CHAPTER 19

1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Now here is one of those cases when God's will is superimposed upon the will of the person.
(This can ONLY happen if one is first surrendered to Christ!

Remember, in Acts 18:21, Paul had said he wanted to attend the feast in Jerusalem.
He had also said if it were God's will that he would return to Ephesus.
Well, God's will in Paul's ministry brought him back to Ephesus instead of being able to go and attend the feast in Jerusalem.

As children of God through Christ, we should be predisposed to GOD'S will instead of our own!
Phil 2:13 says, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure."

When we first come to Christ in surrender, it is to surrender our will to His! (See Mark 8:34-38, and Luke 9:23)
It is then that God "seals" us in His Holy Spirit. (See Ephesians 1:13)

Paul had surrendered his will to God's, and was following the things of God by paying attention to God's Holy Spirit. (See Acts 16:7-10)

These were "certain disciples," and we find they were disciples of John the Baptist.
John the Baptist preached of Messiah Who would come after him (see vs 4 above).
These disciples, then, were not aware of the fact that Jesus had ALREADY come!

Now, when they heard about Jesus: how He had died, was buried, resurrected, and promised the "comforter" to come(see John 14:18-26);
THEN, they believed Jesus and were baptized.

6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
7 And all the men were about twelve.

When Paul "laid his hands upon them," this was a symbol of prayer.
Paul's prayer was simply what Jesus had already prophesied, that they would receive enlightenment from God's Holy Spirit.

Then, "they spake with tongues, and prophesied."
Let me take a brief moment to clarify some long misuse of the Greek term glossa.
The word means tongue, or language (an understandable language not formerly spoken by that individual).

The previous does NOT pertain to the Greek term glossalalia!
That term is a combination of two Greek words: glossa and laleo.
The word laleo added to glossa identifies with syllables previously known, but used in a different manner.

The people Paul baptized were using real understandable languages with which they had not previously been familiar.
((Please see the notes on Acts 2: 6-13)) They were NOT using syllables previously known in an indistinguishable manner!

The Holy Spirit so filled those disciples of Jesus that they were miraculously speaking in languages they had never learned.
And, the result was they "prophesied"; they told about Jesus for others to believe.

8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

Paul preached and taught in the synagogue until some began to speak "evil of that way."
That "way" is to believe in Jesus as Messiah for forgiveness and salvation.

Then Paul moved to the "school of one Tyrannus."
Christians had very few or no church buildings in that day, and used whatever meeting place was made available to them.

Paul continued teaching for "two years".
And, the result was "all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus!"

11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

"Special miracles" drew attention to the prophecy of Christ, and the ministry of Paul as Christ's servant.
This was fulfillment of prophecy in Joel 2:27-29, as stated in Acts 2:17.

God used many servants such as Paul to perform miracles and draw attention to the fact of Jesus being Messiah.
((See for instance Acts 3:6))

The point is Jesus was glorified, and people were drawn to Him as Lord and Savior!

13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

Now, don't tell me God doesn't have a sense of humor!
Can you, just for a moment, envision what happened?

Notice the term "vagabond."
In the Greek it means "wanderer."
These were men who practiced exorcism, and wandered around making money from it.

Notice also, they spoke to the evil spirit saying, "by Jesus whom Paul preacheth."
In other words, they did not KNOW Jesus personally - they only knew what Paul preached.

The evil spirit in the man to whom they spoke, caused the man to jump on these 7 men!
Then he drove them out of the house "naked and wounded!"

This act "magnified" Jesus!
If one KNOWS Jesus, one will not try to USE Him!
The one who KNOWS Jesus will do all to GLORIFY and MAGNIFY Him!

18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

When Jesus is glorified, believers are edified, and others are brought to believe Christ!

That act of a "confession of faith," leads to a "profession of faith."
"Many" believed in Christ; and "came, and confessed" their sinfulness, pleading the forgiveness of Jesus.
THAT is a "confession of faith."

AFTER this, "many of them" (meaning many of the same), brought their books concerning magic.
They "burned them before all men."
THAT is a "profession of faith."

ONE instance of confessing sin and surrendering to Jesus as Lord leads to a lifetime of glorifying His Name!

The "Word of God," when preached and taught, will ALWAYS bring response!
God's Holy Spirit works with the preaching & teaching of His Word.

With some, God's Holy Spirit brings conviction which leads to repentance and salvation.
With some, God's Holy Spirit brings rebelliousness and refutation.
But ALWAYS God's word will PREVAIL!
That's because God's Word comes from heaven and endures forever! (See Psalm 119:89, and Psalm 119:160)

21 After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.
22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.

"Paul purposed in the spirit" - meaning he determined a course of action through prayerful meditation.
This is the manner through which Christians should determine any course of action.
ILLUSTRATION: Once, a man in a church I was pastoring, asked me to go and visit a certain man.
I immediately asked if HE had visited the man.
He said, "No" because he was afraid of the man.
So, I asked if he would pray with me about the proposed visitation, and he did.
Then, I asked him to pray on a specific night, at a specific time, and I would be visiting the man.
When I knocked on the door, a MOUNTAIN of a man appeared!
I told him who I was (pastor of xxxx church), and asked if I could talk to him.
I'll NEVER forget what he said!
He swung the door open, and said "Come on in, I been wantin' to talk to a preacher!"
We sat down on the couch, and within fifteen minutes he was on his knees begging Christ's forgiveness!

When a Christian wants to decide to do something for the Lord, it should be determined through prayerful meditation!

Paul determined to go "through Macedonia and Achaia."
He had established churches there, and probably was going to take a donation from them to Jerusalem. (See Romans 15:25-26)

Then, Paul said he "must" see Rome.
Little did he know that when he went to Rome it would be in chains as a prisoner! (See Acts 26:30-Acts 27:1)

BEFORE Paul visited Macedonia and Achaia, he sent Timothy and Erastus.
Timothy had experience in ministering to those areas, and the people would know him.
Erastus was chamberlain (or treasurer) of Corinth (See Romans 16:23), and would be trusted to hold the donations.

After Paul had determined his course of action through prayerful meditation, he decided to STAY in Ephesus for awhile.
Later, he would follow behind Timothy and Erastus.

23 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.
24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.
32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.
34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
37 For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
39 But if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
40 For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

BIG RUCKUS!
Almost a RIOT!

The preaching of Jesus had convicted many.
They had burned their books of magic and were no longer buying silver idols.
This infuriated Demetrius and other silversmiths.
Making idols and trinkets was the way they earned their living.

Faith in Christ affects the manner in which Christians spend their money.
First, they will GIVE to the church for the advancement of the Gospel.
Second, they will NOT buy superstitious trinkets, etc.
THIS spending activity affects the economy!

And, when ya mess with a man's pocketbook - expect outrage!

Paul wanted to enter the crowd and talk; but the "disciples" held him back, fearing he would be killed.
Then, Alexander tried to speak.
But the crowd knew Alexander was a Jew and did not believe the superstition of Diana.
The voice of the crowd in anger drowned out anything Alexander could have said.

Finally, the "townclerk" calmed the crowd.
He admonished them, saying that what they beleived was their business.
But, this riotous action would result in Roman soldier intervention if it continued.
He also told them, if they had a legal course of action to take it; but do it peacefully in a court of law.

Now, the Romans had NO LAW that said a person couldn't believe what he wanted to believe.
So, these men had no LEGAL recourse.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances.
Therefore, no one can force a Christian to purchase superstitious trinkets!
NOR, can anyone force Christians to NOT promote the Gospel!

THEREFORE!
I'm not gonna ease up, let up, give up, or shut up, until I'm taken up!
And, I'm just now getting warmed up for Jesus!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.
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