When Greed Rules
Acts: Christ Builds His Church • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro:
Intro:
AG: Penny-Pinching Tyrant
She owns a string of hotels. She owns the Empire State Building. She is a billionaire. Yet, in September 1989 Leona Mindy Rosenthal Helmsley was convicted of 33 counts of tax evasion, for which she faces the possibility of being sent to prison for 100 years. According to Time magazine, she emerged as a penny-pinching tyrant who tried to stiff just about everybody. No amount of money was too small to fight over. After the sudden death of her only son at age 40 in 1982, she sued and won the lion’s share of his estate, $149,000, leaving his four children with $432 each and his widow with $2,171.
20’s crash and suicide
This last week’s chart
TS: Paul’s time in Ephesus was drawing to a close. His plan was to take a collection to Jerusalem and then go to Rome. He sent some of his team ahead of him as he tied up loose ends.
Then, in v. 23, Luke writes, “About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the way.” He was right!
Demetrius, a silversmith who earned a living selling silver idols to aid people in worship of Artemis roused up fellow craftsmen. They whip up the crowd into a pagan fervor. It leads to a riot that engulfs Ephesus.
As we look at this text, one of the theme’s which leaps from the page is that of greed. The motivation which sparked the riot was pure greed! Too many had been saved and quit buying idols!
RS: Today, many are fueled by greed. People who only value their personal net worth and how to grow it, can be the most miserable. If priorities aren’t right, greed can become the motivating force in our lives. We forget God, family and our neighbors.
21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
22 And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
23 About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way.
24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen.
25 These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.
26 And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods.
27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”
28 When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
29 So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions in travel.
30 But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him.
31 And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater.
32 Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together.
33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd.
34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35 And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky?
36 Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.
37 For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess.
38 If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another.
39 But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.
40 For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.”
41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.
1 After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia.
2 When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece.
3 There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.
4 Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.
5 These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas,
6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.
21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
22 And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
23 About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way.
24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen.
25 These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.
26 And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods.
27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”
28 When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
29 So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions in travel.
30 But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him.
31 And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater.
32 Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together.
33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd.
34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35 And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky?
36 Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.
37 For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess.
38 If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another.
39 But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.
40 For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.”
41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.
1 After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia.
2 When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece.
3 There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.
4 Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.
5 These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas,
6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.
Focus on the Bottom Line
Focus on the Bottom Line
Focus on the Bottom Line
Focus on the Bottom Line
24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen.
25 These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.
26 And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods.
27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”
EX: Demetrius cared only for adding to his wealth.
Nothing mattered more to him than his source of wealth was being cut off.
His entire focus was on the harm the teachings of The Way that there was only 1 God was doing.
This rocked their world!
The source of their security and the foundation upon which they placed all of their hopes and dreams was in jeopardy.
The Artemis cult was part of the larger cult throughout Greece.
“the Great Mother”
In the 1950’s several small silver artifacts honoring Artemis were found in Ephesus as well as several large statues— with clear fertility associations.
The gospel preached by Paul threatened their livelihood, and also questioned the validity of their pagan cult.
The Temple of Artemis was one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world and dated to the 8th century BC
AP: We can get too focused on adding to wealth
MONEY isn’t evil
“the Great Mother”
In the 1950’s several small silver artifacts honoring Artemis were found in Ephesus as well as several large statues— with clear fertility associations.
The gospel preached by Paul threatened their livelihood, and also questioned the validity of their pagan cult.n’t evil
It is a neutral tool
The LOVE of money is the root of evil.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
If the love of money consumes us:
trust money rather than God
Trust money rather than God
We can begin to trust money rather than God
We think nothing can get to us anymore if we can just have ....1 mil, 2 mil?
Often the answer is “more”
We obsess over adding to our net worth at the expense of everything else.
neglect our health through overwork and no rest
neglect our family
we rationalize by saying, “But I’m buying all these nice things for them”
what they need is us
fail to give to God and to meet the needs of others
Drop giving and become even more self absorbed
Miss the Eternal Things
Miss the Eternal Things
27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”
28 When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
EX: They were so consumed in their greed they missed the gospel.
EX: They were so consumed in their greed they missed the gospel.
EX: They were so consumed in their greed they missed the gospel.
They worshipped Artemis for the sake of the wealth it brought!
Probably never considered the gospel
There was no profit in it!
Christians weren’t buying silver statues of Jesus
I highly doubt anyone wore a cross on a silver chain in those days.
Their focus was the present age, not eternity
life under the sun was all they cared about.
They didn’t have faith in something bigger than them
they created the idols!!
yet they worshipped them and led others to do the same.
“the Great Mother”
They had false security in their income
In the 1950’s several small silver artifacts honoring Artemis were found in Ephesus as well as several large statues— with clear fertility associations.
Tragically, as good as it all looked, spiritually they were dead.
The gospel preached by Paul threatened their livelihood, and also questioned the validity of their pagan cult.
Like all humanity without God, they were dead in their sins.
AP: Many today are too focused on life under the sun and never consider the gospel.
Although the Bible permeates our society
on signs
Presidents and politicians quote from it.
We still have televised and radio broadcasts of services
Many still miss it.
They never “hear” the gospel
Maybe that is why Jesus said,
24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
Wealth doesn’t keep one out of heaven
Use of wealth as an idol may
Being locked in on acquiring it to the exclusion of all else might
Sadly, greed can choke out the sense of need
The idol for many in our age can be our net worth
Loose Control when Threatened
Loose Control when Threatened
29 So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions in travel.
30 But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him.
31 And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater.
32 Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together.
33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd.
34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35 And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky?
36 Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.
37 For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess.
38 If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another.
39 But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.
40 For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.”
41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.
Acts 19:29-
EX: They turned into an angry mob and rioted.
EX: They turned into an angry mob and rioted.
There was no debate
No defense could be made
They were out of control
There was no reasoning with anyone.
When an unlikely ally stepped forward, Alexander the Jew, they continued praising Artemis.
Jews also were monotheistic and worshipped God alone
They too reject idolatry
They were so out of control, the original issue was lost an they were in danger of being charged for rioting.
They were out of control.
They were out of control because they were operating out of emotion.
Their security blanket was threatened
People were giving up idols, burning “magic books” (last week), etc
Their world was upside down so they threw a fit!
AP: Greedy people are quick to loose control.
Emotions run high today
Look at news stories from the last couple of weeks:
Dow plunges 1,033 points and sinks into correction - Feb. 8, 2018
Dow plunges 1,033 points and sinks into correction - Feb. 8, 2018
Dow plunges 1,175 -- worst point decline in history - Feb. 5, 2018
Dow plunges 1,175 -- worst point decline in history - Feb. 5, 2018
Stocks flew too close to the sun. Now what? - Feb. 9, 2018
Stocks flew too close to the sun. Now what? - Feb. 9, 2018
Dow shoots 410 points higher: Is the worst over? - Feb. 12, 2018
Dow shoots 410 points higher: Is the worst over? - Feb. 12, 2018
Here's exactly what happened during the stock market's crazy week
Here's exactly what happened during the stock market's crazy week
All the news could discuss was the horror of the fall.
Then, as it rebounded headlines changed
For those whose sole hope is their wealth, it has been a nerve wracking week!
People respond out of feelings rather than fact.
When they get fearful, they lash out
There is no peace from God
There is no hope for tomorrow
So they lash out
When greed kicks in, it can be especially volatile.
Those motivate by greed seem to go further and react worse than others.
In 1929 the stock market crashed.
Ingrained is our folklore is the picture of ruined investors lining up to leap out windows.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
We must build our hope in something eternal!
God is the only one who can provide for us through eternity.
Don’t allow greed to control you
a. Trust in God, He won’t let you down
He promises to meet our needs
b. Be generous
Giving at church and to others is the pattern God set for us
We are to meet one another’s needs
This is a great way to combat greed
c. Remember, we are stewards of God’s resources.
Our wealth is HIS, not ours