20th Oct 2010

Acts 19:23-41 – The Riot in Ephesus

• “God has spies and they are real legends”
• I’m probably watching too many episodes of ‘Spooks’ or ‘MI5’ as it is called in the USA.
• It’s a TV show where secret service members of the British government go undercover in order to defeat plots against the Queen and her government.
• To do this they create “legends’ a kind of back story to the fictional character they pretend to be. These ‘legends’ are complex and well-thought out. Even fictional relatives of the ‘legends’ are placed n houses in case any of the people that the spies are undercover with, want to check them out.
• God has spies; these guys are real people planted by God for special times.
• We never know where they are or when God will suddenly produce them in order to support our work for Him.
• So in this particular case; Paul is preaching and a riot is stirred up by Demetrius.
• The silversmith is losing money because he uses religion to make his living. He designs shines for Artemis a hugely popular ‘goddess’ of the Ephesians.
• In fact she was so popular that it is said more people worshipped her in their private devotions than any other idol.
• Demetrius uses religion to stir up a huge, out of control riot.
• Paul’s companions are grabbed and forced into the theatre. The croewd is getting wilder and Alexander is forced to take the brunt of it.
• Then just when you though it could not get worse; they realize he is a Jew.
• Antisemitism then rears its ugly head.
• It is looking very very bad.
• But.
• Cast your mind back to chapter 18 and a promise God gave Paul in a dream:
• "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city."
• God has spies. In every city. Not just Corinth but in Ephesus as well.
• At the height of the riot some unknown clerk single-handedly defuses the terrible situation.
• Out of no-where this virtual no-body gets up and through a perfectly reason argument destroys the enemies plot.
• God has spies hidden for you as well. Believe it!
• And take God’s advise for yourself: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.
• Oh and do not do a Demetrius either; don’t put business before the Kingdom.
• Praying for the spies God has placed ahead of me that they and I will courageously do what we need to do.