Year 2, Week 43, Day 2 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 43, Day 2

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Acts 19.

Today’s reading continues the Book of Acts. The Book of Acts is a selective history of the early church, which demonstrates how Jesus, by the Spirit, empowers His followers to continue His work. While the Book of Acts traces the early history of the church in general, eventually, the ministry of the Apostle Paul will be the primary focus for much of the remainder of Acts. Acts 19 records some of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus: “And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus” (Acts 19:1a). Paul’s stay in Ephesus was significant; many situations arose and the Lord did a mighty work in the lives of many people. The length of Paul’s stay in Ephesus was nearly three years (possibly the longest of any of the cities visited during his missionary journeys). When widespread conversions occurred, the result was a disruption in the idol industry leading to a riot: “For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth…this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods…When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” So the city was filled with the confusion” (Acts 19:26-29). It was also while still in Ephesus that Paul was compelled to make it to Rome: “Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to…go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome” (Acts 19:21).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was Paul’s basic approach to ministry: “And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8). Miraculous things happened in conjunction with Paul’s ministry: "And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them” (Acts 19:11-12). But the main thrust of Paul’s ministry was rooted in the Word: "But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:9-10). Paul took the Scriptures and using reason and persuasion, he unfolded how the Scripture pointed to Jesus and spoke of God’s Kingdom. Day after day, month after month Paul’s ministry was a ministry of the Word. This manner of Paul’s ministry was not just his focus in Ephesus. When Paul was in Corinth, we are told: "And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks…And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them” (Acts 18:4,11). When Paul as in Thessalonica, we are told: “And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ” (Acts 17:2-3). Paul’s ministry entailed the clear and careful use of the Scripture, which he presented in a compelling and convincing fashion. And such an approach was carried out patiently.

The outcome of Paul’s ministry of the Word was changed lives: “Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily” (Acts 19:18-20). The voluntary denunciation and burning of their books demonstrated the power of the Gospel to truly bring about genuine change. Ephesus was in a hotbed of superstitious, demonic activity; but the Gospel was triumphing over the domain of darkness. The hold that gripped the hearts of people was being released by the Holy Spirit as the Word was spoken. Their decision to burn their book of magic was a costly one. Being told that the value of the books burned was worth 50,000 pieces of silver, we could estimate it to be worth millions of dollars today. To decide to burn these books was not only a decision to turn away from the practices of magic, but also not personally profit from the sale of such valuable items. As the Word of God was being taught to them, they came to understand from the Word how spiritually and morally dangerous these books were. Getting rid of their books also demonstrated that as they continually received the Word, their love and commitment to Christ was growing. By the Spirit, this is the kind of work that the Word accomplishes in those who receive the Word: “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers” (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe