As we continue our meditation
this evening in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 19, this evening
we'll think upon the verses from verse 21 right down to the end,
verse 41. It's really just one total account. And I'm sure most of us are familiar
with this account. It really centres on the uproar
that developed at Ephesus. And as we stand back and look
at the picture, we realise that the real reason for this was
that they did not want to hear the Gospel. Because they realised
that if they were following the example and the words of the
Lord Jesus Christ, it would be costly to their natural life. and how this is epitomised by
the statement that Demetrius makes and how true it is, the
same situation really exists today, always has done that people
are not prepared to follow a despised and crucified man how they are
concerned, therefore, to please themselves, to look after themselves. Well, this is really what this
account is all about. We realize, we start from the
21st verse, and after these things, which of course we spoke about
last week, were ended, Paul purposed in his spirit, when he had passed
through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After
I've been there, I must also see Rome. And we must realise
sometimes we purpose things in our spirit, but they don't always
come to pass and always in accordance with God's plan, in God's purpose. And so we always need to say
in accordance with those words that the Apostle spoke, if the
Lord will. Well, here we have this account.
So, he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto
him, Timotheus and Erastus. But he himself stayed in Asia
for a season. And again, just to reiterate,
of course, Asia he is referring to there is not the Asia that
we know today. It was a relatively small area
in that area. And he says, and the same time
there arose no small stir about that way. So it would appear
that as soon as Paul began to speak about the things of God
that there was this small stir against it. And of course this
wasn't the first time that Paul had addressed The Ephesians,
we know he'd been there for three months first, and then in the
household of Tyranus for another two years. So he wasn't a stranger,
and nor were those people a stranger. But they'd obviously observed
the development which had existed or occurred and was occurring
through the preaching of the Apostle. It was having an effect. Well, it's a good thing, isn't
it, to realize when the preaching of the Gospel has an effect,
And it had got such an effect that Demetrius was concerned
about it. He was a silversmith, which made
silver shrines. And we can think those shrines
were probably small models of the temple of Diana. And of course they would have
been very attractive to the people. They would have been well made
and made in silver. And each one quite valuable.
And so here was Demetrius and his friends manufacturing these
articles, whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation
and said, sirs, you know that by this craft we have our wealth. So clearly it wasn't just a living. They were doing very well. They
were wealthy because of it. And they didn't want that to
cease. They were really only concerned about monetary things,
about time things. And they didn't want that to
stop because they were enjoying the position that they were in.
So we have to be aware of that today, don't we? Not to pursue
the ways of wealth for wealth's sake. The Lord says and tells
us that we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Realising that all other necessary
things will be added unto us. And so here was these people
most concerned about their natural situation. Moreover, you see
and hear that not alone 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. Well, we know,
of course, that that's precisely what the apostle did say. and
he did endeavor to persuade men to believe the truth of the gospel
and we know of course it's only the spirit of God can apply the
word but nonetheless the apostle did all he could to turn men
unto the lord and therefore he spoke so much against anything
which was not by faith Faith is not something tangible to
our natural mind, we cannot grasp it with our hands. or feed it
with our hands, but we walk by faith and not by sight. Whereas Demetrius and his friends,
they wanted everybody to walk by sight. They wanted to be able
to have these images, these idols, and be able to see them, and
be able to touch them, and by so doing, assume that they were
true gods. In actual fact, of course, they
were utterly dead, no life at all. 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 where whereon all Asia and the world worshipeth."
Well, he's really being very cunning here because quite clearly
he made these shrines which were a part or perhaps the whole model
of the temple of Diana. And therefore he's really making
an excuse and painting a picture which was not true. And how we
see that set forth in the work of the devil, don't we? The devil
paints pictures which are not true. and how we need to be very
aware of the things that he portrays before us. Always go back to
Genesis and see how the devil persuaded Eve to forget or disobey
the Word of God and to listen to what he said because those
things were more attractive to her nature and these things were
no doubt more attractive to the Ephesians, something they could
see tangibly. so that not only this our craft
is in danger to be set at naught but also that the temple of that
great goddess Diana should be despised and her magnificence
should be destroyed where all Asia and the world worshipeth."
And when they heard these things, these sayings, they were full
of wrath. and cried out saying, great is
Diana of the Ephesians. What were they doing? Rebelling
against God. Rebelling against the truth.
They were saying in their heart, we will not have this man to
reign over us. They would prefer to worship
some mere idol who was dead. 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. And the theatre in those days
was a place where people gathered together to see sport, especially
to observe people fight with wild animals. And it may well
have been the situation here that they were taking these people,
hoping they might have been destroyed, given the opportunity. 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. And when Paul would have entered
in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. They clearly
saw the danger and therefore they desired that he would not
go amongst them. And certain of the chief of Asia,
which were his friends, important people, you see the Lord had
called important people. And we're thankful the Lord does
call some important people. It's generally speaking not so,
but there are those who the Lord does work in their heart. And
certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent
unto him, desiring him that he would not venture himself into
the theatre. Well, what was the effect? Some
therefore cried one thing, and some another, for the assembly
was confused. and the more part knew not whereof
they were come together. And we see that really today,
don't we? We see when mobs get together to chant and to rage
against the law, which it generally is, we see often there's a confusion,
and they're not always sure exactly who they're supporting and what
they're saying. Some therefore cried one thing and some another,
for the Assembly was confused, and the more part, notwithstanding,
they would come together. And then they drew a man called
Alexander. We don't know really who this
man was, but it would appear he was on Paul's side. It would
appear probably, therefore, he was a Christian. Out of the multitude
and the Jews putting him forward. The Jews, of course, being those
who Paul had originally gone to principally to declare the
Gospel, and perhaps many of those Jews had now received it, Alexander
beckoned with his hand and would have made his defence unto the
people. 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! they were determined to drown
out any truth. They did not want to hear Alexander. They clearly did not want to
hear the Apostle Paul or his colleagues. And therefore they
adopted this procedure for two hours to shout out, Great is
Diana of the Ephesians. this dine of the Ephesians had
no ability to help them, no ability to save their souls, just a dead
thing. And when the town clerk, and
again we're not sure what that means, he was clearly an important
person, and 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? Now again, we don't
know what the reference is there. It's possible that Diana was
supposed to be perhaps a daughter of this goddess Jupiter, but
we're not told. We're just told that there was
this situation image which fell down from Jupiter. And seeing
then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to
be quiet and to do nothing rashly. Well, again, how foolish is the
wisdom of the world. Here was this town clerk telling
the people that those things, that person which they were worshipping,
could not be spoken against. And for that very reason, and
they ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly. For ye have brought
hither these men which are neither robbers of churches nor yet blasphemers
of your goddess." And how true that was. They hadn't blasphemed
and it's important to notice that when we speak And that really
speaks of all those who preach and those, perhaps, who are members
of Christ's Church. We are to declare the truth of
the Gospel. There's no reason, really, to
blaspheme or speak, if you like, against other gods. We need to
declare the true God, especially in the day and age in which we
live. How true that is with regard to the Muslim people. It's very
tempting to therefore go out of our way to speak against them
and to criticise all that they do and say, but the blessing
will be to declare Christ. You see, this will have the effect. The other will just rile them
and turn them against those words that are spoken. But my friends,
if we are to declare Christ, what a power there is, what a
blessing there is, what a fullness there is. And then you see, how
can they be offended at such words? Because we're not addressing
their gods, we're just lifting up the great and glorious Saviour,
the Lord Jesus Christ. And so we're thankful that we
have such words put before us here in the Word of God to encourage
us to do that which is right and to not follow that which
would not be helpful good lessons for us to learn. And so he says,
seeing then these things cannot be spoken against. You ought
to be quiet and do nothing rashly for you brought hither these
men which are neither robbers of churches nor yet blasphemers
of your goddess. 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 implied one
another. And again that was easy to observe,
isn't it? It doesn't need to bring any
other accusation. If the Christians were doing
things contrary to the law, then obviously the law could speak
against them. But they were not doing anything contrary to the
law, and therefore there wasn't anything really that could be
spoken against them. Although Demetrius, of course,
wanted to produce a reason why they should be spoken against.
And it was only because of a monetary situation. And again, we realize
those words are true. The love of money is the root
of all evil. And it's not money itself. It's
the love of it. And clearly these men, that was
their love. And so it is today so often,
isn't it? People are lovers of money, and how it is the root
of all evil. And of course people are never
satisfied whatever they have they want more and they want
more. Well it's a sad situation isn't
it which we see here and we see today but if you inquire anything
concerning other matters it shall be determined in a lawful assembly. But 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." And it would seem
he's probably referring now to the Roman rulers who would have
been over them at this time. If they got to hear of it, they
might have brought down judgment upon these people. And when he
had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly. Well, it's an interesting
account, isn't it? And we may not think there's
very much spirituality in it, but there is teaching, there
is learning as to how we should react in a similar situation
in the day and age in which we live. Because there are those,
of course, who rise up and would endeavour to oppose the truth
of God. There always have been, there
always will be, And these things don't decrease. They seem to
be increasing. They're on the rise. And we need
to be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves in order that
we may be ready to resist any efforts to, as it were, shout
us down and to stop the preaching of the Gospel. Amen. Let's now conclude our service
this evening with hymn 292. 2-9-2. Amidst ten thousand dangers,
which everywhere abound, the pilgrims and the strangers alone
secure are found, for on their Lord they're waiting. They seek
him night and day, his aid they're supplicating in his appointed
way. 292.