Acts 19:21-41 (2)

The Gospel: A Threat to My True Love

There are are two surefire ways to make an enemy. Hit him in his wallet, insult his wife. This is why the war on marriage today is so fierce, is so full of passion and intensity it strikes at the very core of who we are, at the very core of what we love the most.

the story is not primarily about Paul and his exploits but about the progress of a social movement (“the Way”) and of the unstoppable word of God as it transforms lives and thereby threatens established religious and social ways.

Paul sets his sights to the west.

Paul will eventually make his way to Rome just not the way that he had expected. His sights were set westward in Rome and even the outer reaches of the Roman empire in Spain which had become the new Macedonia for Paul. The Gospel had penetrated the uttermost parts of the earth. Sufficient witnesses had been established to sustain the Gospel in all of the world, even in Rome as we have seen.

Indicating the desire for the gospel to travel westward it should be no suprise to us that Paul once again is not the major actor in this drama, but plays a minor role. Of course his influence along with other and the impact of his gospel are at the heart of the issue in our text.

Artemis was the Daughter of Zeus and Leto the Greek gods. She was the Greek equivalent to the Roman goddess Diana. She is the goddess of fertility associated with nature, and animals. She was housed in the largest temple building of its time. 4 times larger than the Pantheon in Athens and 21 times larger in comparison to Solomons temple. Built in the mid-6th century BC destroyed and rebuilt in 356 b.c.

No other goddess is associate with a procession, called the Atemision, like a religious holiday where she would be carried on a wooden carriage, and people sang, prayed and made offering to their “Great Mother”.

The Gospels Conflict with Love of Money

Christianity finds itself taking head on the largest and greatest cult in the Asian world. Which is unique because the Romans at their core are pluralists, they don’t care what you worship, just that you give homage to Caesar. Sure they may have their favored goddess Dianna, but they can live and let live as long as you don’t mess with their lively hood or threaten their way of life, and that is exactly what these people of the way were doing.

You see most of the Greek world and Roman world was concerned with orthopraxy rather than orthodoxy. We are familiar with orthodoxy which in reference to Christianity refers to core fundamental belief. It is right belief as opposed to heresy. The two are often considered to be opposite ends of a spectrum. To be sure Christianity is unique in the sense that it is concerned not only with right belief but also with right practice.

Theology matters in a practical sense. The Christian faith not only transforms our minds and our thoughts and belief it makes us new creatures and transforms our way of life. That is at the heart of the new faith being called the way.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

The Greeks of this day do not think in such ways. As I said earlier they were pluralistic there were a Pantheon of gods. But orthopraxy in the context of our story says I don’t care so much about what you believe or even how you live so long as you preform the right religious rituals.

This prevalent in many peoples view of Christianity today. It has been down graded to orthopraxy as long as you preform the right rituals and go to church and say the right things, it matters little about what you really believe.

Christianity had struck an arrow right into the heart of this “magnificent” cult. Artemis had fallen from her throne and her worthless image lay shattered in pieces on the floor.

In less that 200 years from this point in acts in the year 250 Rome would issue an edict requiring all people to offer sacrifice to the Roman god and the well being of the roman emperor Decius. Many Christians lost their lives for refusing to offer such sacrifice. There arose such a great tension between those who were persecuted and those who had gotten their certificate of sacrifice.

The same is true for the Ephesians the problem is not her belief but her practice, you see those who had come to faith in Christ had caused no small problem for those who were involved in the craftsmen's guild and who earned their livelihood from selling idols of silver.

Demetrius who evidently was the guild leader or at the very least extremely influential

stirring up the crowds, we saw it in our day, people traveling from across the country from other states to stir up the crowds and cause chaos and confusion. People rioting not really even knowing what for.

God is not the author of confusion.

the Gospel brings transformation and peace out of chaos to those who will turn from thier sin to the living God.

The Gospel’s Conflict with the Love of Artemis

NO OTHER GOD’S BEFORE ME. - heart of the greatest commandments

Your wife may or may not be the most beautiful woman that ever lived but

Christianity stood in opposition to the greatest cult of the day.

And it can do it again today.

We can go out and protest … but it is about the gospel,

Colossians 2:23 ESV

These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Sympathy from an Unlikely Source.

MONEY and LOVE

This man was more than likely only doing what he did because being the town clerk, he recognized the precariousness of the situation that that he being a representative appointed by the people to represent them to Rome would be on the hook for not being able to squelch this mob. So his motivation was likely similar to the protesters to save his neck and his job.

Sympathy with Christianity is still to be an enemy of God.

WHAT IS IT THAT GRIPS YOUR HEART?

If it is not Christ then it is an idol. If the Gospel does not change the very being and core of who we are then it is no Christianity at all. This is the very heart of chapter 19. That the gospel is about what john the baptizer first preached, repentance and faith in Christ.

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

2 Corinthians 10:4–5 ESV

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,