Acts 19-20 for The Well

  1. Apollos, a disciple of John, has prepared the way in Ephesus
    1. Ephesus was the capital of proconsular Asia, BIG city, most of Asian trade went through the port of Ephesus
    2. Temple of Diana was a sanctuary for criminals
    3. Ephesus means "Darling, maiden of choice"
  2. Paul arrives and can tell something is missing, but finds out they only know about John the Baptist's teaching on the Messiah
  3. Paul teaches them about Jesus and then they are baptized in the the name of the Lord Jesus.
    1. Baptism in the OT
      1. Noah and the Ark = Baptism
        1 Peter 3:20 …in the days of Noah
        while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through
        water,
        1Pet. 3:21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also‚Äö?Ñ?Ænot the removal
        of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by
        the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
        1Pet. 3:22 who has gone into heaven and is at God‚Äö?Ñ?¥s right hand‚Äö?Ñ?Æwith angels,
        authorities and powers in submission to him.

      2. Moses and the Hebrews through the Red Sea
        1Cor. 10:1 ¬¨¬? For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our
        forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea.
        1Cor. 10:2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

      3. Jews used the word to talk about ceremonial cleansing of the face and hands
      4. Done to consecrate a priest
        Ex. 29:4 Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and
        wash them with water.
        1. John the Baptist, son of Zechariah -a high priest- must baptize Jesus "to fulfill all righteousness"
          Matt. 3:14 But John tried to deter him, saying, ‚Äö?Ñ??I need to be baptized by you, and do you
          come to me?‚Äö?Ñ??
          Matt. 3:15 ¬¨¬? Jesus replied, ‚Äö?Ñ??Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all
          righteousness.‚Äö?Ñ?? Then John consented.

    2. Baptism in the NT
      1. John the Baptist – Baptism of Repentance, turning, showing a change of lifestyle
      2. Jesus – Baptism of Spirit, rebirth, healing, a new creation
      3. Baptism vs. "Baptism of the Holy Spirit"
        1. different dividing issues on Baptism
          1. sprinkle vs. immerse
          2. necessary vs. optional
          3. separate event vs. all one event
            Acts 10:44 ¬¨¬? While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who
            heard the message.
            Acts 10:45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that
            the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.
            Acts 10:46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. ¬¨¬? Then Peter
            said,
            Acts 10:47 ‚Äö?Ñ??Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have
            received the Holy Spirit just as we have.‚Äö?Ñ??
            Acts 10:48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they
            asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

          4. infant vs. believer's
        2. Baptism and tongues
          1. 1906 they were associated together
          2. Paul says it's better to prophesy
            1Cor. 14:1 ¬¨¬? Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift
            of prophecy.
            1Cor. 14:2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God.
            Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.
            1Cor. 14:3 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening,
            encouragement and comfort.
            1Cor. 14:4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies
            the church.
            1Cor. 14:5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have
            you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless
            he interprets, so that the church may be edified.

    3. God Isn't a FORMULA! – Go to Him and His Word and see for yourself
    4. Baptism means to dip or to dye, and when things are dipped or dyed, they drip, and get whatever is around them wet and dyed also. I wish the same for all of you.
  4. Paul spoke in the synagoge and "built trust" as he persuaded them, then spent two years in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
  5. Paul's sweat rags and aprons were taken to people for their healing.
    1. DVD: 7:30 – 8:30, all the stuff YOU GET, no mention of Jesus, obedience, etc.
  6. Sons of Sceva
    1. "in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, come out."
      1. No authority
      2. no personal connection
      3. they believed in his magical powers, but not in His TOTAL AUTHORITY
      4. The Devil and his demons are tougher than you
        Mark 5:2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs
        to meet him.
        Mark 5:3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even
        with a chain.
        Mark 5:4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and
        broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.

      5. But if Christ is in you, you are tougher than anything
        1John 4:4 ¬¨¬? You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the
        one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

        2Cor. 10:3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
        2Cor. 10:4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the
        contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
        2Cor. 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the
        knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

      6. What should we focus on? -> JESUS
        Considering what I represent to that city, it would be wrong for me to focus on the darkness. I don't ever what to be impressed with the devil's work. I come as a house of God.–from p. 140 When Heaven Invades Earth

        I don't care what the devil plans to do. the Great Commission puts me onthe offensive. I've got the ball. And if I carry the ball effectively, his plans won't matter.
        Picture a football team in a huddle on the playing field. The coach sends in the play,and the quarterback communicates with his offensive teammates. On the sidelines is the opposing team's offense. Their quarterback linesup out of bounds with his offensive team, but they don't have the game ball, nor are they on the actual playing field. Now imagine the real offense getting distracted by the intimidating actions of the other offense. Caught up in their antics, they quarterback runs off the field in a panic, informing the coach tha tthey better put the defense on the field because the other team is about to use a surprise play. – p153

  7. Ephesian scroll burners
    1. Scrolls equal to modern day=just over $8 million
    2. These people made the step from belief in Jesus as having magical power to His TOTAL AUTHORITY
    3. are books just books, is music just music, are magazines just magazines?
  8. Demetrius the silversmith who made shrines of Artemis, the many breasted woman
    1. I shouldn't have to explain to a bunch of college students why a fertility cult would be so popular
    2. temple prostitutes worked there and were a part of the worship of Artemis/Diana
    3. Greed is motive #1, other religious stuff added on to gain support
    4. How often do we have a selfish motive, but add on some religious statements to make it sound good?
  9. Riot in Ephesus
    1. 25,000 people could sit in the ampitheatre <img src="http://blog.sullymedia.com/wp-photos/ephesus-stadium.jpg" alt="Stadium in Ephesus"
    2. Riot happened in 58 AD
    3. they don't even know why they are there.
    4. v. 37 "They have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess."
    5. In their witness and testimony, they showed the Way without offending anyone.
    6. Let the Truth offend, but not you. No one could speak against them because they acted in love
  10. Eutychus falls out the window
    1. The Greek word meant child. So crowded they were putting kids in window sills!
    2. Paul preached so long because it was his farewell message!
    3. Paul preached all night and then walked the 20 miles to Assos.
      1. Time alone
        Mark 6, Jesus feeds 5000 and then spends the night alone, sends the disciples off ahead of Him (Except when He walked He wasn't cutting across land, He was cutting across water)
      2. All Nighters
        Luke 5:16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
  11. Paul leaves Ephesus and makes a few other stops ‚Äö?Ñ?¨map on page 1685, NIV Study Bible
    1. Celebrates Passover in Philippi
      1. Still doing some Jewish things!
      2. Breaks bread on first day of the week in Troas! not Jewish
  12. Ephesian elders come to meet Paul in Miletus
    1. He sites his life as part of his teaching
    2. v. 21, he is referring back to building from John the Baptist's teaching and going on to the Gospel of Jesus Christ
    3. v. 24 "I consider my life worth nothing."
      1. how many people make their lives nothing because they think they consider it something
        Luke 12:29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.
        Luke 12:30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that
        you need them.
        Luke 12:31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

    4. He tells them to protect the flock. In Revelation 2 that is something that Jesus commends them for – testing all who came to them claiming to be apostles or teachers

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