A Riot in Ephesus

Introduction:

· A misunderstanding: salvation by grace, sanctification by our effort

THIS TEXT SHOWS US HOW GROWTH HAPPENS AS THE GOSPEL REORIENTS OUR HEARTS – AND THE KEY VERSE IS VERSE 27.

I) How the Gospel Changes the Treasure of Our Hearts (vv. 25-27)

A. What Demetrius Gets Right: How The Gospel Realigns the Treasure of Our Heart

i. The Temple at Ephesus was a storehouse of worldly wealth (VV.

1. kings and nations store their money in this temple…(350’x160’)

2. But People made a lot of money selling replica statues of Artemis

3. EXAMPLE: Miniature Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower etc.

ii. The Spread of Christianity threatened worldly wealth (vv. 25-26)

1. If you sell artifacts, Christianity threatens your income & business

2. Why? Because Christianity isn’t just a spiritual reality…

3. But practically: it realigns your values, your priorities,

B. When Jesus Is Our Treasure, The Rest is Just Money

i. Christians are called to manage money differently:

1. For some, Money represents:

a. Status (you go into debt to buy things you don’t need to impress people you don’t care about)

b. Security (you obsess over your 401(k) as you’re retirement

c. Happiness: I can buy my way to happiness

d. BUT: You never have enough money to be truly happy

2. Jesus says that we can’t serve both God & money

3. As the early church, so with us: If we serve Jesus we can’t be orienting our values and priorities around wealth, money

ii. For the Christians in Asia, and for us

1. Christians are called to be generous,

2. EXAMPLE: The culture was sexually liberal, & Financially stingy; Christians became financially generous and sexually exclusive

THAT’S WHAT DEMETRIUS RECOGNIZED – EVEN THOUGH NOT A CHRISTIAN, HE UNDERSTOOD EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING HERE.

II) How the Gospel Gives a Greater God To Worship

A. The Stony Grandeur of a Greek Goddess

i. Artemis/Diana was the focus of the city:

1. Artemis (and then Diana) was the goddess of fertility, and hunting

2. This temple was a status symbol (see vs. 35)

3. People came from everywhere to pay tribute to Artemis (vs. 35)

ii. Artemis/Diana represented the hope of the culture

1. An economically decimated city looked to Artemis for its “salvation”

2. Ephesus had been “chosen” to receive the sacred stone (vs. 35b)

3. It’s not just the money: it’s the hope

4. Idols are not just individual, but cultural:

iii. When cultural gods are threatened, the people become frenzied

1. Demetrius is right: “She may be deposed, counted as nothing.” (vs. 27)

2. The result: the most threatening mobs Paul ever faced (vv. 28-30)

3. APPLICATION: If we want to know our idols, look at our fear & frenzy:

a. The loss of an election (or the win of an election)

b. The crash of a stock market

B. What the Clerk Gets…

i. Right: How Christianity doesn’t present a threat to the empire (vv. 36-40)

1. From fury, to “What’s for dinner?” the clerk’s magic words

2. The real threat is the from the people who preach “peace”

3. Why? Because Christianity doesn’t spread by revolt or revolution

4. EXAMPLE: Calvin and his preface to the Institutes

ii. Wrong: How Christianity completely upends the world as we know it (vv. 37)

1. BUT: he’s also incredibly naïve (or deceptive) they don’t attack Artemis

2. Why? He’s focused on calming the crowd down, restoring order

3. But of course their message had no room for other gods

i. Christianity spreads differently:

1. How does Christianity change the world?

2. By hearts that have been captured by the beauty of King Jesus

ii. Bringing this all together:

1Transition:

Conclusion

Meditate on the beauty of Jesus - who loves you like no other can.