2022_04_27 Insight Post- Rusty Coram
This week’s reading- Acts 19
The 19th chapter of Acts is full of topics to explore but what caught my attention is a section in the latter part of the chapter. Paul and his team have seen many people accept Jesus as their Savior and Leader. As a result, they abandoned their sorcery and pseudo-religious practices, which focused on the many gods represented in the area. A local business leader named Demetrius stirs up opposition to Paul: “It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy. 25 He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows: “Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. 26 But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province! 27 Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!” Acts 19:24–27 (NLT)
The Good News of Jesus was setting people free from the worship of false gods. At the same time, there was a corresponding economic impact on the manufacturers that made false god paraphernalia. Demetrius is more concerned about wealth than worship. The businesspeople spread rumors and hatred, and soon a huge crowd gathered at the center of Ephesus. “…the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there.” Acts 19:32 (NLT)
This building riot was fueled by contagious reaction. A persuasive personality (Demetrius) gets it started, and others join in, and soon there is a tsunami. We still see this all the time – like with the recent Florida House Bill #1557. Persuasive people share their opinions and get “their people” to join them, and soon a major storm arises with few people ever actually reading the bill for themselves.
Followers of Christ should be different. Our first action should be to listen and learn the facts long before we react. James gives us great advice, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” James 1:19–20 (NLT)
Anger is appropriate at times, but we need to be careful to use it as God wants and not merely our knee-jerk reaction.
Rusty Coram
Senior Pastor