The New Way

Intro:

TV commercial.

Cleaning powder

New and improved?

If it’s new /improved.

If you can improve on it, its not new.

Paul coming into Ephesus/offering a new way.

The old way/Mans Strength.

Attain righteousness on your own.

The new way/Gods grace.

Accept righteousness through Christ.

This shook up the whole countryside.

v.18 And many who had believed cam confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many on those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all.

Illustration;

Book burning;

Motivated by an intense objection the material.

Burning so it will be destroyed forever.

Sixties

Lennon claimed that Beatles were more popular than Jesus.

Radio stations/record burning parties.

The name of Jesus Christ;

Such controversy/division.

In the world today/yesterday.

Recap

Last we saw of Paul.

Ephesus/working miracles

·        Sick.

·        Diseases.

·        Evil spirits.

He was calling on the name of Jesus.

Jewish exorcist tried it.

Demon, leaped on them overpowered them.

When all the towns people saw and heard what had happened.

When they were told about this “New Way”

·        Believed.

·        Confessed.

·        Repented.

Like always the name of Jesus stirs up one of two things.

·        Conviction.

·        Controversy.

In Ephesus it started a riot:

Paul as was his custom./Being led by the Spirit.

·          Synagogue.

·          Then to Gentiles.

·          Sharing the gospel  (3 yr.) of Jesus Christ, “New Way”

Back pedal a few pages/remember Paul was in Athens/Statues?

Someone had to make those statues. (idols)

If someone was making them/someone was buying them.

Ephesus had the new and improved idols.

Weren’t made of stone/silver.

Meet Demetrius, silversmith (union leader)

·        Gathered all the craftsmen together.

·        Paul is turning people away from idols.

·        Great confusion.

·        Panic.

·        Ran to temple.

·        Chanting (Diana)

·        Wouldn’t calm down.

·        Finally this city clerk calmed them down.

·        If these men have broken the law/steps to take.

Read Acts 19:21-41

Meet some of these people.

Demetrius;

The silversmith at Ephesus/main occupation making shrines of Diana/models of shrine.

Diana:

The Goddess. Housed in this temple.

·        Built out side the city of Ephesus.

·        220 years to build.

·        All marble building.

·        Center of it hidden by curtains.

·        Image of Diana.

·        Fallen from heaven. (Some truth)

·        She was this big black chunk of rock.

·        Behind her treasure kings stored their treasures.

Paul:

Comes with a “New Way”

A new way to worship.

·        Not with hands/hearts.

Illustration;

People don’t like change.

It’s not that you don’t like change/fear change.

Fear the unknown.

Spouses that have been abused usually continue to choose abusive spouses.

Find comfort in sameness.

Even if it’s bad for you.

Slide:

Acts 19: 21When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22So he sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he himself stayed in Asia for a time. 23And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way.NKJV

Paul was…

·        Purposed in Spirit.

·        Preaching in Ephesus. (3yrs.)

A great commotion about the Way.

This “New Way”

New Direction.

Not New destination.

Hundreds of years they have been trying to follow the Lord in their own righteousness.

The Old way, the law/mans strength.

The New Way. Through grace/ Gods strength.

Many times when we look at things in a “New Way”

·        It’s not the new way we are afraid of gaining.

·        It’s the old way we are afraid of losing.

Slide:

Acts 19:26Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. 27So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.”NKJV

Everything we’ve been taught as non Christians has been turned upside down.

·        Love your enemies.

·        More you give /more you receive.

·        Bless others /God can bless you.

Demetrius concern was not for Goddess.

For the business.

v.26 Paul has persuades and turned away many people…

·        Turned from what?

·        False gods.

·        False hope.

When we have the Spirit of God in us.

We are able to discern the world around us.

People were turning away from these idols/false gods.

Turning towards the real God.

They had “New Life.”

They had “New Hope”

They had “New Way”

But many in the world today don’t want to hear that!

The old saying?

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Not only was the “Old Way” broke but it as crumbling down.

Slide:

Acts 19:28Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” 29So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions.NKJV

They were filled with confusion.

Rushed to theater with one accord.

The whole city was in confusion. Frenzy/

Reason / unknown.

Emotions ruled the world.

Chaos prevailed.

Some may have been crying…

·        Down w/Jews

·        Down w/Paul

·        The Jews are responsible.

·        The Greeks are responsible.

·        V. 29 The whole city was filled with confusion.

They didn’t know…

·        What started the riots.

·        Who started the riots.

·        They were just following the crowd.

·        Chanting, “Great is Diana”

Crowd is composed of Jews, Greeks and Romans.

Slide:

Acts 19:33And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, and wanted to make his defense to the people. 34But when they found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”NKJV

Pulled out Alexander from the crowd.

To defend the Jews.

They rejected him because he was a Jew.

Continued to chant

“Great is Diana of the Ephesians.”

Just at this crucial moment/crowd was about to erupt.

City clerk stepped forward.

Began explaining.

Ephesians had nothing to fear.

Religious foundations were intact.

After all the image of Diana had fallen from heaven.

Slide:

Acts 19:35And when the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: “Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Zeus? 36Therefore, since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly.NKJV

Close w/statement.

Here’s his advice.

v. 36 be quiet and do nothing.

·        It’s much easier to believe a lie/follow crowd.

·        Ephesus is gone.

·        The World Wide Worship of Diana/gone.

·        Temple gone.

·        Silversmiths, gone.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is still here.

The power of the Holy Spirit still here.

The church of Jesus Christ still here.

This way that we speak of today.                                              

·        Highway.

·        Journey

The way to heaven.

There’s “Old Ways”

“New ways”

There’s only one way that leads to Heaven/Jesus Christ.