Today’s passage: Acts 19:21-41
Helpful thoughts:
- “Resolved in the spirit” can simply mean it was Paul’s intention. Like saying, “He had it in his mind.” The capitalization of the “s” in spirit would not have been in the original Greek and therefore subject to interpretation.
- Not only did the new believers in Ephesus burn their old books, they also stopped buying new idols. They put off the old man and put on the new man. (Ephesians 4:17-23)
- What people often want most are things like comfort, ease, prestige and prosperity.
- Demetrius appealed to these things to start the events of this day:
- Their income was in jeopardy if people didn’t buy their hand-made gods.
- Their prestige was in jeopardy if people came to disrespect their work.
- The prominence and prosperity of Ephesus was in jeopardy if the people of Asia stopped coming to Ephesus to worship Diana (No visitors, no tourism money).
- The city clerk appealed to the same in order to end the events of this day:
- If Ephesus continued in this frenzy, Rome would punish them for the unrest.
- Demetrius appealed to these things to start the events of this day:
Questions to consider:
- What happens when a Christian becomes concerned first with their own comfort, ease, prestige and prosperity? The ends justified the means in two different directions for the Ephesians on this occasion. What happens in the heart and mind of the Christian when our goals become different than God’s?
- What do you think Paul wanted to do before that large assembly? Do you think he was trying to rescue the other two men and run, or something else?
- What obstacles would prevent these Ephesians in this passage from wanting to receive the Gospel and surrender their wills to the Lord? What would they feel like they were losing? How does the value of Christ compare? What are some of the “shiny objects” in this world that are most prone to lure your attention away from Christ? What can you keep doing to help fix your attention on Him?