Act 19 1-21
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“No church or other association truly thrives unless struggles and differences are alive in it.”
G. M. Trevelyan
Geographic Profile: Ephesus
Geographic Profile: Ephesus
• Major religious center—focus of the worship of Diana (Artemis)
• Leading commercial city of Asia Minor
• Population estimated at 300,000
• A beautiful city, very sophisticated, wealthy, and pagan
Biographical Profile: Erastus
Biographical Profile: Erastus
• Treasurer of the city of Corinth
• Mentioned in Romans 16:23
23 Gaius says hello to you. He is my host and also serves as host to the whole church. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you his greetings, and so does our brother Quartus.
• Member of the missionary team
• Probably the same person named in 2 Timothy 4:20
20 Erastus stayed at Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick at Miletus.
In a Nutshell
In a Nutshell
Acts 19 is about Ephesus—its paganism, the ministry of Paul, the reaction, and the riot. The Ephesian ministry took place approximately from a.d. 53 to 56
Acts 19 is about Ephesus—its paganism, the ministry of Paul, the reaction, and the riot. The Ephesian ministry took place approximately from a.d. 53 to 56
Invading the Kingdom of Diana
Invading the Kingdom of Diana
I. Introduction
The Exorcist
The Exorcist
A controversial movie, The Exorcist, soon became a cult film and a precursor to many other movies about evil spirits and demonism. Most Christians understand that this is no area for “meddling.” Even the viewing of films or playing of games related to Satan’s domain could be dangerous.
Western World V Developing World
Western World V Developing World
It’s easy to slough off such an attitude in the sophisticated Western world where most of us have never seen a case of demon-possession and have little understanding how evil spirits control a person or even a society. Many missionaries in Third World countries can testify how they encounter demon possession with regularity and are often forced to deal with it directly, becoming “exorcists” themselves. Occasionally, even in North America, a pastor called to a frantic household may find family members gathered around someone with behavior so completely irrational and so medically inexplicable that demon possession must be considered a possibility.
The Bible is no stranger to the reality of demons.
The Bible is no stranger to the reality of demons.
The Old Testament is replete with demonological phenomena because since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, God’s saints have been the object of Satanic attack (cf. Gen. 4:1–6; 6:1–10). Israel was surrounded by pagan nations which manifested the whole gamut of demonological practices and beliefs and clashed with Israel’s monotheistic faith. Enlightened Israelites regarded idols as demons worshiped by man (Unger, 9).
These evil spirits manifested themselves over and over again, even in Israel.
Certainly in Ephesus we should not be the least surprised that Satan held a strong foothold and that his demons manifested themselves with regularity. At the time of Paul’s visit, Ephesus had begun to fade as a commercial center and looked more and more for its popularity and stability to the worship of Diana, a multi-breasted goddess of fertility. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world, her temple was almost four times the size of the Parthenon at Athens. It stood 400 feet by 200 feet and took 220 years to build. The temple itself was surrounded by 127 white marble columns, each 60 feet high. This tourist attraction of no small proportions attracted evil spirits and demonism of every kind. Into this center of darkness came Paul leading his missionary team. He discovered, quite possibly for the first time in his ministry, that he must also become an exorcist.
Invading the Kingdom of Diana
Invading the Kingdom of Diana
MAIN IDEA: When the gospel of Jesus Christ invades the domain of Satan, spiritual warfare is bound to occur
MAIN IDEA: When the gospel of Jesus Christ invades the domain of Satan, spiritual warfare is bound to occur
Confusion at Ephesus (vv. 1–7)
Confusion at Ephesus (vv. 1–7)
Salvation in Jesus brings the obligation to testify to him through baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Salvation in Jesus brings the obligation to testify to him through baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Report of John’s baptism (vv. 1–3)
Report of John’s baptism (vv. 1–3)
Receipt of the Holy Spirit (vv. 4–7)
Receipt of the Holy Spirit (vv. 4–7)
Ministry at Ephesus (vv. 8–12)
Ministry at Ephesus (vv. 8–12)
God chooses when and where to use his servants and what gifts or signs will or will not accompany their ministry.
God chooses when and where to use his servants and what gifts or signs will or will not accompany their ministry.
Biblical preaching (vv. 8–10)
Biblical preaching (vv. 8–10)
Miraculous healing (vv. 11–12)
Miraculous healing (vv. 11–12)
Sorcery at Ephesus (vv. 13–22)
Sorcery at Ephesus (vv. 13–22)
When the Spirit of truth clashes with the spirit of evil, there is no contest—God will always win
When the Spirit of truth clashes with the spirit of evil, there is no contest—God will always win
The sons of Sceva (vv. 13–16)
The sons of Sceva (vv. 13–16)
The scrolls of Diana (vv. 17–20)
The scrolls of Diana (vv. 17–20)
The strategy for Rome (vv. 21–22)
The strategy for Rome (vv. 21–22)