Is following Jesus inconvenient?
Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on UnsplashIn this week’s Bible Study:Part six of our study of the Book of Acts Countdown to Pentecost!
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One more week leading to Pentecost, I’m studying the book of Acts each week. I hope you join me in this study! We are using the NIV translation, except where noted. This week, we are studying chapters 19-26.
We’re turning back the pages to chapter 19 this week, because there is some content that needs to be addressed: mainly, Paul’s time in Ephesus and the riot there. The people who turned against Paul were not just Jewish Sanhedrin, Sadducees and Pharisees. Those worshipping idols hated him too. But this section reveals the selfish motives of some of Paul’s detractors. They were afraid he would damage their business. How inconvenient.
They were willing to kill him just to prevent their income from declining.
About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.” — Acts: 19:23-27
Has preaching the Good News ever been inconvenient to you? Have you shied away from public faith because of family, friends, or a job. It happened to me mid-career as a newspaper editor. I was so concerned that showing bias toward faith would affect my credibility in making decisions for the front page.
That is the opposite of bold faith, which we see through out the Acts of the Apostles.
In this week’s chapters Paul, who has been told by the Holy Spirit that he will face jail and all sorts of trials, pursued his mission anyway. He headed back to Jerusalem against the warning of many of his followers.
Paul is a hero of the Christian faith who wrote many of his letters in the New Testament from jail. His message spread far and wide even though he was persecuted. It’s not what we want to hear, for sure.
Will you have bold faith no matter the risk?
In last week’s poll, you said Paul’s journey to Ephesus was most important, and I agree with you! Not only did he warn the leaders of the trials to come, this scene of his visit set up the book of Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church. Go here to vote if you missed it.
We are days away from the celebration of Pentecost and I have just one more entry in our study of the Book of Acts. coming later this week
Your sister in Christ,
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