Sermon Tone Analysis

Conquer through suffering, gospel power in weakness and sufferings - this passage Satanic power deposed in Ephesus as disturbances faced!

In our life too!

Conquer through suffering, gospel power in weakness and sufferings - this passage Satanic power deposed in Ephesus as disturbances faced!

In our life too!

Tumults, uproar - of course in broken world, world with difference , but also sin - often in our personal lives, True also politically - But congregation , when you are in the fellowship of those Who Bear the NAME, baptized into the sphere of Christ, when like those religious disciples of john, like Apollos - full teaching of Cross, Jesus accomplishing deep and wide salvation and ascending throne, know Jesus not only as teacher, but truly as Saviour of the world, Messiah, the KING - now and experience - gift of the Spirit - bear this revelation together - offering gifts weakness - part of that kind of movement in the kingdom of light - inevitably a new movement of light and life of jesus in your life, family, this city - brings us into spiritual conflict - not so much with the people around you right away, but the spiritual forces of darkness that have people of this world - deceived, and walking in darkness!

Kingdoms in conflict - ie Republican vs. Democrat - peacefully coexist, but when movement, change flash points, what our passages calls disturbances.

“no little disturbance concerning the Way! Three spiritual disturbances one within the church among the religious, the next in the personal closets of darkness in our lives, and the last in the public square of our neighborhoods and culture!

“no little disturbance concenring the Way! Three spiritual disturbances one within the church among the religious, the next in the personal closets of darkness in our lives, and the last in the public square of our neighborhoods and culture!

Interesting to see maps of how Name of jesus is spreading, of where the Revelation the Word of God is Growing - - where the FOLLOWING OF THE WAY - God’s gospel of Christ proclaimed in changed lives - But this morning I don’t want to put up any map.

Want to put before a spiritual map from our text - where is their mighty advances in the kingdom Light,and where are the mighty spiritual uproars from the kingdom of darkness?

And even more importantly, as you see this spiritual map and uproars of persecution - I want you to notice how Luke records Christians responding to these disturbances! it is not enough to experience trials, to be aware of it; we must see that our response is part of the strategy for the light of Christ to not only expose darkness, but to push it back and establish a new point of light in the darkness of this world!

“no little disturbance concenring the Way!

Key Truth: Christians depose the persecuting powers of darkness by lifting high Jesus Word and His Healing

After 12 disciples of John the B, received Spirit, got the teaching of his Cross, Resurrection, Ascension as Lord.

Look what happens.

Paul for 3 months boldly reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God in Christ.

Every few years - new fads rush through church, some good insights new tools, but if heart of it isn’t hard work of speaking plainly about jesus, about living Jesus way, about It amounts to nothing… wait for new fad, see people and churches chase these.

Tinkering with minor things!

But the moment, this Word becomes a living word, penetrating and dividing - comes to a congregation not just in word, but like in Thessalonica -

You know what that feels like.

Then you have a decision to make: Will I only be hearer, or sensing God visits with his Word, Christ at work with this at the core of being and life, like prophets of Old, Word of God came to Jonah, Word of God happened to him; to us.

The moment that happens, Hebrews say tasting things of Spirit - but what do you do with it?

Jesus parable of the sowers, Listen to the commentary Jesus says will happen: “

Interesting to see maps of how Name odf jesus is psreading, of where the Revelation the Word of God is Growing - - where the FOLLOWING OF THE WAY - God’s gospel of Christ proclaimed in changed lives - But this mroning I don’t want ot put up any map.

Want to put before a spiritual map from our text - whwere is their mightyadvances in teh kgndomof Light,and where tre their mighty spiritual uproars from the knigdom of darkness?

And even more imoprtantly, as you see htis spiritual map and uproars of persecution - I want you to notice how Luke recoreds Christians repsonding to these persecutions! it is not enogh to experience trails, to be aware of it, we must see that our response is part of the strategy for the light of Christ to not only expose darkness, but to push it back and establish a new point of light in the darkness of this world!

Satan immediately comes and takes away the word - like starlings at bird feeder snatch it way on path, Rocky Ground, heard it with joy, but “tribulation or persecution on account of the word come - immediately they fall away.

Thorns - cares of this world and what “deceitfulness of riches, and what desires for others things enter in and choke!”

I submit to you that this is Satan’s number one strategy - not sickness or death, merely results of bigger thing Satan is doing.

Not loss of job or broken relationships, again results; but Satan’s number one strategy and the most damaging form of persecution to the Kingdom of Light, that is Christ’s people, is in v. 9. Maybe you say, no all the killing times, imprisonment much worse, I say to you no, but where does it it start?

Acts 19:9 v.8-10, hall of Tyrannus 11-4 every day.

What happened in Temple Courts, Reformation, Great Awakening - John Wesley - what ahppens hears study God’s Word, hugner on Lord’s Day - Times of revival - Holy Spirit kin quicker time and more pwoeple than ordinary - visits a city - Always times when Word of God, power of God unto salvation - ; And even more imoprtantly, as you see htis spiritual map and uproars of persecution - I want you to notice how Luke recoreds Christians repsonding to these persecutions! it is not enogh to experience trails, to be aware of it, we must see that our response is part of the strategy for the light of Christ to not only expose darkness, but to push it back and establish a new point of light in the darkness of this world!

v.8-10, hall of Tyrannus 11-4 every day.

What happened in Temple Courts, Reformation, Great Awakening - John Wesley - what ahppens hears study God’s Word, hugner on Lord’s Day - Times of revival - Holy Spirit kin quicker time and more pwoeple than ordinary - visits a city - Always times when Word of God, power of God unto salvation - ; And even more imoprtantly, as you see htis spiritual map and uproars of persecution - I want you to notice how Luke recoreds Christians repsonding to these persecutions! it is not enogh to experience trails, to be aware of it, we must see that our response is part of the strategy for the light of Christ to not only expose darkness, but to push it back and establish a new point of light in the darkness of this world!

Satan has this world and the people of this world under his control, not because people are as bad as they could be.

Nor because they are all Satan worshippers, but because he has deceived the nations, that fall into the Satanic lie push God away and live life with you being as wise as god, not submit and come under his life and protection, but make life and protection and truth and myself … - we will not have this one rule over us!

Well, that’s what happened in the synagogue in Ephesus, it’s what happens in religious circles, its what happens in our homes, its what happens in cultures and nations - Once, God’s word was respected revered, teaching of it protected, now reviled - Our Governor General Julie Payette - first public act - Nov 2017 astronaut - many atheistic, many Christian - differ on view of evolution - but she went beyond them all - said any view of creation - involving God superstition we are passing beyond that now.

But on personal level - start living out the Way - forgiveness, holiness, - by conviction - expect , stubbornness, not just doubt and unsure but a decided unbelief in Jesus and his Wortd, and peope will speak evil against!

Richard Wurmbrand, what communist want to stamp out Living Word, couldn’t let them preach to one another - every time new beating.

Joked my job is to preach yours to beat me.

So I do my job you do yours both happy.

Now you know you live in a world where there is a conspiracy against Word - how our catechism puts it.

How do you respond?

Paul with those who are embracing Christ in His word, withdraw into a fellowship - come out from them, be holy - sometimes in history of church.

But listen this is not simply round the wagons and the speak to likeminded people who don't disagree, never have to the guts to face the hard questions.

They are in hall of Tyrannus, one manuscripts suggests as the footnote has it 11-4, the siesta time, every day.

And this is what happened in Temple Courts, Reformation, Great Awakening - John Wesley - what happens, hears study God’s Word, hunger on Lord’s Day - Times of revival - Holy Spirit in a quicker time and with more people than ordinary - visits a city - Always times when Word of God, power of God unto salvation - ; For you personally, do you live with an OPEN BIBLE?

Is it a living Word received in preaching.

Do you pray God - give appetite, God open eyes of my family friends?

Persecuted Christians are heard not asking pray for the end of persecution, but - God don’t get me out of the persecution, but LORD maintain the faith, deep hunger for Word, - Give today have own copy… But you personally, are you like Apollos - mighty in the Scriptures … you know what happens when that occurs?

God’s Word in God’s people - rooted and established in Christ - life of Christ shines through you.

Look at v.11

Now you know you live ina world wehere there is a consipiracy against agginst Word - how our catechism puts it.

How do you respond?

Paul with those wo are embracing Christ in His wod, withdraw into a fellowship - come out from them, be holy - sometimes in history of church.

But listen this is not simply round the wagons and the speak to likeminded people who dwon’t disagree, never have to fave face teh hard questions.

They are in hall of Tyrannus 11-4 every day.

And this is what happened in Temple Courts, Reformation, Great Awakening - John Wesley - what ahppens hears study God’s Word, hugner on Lord’s Day - Times of revival - Holy Spirit kin quicker time and more pwoeple than ordinary - visits a city - Always times when Word of God, power of God unto salvation - ; For you personally, in prayer for persuectied Christian - not out of it, but maintain the faith, deep hunger for Word, - give today have own copy… But you personally, did you dig deeper into the word.

are you like Apollos - mighty in the Scriptures … you knwo what happens whwen that occurs?

God’s Word in God’s opeple - rooted and established in Christ - life of Christ shines through you.

Look at v.11

Paul in Ephesus 2 1/2 years - Christians grounded in word, more than apprentices with carpentry or auto - devote selves to word - but they go to the neighbourhood.

You understand how important Ephesus was right.

Trade route … all the churches in last book of Bible seven church,es, John later minister to all these - all started as people like you and me - face persecution of word but driven more to it - live it out more - All the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

What happens when someone responds to unbelief , stubborn hearts - sons and daughters hear the Word - co-workers - get living explanation of what life of Christian IS - DEED AND WORD!

Key Truth: Christians depose the persecuting powers of darkness by: i. lifting high Jesus Word ii.

Recommitting ourselves to Personal Repentance & Healing

Key Truth: Christians depose the persecuting powers of darkness by lifting high Jesus Word and His Healing, Recommitting ourselves to Personal Repentance, and Trusting God’s Sovereignty in the public square!

But there is a second disturbance that happens not in the synagogue, and this time it isn’t about God’s Word.

This time the disturbance happens in the personal details of our lives, and it is about the healing that the gospel of Jesus brings!

But there is a second distrubance that happens and this time it isn’t about God’s Word, but the result of God’s Word - fulness is jesus going into our personal deatila of our lives.

Such a bald and wonderful truth in this persecution.

Gospel \goes out - there is a distrubance in the spritual realm.

Ever have that interference on Tiffin St. - Living life normallly, radio humming along - crack crack crack.

Satan has unleashed that inthis world - sickness and death - not always a result of perosnal sin, orignal sin, broken world - but Staan is theif and the destroyer, messenger of Satan.

Every day sickness is on the radar of God and his kingdom and of Staan - not main strategy but hugely imporant part of life where their is ultimately influence.

And here there is such a bald and wonderful truth in this second disturbance in the spiritual realm.

Ever have that interference on Tiffin St. - Living life normally, radio humming along - crack crack crack.

Interference!

Satan has unleashed that in this world - sickness, disease, death, evil spirits - not always a result of personal sin, original sin, broken world - but Satan is thief and the destroyer, messenger of Satan.

Every day sickness is on the radar of God - suffering of this world and God’s people like in days of Noah, Exodus, Languishing in exile, like lady bent over bound by Satan in pain - God sees it all and he cares.

About yours too! kingdom and of Satan - not main strategy but hugely important part of life where their is ultimately influence.

And in this apostolic age, just like in age of Moses, Elijah and Elisha, and most importantly Jesus.

Age of extraordinary miracles.

Of course always believe in supernatural, God not working against nature, but with and beyond it - commanded to pray for healing, , wonderful mysterious providence miracles; But in the age of these servants of the Lord bringing a message and salvation - God gave signs of the kingdom with extraordinary miracles, wonder, signs - that had deeper significance than the healing.

Jesus demonstrating power over blindness - open eyes of hearts , power over death - raise spiritually dead people, yes fulness would come in physical way but served as signs.

And there purpose was that the signs would validate who this servant of the LORD is - what message, what salvation that message would bring!

Well, Paul didn’t do these shortly later when his dear friend sick at Miletus, not a magic power he always had. and what does it say God was doing these miracles - He was the one who chose when and how to work them, by hand of Paul.

Miracles not manitpulatued or cotnroled by Paul or any of Gods servants!

And what is the purpose?

To heal everyone, no that didn’t happen, not even in the life of jesus.

But what is the prupsoe of those extraordinary miracles of that age - Jesus said,

Now good intention of God shown in those miracles and you can bet people notice when physical healing, emotional healing merciful help in financial crisis - when God’s poeole work that healing, but really sign of bigger and most important and enduring supernatural healing spirtual healing - that people all over Ephesus experiencing -

Don’t you sense that here too - we have people sick and well, lose job get jobs, minister love and compassion of Christ want them to flourish, signs of that here - Welike those early Christians who took Paul’s apron from the tentmaker shop - should show up in people’s lives and be there for their healing wholeness!

But the big deal, and we have lot like in Ephesus and Palestine of jesus day - not physically healed yet, and lots who experienced healing but body still wearing out and dying .. But the big deal is that healing of the soul- life changing wholeness that comes to you and your home, and your community - Kingdom of God the Light.

That comes not by casting out demons, or laying on hands, or extraordinary miracles of healing, but that comes by what Paul gave his days and Lord’s Days too - sharing the Word of God!

And don’t you sense that with those burdened with sickness here - yes pray for healing - but big deal is carried by light of Christ.

But here comes the persecution, disturbance in spiritual realm - possession by evil spirits.

Other religious people - Jews that dabbled often for financial purposes in idolatry- coppersmiths, but also false Prophets - priests - See that God who used apron and handkerchiefs from Paul’s work shop as Christains went to care of sick and needy in their midst.

Now they want to use that in a magical way to go to where people are hurting in their personal lives.