The Gospel in Ephesus

Intro on Ephesus

Demonic center of magic

Center of transit and commerce, but fading at Paul’s arrival due to silt build up in the river

A town of about 250,000 people housing the temple of Artemis, 4x the size of the Parthenon.

The story of Artemis - her image had fallen from heaven according to Acts 19:35.

This is the start of the third missionary journey and Luke seems to speed right into it. Did Paul vacation?

Luke devotes 63 verses to Paul’s ministry to the Ephesian church but only 36 verses about the rest of the journey.

The gift of the Holy Spirit powers the believer’s engagement in spiritual warfare

Paul promised a return to Ephesus in chapter 18 and that is where we pick up

Acts 19:1 HCSB

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples

Verse 1 - Disciples (presumably of John the Baptist)

converts, maybe disciples of Apollos who only knew the gospel up to John the Baptist

Until Aquilla and Priscilla came along and exposed them to the entirety of the Gospel and Jesus’s ministry

Second, Paul notices that there is power lacking.

Their ministry could have been good and cool and all, but there wasn’t evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit

Did you receive the Holy Spirit?

There is not set pattern of baptism in the New Testament.

Highlight 5-6

Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition 1. Ephesus 19:1–20:1

Paul baptized them into the name of the Lord Jesus (19:5). God baptized them with the Holy Spirit (19:6).

Ephesus was a center of magic and Greco-roman gods, so the idea of a spirit being received was not strange.

This is the only case of rebaptism in the NT, but Paul didn’t seem to see it that way. There is a mini-Pentecost here in verse 6.

But, all of this is sort of tangent to an issue -

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is received at the time of conversion and is given by God.

The book of Acts, and in particular this chapter and story, shows that Acts is not a doctrinal source on how to receive the Holy Spirit. But it is a doctrinal source on properly conducted spiritual warfare.

God’s sovereignty dictates the details, our obedience opens the door to discussion

This was Paul’s pattern, which God had set out for him and he is also following the example of Jesus.

These people are getting saved, and Paul has stayed.

Acts 19:8–9 HCSB

Then he entered the synagogue and spoke boldly over a period of three months, engaging in discussion and trying to persuade them about the things of the kingdom of God. But when some became hardened and would not believe, slandering the Way in front of the crowd, he withdrew from them and met separately with the disciples, conducting discussions every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

When Paul leaves in verse 9, it’s because of the hardening of hearts and the slandering of the Way - paul recognized that the door to further discussion was closed and it’s time to go.

Notice, he takes some of these disciples with him. He recognized that this discipleship hadn’t happened previously and the negative results were obvious.

Two years he uses Tyrannus’ lecture hall and he held Bible study there, and it appears that Paul was holding classes during an afternoon break in the work day.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 19:7

One Greek manuscript adds that the school was available from 11 A.M. to 4 P.M., when most people would have their noon meal and an afternoon “siesta.”

Paul was obedient and it kept growing.

End of 1 Corinthians, we see Paul say this

1 Corinthians 16:8–9 HCSB

But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, because a wide door for effective ministry has opened for me —yet many oppose me.

In this time, the churches at Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis were formed. Some even believe that all seven churches of Revelation 2-3 were started at this time.

The message of the Gospel is powerful and unmatched by any other spiritual force.

Acts 19:11 HCSB

God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands,

It doesn’t say Paul was performing, it says God was

and what was God performing - only what God can and only what God does -

extraordinary miracles

Are there any other type of miracles?

By Paul’s hands, possibly a reference to his laying on of hands in verse 6, but it seems to point way beyond that. It’s pointing to the future:

God is looking for hands to use.

Sweatbands and aprons thrown on people and they were healed

Acts B. Ministry at Ephesus (vv. 8–12)

The word translated handkerchiefs we might today call “sweat towels,” and the word for apron would describe the typical cover worn by someone in trades which required protection of outer clothing.

Jewish exorcists weren’t super odd, so we shouldn’t be shocked that these kinds of interactions are found in Scripture. Jesus is confronted about casting out demons in Luke 10 as an example.

First, Sceva isn’t know as a high priest in the Jewish tradition. We have super accurate records and this guy is a fraud.

We have got to pay attention to Luke’s writing so carefully because he exposes a deep truth.

Look at the end of verse 13

Acts 19:13 (HCSB)

Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists attempted to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I command you by the Jesus that Paul preaches!”

In electricity, you can borrow power from one place to another using a shared neutral. Now, I have a note here that says for further information on this specific activity, please contact John Grambush or Carl Abrahamson. Why? Because trying to borrow power is extremely dangerous!

Notice, “the Jesus that Paul preaches.” These guys are trying to steal power - they want access to the same power that they have seen on display to be displayed through them.

Acts 19:15 HCSB

The evil spirit answered them, “I know Jesus, and I recognize Paul—but who are you?”

The evil spirits know Jesus - the word in Greek means by interaction and experience. If you’ve ever touched a live wire, you have interacted and experienced, you know. But, we should all recognize that we all have safe access to power when we plug items in at our homes.

And they recognize, or know about Paul. The demon didn’t know the sons.

One can take action in the spiritual realms in the name of Jesus when they know Him.

The result: this whole group is overtaken by the man with the evil spirit and he prevails, and everyone leaves naked and wounded.

God had already confirmed His power through by Paul’s hands. And now they’d seen this event. People thought twice before using the name of Jesus inappropriately.

Acts 19:17 HCSB

This became known to everyone who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. Then fear fell on all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

This fear causes many who had become believers to confess their sin of living a double life. They burned their books in front of everyone, which was, according to one New Testament scholar, roughly 137 years worth of income. That’s an expensive bonfire. Don’t miss this picture of fire being used to destroy evil.

Acts 19:20 HCSB

In this way the Lord’s message flourished and prevailed.

What really happened here in Ephesus?

A cleaning out happened, but not a cleaning out of people in the physical sense. But a cleaning out of the spiritual sense.

Luke writes, “in this way” but doesn’t describe what the way is. It is most likely that there was an immediate follow-up by Aquilla, Priscilla, and Paul. There’s no formula, but we must note that experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit transformed the church at Ephesus. Holy Spirit brings about a transformation in the church.

The cleansed church became a powerful and growing church.

Conclusion:

This church was transformed by the arrival of the Holy Spirit to confront the evil that was pervasive in the hearts of the people. The gospel demands obedience, and Paul’s obedience to the message of the Gospel opened doors across all of Asia. And, we see the matchless name of Jesus on display as other churches are birthed out of this missionary journey.

But, I must say, I have been extremely challenged in this text, preparing this message. And I want you to share in that challenge with me:

Who’s afraid of your walk with Jesus?

I know it sounds strange. I’m sure.

Oh, here comes Lt. Adam. So?

Oh, here comes _____. So? Who’s she?

It’s so intriguing to me that we could be used by God to do such damage to the enemy.

I want the devil to be mad at what happens when people come together at Lakewood. I want the devil to cower in fear when he even hears of the people of the Lakewood Corps. But do you want that? Does your heart burn with the will to experience saved souls by the preaching of the Gospel?

Beat back the devil by discipling another so that their relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is strengthened.

We must acknowledge that the only way to do that is for the Father to fan the flame in our hearts.