Bible Text: Acts 19:21-41 | Preacher: Pastor Steve | Series: The Solid Acts of God
Boldly Sharing!
Acts 19:8-10 Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. But some rejected his message and publicly spoke against the Way, so Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he began preaching daily at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia — both Jews and Greeks — heard the Lord’s message.
Acts 19:23-26 But about that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way. It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy. He called the craftsmen together, along with others employed in related trades, and addressed them as follows: Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. As you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t gods at all. And this is happening not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province!
Questions
How powerful is a god if a human has made it? If you can manipulate and make a god, how can it possibly be god? How tiny and weak is any god if that god is dependent upon human hands to create it?
Acts 17:24-26 Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs — for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need there is
Acts 19:27-29 Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis — this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world — will be robbed of her prestige!
 
At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting, Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! A crowd began to gather, and soon the city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater…
We want to get something rather than lose something!
Revelation 2:1-4 To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, and who walks among the seven golden lamp stands. 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.
Lost Love!
 
Revelation 2:4-5 But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen from your first love! Turn back to me again and work as you did at first. If you don’t, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches
Exalting Jesus For who HE is and what HE is doing
God’s love is based in the Person and work of Jesus Christ and not our performance for Jesus
Question: What did they do at first that will help us see how our love can be stirred for Jesus Christ?
Acts 19:11-12 God gave Paul the power to do unusual miracles, so that even when handkerchiefs or cloths that had touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and any evil spirits within them came out.
The Unbelievable Power of God
 
Acts 19:14-16 Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. But when they tried it on a man possessed by an evil spirit, the spirit replied, I know Jesus, and I know Paul. But who are you? And he leaped on them and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and badly injured.
What did the church at Ephesus do that maintained their love for Jesus?
Acts 19:17-20 The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored. Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. A number of them who had been practicing magic brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars. So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.
Jesus Delights In Us!
They wanted the benefits of Jesus without submitting our lives to Jesus. When we stop and look, remember, think, meditate upon who Jesus is and what HE has done, we want to exalt, and thank and bless HIS name.
It is imperative that we feed our soul with the words of Jesus. The Word of God feeds us and informs us of who Jesus Christ was, is and will be!
 
The problem is that we can be guilty of creating our own Jesus that’s different from the Jesus of the Bible.
That is why the Word of God is important and why we need to meditate, reflect, integrate, apply and let the Word build up in us so that we might exalt HIS name.
Confess sin!
 
Acts 19:18 Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices.
It’s hard to walk in and experience grace if you’re not willing to take the risk of being fully known.
 
This is risky. But the reward far outweighs the risk.
The problem is that some of us believe that our sin is so gross that there is no way I could ever come clean or that we will be loved if we are known
My experience is that our weaknesses do far more to push us into holiness than our strengths
When we come clean it creates an environment where it’s safe for others to come clean.
Stop Sin!
 
Acts 19:19-20 A number of them who had been practicing magic brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars. So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.
Hebrews 12:2 …let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.
1 Corinthians 6:18 …your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit
We are a family, interconnected body
Come forward and get help stop living a lie, and
end the suffering and deception
Love Jesus!
Colossians 3:1-10 …set your minds on Jesus, Set your minds on the things that are above where Christ is. And put to death, therefore, that which is in you.
Love Jesus
Love the Word of God
Love the Grace of God
Love the Mercy, Justice and Fairness of God
Love Jesus in front of people; love people in front of Jesus
Love Ohana in our church community, family
Love sharing and serving
Love being real, transparent and open
Love hating sin and love one another into freedom from sin
Love Jesus