Untitled Sermon (9)

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!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! Key Truth: Christians depose the persecuting powers of darkness by lifting high Jesus Word and His HealingAfter 12 disciples of John the B, received Spirit, got the teaching of his Cross, Resurrection, Ascension as Lord. Look what happens. Acts 19:10

​Acts 19:10 ESVThis continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

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 - 1Thess 1:5

​1 Thessalonians 1:5 ESVbecause our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

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: “ Luke 4:14ff 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 ESVBut 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.

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 … Luke 19 - 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 Acts 19:10 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 & HealingBut 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! Acts 19:11-12

​Acts 19:11–12 ESVAnd God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.

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, Mark 2:17

​Mark 2:17 ESVAnd when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

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. And no doubt make a financial profit of that. Sadly televangelist doing the same thing today. Center of their ministry is physical healing , casting out demons, miracles - often not as a sign accompanying the coming of God’s Word and Christ into our personal lives, but a false way to use Name of Jesus - without his gospel! That’s not the way Jesus’ name is to be used or handled!Well, what is the response of the Christians when this disturbance happens, and when God answers and says not using the gospel and so the evil spirits you seek to control, will master you? Look at it. The People, the neighbors didn’t say too dangerous this name of jesus, too maligned by occult charlatans. No as they saw the Lord bringing wholeness by the gospel through Paul and in the lives of all those who followed Jesus look at v.17Acts 19:17

​Acts 19:17 ESVAnd this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.

If you have friends that don’t know Jesus, but they know you do, that you pray that you worship, that you have experienced joy and peace and even some forms of healing - you can bet that even though they may misuse Jesus name around others - if they know you follow jesus and have experienced all these things - healthy respect - and if ever a healing - if ever a crisis in your life and Jesus people and even jesus hismelf helped you - ie. Neighbors with Reuben heart surgery, or going through divorce, or … that’s what happens here!But you must notice one more simple thing that happened when this disturbance came - in believers lives and the church in Ephesus - Not only did God work and bring that healing and wholeness through the gospel so that others did respect the name of jesus, but what was the result in the lives of the belivers themselves? The last time you felt sure God was working good in your life, or in someone elses here - what did you do? Or even when their is disturbance in your life - sickness, crisis, controversy, when neighbours, coworker, family - misuse or malign the gospel - what do you do? How about Scandal in church, think of abuse scandal in PA, CRC history too - what is our responses when church dragged through mud, sometimes rightfully - What is our response when revival breaks out - and we’re not part of it yet. There are times when a nation pauses and thinks of God’s work - deliverances, “acts of God in natural disaster, thanksgiving day. What should a believers response be when we sense God at work in the midst of disturbances. Simple thing illustrated in Acts 19:18

​Acts 19:18 ESVAlso many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices.

​Acts 19:18 ESVAlso many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices.

The Second is to clean our your closet of any hidden darkness. Why That hidden sin, that darkness keeping you fromthe movement of God’s grace and Spiriti - even if saved already fellowship and effecticveness hindered, but even more these believers don’t won’t to besmirch, to bring reproach on the gospel! So what do they do… In secret many holding on to pet sins, many trusting in occult of their cultures. Delivered from the guilt of sin, domination, but not the presence. Progressive sanctification, means increasingly - taking sin out of the environment that it thrives in our life, - privacy of dark closets of our life. And following Peter’s advice too - confess your sin one to another. had it with men - long time porn habit, others food, other substances, work-alcoholic, other so obsessed with body image - power lifter in middle age can’t let it go. Now find a person can confide in, not to get forgiveness from them, but in that accountability - commitment to walk new way together. See the work of God and the work of the devil and say, I want the work of God full in my life. But not just admit struggle in this area help me with it. Look what they do -hundreds of 1000 even million dollars - get rid of once and for all. They say don’t want to turn back to this way of dealing with stress, problems , and try to find success by magic ways of this culture. African Christian - day time some areas Christian, but at night turn to the witchdoctor. North American l live by way of Jesus Sunday morning, but way of materialism, workaholic, live for hedonism, - just pleasure to cope rest of the week! . See in entertainment, see in image other project, I am in control life is perfect for me - give life to worry after the things of this world! There is a lot at stake here. When disturbances come from within or without - Satan loves to weaken Christ’s kingdom by having the gospel look like a sham. Scripture says, helping someone in fall, - watch out you yourself not caught in that same sin. Paul says controversies in church, and in your lives in general bound to come, but be careful that you don’t fall in them. Those controversies, the walking with someone who fell, is opportunity to show the power of the gospel, so make sure you don’t by withholding sins in the closet! And do you see it again with this econd strategy for resopnding to persection first more word, second more repentnance - taht in the face of distrubance - when we respond not first of all by defending ourselves, attacking others, not retreating - but by first of all making sure the gospel is changing my life - that others will simply see the gospel at work. Look at the result: Acts 19:20

​Acts 19:20 ESVSo the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

C. But that brings us to a third way we are to respond to disturbances and this time outright persecution:Key Truth: Christians depose the persecuting powers of darkness by: i. lifting high Jesus Word ii. Recommitting ourselves to Personal Repentance & Healing iii. Trust in God’s Sovereignty and Do Your Duty There is a real freedom, in trusting the Sovereignty of God! This is Christ’s church and he will build it - and that gates of hell will not prevail against it. Sure times of trial and persecution most grievous and painful - but it is not ours to chose the times we live in, nor select what trials we get - it ours to find the grace of Jesus Christ, that He will Shine in the midst of our Trials. Duties are our events are God’s. We see this in spades with the greatest disturbance in our text through the silversmith Demetrius and the attack of the cult of Artemis!And this is the climax of the spiritual battle at Ephesus. Christ’s Name and Christ’s Word had been made great through the lives of people transformed by the gospel and it was changing not only Ephesus but all of the Roman Province of Asia! When those 12 and the many others experience Jesus as King Saviour LORD, it puts them on a direct collision course with any thing else in the area that would claim supremacy and life-sustaining, guiding and blessing power in our lives. And we see that collision is what happens in the most colorful way when the kingdom of $$ and the kingdom of Artemis crash into the kingdom of Christ!Some background you need to understand. Artermis godess of fertility, for whole of the Aegean. Like Athens, free city, existed before Rome allowed to keepits God, though Alexander the Great had bruned it to the ground? Meteor surrvived - like Jesus cliam allegiance since from heaven!Temple not liek assembly place, but shrine..Much bigger than Parthenon … at the centre of their life, bring an offering be a shrine, take one = huge trade Rebuilt - on hill - became bank of Asia. Busy place, a month festival of games... even though not everyone some full out believer in the goddess - even Demetrius realizes stupidity of idolatry - claiming man made gods can be gods - he just cares that this religion works for him to make money… Worshipers not really considered how true but give allegiance do the religious thing - because it may bring them blessing. Like our culture, multicultural - Muslims here many escaped …not so convince d truth of Mohammed, but works pay traditional respect get on my way… many people Christian only in name - pay such respect too ..Well Demetrius rightly identifies that Paul while not having angrily attacked, or blasphemed their their way - this New Way of Christ and this old way can’t exist together. Acts 19:27

​Acts 19:27 ESVAnd 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.”

Learn something here, several Asiarchs, not just high ranking officials, but donors and rulers of the Artemis festival and games. And Paul is friends with them. Learn that whole world without Christ, has some sort of temple in their lives, and we don’t need to directly attack them in malicious way think … but Paul is ready at a moments notice to step into raging 25,000 theater to come to rescue of friends Gaius and Aristarchus - to defend claims of Christ. See how masses while deceived and lost, most just confused, recognize that is the case in those without Christ in our world. And yet following this spirit of this World they all call out “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.” Maybe only thing can hear today: great are the maple Leafs… not convinced all here is to life, but that’s what culture days, great is trump others political cause, others like Demetrius great is $$. Even listen to how the town clerk - here is another position - should really see that we as Christ followers, trusting God’s sovereignty ready to stand up at a moment, notice, we don’t have to be hostile with a government that is not Christian but preserves our right to be Christian But listen to what the city grammatius says, he acquits the Christians of maliciously blaspheming their customs and and god, no doubt Paul would have in his defence, and says these Christians are subverting or law and order. But you stupid crowd are guilty of Roman commotion. Seeing through Demetrius again we have a Roman official doing his job in God’s sovereign control coming to the rescue of Paul - Roman proconsuls if you have really been wronged but not by wild mob...But there is one phrase at the beginning of the magistrates speech that should stop us in our tracks: Acts 19:35

​Acts 19:35 ESVAnd 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?

Artemis, is an idol made with human hands, some true ideas of god, but distorted twisted, used for wrong purpose. God overlook ignorance like this in past Paul said at Athens, but now calls all to repent, to turn to the True God whose Son came down from heaven for us and our salvation, Who doesn’t live in temples built of human hands, not even the passing away temple of jerusalem. The city of Ephesus, those people had been the temple-keeper of the great Artemis. But the gospel was now in Ephesus because there were people who not chasing magical healings and blessing,s not seeking riches of this world , power of Rome, - The Gospel was now in Ephesus because there were people who found jesus the Messiah in the Word, found His Kingdom of light and truth among them, devoted tot his word, repented no more to turn back. Now in God’s province they dragged Gaius and Aristarchus in there. Could happen here - just in Fergus Xn Schools in Alberta, Calvary Baptist in Whitby, . But we don’t have to seek out persecution. We ourselves are not to be the source of offence to the idolatries of neighbours and our nations. But Paul was ready to step into that ring, and later would desired to respectfully show kingdom that is not of this world, but is yet in this world - challenge - trusted God’s providence and and puts his life on the line. He received help from the strongest of people, the Asiarchs. Now if that had been you what would your next move be? He in the spirit had thought of leaving, anxious to visit and establish the other, especially Corinth. he will go , but look at Acts 20:1

​Acts 20:1 ESVAfter the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia.

He dares to congregate to associate - even after this - and they do - going to get worse persecution. But from the beginning they expected and experienced disturbance, kingdom of darkness and light, faith unbelief, Jesus and the gods of this world, but they meet it: not power-controlling counter attack - digging in to God’s word, powerful demonstration in the repentance of their life, and a calculated public testimony, come what may. i don’t know if any of the Asiarch’s seeing the emptiness eventually converted or maybe already. But I do know that some 20 years later - gospel deep roots, churches with relative freedom grew, Paul later wrote Ephesians to those churches. that John wrote 1 2 3 John letters, to area church.es That persecutions intensified, but these kept shining their light. Later John from exile for his faith, wrote to them- First church that Jesus addresses and of the 7 churches he has a message for, he says I walk among them as one walking among seven golden lampstands. Do you see what’s happened? The Ephesian people have gone from being the temple-keepers of Artemis to know that God’s word and repentance and lives transformed willing in God’s Sovereignty to stand for King Jesus and His Kingdom among the nations, now they are the Living Temple of God on earth. And Listen to Jesus voice to them these 40 years later: Rev 2:2-3

​Revelation 2:2–3 ESV“ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.

There is evil that tempts and persecutes us, false teaching, their is ridicule for standing for Christ, - but stick to it. But forty years ... that Jesus lost your first love, he says repent - get that first love back! and do the works you did at first! Another 60 years, this was the place that Polycarp - gave his life-changing but for him life ending testimony: with stadium of 20,000 too - Poly-carp - Deny, and say Emperor Antony is God - He too following John’s courageous witness - stood for Christ testified in the storm! Dear Congregation, I have spread before the not the geographic map of Ephesus and its disruptions and persecution, but is spiritual map. But we have such a map too false teaching and dead religiosity within the church, their is sin in our closets that would hinder our witness, though not as loud as the streets of Ephesus - there is an increasingly anti-Christian sentiment in our government - now reaching beyond ethical areas like abortion, euthanasia, family marriage, now over all sentiment anything else but ChristianityThere is much to be concerned about, much to pray for in the world too… but here Jesus message lvoing called over your spiritual map today. … Like a marriage - get copules in from time to time… kids left ; nothing in particular happened, drifted in closeness, freshness, ; other times somehting major had happened a death, an affair - but when they respond to the call of jesus - return to first love - pretty exciting to see what happens next!What about here - so many churches - fidgeting with fad, so many inward focused, fearful fo the future, pushed up with pride in whats going right… what about here - focus on our first love - Jesus - His Word and Kingdom - reaching others that oare lost, - healing of His gospel to our city! Look forward to onogin and renewed and even brand new temple building among us! Today are you in the crowd commttied to Artemis, are you echoing words and actions but see its empty, or are you a Christain keeping sketons in closet while God’s claling us to great workes, or are you ready to dig into his word, stand in soverriegnty and show that Jesus living healing, saving Jesus - he’s buidling a new tmeple and its his world-wide Church!