Missions Paul

Have you been pushed?

Acts 19:33 “The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defence before the people.”

Have you been pushed?

The Ephesus crowd was out of control. No one knew really why they were there or who was meant to be taking charge. In fact there was no control. Worse than this but those who started this frenzy, the Jews, were now worried that the people of the city on hearing of Paul’s gospel challenging their goddess Artemis would think they were part of his team also. So they pushed Alexander forward to state the case that the Jews were certainly not like these Christians and were on the side of the city dwellers. Whether or not Alexander wanted this privileged position isn’t clear but I would imagine he had a degree of reluctance.

In my denomination in the UK there are times as ministers that we have to send in a postal vote regarding a matter. Every year in our annual business meeting scrutineers are appointed to count these votes. This means they have to travel to HQ to count the votes during the year. The appointment of the scrutineers is done with great hilarity as names are shouted out and if they are seconded (usually done by the person next to whoever has shouted out the name) then it is voted upon and the new scrutineer who may have been totally unaware his name had been mentioned has moved into a whole new ministry for their life. Of course I never indulge in such carnal and immature behaviour. I haven’t yet met a scrutineer who wrote to HQ to ask if they could take up such a position. They are all pushed.

Have you been pushed? How did I get to this point? Unsure whether it is the pressure of others and even a lack of desire for others to do what they are asking you to do today. Who has pushed you? Is this a conviction of the Spirit?

Be who God wants you to be. Do what God wants you to do. Being pushed as an encouragement is one thing and we all need some of that. But being pushed because no one else wants it or you just happened to get the short straw is not going to turn out too good.

 

Do you want to be here?

Acts 19:32 “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 city is in riot mode. It is getting to the point of no return until something really bad happens to satisfy a bloodthirsty crowd. But hold on! Luke says most of the people didn’t know why they were there! They were caught up in the shouting and the pushing and shoving about something they really didn’t know anything about. Such is the boredom of life at times that you can be involved in an argument or a campaign and you don’t know anything about.

Several years ago, pastoring a Church in Dewsbury, in the north of England, I found myself one evening in a similar situation but it wasn’t because I was bored! I was very involved in bringing the churches together in that town which at that time was unique within the UK as being the sole town which only had 2 religions, Christianity and Islam. It was at the time of the Iraq war and one evening I was attending a meeting of ministers and Imams regarding how we would keep peace in the town etc. Don’t ask me how because I do not know. But that evening I returned home as Chairman of the ‘Stop the War’ campaign! Did I know anything about the war? NO. Did I want to be the Chairman? NO. I resigned the next week as the shortest serving chair of Stop the War.

How often we can get caught up in some group, some meeting, some campaign, some argument and we don’t know how we got there. We don’t know the facts. We appear an expert but we know less than a novice. And the truth is we would prefer not to be here. More needs to be done in making sure we are where we want to be and we are not coerced into being and doing and saying what we are not truly supporting.

Do you care enough for your friend?

Acts 19: 31 “Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theatre”

Paul clearly wants to intervene. He cannot stand back and allow his travelling companions, Gaius and Aristarchus, take the opposition on their own. He is the leader and he needs to lead. But his team are holding him back. They seem to be carrying a greater wisdom than his desire and passion for the moment.

Luke writes how even people from the wider circle are getting involved. These were probably wealthy business people who had dealings with Paul perhaps through his tent-making business. In any case they classed themselves as a friend of his. “Stay out of the limelight we beg you.” That was the gist of their message.

Do you care enough for your friend? Are you prepared to risk offending your friend by telling them not to do something they wanted to do?

You may risk being told the circumstance has nothing to do with you. It may be obvious that you are sticking your nose in. But many are fallen today on the battlefields of life simply because friends were silent.

Will you say NO to your leader?

Acts 19:30 “Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him.”

It was mayhem in the city. Paul’s travelling companions, Gaius and Aristarchus, had been taken and brought before the officials meeting in the theatre. They stood in their leaders place and were prepared to take the accusations for Paul.

Paul wanted to be there but those around him wouldn’t let him be seen.

Will you say NO to your leader? Will you stand in their way? Will you hold them back? And all along it is because you love them so much you have the best interests at heart. It is not because you are trying to gain or don’t want change or simply want to hinder their vision. You love them and though you don’t want to be like Peter trying to stop Jesus doing the Father’s will, you are wanting to say NO to keep them doing the will of God.

And a question for the leader … will you permit those near you to say NO to you?

Will you take the bullet for your leader?

Acts 19:29 “Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theatre together.”

The knives are out. The voices are frenzied. They wanted Paul but couldn’t find him. So they seized his friends, his companions who walked with him in ministry.

Would you take the bullet for your leader? Would you lay your life down for the person you have followed? Would you be the substitute, stepping in the gap for your Pastor? We all agree that we would surrender our life to Jesus, but for our Pastor, our leader, our boss?

Maybe you think that would never happen. Perhaps.

But let me ask this question: Would you defend them even when they are not there? Would you speak up for them? Would you align yourself with them so that if others could not get to your leader that they accuse you instead?

That is the calling of a travelling companion.

Great is our God

Acts 19:28 “When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

When they heard how this new religion was damaging their personal lives, their community and their culture and when they saw how it was coming against their goddess, they were furious and started to praise and worship their god.

Today maybe a day when you are just so angry with the work of the enemy and what is being portrayed in our society that you are propelled to take a stand and from the rooftops shout, “This is our God! My God! Great is our God!”

The gospel challenges …

Acts 19:27 “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.”

The gospel challenges personal loss – “our trade will lose its good name” – some will not respond to the gospel because they do not want to bow the knee in surrender.

The gospel challenges community loss – “(our) temple will be discredited” – some will use what may be special in the heart of the community/family as the reason not to give it up for the gospel.

The gospel challenges cultural loss – “throughout the province of Asia” – some will use the argument of ‘everybody does it, this is who we are’ as the reason why the gospel should not be allowed to infiltrate the culture and change it.

The challenge of Demetrius.

Acts 19:26 “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 gods made by human hands are no gods at all.”

Do you have a Demetrius?

A Demetrius:

• Doesn’t seem to stop in its accusation against you – “And … “ or some translations have “Moreover …” He always has more to say against you.
• Watches what you do and what you say– “You see and hear …”
• Is convinced you are wrong – “led astray …” Demetrius and his customers are on the straight and narrow apparently.
• Exaggerates all the time – “the whole province of Asia.” Hardly.
• Selfishly looks out for themselves – Demetrius points the finger regarding their business that customers were no longer needing to buy from.

Now look at that list again and realise that as you walk with God you will face one or even all 5 of these challenges.

Worship with no business.

Acts 19: 25 “He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business.”

Demetrius, the silversmith who made shrines of Artemis gathered all the tradesmen in the city together for he was clearly concerned by the effect of Pauls gospel on his business. That is what we will see.

But in this verse today we read about an interesting aspect of worship. It is this: worship can produce business and good business at that. They received a good income from making artefacts of Artemis for the people to use in their worship.

Of course this was false worship and we roll our eyes at it.

However, what about our true worship of God?

What is in it for us? Do we gain? Are we profiting? Have you ever heard it being said referring to a Sunday worship service, “I’m not getting anything out of this”?

The truth is wherever there is worship, business is not far behind. The business of profit and gain.

True worship is selfless for it comes out of the selfless death of Jesus.

May today be a day of worship with no business.

Diana

Acts 19:24 “A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there.”

Artemis, the Greek goddess, whom the Romans named Diana, had in the city of Ephesus a temple which was seen as one of the seven wonders of the world. But today you worship the One who created the world.

She was worshipped as the mother goddess, the Queen of the World, Saviour and Lord. But today you worship the God of all gods, King of kings and the Lord of lords.

She was the goddess who gave life to the whole earth. But you worship the one who is LIFE.

She is identified alongside witchcraft, having powers over evil spirits of darkness. But you worship the One who has disarmed the powers.

She reputedly had power in the heavens amongst the stars, her necklace carrying the symbols of the zodiac. But you worship the One who put the stars in their places.

You worship today an unrivalled God. Diana is a shadow of who you bow down to today. Demetrius had Diana, but you have God Almighty! Amen.