I. The Setting
A. Ephesus
1. A center for demonic activity & occult practices
a. Many demon possessed people; many exorcists.
b. Famous Ephesian book of incantations: “The Ephesian Spells”
2. The Center for the worship of Diana/Artemis: Goddess of sex/fertility
a. Temple of Diana/Artemis: 220 years to complete.
b. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
c. 425 ft. by 220 ft. with 127 marble pillars weighing 150 tons each.
d. It was four times the size of the Parthenon in Athens.
e. Completely lost to history until 1869, when it was discovered again, and its main altar was unearthed in 1965.
f. Diana worship accomplished by temple priestesses/prostitutes
g. Temple was also a major treasury & bank of the ancient world, where merchants, kings, & even cities made deposits, & where their money could be kept safe under the protection of deity.
h. Religious pilgrims bought shrines/idols to honor Diana.
i. Very lucrative business for the local silversmiths
j. V. 27—Diana worship went far beyond Asia.
k. At least 33 known centers of worship thru-out Mediterranean.
B. Paul
1. Very successful three year ministry in Ephesus.
2. God had done unusual miracles through Paul. Vs. 11, 12
3. Many saw God’s power in Paul’s life; turned from the occult to Jesus
4. Prolonged teaching ministry; many regional churches planted Vs. 9, 10
5. Paul ready to move on: Jerusalem, then Rome
6. Visit churches he’d started; famine relief to Jerusalem; gospel to Rome
7. Verse 21- “That’s not the ‘must’ of the tourist; that’s the ‘must’ of the missionary.” Dr. G. Campbell Morgan
8. Paul will visit Rome, but as a religious prisoner. He will die there.
9. Paul delays that trip: He had written to the Corinthians from Ephesus
1 Cor. 16:8, 9 But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost. 9For a great & effective door has opened to me, & there are many adversaries. V. 22
10. Pentecost came towards end of May; also the time of the great Festival of Diana. Crowds from around the world came to Ephesus.
11. Paul wants to be in Ephesus for that event.
II. Reaction To Jesus
A. Commotion V. 23-26
1. The timing- the Festival of Diana was approaching.
2. Many religious pilgrims coming. Great opportunity for financial gain
3. Many Ephesians had become Christians; no longer worshipped Diana
4. This attitude was changing the city.
5. It caused a commotion: agitation; energy in an opposite direction
6. It was a collision between light & darkness; holiness & lewdness; truth & falsehood; the true God & false idols.
7. When Jesus is preached & experienced, there is a commotion.
8. Maybe an outward commotion; always an inward commotion.
9. See Matt. 10:34-39 Jesus brings “a sword”. He calls for full surrender.
B. What Needed To Be Surrendered To Jesus?
1. Their financial income. Temporal gain & eternal loss. V. 24-26
2. Their pride/intellect. See Psalm 115:3-8 V. 26b
a. Paul pointed out foolishness of worshipping hand made gods
b. Diana couldn’t defend herself; they had to.
c. People become like their gods.
d. You are becoming like _______, or you are becoming like Jesus.
3. Their identity: They were the Temple guardians. V. 27, 35
a. Christianity was threatening their unique position/identity.
4. Their sin/immorality/ “Diana worship”. Their darkness was exposed.
C. People’s Reactions To The “Threat” Of Jesus
1. No consideration of the facts or logic of the case Ps. 115
2. Emotional outbursts, wrath, anger V. 28
3. Contagious confusion. 24k people in this hillside theater V. 29, 32
4. Willing to bring physical harm against others V. 29-31
5. Crowd/mob mentality. V. 32
a. Crowd mentality-sense of belonging
b. Less personal responsibility
c. Great outlet for personal passions
d. Provides courage amongst the masses.
e. More courage found in Paul than in the mob
f. Lack of discernment. Assumptions easily made. V. 33, 34
g. Crowd mentality blinds you. (Buddy the horse)
6. Keeping the peace more important than the truth. V. 35-40
a. City clerk (mayor) wants to keep “free” status for Ephesus
b. Rome didn’t tolerate riots.
c. Maintained temporal freedom; kept them in spiritual bondage
7. “Suddenly”, the deep passion for Diana is gone. Freedom was at stake
8. They have chosen to believe the lie, and keep the status quo.
D. What Is Your Reaction To Jesus?
1. What is your “Diana”? Money, power, sex, intellect, comfort?
2. Do you avoid “commotions” at all costs?
3. Do you prefer to not think about the end results of following your master passion?
4. Is it easier to “go with the crowd”, than to make your own decisions?
5. Suggestion- Don’t settle for less than the truth. Choose Jesus.
6. Don’t choose the false & temporary satisfaction of “Diana”
Buddy the Horse-Don’t depend on the crowd to make up your mind
Illustration– A man from the city went on a trip to the country, and drove his car into the ditch. Fortunately for him a farmer was nearby with his horse, Buddy, to pull him out. The farmer hitched Buddy up to the car and then yelled “pull Nellie, pull!” The car didn’t move. Next the farmer yelled “pull, Daisy, pull!” but the car still didn’t move. Finally the farmer yelled” pull, Coco, pull” still the car didn’t move. The farmer then nonchalantly said “pull, Buddy, pull” whereupon Buddy easily pulled the car out of the ditch. Seeing this strange behavior, the man from the city asked the farmer why he had called his horse by the wrong name three times. The farmer answered, “Buddy is blind and if he thought he was the only one pulling he wouldn’t even have tried.”
Are you a person who only moves if you think a crowd is going in the same direction? What if one day God asks you to go somewhere by yourself?
Illustration
The Treasure by Alice Gray as printed in “More Stories for the Heart”
The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. “Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please?” Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl’s upturned face. “A dollar ninety-five. That’s almost $2.00. If you really want them, I’ll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday’s only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma.” As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies.
After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace. Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere–Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.
Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, “Do you love me?” “Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you.” “Then give me your pearls.” “Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess—the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She’s my favorite.” “That’s okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night.” And he brushed her cheek with a kiss. About a week later, after the story time, Jenny’s daddy asked again, “Do you love me?” “Daddy, you know I love you.” “Then give me your pearls.” “Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my babydoll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper.” “That’s okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you.” And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss. A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style.
As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek. “What is it, Jenny? What’s the matter?” Jenny didn’t say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, “Here, Daddy. It’s for you.” With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny’s kind daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. He had had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her genuine treasure.
What are you trying to fill your life with? Are you settling for the fake pearls, or are you holding out for the real thing?
Today, the city of Ephesus is gone. The worldwide worship of Diana is gone. The temple of Diana is gone. The silversmith’s guild is gone. But the good news of Jesus Christ and His church is still going.
Think twice before following the crowd.
Psalm 115:3-8 3But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.
4 Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
5 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
6 They have ears, but they do not hear;
Noses they have, but they do not smell;
7 They have hands, but they do not handle;
Feet they have, but they do not walk;
Nor do they mutter through their throat.
8Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.
Mathew 10:34-39 34“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.