NOT IS THE STARS BUT IN THE SUPERSTAR
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.
But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
To pray for a city or a nation means that the Lord will begin open battle with the forces of evil
We live in crucial days of conflict with Satan
We see Palm Readers, Chrystal-ball Gazers, Spiritualist, tea-leaf readers, Future Predicters, Cults, Occult and mystery religions are all a part of a gigantic, burgeoning industry making millions every year
Spiritual Hunger must be fed by someone, but in this kind of feeding, there is no nourishment of the soul.
People are yearning for meaning, direction, an understanding of who they are and what the future will hold
In 1967 the Ouija board took the lead over Monopoly as the favorite game in America
Astrology has become a major thing in our country today
A insurance man, after taking my birthday, said he was the same sign as mine
American, the Richest nation on earth is emaciated spiritually for Lack of Hope
American, the Richest nation on earth is emaciated spiritually for Lack of Hope
America is a lot like Ephesus
Artemis did not come from Ephesus but they became to center of its religion because of the temple of Artemis
Ephesus became a cesspool, sucking in its foul spiritual pollution every kind of magic worker and cultist in the region
There were all kinds of criminals: murders, swindlers, con artists who were given asylum if they could reach the precincts of the temple
It wasn’t long before the gospel came into direct confrontation with the culture of Ephesus.
Then, as now, conflict of the Lordship of Christ is generated by superstition, spiritualism, and sophistry
About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen.
He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: “Men, you know we receive a good income from this business.
And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.
There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”
When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater.
Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him.
Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.
The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there.
The Jews pushed Alexander to the front, and some of the crowd shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people.
But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven?
Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and not do anything rash.
You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess.
If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges.
If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly.
As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of today’s events. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it.”
After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
The Greatest Miracle is the transformation of the Human Heart by the power of Love
That’s always the result of confession, repentance, and a radical change of lifestyle
It makes me wonder what kind of fire we could have in the church today if all the manuals of magic, horoscopes, cult books, and occult literature were gathered and burned in the name of Jesus
When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.
Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds.
A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.
In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.
History is filled with bloody memories of what happens when the gospel confronts vested interests, political pride, or economic investments
How often we practice the clever art of sophistry when we resist change, the impact of the gospel on prejudice, or Christ’s judgments of social practices which cripple people
It is a demanding and dangerous business to spell out the love of Christ in practical ways.
One man said he made two resolutions in response the the call to allow Christ to guide his life and business:
Resolution one: to obey Christ at all costs;
Resolution two: to do it even if no one else does
Only that kind of action will liberate us from equivocating sophistry
The more spiritually powerful our churches become, the more likely they will be the target of satanic attack
The forces of evil are not concerned with bland, culturally captured churches