Acts 19
Scripture
V 23 … There arose no little disturbance concerning the Way.
V 24-27… Demetrius, who made silver shrines to Artemis, … gathered tradesman saying, “You know that from this business we have our wealth. … And you know this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people saying gods made with hands are not gods. … There is danger our trade may come in disrepute, …
V 28 …When the craftsmen heard this, they became enraged …
V 29 So the city was filled with confusion ….
V 32 … some cried out one thing, some another … and most of them did not know why they had come together …
V 35 … the town clerk quieted the crowd …,
V 39 … there is no cause that we can give to justify the commotion.
Observation
The town craftsmen of Ephesus were challenged with the message of Jesus.
But this challenge was rooted in selfishness & greed.
They didn’t want their life & livelihood disrupted.
A charismatic leader, Demetrius, rallied the other tradesmen to riot against the Gospel.
Paul and Demetrius used the same technique: Persuasion.
But the persuasion came from the opposite source.
For Paul it was the love of God.
For Demetrius it was the love of money.
Jesus said we cannot serve two masters, God & money.
Here we see it causing a riot in the earliest days of the church.
This is not a new phenomenon.
Application
When the Good News of Jesus enters a space, it disrupts.
Old thinking & doing is no longer sufficient.
Our motivations change. And this may cause our activities, even our livelihood to become “is disrepute”.
The Gospel forces choices. … “Choose this day whom you will serve”.
New information and new choices can create confusion, as we saw in these verses.
But the Gospel can also settle confusion.
God is not a God of confusion!
God does not want me confused!
God wants me to know very clearly who He is and what role He has in my life!
Am I confused by a choice or behavior or activity?
The Gospel should clarify, not confuse.
What will honor God more?
What will glorify God more?
What will help spread the Good News of Jesus more?
What shows love more?
The world is chaotic, for sure. This is not God’s doing.
God is a God of order, not chaos.
When chaos seems to being reigning & confusion abounds in my life, my house, the broader community or the world, I need to go back to the Good News.
God so loved …
Prayer
Father, thanking you that you are sovereign over everything.
Thank you that your wisdom is perfect.
God when my life needs disruption, when things seem chaotic, show me how to honor you in it.
When things are confusing, show me how to best choose You!
Thank you for your Word!
Thank you for your Love!
Amen!