Jan.1, 2024
Leading verse 26: "And you see and hear that almost throughout the whole province of Asia this Paul is persuading many people, saying, 'What is made with hands is not gods'."
In Germany, we do not experience serious persecution like the first Christians in Ephesus. This is because the gospel has been established here for a long time, and most people call themselves Christians. But if we try to spread the gospel in a Muslim society, for example, we will encounter a similar reaction in Ephesus.
When Paul spread the gospel in Ephesus, the society there was stirred up into a violent reaction against the gospel, because the gospel clashed with the established order of society.
We want to look at this story with prayer for the missionary work in Muslim countries of the world.
I. The persecution in Ephesus (verses 23-29)
The gospel had been preached in Ephesus and its power had changed the lives of some, and the established society of Ephesus found this to be a threat to them.
A. The concern of the established interest group
Most of the persecution and opposition to the spread of the gospel came from the established interest groups. This group used to be the Jews. Now the interest group is called the idolaters in Ephesus.
Demetrius, a goldsmith, gathered together craftsmen of idols and said to them: "This Paul says that what is made with hands is not God … and people would no longer visit the temple so that their businesses would go bankrupt."
The gospel had an impact on their wallets, for Paul's message of the gospel threatened the existence of their businesses (19:25).
In this world, much revolves around money. People consider the economy so important that they vote for politicians who promise them a better economic future. In both Germany and Korea, the economy is the most important issue of the people. In a way, money is an idol for the people.
B. The outcry of the business world
Demetrius understood the interest of the crowd well and exploited it. He appealed to their economic interest and also to their religious patriotism, and immediately found a number of people willing to join his protest.
He said: "Not only is there danger for us that this business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as nothing and that her glorious greatness, which all Asia and the world worship, will be destroyed" (verse 27).
Demetrius incited the craftsmen to rage and whipped them all into a frenzy. Then they began to shout loudly: "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!"
Demetrius apparently stirred up the crowd because of the disruption to Diana's worship.
The devil used his motive of economic interest and mobilized the crowd against the spread of the gospel.
So the main reason for their rebellion was that the gospel was changing people's lives! The preaching of the gospel caused a serious decline in idolatrous businesses. And it threatened to minimize the idolatry of the people.
In 1 Thessalonians 1:9, Paul said:
"For they themselves tell of us what entrance we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God."
The devil knows exactly who is central to spreading the gospel. That is why he wanted to eliminate Paul.
This persecution was a testimony to the fact that God blessed Paul's dedication to world mission and successfully led many people to believe in the gospel.
When I was little, there was a watermill house in my hometown for removing bran from rice to extract rice grains. My elder brother married the eldest daughter of the watermill house. At that time, the family of the watermill house worshiped mountain spirits, and brought something edible to the mountain for the mountain spirits.
But today, both my sister-in-law and other children of the watermill house are Christians. This shows us that God alone is the true God and He is victorious over all the idols of the world.
II The riot in Ephesus (30-34)
The devil often mobilizes a crowd to support false causes. He can often stir them up in a matter of ours.
The crowd grabbed the Christians they could find in Ephesus and brought them into an open arena. In their rage, they began to shout the name of their goddess. They believed that their goddess would hear their cry.
But this crowd was a confused bunch. "There were some shouting this and others that" (verse 32a). Everyone shouted their hearts out and said what they wanted.
Luke wrote with humor. "And most of them did not know why they had come together" (32b).
They just screamed, and for two hours. It was completely out of control.
This is a good description of a mob that had gathered for a purpose it didn't know, but was stirred by passions.
If we sort away all the secondary causes for the confusion in Ephesus, we come to the fact that the root cause of the confusion was the rejection of Christ.
The rejection of Christ is the cause of all the confusion that exists in our world and in individual lives today. Christ did not come to earth to create chaos and confusion. He came to bring order and peace. He wants to restore order to God - people - all other creatures. If we find ourselves in a confused state, we should examine our relationship with Christ. If He does not reign in our lives as Lord, confusion becomes inevitable.
III Calming the mob (35-40)
There was a clever man there who got the situation under control and calmed the crowd.
He was the secretary of the city council. He calmed the people down after they had been standing in the middle of the square for two hours shouting loudly.
He was a clever man. He knew how to treat the crowd.
First, he satisfied their pride.
He fed the mob's pride. He reminded them that everyone knew about Ephesus and their worship of Diana (35). The crowd rejoiced that she was somewhat known. The city secretary gained their hearing by addressing their pride.
He then said about the danger of their rebellious behavior.
He told them not to act in mass because there was a danger of them being understood as rebels. He called them to follow due process of law (38.39).
After several hours of mass confusion and mob hysteria, everyone went home.
These first disciples were completely fearless, unashamed, happy and constantly in trouble.
God has sometimes granted our church times of peace. Religious freedom in this country offers us some protection from persecution. But we are to reflect on the words of a man called G. Campbell Morgan, who was the pastor of Westminster Chapel in London and the teacher of Martyn Lloyd-Jones:
"The persecuted church has always been the pure church and therefore the powerful church. The patronized church has always been the church in danger, and very often the paralyzed church."