I.     Introduction – “Show Me the Money”

A.  Picking up the pieces from last week – Acts 19:18ff.

1.    Book burning.

2.    Not under compulsion of government or church, but because they saw the worthlessness of these old relics.

3.    Sega way: they did not want these things to come between them and their relationship to God and in today’s text, if there is anything that consistently comes between man and God it is money.

B.  Read Acts 19:21-41

C.  Opening Comments about “the love of money.”

1.    If you want to learn the true character of a man, get between him and his wallet.

2.    (It’s interesting, Jesus said no man can serve two masters…and then he used money as the example).

II.   Body

A.  A Riot at Ephesus (Acts 19: 21-41)

1.    Demetrius was a skilled demagogue.

a)    His real problem was that Paul's polemic against idolatry was hurting his business, but he added more volatile accusations that aroused civic and religious pride.

b)    Silver shrines were replicas of the temple of Artemis that were used for home altars or as offerings to be presented to the goddess as often as daily.

c)     Demetrius' statements were basically accurate.

(1)  Paul did preach against idolatry (Acts 17:29), and people from all Asia and the world did flock to Ephesus to worship Artemis, particularly in the week-long spring festival dedicated to the goddess.

(2)  Demetrius was not wrong in linking Artemis with the civic, economic, and religious interests of the city.

d)    I can’t really think of a correlation between something in our time and the idols of Demetrius’ trade. I wonder if we could ask God, what He might say?

2.    Acts 19:28 Factors in the Riot

a)    Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Civic and religious pride were the decisive factors provoking the riot.

b)    It was down-right, “un-American” to be preaching these things.

B.  “Money-Matters”

1.    Clearly, Jesus showed we are essentially stewards of God’s wealth.

a)    It’s all His.

(1)  He gives us money, stuff, time all these things to manage, when we die, He gives it to someone else.

(2)  The old maxim rings true, “do we own it or does it own us?”

b)    It is important that we manage our money well, not because of looming financial disasters, not because we want to have a comfortable retirement, not because we want to have a big house…but because we will have to one day stand before the King of kings and give an account of our stewardship. Will we hear the words, “well done thou good and faithful servant,”?

2.    Now let me pause here, and give you a few financial tips that I have seen some people practice much better than me. Tips that seem to stand the test of time. Tips that have great potential in making you a better steward of your money. I am going to enumerate these but in no particular order of priority.

a)    Money is like time, you can only spend it once and then it is gone. Spend it wisely and prayerfully.

b)    Don’t spend more than you make. Live within your means.

(1)  Avoid debt. Debt is enslaving, financial freedom is liberating. (Peace of mind is worth a lot of money).

(2)  Our financial times and trends are sending this message home to us. (I know, how mean of me to say these things so close to Christmas).

(3)  There are some things that are considered good investments, worthy of indebtedness.

(a)   House, usually does not devalue too much.

(b)   A car for transportation to work (a means for making money); but use caution.

(c)    Education; but use caution.

c)     Evaluate your perspective (paradigm) on money. What do you value? (Covey movie?)

d)    In your budget, include savings and tithe, and don’t rob from either. (this is something we have been teaching our kids from early on)

C.  19:35ff – Cool Heads Prevail

1.    Proverbs is replete with admonitions for the person to be in control of his emotions.

2.    I encourage you not to loose your head during these tough economic times.

3.    We pray for revival in our country, could this be the mechanism God is going to use to bring about another “great awakening?”

III. Conclusion: “Spiritually Bankrupt”

A.  Final Analysis: We will not be judged by our management of money.

B.  We will be judged, our eternal destiny hinges on how we respond to this same gospel message that Paul was laboring so strenuously and faithfully to share.

1.    Jesus Christ came to earth in the form of a child (Phil. 2)

2.    He lived a life, “perfectly and personally” obedient to the law of God. Where we have failed, he was victorious.

3.    He became the Substitution for us, an Atonement, a Ransom so that we can have a new beginning.

4.     12 But to all who did receive him, s who believed in his name, t he gave the right u to become v children of God

o “Seek the Lord while he may be found;

call upon him while he is near;

Isaiah 55:6