Letter and response
Paul Stiller, 47, was hospitalized in
and his wife Bonnie was also injured, by a quarter-stick of dynamite that blew
up in their car. While driving around at
Sin is like lit dynamite going off in people’s cars. People are getting hurt and often do see the connection.
What will make us get serious about dealing with the sin in our lives?
A. What
made Paul’s work so successful in
1. How
were Paul’s physical needs supplies while he was in
a. We
know that Paul “worked with his own hands” –
b. Is
there an indication that the Spirit was ready for the word to go to
2. What did Paul do for the first 3 months? V. 8 (longer than usual)
a. Spoke “boldly” (There Paul goes again)
b. Argued “persuasively”
c. Did this contribute to his success?
3. Don’t even look at verse 9 ad tell me what happened next! (Typical pattern)
4. Was this a church split or did the church just change its meeting place? (Good or bad?)
5. What happened when Paul started having discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus?
a. What was this place?
b. Over a 2-year period all the Jews and Greeks heard the gospel.
6. How
was it that the whole of
a. Do
we have any indication that Paul travel out from
7. What
made Paul such a popular attraction in
a. Handkerchiefs and aprons
b. Diseases and evil spirits are all subject to Jesus through Paul
c. Are miracles alone enough to produce faith? John 10:25-26
d. The sheep must recognized the authority of the shepherd
8. What is significant about the incident with the Seven Sons of Sceva V. 13-20
a. They tried to copy the formula they had heard Paul use to drive out a demon
§ Do some people think the name of Jesus is a magic formula?
§ There is no other name under heaven by which people can be saved
§ The name of Jesus is above every name
§ Some day, at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue confess
§ What is it about the name of Jesus that makes it so powerful?
§ What does that name represent? (All authority)
§ Can it be misused? How? (Christ is the head of every man)
§ What happens to someone who is under authority and fails to recognize it?
b. Wasn’t there a man casting out demons who was not one of the disciples? Mk 9:38
§ What was the reason the disciples want Jesus to stop him?
§ What was the reason Jesus said it was better not to stop him?
§ What if he did miracles in Jesus’ name and then denigrated Jesus?
§ What did Paul say about those who were preaching Christ for the wrong reason? Phil. 1:15-18
c. The demon possessing the man was dangerous and able overpower them
d. The demon spoke and said it knew Jesus and Paul but not these fellows.
§ Why do you suppose the devil didn’t know them? (No authority over them)
§ What makes someone popular with the spiritual forces of darkness?
§ What makes demons tremble?
e. What
was the effect on the believers of
§ They were now trembling? Why?
§ What would cause this sort of impact on people who practiced sorcery?
§ Confessing evil deeds
§ Getting rid of the sinful things in their lives (our lives)
§ Being a carnal Christian (calling Him Lord but not obeying) is out!
f. Have we ever seen this effect before? Luke 8:37; Acts 5:11
g. There are no apostles doing miracles today. Is there anything in our time that has the same effect of producing the fear of God?
h. In what way do you think the word of the Lord became powerful? V. 20
Conclusion
The fear of God causes us to face our sin and deal with it. The fear of God comes from seeing his judgment of sin. Just like lit dynamite we need to get rid of it before it goes off.
B. What makes the world oppose the way of the Lord? Acts 19:21-41
1. Do you think Paul was teaching the people to get rid of their idols? V. 26
a. What is so bad about idolatry? (gateway sin) 1 Cor. 10:7-14 (idolatry is key)
b.
It is seeking glory in something the glory in
something other than God. Idolatry finds
God insufficient and inadequate.
Idolatry insists that there must be something better than God. Rom.
2. What was the threat perceived by Demetrius and the other craftsmen?
a. What was the idol worshipped by Demetrius and the other craftsmen? (greed?)
§ These businessmen were dependent on the idols
§ Couldn’t these craftsmen just come up with another design for Jehovah?
§ The true God cannot be carried around in your pocket!
b. They didn’t seem to be open to finding other means of employment.
c. What
value were people in
d. What is the perceived value of an idol?
e. Does the idol have a controlling influence those who love the image?
3. The
uproar turned into a riot and culminated in a rally for the goddess Diana
(Airtimes). The assembly was in a 25,000
seat amphitheater in
4. What was the 2-hour chant? V. 28
5. Does Christianity have impacts on idolatry today? 2 Cor. 6:16
a. How does Christianity impact commerce on Sunday? (Blue Laws and other)
b. How are sports, movies, television, pornography, and the lottery impacted?
These are things that enslave people by there addictive nature
c. Would we see an uproar if too many Christians boycotted these businesses?
d. Who would be in an uproar about less commerce on Sunday, less sports, movies, and gambling? What would be the chant? Freedom!?
6. What do you think Paul would have said if he had been allowed to speak to the crowd? V. 30
7. What would Paul have to say to our society today?
Conclusion
C. What
was the trouble Paul faced in
1. What
were the “wild beasts” Paul fought here in
2. What was Paul’s reminder to the Ephesian elders? Acts 20:18b-19
Conclusion
The world loves idols and has a
hard time giving them up. Paul’s
preaching in