Gary Gleans

                                                                                       Acts 19:21-27 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit   to pass through   Macedonia and Achaia and   go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there,   I must also see Rome.”   And having sent into Macedonia two of   his helpers,   Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia   for a while.   About that time   there arose no little disturbance concerning   the Way.   For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis,   brought no little business to the craftsmen.   These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.   And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people,   saying that   gods made with hands are not gods.   And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but

                                                                             Acts 19:11-20 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,   so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.   Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.”   Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”   And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all   of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.   And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now

                                                                                       Acts 19:8-10 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.   But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.   This short passage records one of the most astounding and successful missionary efforts in history.  Paul had been prohibited by the Holy Spirit to preach the Gospel in Asia during his second missionary journey. However, this is the beginning of his third missionary journey and God uses his ministry in Ephesus to reach the entire region.  Clearly this was by God’s design.  It is interesting to the strategy Paul implemented in this place.   EVANGELISM AMON

                                                                                  Acts 19:1-7 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland   country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.   And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”   And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.”   And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in   the name of the Lord Jesus.   And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.   There were about twelve men in all.   Transitions are unique moments in history where God is bringing about change in the way he is dealing with men because of additional revelat