The Birth of an Enduring Church
The Call to Endure: From Ephesus to FBC • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Enduring Churches are Born by God’s Providence (18:18-28)
Enduring Churches are Born by God’s Providence (18:18-28)
God provides His Word
God provides His Word
· Jesus gave His apostles a charge to be his witnesses in all the world (Acts 1:8)
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
· We have the word of God as our tool, and it’s a good one.
“and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;” (Titus 1:3, ESV)
3 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;
· We are called to preach the gospel… it's that simple.
o We are not responsible for what people do with it.
· Consider Paul. At this point in his mission, has been opposed and chased from town to town through Macedonia and Greece.
o Opposed by the Jews to the point that he has stated:
From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” (Acts 18:6 ESV)
6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
· Yet, God’s grace is displayed in that he still seeks to win them if he may, despite their obstinacy.
· Now, the gospel is making major in-roads into the gentile world.
· God is keeping his promises to Abraham; to bring blessing to the whole world through him.
God provides in His Time
God provides in His Time
· Paul was under a vow and headed to Jerusalem on important business and was unwilling to remain long in Ephesus.
· Yet, he remembers them as a future opportunity for ministry and entrusts himself to the Lord, that he will provide that opportunity in the future.
o Paul had learned well the lesson to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
<Paraphrase>
“And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” (Acts 16:6–10, ESV)
6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.
7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.
8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
We don’t always know what the Lord has planned for our life in ministry, that is why He doesn’t give us the plan but only calls us to be faithful in fulfilling the great commission in the spirit of the great commandment.
“If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:15, ESV)
15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
· Notably, God will provide something wonderful in the meantime.
God provides workers for the field.
God provides workers for the field.
24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
· In the absence of Paul, God had provided, in the perfect time, a powerful preacher in Apollos and two great ministers in Priscilla and Aquila.
· This reflects the nature of the Spirit’s work in the Church.
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, (Ephesians 4:11–12 ESV)
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
· Apollos is described as competent, but the word in Greek is dynamic, or powerful.
o He believed the Word of God and preached it with power…for effect.
· Interestingly, Apollos had yet to be fully instructed in the gospel, yet he was a Jew who believed through the ministry of John the Baptist that Jesus was the Messiah.
o He was a redeemed Old Testament saint.
o He was a passionate evangelist for the Jews to know that the Messiah had come.
· Priscilla and Aquila are not known for being great preachers, yet they were bold enough to speak to Apollos and correct his teaching
o They were merchants in exile from Rome.
o Yet they labored as ministers faithfully wherever they went.
· From this, we can all be encouraged.
o Being fully prepared is not the problem when it comes to growing an enduring church.
o Being willing to follow Jesus in faith is.
· The value of boldness can’t be understated.
o The difference between boldness and overconfidence rests in the authority
§ If I’m the authority, I am overconfident and prone to fail.
§ If Christ and His word are my authority, then I will be successful.
· Paul, Apollos, Priscilla and Aquila represent the Apostle, the Pastor, and the layman.
o Each rested their authority in God’s word and acted boldly.
27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.
· Apollos went on to serve with great distinction at Corinth, building that church into a growing and successful one.
· All because of the faithfulness of his brothers and sisters in Ephesus being willing to come alongside him.
· God is building His Church, and He has given us everything we need if we remain in Him:
For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:9–11, ESV)
9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.
11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
· The lesson of this humble beginning is that it is better for the Church if we all work hard at building each other up.
<Paraphrase>
“So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:12, ESV)
12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29, ESV)
· The story of Priscilla and Aquila is illustrative of the great service done by “average, everyday Christians when they commit to church-building.
An enduring church is born by God’s providence, so be bold in your witness.
Enduring Churches are Built by God’s Power (19:1-10)
Enduring Churches are Built by God’s Power (19:1-10)
God’s Powerful Spirit
God’s Powerful Spirit
1 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 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.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 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.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
· A new group is introduced: The Disciples of John the Baptist.
· The effectiveness of John’s ministry is demonstrated in the spread of his followers and their message.
o 20 years on from John’s death, his followers are still spreading the news of the coming Messiah to the world.
· Paul’s apostolic ministry is demonstrated now.
o The pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon this group marks another fulfillment of Jesus’s statements in Acts 1:8:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”” (Acts 1:8, ESV)
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
o The Holy Spirit is the power Jesus has provided to us to be His witness.
o Now it is going to the ends of the earth, signified in His presence among the believers at Ephesus.
· His coming is evidence of the fulfillment of God’s historic promises in the present, the overlapping of covenant ages.
“And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” (Ezekiel 36:27, ESV)
27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
· The Holy Spirit is God’s greatest gift to us because it is God himself who comes to dwell in us and work out His great salvation through us.
· He empowers the preaching of the gospel to testify that Jesus Christ is the Savior.
“and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,” (1 Corinthians 2:4, ESV)
4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
· He gives us hope by testifying to us that we are the Sons of God.
“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”” (Galatians 4:6, ESV)
6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
· It is the Spirit that moves in our preaching to bring about the conviction of sin, as our Lord said before His death:
“And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;” (John 16:8–9, ESV)
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;
· Finally, the Spirit pours His power out in the Church by providing spiritual gifts for building up the church:
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good…All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.”(1 Corinthians 12:4–7, 11 ESV)
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
· It is because of the work of the Holy Spirit that Priscilla and Aquila were able to build up Apollos into the fruitful pastor that he became, and that sowed the seed in Ephesus that Paul was able to harvest at the right time.
God’s Powerful Word
God’s Powerful Word
8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 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. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
· God also builds His Church by providing it with the ministry of the Word.
· Apollos and Paul powerfully preached the gospel so that people would be won to Christ through faith and repentance.
· As James says,
“Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” (James 1:18, ESV)
18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
· God provides His Word as a powerful means through which the Holy Spirit works in our lives.
“And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:32, ESV)
32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
· Paul’s ministry was, first and foremost, a ministry of the Word.
“And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:1–2, ESV)
1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.
2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
· And, as with most of Paul’s missions, there was a mixture of interest and obstruction.
· The gospel invites conflict because it calls all men everywhere to repent and believe in Jesus Christ.
· Yet, Paul didn’t avoid conflict but worked hard to win people.
o He preached boldly, reasoned, and argued persuasively.
o He attempted to win their hearts and their minds. (John 4, “spirit and truth”)
· The church is a place where we wrestle with the Scriptures so that we may come to the truth.
o Because we believe that God has breathed out the Scriptures so that we may be complete before God, lacking nothing (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
· When the Jews of the synagogue began to resist his message, he was not deterred.
· He moved the gathering to a nearby hall and continued his ministry.
o New location, same message, same church.
We’ve been blessed to be on this corner for two-thirds of the life of this country. But the wonderful truth is that even if this building became unavailable, it would not mean the end of this church. As long as the gospel is being proclaimed among us, FBC remains.
· God’s providence and power mean that His gospel will not be stopped.
· So don’t take frustration as a sign to quit.
· Perseverance is a virtue to which we are all called to take hold.
· Paul’s perseverance led to all of Asia hearing the gospel, what might God accomplish through us if we lean on God’s power?
An enduring church is built by God’s power, so have faith in the power of the gospel.
Enduring Churches are Forged in Opposition (19:21-41)
Enduring Churches are Forged in Opposition (19:21-41)
Idols don’t like to be attacked, but fear not.
Idols don’t like to be attacked, but fear not.
23 About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. 24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. 25These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. 26 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. 27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”
· Paul is now preparing for his next journey, to Rome and beyond. (vv. 21-22).
· But before he leaves, a great conflict arises in Ephesus that demonstrates the effect his three-year mission has had on the city.
· Ephesus is a city with a commercialized state religion.
o That means that Paul was confronting their religion, economy, and culture.
One thing we know from politics is that it’s always wise to avoid discussing sensitive topics, an Paul is touching all the third rails.
· See, Ephesus had, in the past, been a great port city, but the river had long made the port too shallow because of silt deposits.
· The city had maintained its economy through the Great Temple of Artemis.
o The Temple was a treasury and bank, in which many kept their riches for safekeeping.
§ Further, it was a place to which many pilgrims came.
o And as with any town with an important destination, a great many secondary businesses had grown up around it.
§ Food and lodging for travelers.
§ Merchants and tradesmen.
§ Not to mention the great business for selling souvenirs to tourists.
o Demetrius was the head of the silversmith guild, who made their living forging silver shrines after the likeness of the Artemis of the Ephesians.
I imagine it to be similar to the city of Niagara Falls…the entire town is built around people coming to visit the falls.
· So, Paul and his gospel were bad for business.
o The gospel message of Paul proclaimed that the one true God was not made by human hands or worshiped in temples.
§ Jesus proclaimed this to the Samaritan woman at the well:
“…the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:21, 23–24, ESV)
21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
o Stephen had proclaimed it at his trial before the Jews:
“Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. (Acts 7:48, ESV)
48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,
o Paul had proclaimed it to the Athenians at the Areopagus:
“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” (Acts 17:24–25, ESV)
24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,
25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
· Paul’s message was accompanied by a call to die and be reborn as a follower of Jesus.
o He proclaimed the new identity of all believers to the Galatians:
“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:27–28, ESV)
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
o To the Romans, he taught them to put off worldly desires:
“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” (Romans 13:14, ESV)
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
o And to the Ephesians, he called them to complete transformation:
“to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22–24, ESV)
22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
· This message was taking root in Ephesus, and the people were taking it to heart and turning away from the religious practice surrounding the Great Temple of Artemis.
o This is bad for the Ephesian economy.
o The Ephesians are turning from paganism to worship the invisible God, and they are no longer buying Artemis memorabilia!
· So, Demetrius decides to address it by engaging in some guerrilla marketing. Stirring up religious fervor, and hopefully some business.
This is the nature of the enemy. They don’t like it when their idols are threatened.
The enemy is marked by chaos and confusion.
The enemy is marked by chaos and confusion.
28 When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions in travel. 30But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. 31 And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater. 32 Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. 34But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
· What we see in these events is the way of all evil…confusion and outrage
· Paul neatly summarizes the natural way of all flesh in his letter to the Galatians:
“For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” (Galatians 5:17, ESV)
17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
· The natural man is opposed to the things of God. He says that the works of the flesh are things such as:
“idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,” (Galatians 5:20, ESV)
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
· And that is exactly what we see happening in Ephesus on this day.
· The crowd is whipped up into a frenzy, crying out the greatness of the goddess…and all there is is chaos and confusion.
“Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them. They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.” (Jeremiah 10:14–15, ESV)
“Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them. They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.” (Jeremiah 10:14–15, ESV)
14 Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.
15 They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.
· The very fact of their confusion is evidence that God is against them:
“Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12, ESV)
11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,
12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
· They continue to lash out, so that even when a Jew named Alexander comes forward they shout over him.
o Alexander was likely aligned with the Ephesians in opposing Christ, but such is the way of all sin, it is self-defeating.
· They shout for hours, proclaiming the greatness of Artemis, and in the end, nothing happens…because Artemis is no god…only a lifeless idol.
God protects his church, it will not be defeated.
God protects his church, it will not be defeated.
35 And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky? 36 Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. 40 For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” 41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.
· God upholds the cause of Christians and providentially protects his church.
· The civil government ends up siding with the Christians against the mob because of the impeccable character of the Christians.
“For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,” (Romans 13:3, ESV)
3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,
· The lesson for us is that we should be excellent citizens, as the Ephesian Christians were.
· No legal grounds could be presented to accuse them of anything, and so the enemies’ plan was defeated.
· The gospel isn’t just inviting people into the church.
o It goes into all the world to bring the good news of salvation to the lost.
o And this means that we will inevitably come into conflict with the forces of this world.
· Paul’s evangelism didn’t seek to overthrow Artemis, but to demonstrate through the power of the gospel that Artemis was no god.
o Christians don’t need to oppose false gods or religion by trying to destroy them through violence and coercion, banning them, or trying to tear down their temples of worship.
Rather, we seek to win the people in them by the power of the gospel and leave their temples empty and desolate, like their gods.
An enduring church is forged in opposition, so persevere in trials.
Conclusion
Conclusion
God has provided us with everything we need to be successful as his witnesses.
He has built more than just this building, but its people through the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word.
And if we are doing our jobs right, we will face opposition to Christ and His message, but He will preserve us if we persevere for him.
