Monthly Archives: May 2026

ACTS THE SEQUEL…MONEY TALKS – 47

Bible Study, ,

Acts 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 ‭NIV‬‬

Well, that set the cat among the pigeons! There were some in Ephesus who would not take this new situation lying down. Demetrius, the silver smith, was enraged. He and his fellow craftsmen were losing money. He had to take action and quickly to save his bank account. 

He called a meeting of all his fellow craftsmen involved in this lucrative business of making replicas of the famous goddess, Artemis.  This had to stop. What was the best way to discredit Paul and put an end to his attack on their trade? 

Demetrius made no bones about the reason for his disquiet. This was more about money than about the goddess…although he couched his argument in religious talk.  He had to make it sound like he was a faithful devotee of the goddess. 

So, he framed his argument carefully. The worship of Artemis was in jeopardy. Imagine that! How is it possible that a goddess who came from heaven…who was credited with “divine majesty”…who was worshiped throughout Asia and the whole region…whose grand temple was right there in the city, could be robbed of that majesty…could be so easily unseated by the words of a mere man? 

All this, of course, was only a smoke screen to hide Demetrius’ real worry…his business. The people would believe Paul…in fact they had already done so…and the people wouldn’t buy his little Artemises any more. 

There is something that stands out on this whole episode that speaks to me…loud and clear.  Demetrius had a problem. He took it to his fellow craftsmen. He stirred up their anger. He got their cooperation. They took action…and it backfired on them. 

These men were dealing with something far bigger than themselves. They were trying to put out a fire started by the Holy Spirit. No one can take God on and win. Artemis, for all the fancy words about her, had no power to defend herself because she did not exist. Not even the demons who were behind the delusion of Artemis could resist the power of the living God. 

Before we consider what the silver smiths did to try to stop this move of God, let’s think about our own efforts to solve problems. Demetrius’ way did not work. There is a way to live that does work…that smooths out the bumps in our path. 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

When we trace Paul’s journey through the book of Acts, we see a man who lived by the promises of God’s Word. His life was not trouble-free but…every trial was another lesson on the way…another reason to trust the Lord…and another victory under his belt to prove that God is real, God is faithful, and that faith in Him is the guarantee of the final destination. 

What mattered most in all these situations was that, despite the opposition and the efforts to stop it, the gospel message spread and took root in every corner of the Roman Empire because…God was in it. Jesus said, “I will build my church…”…and He did…and His is…and He always will…until He returns. 

To be continued

ACTS THE SEQUEL…GRACE WON THE DAY – 46

Bible Study, ,

“When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭19‬:‭17‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God never wastes anything!! How often we must reach this conclusion when we see how God turns everything to His own advantage. Not only did those seven men, who used the name of Jesus as a magic formula in the hopes that they could get in on the act, get what they deserved, but also the fame of the power of Jesus’ name spread like wildfire across the city of Ephesus snd beyond. Jews and Greeks alike had a new appreciation of who they were dealing with if they trifled with the God about whom  the Apostle Paul spoke.  

The outcome was startling. Light had once again driven out the darkness. New believers became transparent…confessing their evil practices…and even giving up the tools of their trade…the scrolls that had taught them their sorcery. No, doubt, sorcery was a lucrative way of extorting an income for those who used their sorcery for gain. Now they were willing to let it go. 

The name of Jesus had struck fear into the hearts of these new believers. They were dealing with a God who would not tolerate such flagrant disobedience to His Word. The instruction was clear. 

“When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the Lord your God.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭18‬:‭9‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The outcome of this exposure was a massive bonfire in the city, of the scrolls that were now redundant for these children of the Most High God. What a testimony to God’s grace and mercy! The penalty for these practices should have been death but, because of their ignorance, God forgave…and the blood of Jesus rescued and cleansed them from their evil ways. 

Ephesus was not only a significant city in the province of Asia…it became equally significant as the centre of new life in the history of the early church. God did extraordinary things in that city. It was as thought He had lit a fire in Ephesus that was visible to the whole province and beyond. From Paul to the Ephesian church came a letter which spells out clearly the grandeur of the Jesus who came to save, and the wonder of the new life He gives to those who believe. Consider these opening statements in this letter….

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Grace! Good pleasure! What would these words have meant to a group of people who had been dabbling with demonic spirits. They had been rescued from the dangers of this association, and catapulted by grace into the glorious freedom from the consequences of their foolishness into the very presence of God Himself? They were now children of God…fully accepted into His family…members of the covenant people of God…heirs of God,  joint heirs with Jesus, and eligible for all the blessings and benefits of that covenant…all because it pleased the Lord to do so. 

This was the gospel. This was grace. This was real power…not demonic power that could only harm and destroy.  This was God at work to reclaim and restore what rightfully belonged to Him. Despite all odds, Paul would continue to declare this message to his last drop of blood and his dying breath…because God has done it all. 

To be continued

ACTS THE SEQUEL…DON’T MESS WITH JESUS – 45

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“Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.”

“Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭19‬:‭13‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

It’s amazing how the thirst for power leads people into strange paths. Some of the Jews in Ephesus, though apparently not believers in Jesus, tried to use the name of Jesus as a magic formula to drive out demons. A family of sons of Sceva, whoever he was, tried this ploy but, unfortunately, it backfired. Instead of gaining a reputation for power, as they had probably hoped, they were thoroughly beaten up and humiliated. 

What they failed to understand was that…

Although the name of Jesus has great power, He works through those who are united in faith and obedience to Him. He gave authority to use His name to those who are convinced that He is Lord. He doesn’t give His power of attorney to just anyone. 

The crux of the matter was…

“One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?”

Jesus’ power is freely available to those who believe in His name…not to those who have no regard for who He is. 

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Can you see the significance of this incident? Paul was ministering in a city that was full of the practices of witchcraft. The evidence of demonic power was everywhere. These Jewish men, who were supposedly exorcising demons, were simply trying to add the name of Jesus to their pool of powers through which they operated. 

What foolishness! What disrespect! What lack of understanding of who Jesus was  in that situation, and still is today!  Jesus is not, and will never be, one of many. He is absolutely, and utterly, and forever, Lord…the supreme authority in heaven and on earth!

Only those who bow to Him as Lord and live under His authority, have the right to use His name and to expect Him to act on His Word. 

These men neither understood nor acted in obedience to His instructions…and they paid dearly for their foolishness. As then, so now, there are many who trifle with the name of Jesus because they have no idea of who He really is. 

I tremble when I hear people using expressions like, “O my God!” or even,” OMG!” as a thoughtless expletive, or speaking of God as “the man upstairs!” with no thought to the utter holiness of the one whose name they invoke so carelessly. And what of words like “holy moly” or worse with no regard to the true meaning of holiness or to whom holiness belongs?

Written in stone are the words…

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The name of the Lord is a treasure we must guard with great care and never…never treat it with anything but reverence and awe. 

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭NIV‬

To be continued

ACTS THE SEQUEL…SIGNS OF THE KINGDOM – 44

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“Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.”

“God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭19‬:‭8-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Since Ephesus was an important city in the Roman province of Asia, and a hub of trade and commerce in Paul’s day…

“Ephesus was a major, strategic city in the New Testament, serving as a hub for early Christianity, a center for Paul’s missionary work, and the recipient of the Pauline epistle, Ephesians. Paul spent over two years there (Acts 19), and it is associated with the ministry of Timothy and the Apostle John, who is believed to have lived there later in life…”

(Source: Google AI)

Where was Ephesus?

“Ephesus was an ancient Greek city located on the Aegean coast of Ionia, in modern-day western Turkey, near the modern town of Selçuk in the Izmir Province. Situated at the mouth of the Cayster River, it was a major Roman port and trade hub, though the ruins are now located inland due to geological changes and silting…” (Source: Google AI)

…Ephesus also became an important centre of the church in Asia. The gospel message spread from Ephesus throughout the province of Asia as believers, both Jews and Greeks, moved around in the province. 

Now let’s zero in on another important factor in Paul’s ministry in the pagan world. Paul was given power to do extraordinary miracles in Ephesus.  What was the significance of these “signs and wonders” that accompanied both Peter and Paul’s ministries, and why is it important for us to understand this phenomenon in today’s church life?

First…

Jesus told His opponents, the Pharisees, that the purpose of His miracles was signs that God’s kingdom had come in power as He had declared. 

“But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12‬:‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The apostle John, in his gospel,  specifically called Jesus’ miracles “signs”. Signs pointing to what? The presence of the kingdom of God! Every time Jesus did a miracle, He was revealing His power over the demonic realm…and the nature of God’s rule on earth. There would be restoration, healing, wholeness…no more sickness, demons, pain, death…in God’s realm. Jesus came to usher in that kingdom, in part now…and completely when He returns. 

Second…

…those who believe will have a part in the demonstration that God’s kingdom is here. Miracles are not just for the benefit of those who receive them. Miracles are still signs. They still point to the reality of Jesus’ reign on earth. 

“And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭16‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭

Third…

Both Peter and Paul’s preaching…Peter to the Jews and Paul to both Jews and Gentiles…was accompanied by unusual and spectacular miracles…

Peter in Jerusalem…

“Nevertheless, more and more men and women believe in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Paul in Iconium…

“So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭14‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…and in Ephesus…

“God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭19‬:‭8‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Fourth…

Paul explained the role of these unusual signs…they authenticated the ministry of the apostles. 

“I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬

…and the message they preached….

“I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So we see, according to Scripture, that signs and wonders are not for  spiritual entertainment…as Herod thought…

“When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Signs and wonders are specifically tied to the message and demonstration of the kingdom. They are signs that God reigns. They are evidence that He is restoring what sin has destroyed. They are a foretaste of what life in His eternal realm will be like. 

“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Let us not be deceived by the many current ways of teaching and preaching. “Come and get your healing” is the draw card to great healing campaigns. What about healing and miracles being the evidence that God rules and that Jesus is Lord and supreme authority over all things and over our lives? 

So, the Holy Spirit and Paul were in partnership to propagate and establish God’s kingdom by the power of the Word, to give new life to those who believed and to heal those who were physically broken, as a sign and demonstration that God’s reign was present and real. 

Should this not be the real motive and practice of those who preach the message of the kingdom today?

To be continued

ACTS THE SEQUEL…THE HOLY SPIRIT FALLS AGAIN- 43

Bible Study, ,

“While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied, “The baptism of John.”

It seems, then, that John’s baptism was a temporary ritual pointing to the ministry of Jesus.

“Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.” As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.”

‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭19‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Now here is an interesting and significant interlude! This titbit of information…a seemingly by-the -way injection into the story…is actually an important part of the narrative of the Holy Spirit’s appearance and work in believers on earth. 

When John the Baptist was introducing Jesus to His people as their promised Messiah, an identifying part of Jesus’ ministry would be that He would baptise those who believed in Him with the Holy Spirit. 

“I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭3‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus gave us an ordinance that moved on from John’s baptism, which is a once-off, permanent act of identity with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. 

Baptism in water was a public declaration of identity with John’s message of repentance, but baptism with the Holy Spirit would be God’s permanent mark of ownership in the heart of every

believer. 

“For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

As we have traced the work of the Holy Spirit from the day of Pentecost when He fell on the believers in Jerusalem, it has become clear that the Spirit came on various groups of people outside Jerusalem in a special and visible way when hands were laid on them… the Samaritans…the household of Cornelius, the Roman centurion…the Ephesians in the above incident…as a demonstration that grace was for all people, not only for the Jews. 

Why?

Was God showing believers in different national and cultural groups that the promise of the Spirit was for them as well? He came on each group in a specific manifestation of God’s presence in fulfilment of His word. 

Does this mean that every new believer needs to have hands laid on him/her to be “baptised” in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues as some teach? Let’s see what the Scriptures teach. 

“For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 When does this happen?

“Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭38‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

According to Peter, when he clarified the meaning of the coming of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was and is given to every person who believed then and believes now in Jesus as the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise.  He is both the agent who gives people new life…

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬, ‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…which is the work of the Spirit…

…and the new birth, which gives the believer entrance into God’s kingdom…

“Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…who comes to indwell every believer when they are born again…

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own…”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The key issue is not whether the Holy Spirit has come to dwell in us but whether we have “received” Him. 

“Lambano (λαμβάνω) is a Greek verb primarily meaning to take, seize, or receive. The use of this word implies an active, often physical grasping or laying hold of something with the hand, and is frequently used in the New Testament to mean actively receiving or claiming what is offered, rather than passively accepting it.” (Source: SKJV Interlinear Bible) 

This word, “lambano” in Greek, is the word Paul used when he asked the Ephesian believers whether they had “received” the Holy Spirit. The issue was not whether the Holy Spirit had come to live in them but whether they had laid hold of, actively grasped the truth of His presence in them. 

It was by the laying on of hands that the Holy Spirit’s presence became real to them. 

The consistent teaching of the New Testament is that God’s Spirit indwells every believer… but not every believer has laid hold of His presence as a reality and not everyone submits to Him as the Helper, Teacher, and Leader in their lives. 

Romans 8 is the roadmap to living under the presence and authority of the Holy Spirit. 

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires….You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you… And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ…And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you….For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live…For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received (lambano – Greek) does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭5‬, ‭9‬, ‭11‬, ‭13‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The more we acknowledge the Holy Spirit, the more we fellowship with Him, the more we submit to Him and learn to hear His voice and follow His leading…the more we will experience His power in our lives. This is not a magic formula but a way of life that grows as we learn. 

If you keep asking God for the baptism of the Spirit, as I did in my ignorance as a young believer, you are, in fact, contradicting the truth of God’s word. Instead, lay  hold of Him as a real presence already in your life and learn to connect with Him through faith and obedience. 

To be continued