Acts 19:1-41
Do you remember a few chapters ago when the Holy Spirit prevented Paul from sharing the Gospel in Asia? Well, it looks like that is all over now as God opens the doors of this part of the world to the ministry of Paul. God is doing amazing things in the midst of great hardship.
THE POWER OF MULTIPLICATION: As Paul arrives in Ephesus, he meets 12 disciples of John the Baptist, likely friends of Apollos from the previous chapter. When Paul finds them, they do not know of the Holy Spirit and do not fully understand the Gospel. Paul instructs them and they are transformed by the Spirit of God. Paul then proceeds to preach in the synagogue for several months until the Jews speak evil of him so he begins to meet privately with what I like to call the "Bible College of Paul." During the two year period of time that Paul was preparing these disciples God used them to preach the Gospel in all of Asia (v. 10). This is an amazing statement and a vivid illustration of why it is so important to multiply believers through discipleship as opposed to simply evangelizing.
THE PROBLEM OF IMITATION: Imitation can be a good thing or a bad thing. Paul tells us to be imitator of his as he is of Christ. However, in this passage, the Jewish leaders are so jealous of Paul that they want to try to imitate the miracles that he does and try to cast out demons as Paul was doing. They end up being beat to a pulp. The demonic world is a strange one to us but it is very powerful and is not to be trifled with. Too often ministries that focus on liberating people from demons do so in an effort to draw attention to themselves or out of a desire to show off their "powers." This is not pleasing to God and is a very dangerous game. These things ought never to be used as a "show" or to "show off."
THE PERSISTENCE OF ACCUSATION: Whenever we are doing the Lord's work, we can be assured that there will be false accusations brought up against us. Those who reject the truth will only loose when many begin to believe the truth. In this case, the merchants who sold hand crafted idols were loosing business because those who trust Christ no longer buy such trinkets. When people start to feel the financial pressure that the followers of Christ bring, they will make up all kinds of false accusations about the leaders in order to try to protect their profit margin. The riots seem out of control, but God uses, once again, an unbelieving authority to protect His followers. We can rest assured knowing that God really is in charge of all who are in authority and is able to use them to protect us if that is in His will and for His glory. In that truth we can rest, no matter how many false accusations are brought up against us.
THE POWER OF MULTIPLICATION: As Paul arrives in Ephesus, he meets 12 disciples of John the Baptist, likely friends of Apollos from the previous chapter. When Paul finds them, they do not know of the Holy Spirit and do not fully understand the Gospel. Paul instructs them and they are transformed by the Spirit of God. Paul then proceeds to preach in the synagogue for several months until the Jews speak evil of him so he begins to meet privately with what I like to call the "Bible College of Paul." During the two year period of time that Paul was preparing these disciples God used them to preach the Gospel in all of Asia (v. 10). This is an amazing statement and a vivid illustration of why it is so important to multiply believers through discipleship as opposed to simply evangelizing.
THE PROBLEM OF IMITATION: Imitation can be a good thing or a bad thing. Paul tells us to be imitator of his as he is of Christ. However, in this passage, the Jewish leaders are so jealous of Paul that they want to try to imitate the miracles that he does and try to cast out demons as Paul was doing. They end up being beat to a pulp. The demonic world is a strange one to us but it is very powerful and is not to be trifled with. Too often ministries that focus on liberating people from demons do so in an effort to draw attention to themselves or out of a desire to show off their "powers." This is not pleasing to God and is a very dangerous game. These things ought never to be used as a "show" or to "show off."
THE PERSISTENCE OF ACCUSATION: Whenever we are doing the Lord's work, we can be assured that there will be false accusations brought up against us. Those who reject the truth will only loose when many begin to believe the truth. In this case, the merchants who sold hand crafted idols were loosing business because those who trust Christ no longer buy such trinkets. When people start to feel the financial pressure that the followers of Christ bring, they will make up all kinds of false accusations about the leaders in order to try to protect their profit margin. The riots seem out of control, but God uses, once again, an unbelieving authority to protect His followers. We can rest assured knowing that God really is in charge of all who are in authority and is able to use them to protect us if that is in His will and for His glory. In that truth we can rest, no matter how many false accusations are brought up against us.
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