someone, just that phrase. It is good and wise for you to, “fill your time with the things of the Lord,” and to really pray that through that. You know that God is going to bless this. And now, of course, Paul is evangelizing. He’s planting a church. But it doesn’t matter what we’re doing, that we might live with the consciousness of God in our lives. He continues now in verse ten, “for two years and then all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. This is so good. He’s dwelling in Asia. And then if you want to turn to the page for me, it’s turning the page. But go to verse 22. Notice at the end it says, “He himself stayed in Asia for a time.” He ends up staying in Ephesus for about three years.
But this phrase, “He stayed in Asia,” for a while is so encouraging to me. Because isn’t Asia the area where God said, “no,” to him earlier on? Isn’t this where his heart was to go? There? He had this on his heart all this time, but God said no. And yet, in the perfect timing of God, he gets to hang out in Asia. He gets to serve in Asia, he gets to rest in Asia. It reminds us today, church, that God has a perfect timing of how He does things in your life. And as He’s doing things in your life, it’s important that you learn how to wait on the Lord. Wait for His timing. Don’t take things into your own hands. God has a plan He’s working out in your life. And if He says “no,” listen, if God says “no,” there’s a good reason for that. And for me, I think you know, God’s preparing the city. God’s preparing Paul. God has all these people that Paul is going to meet, and he’s going to pick up, along the way. And there’s so much going on that we don’t know about. It’s important that we receive the, “wait’s,” and the, “no’s” of God, because eventually God opens the door and he’s in Asia and God’s using him in amazing ways.
Now, these hardened people again back in verse nine, now I want you to mark the word, “some.” It says in verse nine, “But when some were hardened.” There’s always some that surround our lives that give great resistance to the Gospel. I know it feels like everyone sometimes. “Everything’s against me.” “Everyone’s against me.” But it’s usually not everyone. It’s usually just some. Just a few. Now, they can do great damage, but it’s always just some. Here you are progressing in the Lord, growing in the Lord, enjoying all that God has for you and all it takes is some “one,” to mess that all up. Some “one,” to steal your joy. Some event. Some thought that we don’t “take captive” (2 Cor 10:5) to disrupt your peace and your joy. You can jot it down in Philippians 4:6-9.
These are verses that are important to memorize. It’s the verses you probably have heard over and over again,
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-9
So important that you hide that in your heart. Because difficulties come. And hardships come. And you can’t plan them; and you can’t even really be ready. You can’t say “it’s going to happen on this particular day.” You just have to have God’s Word in your heart so the Holy Spirit can use it to prepare you, and use it to strengthen you, and use it to establish you when that, “some event,” or that, “some person,” comes to rip you off. As you can look to the Lord, abide in Christ.
And then in verse eight it says,
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true; whatever things are noble; whatever things are just; whatever things are pure; whatever things are lovely; whatever things are of good report, if there’s any virtue and if anything praiseworthy –– meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8
Make sure your mind is filled with good. And then finally in verse nine, “the things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” That’s how you deal with the some things. That’s how you deal with the some people. That’s how you deal with that random attack; that random difficulty; that random email; that random thing…is an attack. A spiritual attack of the Enemy, and you want to be ready for it. Paul was ready for it. Now, notice, verse 11, “Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul.” So I want you to answer this out loud, really loud, for everyone listening online; on the radio. I’m going to ask you a question. Were these miracles usual? “No.” You can do better than that. Were these miracles usual? “No.” We know that because the Bible says right here they’re unusual. It’s important you grasp this. I know it sounds simple enough, but this is something unusual.
The reason why I’m drawing it out for you is because many false teachers have taken this verse and used it to take advantage of people. So let’s notice what happens. These unusual miracles, verse 12,
So that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick and the diseases left them and evil spirits went out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, we adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches. And there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who also did so. But the evil spirit answered and said Acts 19:12-15
This is this is so funny. The Bible is filled with humor, you know. “’Jesus I know, and Paul I know. But who are you?’ And then the man in whom the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”
Don’t you think that would have been an interesting sight? These guys thinking they can just call on the name of Jesus and calling the name of Paul and deal with the demonic realm now. That’s not something you take upon yourself. Notice, it says, verse 17, that, “this became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.” This is amazing what God is doing; these unusual miracles through Paul. Now mark the word “handkerchiefs.” That’s the English word. But it doesn’t really reflect what we’re talking about. What we’re talking about here is not the kind of handkerchief you would think you would go in your suit pocket or in your back pocket. These are the work clothes of Paul. These would be the…what we would probably refer to today as “sweatbands.” Like, these are the stinky, sweaty, nasty sweatbands that Paul was using when he was out in the heat of the day making tents. So the best thing that I could think of…I was thinking. Because when you’re working out and you sweat really bad, I was just thinking because that’s why I sweat pretty bad when I’m working out and you just take off your clothes that are all sweaty and you’re throwing them on people and they’re getting healed. That’s what it’s like.
When’s the last time you took off your sweat clothes and just threw them at somebody and say, “Be healed!”? Never! So this is unusual. On top of that, his apron. Now we think of apron like something we would use to cook in the kitchen. That’s not what this is. Again, referring to his work clothes. This apron would be a dirty, smelly piece of leather that he would wear while he’s working with leather, and working with leathers. Very stinky, very dirty, very difficult. So this was unusual, that even the clothes associated with this man of God were being used of God to bring healing and health and help into a city that desperately needed it. We ask the question, “Then what made Paul’s handkerchiefs or aprons or his sweat cloths so powerful?” What made them so powerful? Here’s the answer. There was absolutely no power in his clothes. None. The power to heal and the power to deliver resides with God. And God alone. Give me an amen on that.
It’s the same then it is now. It’s not in the cloths. It’s not in Paul using them. It’s not even in Paul. The power to heal, the power to deliver is not in a piece of clothing and is not in a man. It’s in the Lord. He has the power. What God is doing through these cloths and through these aprons is giving opportunity for a point of contact to draw out faith. He’s drawing out faith.
You remember, this is not an unusual thing in the life of Jesus. You remember that woman that was struck with that sickness for 12 years, and she wasted all of her money going to doctors, trying to find healing, trying to get delivered from this to no avail. She’s unclean because of the issue of blood, so she has to be isolated and away from society. But in one moment she got in her mind, you know, “Jesus is coming to town, and if I could just touch the hem of his garment that somehow….” There’s nowhere in the Bible that teaches…there’s nothing in the ministry of Jesus that teaches that.
But somehow it was impressed upon her. “I don’t even need Him to talk to me; I don’t need Him to see me; I don’t need Him to touch me; I don’t need anything.” “I just want to touch…if I could just get so close to touch Him, I know that God can heal me.” And it became a point of contact for her because when she did, everything stopped and Jesus healed her right on the spot. And that’s what God is wanting to do in our lives. He’s wanting to take passive faith and make it active faith. You know, that’s one of the reasons why we gather together; but one of the reasons why God created church. Because when you get up and you set your day and you get ready and you come together and you face adversity, this coming to church, even being with believers becomes a point of contact for you that God wants to work. You hear the Word of God. You hear a song, you have a brother or sister pray for you and you’re like, “Yes, God is alive!” And “Yes, I do believe.” And you leave here stronger than when you came in.
God doesn’t want us to have passive faith. He wants us to be stepping out. Creative faith is going to be creative miracles. Do you know the Bible says that God is ready to do “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20)? And our problem is, we’re just asking “too low,” or not asking at all. Just asking God to touch our family; asking God to do great things; asking God to deliver our country. Whatever it might be on your heart, to begin asking God for Him to work supernaturally.
You know what we’ve done in our rational culture? Our logical culture is we’ve replaced a lot of the power of God with human reason; with scientific discoveries; with logic. And we can just explain it away with some new finding, and some new website, some new article that was written. No, we need to get back to the dynamic, wonder-working power of Jesus Christ in our lives.
We need to be giving God the credit for what He’s done. You know, you think about it. Think about this. You have a financial issue; difficulty. And out of the blue you get a raise. You get to pay it off and you go, “Oh man, I can’t believe it. It’s so awesome. I got a raise.” No. God provided for you to pay that bill. But, “I got a raise.” God provided. See how easy we just go back to all the practical things? Well, you know, “I worked really hard, and my boss finally saw it, and he called me in.” And you have the whole story. But the story is secondary. That’s howGod did it. God is at work, and we need to get back to the place of giving Him the credit. Looking to Him. Praying. Becoming desperate. Don’t you think these guys filled with the evil spirits…don’t you think these women and men filled with evil spirits and sicknesses were desperate? I do. I think God met them in their desperation.
You know, this is one of those passages, and I don’t watch so-called “Christian TV,” all that much anymore. But there was this season where I’d go back and forth. I remember these guys. They would be giving you these handkerchiefs or these pieces of cloth, and they look through the camera and go, “Oh, here, if you just ‘sow your seed’ into my ministry, if you just send your money to me, I will send you this piece of cloth. And I’ve laid over it, and I’ve sweat on it. And if you take this cloth and you give me the right amount of money, my anointing will be your anointing, and….” Nonsense! It’s absolutely false! But here’s what’s happening, and I want to warn you about it. I want you to get your eyes off the false teachers, to get your eyes back onthe Lord. And here’s how…because you have to understand. Because you’re listening to me, right? And going, “I would never do that.” “I would never do that.”
But here’s what happens. This is how people get taken advantage of, especially in the church. It starts with desperation. It starts with the situation where you become desperate for God to work. Your marriage. Your singleness. Your finances. The things that touch…the things that Jesus told us “not to worry about,” are the things the enemy attacks over and over and over and over (Luke 12:22). Don’t worry about what you’re going to eat. Why worry about it? Don’t worry about what you’re going to wear. Don’t worry about your health. Don’t worry. I’m going to take care of you. I have a plan for your life. We become desperate. And being in a position of desperation is not a bad place to be. It’s a good place to be. But you have to understand what it brings with it. Desperation, on the one hand, brings with it….listen….vulnerability. On the other hand, desperation makes you vulnerable to people taking advantage of you. If you don’t come to God with your desperation, there’s always a man or a woman that’s ready for you to come to them, and there’s always a price to pay, church, when you go to men or women instead of going to the Lord; there’s always a cost.
When you come to the Lord, it’s always free. Did you know that the blood of Jesus Christ, the grace of God, it’s always free. But there’s always a guy or a gal on TV, on YouTube that says, “You come to me; I have special anointing; I have special teaching.” I think of even those that have dreams, you know, and you have this troubling dream and there’s always somebody, “Oh, I wrote a book on dreams.” Don’t buy it! They have no idea. They have no idea what your dream means. They will never have any idea what your dream means until, if ever, God decides to reveal it. Remember what Joseph said? Joseph said, “I don’t have the power to interpret dreams, but God does” (Gen 40:8). And let me go to God about it. So be careful, church, because desperation leads to vulnerability, and vulnerability leads, and can lead to, a lot of bad decisions. You have to go to the Lord.
And so if somebody’s saying, you know, “come to me, I’ve got some sweaty handkerchiefs that will heal you,” you can just keep on walking. You can keep on walking. Because these guys, remember here now in verse 13, the Jewish exorcists, thought they could do it and they’re not able. They’re calling on the name of someone they don’t know. Verse 13, “Then those sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest,” I mean, the demons just called him out for that. Hey, “we know Jesus, we know Paul; but who are you?” Who do you think you are? And then beat them up and sent them out naked and wounded, so that forever they would understand that they’re exposed for the false people, teachers, that they are. They’re exposed and they’re wounded because they’re messing around in the demonic realm when only God has the power over the demonic realm. Only God is able to break you free. Only God is able to take you out and remove you from the bondage of sin in your life.
Only God. You’ve got to look to Him. Solely, completely look to Him and take those opportunities, even as we had last time. Remember we called for a time, “Hey, if you want to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, let’s respond.” And then what happened? We all got up and we laid hands on one another. Why? Because the laying on of hands becomes a point of contact. Where you just like you got somebody, you’re like, “oh man.” When I started announcing that some of you were like, “I didn’t sign up for this, I don’t want somebody to touch on me. Oh, what do I…?”
Like, “It was hard enough just to get in the room. And now you’ve got all these people around me talking to me, praying for me.” And then some of you, though, some of you heard somebody praying for you. And the Lord said, “I have not forgotten you here.” Like, oh, man. And you felt somebody’s arm on your shoulder, and you sensed in a real way that you’re not alone in this world.
It’s a point of contact when you open your Bible. It’s a point of contact when you start praying. It’s a point of contact when you’re talking about the things of the Lord. God is calling us from a passive faith to an active faith for the sake of the Gospel. Don’t ever forget that. It’s always going to be about the Gospel. The “Good News,” that God is still saving many today. Otherwise, you’re going to get beat up and you’re going to run out naked, calling on a power you don’t have, trying to take on the demons yourself. Just, “cast your cares upon the Lord,” and he will take care of you (1 Peter 5:7). Why? Because he “cares for you.”
Now, I look back at the text in verse 17. This testimony is going around because…the other reason I believe that God’s using unusual miracles, is because Ephesus is stuck in the demonic. They’re very idolatrous men and women living in the occult and the dark side, living in the demonic realm. Involved in magic and witchcraft.
Notice, God is preparing the city for what He has for them. Verse 18, “Many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.” I mean, this is a dramatic amount of money. “And,” notice, “the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.”
So this episode of unusual miracles God is doing for the sake of someone else. He’s using us for the sake of reaching someone else. And He’s preparing them. And dramatic life change came to this city, By the way, this is the same city that when you open up the Bible and you read the book of Ephesians, the book of Ephesians is written to these people that burn their books of magic. These exact people are the ones that receive the letter, later on, known as “Ephesians.” God is doing a great work among them, and many who practice magic brought their books.
And it’s like this. This is something. If you weren’t able to see this, this would be amazing. This was something that the Bible would refer to as the “fruits of repentance,” the fruits of repentance (Luke 3:8). Listen, church, repentance, “the act of turning away from your sin,” is observable. It’s observable. We will see your life change because of your commitment to Jesus Christ. Which means if you don’t see life change, you need to go back and say, “Hey man, am I really born again?” “Am I really born again?” “Because I really am not…I responded to the Gospel…I’m in church all the time, but my life hasn’t changed all that much.” Or at all. Because when there’s true repentance, there will be true change. So much so that people won’t like it. So much so, as, “I can’t believe it,” what have they gone into? “What are you doing?” You know, “you’re a Jesus freak and you’re just all in the Bible; in church all the time,” and, “you’re not who you used to be.” To which you say, I’m going to set you up, right.
Here’s what you say: “Thank you very much.” “Thank you for noticing.” “My relationship with Jesus is real, and I know who I was, but I’m not that anymore.” “I know who I…you know who I was. I’m not that anymore.”
“I’m a new creation in Christ. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor 5:17). And you want to continue to walk in the fruits of repentance; just like a tree. It’s a simple illustration. It’s just like a tree. You want to know what kind of tree it is, look for what kind of fruit it has (Matt 12:33). If it’s got apples on the on the branches, then it’s probably an orange tree. No it’s not, it’s an apple tree. It’s….anybody, even kids, could figure that out. And that’s how simple God has made the Gospel. And this is real fruit of repentance.
I like that baptism, our baptism, you know, we had…for baptismal setup, we were in the reservoir. All the pastors will be in the water together. But here in the building we can only have four. We have them all set up here and the lines to be baptized are all around the wall and around the corner and down this wall and around the corner. The room is filled with people. It’s exciting. It’s amazing. One after another after another, for almost two hours, were baptized. And we’re baptizing, and we’re baptizing.
And as I’m walking, because we’re all taking turns, as I finish my turn and I’m just walking up here, I pass by the baptismal where there’s a young lady there, and I stop. I stop. Because I just spoke to this young lady a couple of weeks ago, and she shared her story with me. This this young lady grew up in a home where her mom was a witch. And that’s all she learned was, “how to be a witch.” So what did she become in her life? She became a witch. A real, I mean, this stuff is real. This is the dark. The darkness of this world is real. And she spent her life involved in the darkness of witchcraft and magic and all the weird stuff that the demons and the demonic realm are stirring up. Until she repented and received Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. And there she is, at baptismal number two. Going down under the waters, associating and identifying with the life, the death, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
God is still doing that today, friends. He’s still doing that today. Because it’s easy. It’s easy to read the Bible and say, “Well, I’ve never seen that before.” I’ve never seen, you know…we look at Rahab the Harlot, right? Her past in the sex world, and giving herself to men. And living that way and…bona fide, absolutely born again. Well, you know, “I’ve never really seen that.” No. God’s still doing that today.
He could do that in your life where you’ve just lived your life so far from God. Given yourself to men. Given yourself to women. Maybe you’ve given yourself to thievery. Maybe you’ve given yourself to dishonesty and you’re like, “there’s no hope for me.” There’s no hope for me. Oh yes, there is hope for you. If you come to Jesus Christ today and repent of your sins, you will seefruit of repentance. You go, “what is next?” What is next? Well, all that’s next is follow God with your life because he’s ready to forgive you if you’ll come to Him today.
The city of Ephesus is upside down, it reminded me. As a new believer, I was so zealous. I was such a zealous guy. Man. I want to do everything I possibly…I wanted to get so far away from my past that I could. And one of the things that came up in my life as a new believer was the music I listened to. The music I listened to was not good. Not glorifying, not honoring God at all. Heavy metal and rock and all this stuff. And I’m just like, “I can’t be singing this stuff anymore.” It’s coming against God, making fun of God. And I just can’t.” So I’m like, “I gotta get rid of this stuff now.” I didn’t set a bonfire in my backyard, but I do remember going out to the back of our little apartment where we had that big trashcan that we all shared and one by one, destroying each cassette. You guys remember what cassettes are? I had a couple cases of cassettes, one by one. Because, you know, I’m also frugal. So I was thinking, “Well, maybe I can sell them to friends,” or because all my friends are still unbelievers, that would be a good witness to them, “Hey, believe in Jesus Christ, you want to buy my cassettes? You want to buy my junk?” But I felt convicted. No way. I don’t want anybody else to share in this. So if it means hundreds and hundreds of dollars going in the trash, that’s what it means. I got to get rid of it. I got to bring it like these guys. Like we got to get rid of this stuff, man. I don’t want it in the house. I don’t want it in the car. I have got to “come clean.” And so…I remember some of them, I broke some, I broke the tape one by one in the trash, one by one, so that even if somebody was coming around looking for things and recycling or whatever, if they pulled any of that out, “It’s gone, man.” It is gone.
That’s what they’re doing here. And I wonder how many of you have not gone all the way in what God’s called you. You know, nobody here is going to tell you how to live your life or what that looks like, but the Holy Spirit already has. And I wonder how many of you have gone so far, but you haven’t gone all the way. You’ve gone so far, but you haven’t gone all the way. And God is calling you. “Keep going.” “Why haven’t you?” “Why?” If you were in Ephesus and you were involved in all this stuff, why haven’t you come and bring your books? Why aren’t you joining everyone in the revival? Why are you holding back? What is it that you’re gaining, holding back and living in two worlds? Look, you don’t want to live with “one foot in the world and one foot in the church.” You want to live completely in the Lord and powerful in the world, not compromised. And I don’t know what it is for you. It could be something small. It could be something big. But God is calling for you to respond with zeal and obedience. He’s wanting you to grow in grace.
I mean, seriously, church. Listen, please. You guys listening on the radio to me watching online, please listen. If you do not see yet the condition of the world in which you live, and the necessity of God through his church to reach the lost, I don’t know what else to show you. I’m at a loss with all my resources that you don’t wake up in the morning, some new tragic thing. You don’t wake up in the morning to see governments take advantage of people. You don’t wake up in the morning and see wars increase and death increase. If you don’t wake up like and watch that and let the Holy Spirit move you to spiritual action so that you’re like, “you know what? I don’t know why I’m messing around with this magic.” Like, “this is not my life. I was saved from this. I need to get rid of this stuff. I need to stop messing around. I need to give myself to the Lord. I got to stop doing my own thing and calling it ‘God.’ I need to get along with the program of what He’s called me to do and what he wants me to do within the life of the church.”
So there’s true “fruits of repentance,” here. And notice now in verse 21, it says, “When these things were accomplished,” that “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 those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he himself stayed in Asia for a time. And about that time,” that time of rest, that time of preparation, that time of thinking ahead of how God’s going to use him, “about that time there arose a great commotion.” Previously there was a small commotion. Now it’s a big one. Against the Way. And notice the “certain man,” verse 24, “named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen.”
Diana is also referred to as “Artemis.” As the Ephesians were great idolaters, they worshipped Diana. There is a big statue of Diana that they carved out of a meteor that fell to the earth, that they claim came from Zeus. And they made it into a multi-breasted idol that they worship through all kinds of weird magic and sexual immorality. And now we’ve got Demetrius. He’s been “making money off of sin,” which is why, you know, by the way, people get mad at the church.
Because when the church comes and steps into people’s lives, people are saved and they don’t “make money off of sin,” anymore. That’s why people get mad. You know, I think of one big industry that’s super angry at the church right now. That’s the “abortion industry.” They make a lot of money off of the sin of people. They make a lot of money taking advantage of vulnerable young women and men. They make a lot of money off of people that want to live an immoral lifestyle, but don’t want to have the responsibility of a pregnancy. They make a lot of money off of people and their sinful behaviors. And when the church steps in and says, “No, that’s a life in the womb.” When the church steps in and begins to minister to their neighbor…just on a small scale, not protesting, not going to the capital. Just going next door and finding out that there’s a hurting family next door, and part of the reason why you’re not seeing them anymore is their daughter’s pregnant. And they’re thinking about having an abortion, but they know it’s not right, but they think they have to do it. And, “what about the future?” And you step into their life and through the love of Jesus Christ, convince them that there’s a life in the womb. You know, the Enemy gets mad at that. He gets really upset.
Look what Demetrius does, making his money off all this idolatry. Notice, he calls together the craftsman in verse 25, all the, “workers of similar occupation and said, ‘Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia….”
Isn’t that great? The Gospel has gone through “all Asia.” The closed door ended up being a tremendous open door in all Asia. Which is, by the way, the church planting method in the book of Acts is to go to a large city, plant a church, and send churches out and men out from the large city to the smaller cities. And that’s what Paul did. He went from large city to large city. So now all of Asia is filled.
Notice it says, “This Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship. Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath.”
Hatred. Deep seated hatred toward the church, full of wrath. “And they cried out, saying, ‘Great is Diana of the Ephesians!’ ‘Great is Diana of the Ephesians.’ So the whole city was filled with confusion, rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus.”
Now they’re hurting people. Now they’re going to harm people. This “mob mentality,” this riot. And the Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions, verse 30, “And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not allow him.” Paul reminds me of a “first responder,” here. You know, first responders are trained to go into crisis, not to run away from it. And so Paul here; this is out of control; this is amazing; people are confused. They’re yelling; screaming; mad; upset. And what does Paul say? You know what? “I think this would be a great opportunity to go share the Gospel with them.” And he’s going to run right in.
But there’s wisdom because even though our desire to follow God could be zealous, it’s not always wise. That’s why prayer is so important. Just because you want to do something for the Lord doesn’t mean it’s the wise decision; doesn’t mean it’s what God has for you. So here he wants to go in and share the Gospel. But notice, “Some of the officials,” verse 31, “of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him pleading that he would not venture into the theater.” “Some therefore cried one thing and some another,” verse 32, “And the assembly was confused, and most of them didn’t even know why they had come together.”
And that’s what “mob mentality,” I mean, that’s when you get a group together. We know God’s not in this because God’s “not the author of confusion,” and they don’t even know why they’re there (1 Cor 14:33). They’re just there because it’s like, “the thing to do,” and everybody’s destroying things, and he’s breaking things and everybody’s hurting. “Let’s go do it!” They don’t even know.
“And they drew Alexander,” verse 33, “out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, and wanted to make his defense to the people. But when they found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, ‘Great is Diana of the Ephesians.’” A lot going on in Ephesus. A lot going on. There’s a lot of activity here, but this is what’s happening in the spiritual realm. You ready? God is going after the souls of men and women, and it doesn’t come easy. The Devil will always put up a fight. People always fight the Gospel. There will always be people like Demetrius who go, “Who do you think you are, coming and talking to my family?” You know, because sometimes family gets upset. You go home and you tell them about your newfound faith, and they go, “What’s wrong with that church?” And they come in and say, “Where’s Pastor Ed?” And they come to me, “Where’s Pastor Ed?” He’s over there. Ha ha ha. Go talk to him over there.
They get all upset at the church, at the Gospel, because there’s such a change in your life. I remember one time a mom was so mad at me. She was so angry. She came here and found me, and she wanted me to know that she was very upset that her son is saved now and sober, and she’s yelling and upset and she’s really upset and literally out of the mom’s mouth, she said, “I liked him better when he was drunk.”
The wrath of man gets stirred up with the Gospel. It’s a byproduct. People aren’t happy when God changes a life. But our eyes…we just need to stay focused on the Lord. Don’t be afraid. Just remember, God is not giving you “a spirit of fear” (2 Tim 1:7). And also be reminded that God doesn’t want, like…if you’re a believer, listen to me carefully. If you’re a believer, you must be careful that you don’t get involved in any mob or group of people that are just destroying other people’s lives. We preach a Gospel not of physical violence, but of spiritual violence (Matt 11:12). That’s the Gospel.
That we step into the spiritual violence against the enemy through our prayers and our obedience to the Lord. It’s through our faith that strongholds are taken down (2 Cor 10:4). It’s through our faith and through our obedience. It’s through the spiritual violence of faith that we claim every soul, every son, every daughter, every mom and dad, every prodigal, every lost person connected to us that God might deliver them, heal them, and save them. This is a spiritual battle, church. And I know it’s easy to get riled up and go, “I’m going to join the crowd.” “I’m going to join the crowd.” Listen, you can do a lot more praying in your prayer closet than you will ever joining a mob. And you see what’s happening here. It doesn’t do anything but make things worse. And harm people. It’s a convenient way to sidestep your spiritual responsibility to where you can say and feel like you did something, but you actually did nothing. There was no eternal good. You can do that on a large scale, or even on a small scale. When God is just asking you to step into people’s lives by obedience. Well, as we close here, get ready to take the elements of communion.
Notice, verse 35, “When the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, ‘Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Zeus. Therefore, since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly.” So even the unbelieving city clerk said, “stop this nonsense.” Stop it! It says in verse 37,
You have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples, nor blasphemers of your goddess. Therefore, if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a case against anyone, the courts are open. Let them go to the proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. But if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly. For we are in danger of being called in question for today’s uproar, there being no reason which we may give to account for this disorderly gathering.’ And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.
This unnamed, unknown city clerk was used not only to save the city from the…because really, what he’s saying is, “Hey, if Rome hears about this, they’re going to come and shut it down. So shut it down. Now we don’t want the Romans coming here. We don’t want them even showing up. We don’t want to deal with the Roman government. So shut this down right now.” But he’s also at the same time, this unbelieving, unknown, unnamed city clerk is being used to save Paul’s life. And it reminds me of…I just don’t know who God’s using in my life. I don’t know, I don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes and that frustrates me.
Does it frustrate you, church? Yes? No? It frustrates me because I think if I could just get involved and work this out and work that out, it’ll all be fine. But I don’t know what God’s doing. I need to discover it. And while I’m learning and discovering God’s will, I need to live a life of obedience. Just simple, quiet obedience, which isn’t glamorous. It isn’t often posted on Instagram. Nobody’s going to really know about your simple, quiet obedience, but the Lord. He knows. And you’re making differences in people’s lives. You’re planting seeds in that life, you’re watering seeds in that life, and then you’re going to see the increase. God can use even your boss, the city clerk, in your life. He can use the unsaved, the unknown. God is working behind the scenes. Remember what he told Elijah? Elijah was so discouraged he felt he was like so alone. And God told him, “Hey look bro, you’re not alone.” I don’t know if he said “bro,” but hey, “Look, you’re all right. You’re okay. I got thousands of people here” (1 Kings 19:18). You don’t know anything about Me. The same could be true for you and me. There are thousands of people we don’t know anything about that God’s working and moving and putting things into place for the sake of his Gospel. Why did He save Paul’s life? It wasn’t just merely the value of life. Although that is true. Paul’s life was valuable, but He was saving Paul’s life for how He would use him in the future. Why are you alive today? Because God has something for you to do today. That’s why he isn’t needing wait for you to clean your life up and throw all your cassette tapes out or whatever. He’s not waiting for that. God has something for you today. “Today is the day of salvation” (Isaiah 49:8; 2 Cor 6:2). Now. In this moment, church. You see the world. Be the church. Step into people’s lives. Check in on your neighbors.
Find yourself going into the office and being open to a work of the Holy Spirit. I mean, you could go in an office tomorrow morning, “I hate my job. I hate my job, I hate my job. I hate my job and everyone in the office,” you know what they’re going to say? “We know you hate your job.” Or, you wake up in the morning and go, “Lord, you know. You know I’m not really happy about this place, but I thank You that You provide for my family. I thank You that I could pay my bills. I thank You that You’ve put me around all these people. How are you going to use me, Lord? I want to be used. I want to make a difference. And You put me in this place for this day, for this season. And I want to be obedient to You.” It’ll change your life. It’ll change your life forever as God uses you.
Because when you’re faithful with one, he’ll give you two. And when you’re faithful with two, give you for when your favor will for like, who knows what God has in store? I think of the baptisms again. I really want you guys to come to baptisms, even when you’re not being baptized, because the place is electric, man. It’s unbelievable, the thickness of the Holy Spirit! It’s unbelievable: the changes, the Holy Spirit coming upon people, the smiles, the tears, the life change that you get to see it with your own eyes. And I just thought it was….I was looking and walking through and baptizing a few, and then getting up and walking a few and watching just generational change. Generational change. Generational change. Generation…over and over and over and over again! Marriages, saves, singles, pure kiddos, kiddos. You know, they’re brand new believers. As kids wondering, “What in the world do you have in store for this kid?” “What are you going to do, Lord?” “What are you going to do?” And then, of course, you don’t know all the stories I know. I know a few more stories than you do. But you know. You know stories. Well, you know that I was here with my neighbor.
You know how many times I’ve been sharing. I can’t believe my neighbor was here. Yes, yes, that’s the church. And so this is a great chapter. God wants to do in Aurora what he did in he in Ephesus. He wants to do it in Denver. He wants to do it in Watkins; wants to do it in Lakewood. God is on the move today, Church. We just need to get to be a part of it. Amen? He is a part.
Lord, thank You for this section of Scripture. We’re grateful. We want to be used of You in these last days, and prepare our hearts for communion that we might draw near to You, grateful and appreciative of all that You’ve done in our lives. But before we do, if you’re here today, you’ve never given your life to Jesus Christ. I want to invite you to do just that. That today you would believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. If you have never done that before and you want to receive the love of God, would you just stand to your feet as you respond to the invitation to follow Jesus Christ? The Bible says that “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever…” (John 3:16).
I don’t care what your background is. I don’t care if you’ve been involved in witchcraft since you have been the youngest….you! God wants to deliver you! He wants to deliver you from alcohol. He wants to deliver you from drugs. He wants to deliver you, ultimately, from yourself. From yourself. I was thinking about this as I’m watching the church this weekend and I’m walking back and you saw me going back between services. I got to go use the restroom very quickly. That’s where I go. And I’m talking to the brother walking with me, and we’re just talking about testimonies. And I’m like, “Hey bro, you don’t understand; my testimony is worse than even what I share.” That’s what God saved me from. Like, I don’t even want to share. I don’t even remember it all. It was so bad. But God is so good and so it doesn’t matter where you come from and what you’re into, God wants to deliver you and draw you to himself. He wants you to embrace his love for you.
And so if you’re here today and you say, “Man that’s me, I want to follow Jesus with my life,” would you just stand to your feet? We want to pray for you. We want you to publicly acknowledge…God bless you in the back…who also would say, “that’s me,” today, in this moment? You watching online or listening on the radio right now or downstairs, like, God is working. He’s working in your heart. Working in your mind. Working in your spirit right now. Recognizing, “You know what? I’m not following God. He doesn’t have it all. I’m still living my own thing.” I’m so grateful you’re “living in your own thing,” in church. I’m grateful for that. But don’t confuse being “in church,” as being “in Christ.” It’s not the same. Would there be anyone else before we pray that you would make…and then you get to take communion for the first time as a believer. That’s pretty special, where you remember the broken body of Christ and the blood that was shed the forgiveness of your sins.
And so pray with me. Pray to God. Talk to God where the Bible says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you’ll be saved” (Romans 10:9). And so I want to help you confess to God so you could say, “God, I come to You and ask You to forgive me of my sins. I believe in Jesus, my Savior. I want to live for Him as my Lord. And I renounce and repent of my sins, and I choose to follow You with my life starting today.” And God bless those that would come to You today. Pour out Your Spirit of power upon them to be used in a mighty way. In Jesus name, Amen.
We pray that you’ve been encouraged by this Bible study, delivered live from the sanctuary of Calvary Church. For prayer, call us at 877-30-GRACE. That’s (877) 304-7223. To listen to this message in its entirety, or to join us for our live stream services, visit us online at calvaryco.church, or download our free Calvary Church app.
Be blessed as you worship Jesus this week.
KEYWORDS:
- Bible study
- Pastor Ed Taylor
- Acts chapter 19
- Persecution
- Opposition
- Believers in Jesus Christ
- Calvary Church
- Aurora, Colorado
