Today, my most recent podcast is available. The subject is on the riot on Ephesus, and if you haven’t, check it out!

While studying for my podcast, I realized that I have never given as much thought to this story as I should. You see, this story gives amazing insights into what life was like in 1st century Ephesus. On top of that, though, it gives a wonderful testimony to the Apostle Paul’s character–straight from an idolater’s mouth!

You see, in Acts 19 we are introduced to a man named Demetrious. He is a silversmith, and most commonly works on figures of the goddess Diana (the temple guardian of Ephesus). But here’s the thing: if you’re a silversmith who works solely on figurines of the goddess, you start losing money when people start converting to Christianity. That’s exactly what’s happening here, and thus why the riot at Ephesus happens in the first place.

One interesting thing about this story are the words that Demetrious says in order to provoke the other craftsmen. In verse 26, he says,

“Moreover 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.”

Clearly it’s upsetting to this silversmith that Paul is stealing all of his customers, telling them that the true God isn’t made with hands–isn’t crafted by a silversmith. And yet, what a beautiful description Demetrious gives.

Paul, singlehandedly, has persuaded and turned many people from the sin of idolatry. We know from Scriptures like Colossians 1:23 that the great commission had been fulfilled in the 1st century (that every person had heard the gospel), and the reason is because the Apostle Paul was on fire! He was unstoppable! He spent himself, day in and day out, in teaching and preaching the gospel, even in a world that wasn’t very inviting.

I mean, how inviting would it have been to go to all of these places with magnificent temples erected, and preach to them that God does not dwell in temples made with hands? And yet, that’s the exact message that Paul is taking to the idolatry-ridden first century.

What messages does our world need to hear? What is our culture given over to? Selfishness, materialism, adultery, homosexuality? Like Paul, we must take the gospel message out to the world, even if it doesn’t seem inviting. One of the reasons I believe Paul was successful is because he recognized that those around him were lost. He knew that worshipping an idol was a sin, and thus it was his duty to show people the right way–the way that leads to heaven above.

We have the Scriptures. From them, we know what is right and what is wrong. And, we all know people who are doing what is wrong. We must arm ourselves (with Scripture) and go out onto the battlefield with this soul-saving information. We must dare to speak out like the Apostle Paul did. We must love people enough to show them the error of their ways.

It is my prayer that my life will be so consumed with Jesus and His will that even those of the world, like Demetrious, will see Him at work in my life.