Transcript

Distinguished Producer

Lifespring Family member Berean Brother Paul of Seattle

Podcast Introduction

Today is Gospel Saturday. We’ll read Acts 19-20. I’m calling today’s episode “Big Business.” 

Comments on Acts 19-20

Thoughts on Acts 19

So Paul sort of stirred things up in Ephesus, didn’t he? There was a whole industry built around the worship of Artemis. The silversmith, Demetrius, had a financial interest in keeping people devoted to this false god, didn’t he? It was big business. 

What really caught my attention about this scene was when, during the confusion at the big assembly, it said in verse 32 that “Most of the people did not even know why they were there.” That even happens now at big demonstrations. There’s mass confusion, shouting and even violence, and many of the demonstrators don’t know why they’re even there. And some are there for their own vested interests. 

As it says in Ecclesiastes, “there’s nothing new under the sun”. Beloved, people don’t change. Circumstances change, but men and women are still the same. They needed Jesus in Paul’s time, and we need Jesus now.

Thoughts on Acts 20

For me, the thing that stands out here in Acts 20 is where Paul says, “I want to finish the race that I’m running. I want to carry out the mission I received from the Lord Jesus; the mission of testifying to the Good News of God’s kindness.” 

Paul had already been on the receiving end of quite a lot of persecution, and the Holy Spirit told him that in every city imprisonment and suffering was waiting for him. Yet he was determined to run…and finish…the race.

I want to have that kind of determination, too. Don’t you? When your race is over and you stand before God, don’t you want to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” To me, that will be a glorious day, and I will do whatever it takes, go through any trial, to hear those words. 

What about you? 

As time winds down, and I believe we are in the final days, living for Jesus is not going to get any easier. We look at the news today and we see how persecution against believers around the world is growing. One of the most important things we can do is to decide, before persecution comes to us, what we will do when we look it in the face. That’s one of the reasons we’re told in scripture that we will face trials. God wants us to know that things aren’t going wrong when those times come. He wants us to know that it’s part of His plan. And He wants us to prepare mentally, emotionally and spiritually. 

Have you given any thought to what you will do if and when this kind of persecution comes your way? I pray it never does, but it is good to be prepared.

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 19 CEB; Ch. 20 GWT

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Transcript

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STEVE WEBB – 0:00
Paul was determined to run and to finish the race.

INTRO S12E332 – 0:11
Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, And podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we were reading through the entire Bible in a year. Today’s Gospel Saturday. We’ll read Acts 19 and 20. And I’m calling today’s episode, “Big Business”. Today’s show notes page is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e332. My email address is st***@*************ia.com. Monday is August 1, and on that show, I’m going to be making an announcement, so you’re not going to want to miss that episode. Just a heads up for you. Let’s get started.

ACTS 19 (NIV) – 0:50
Acts, chapter 19. (1) While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples (2) and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

(3) So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”

“John’s baptism,” they replied.

(4) Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” (5) On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (6) When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. (7) There were about twelve men in all.

(8) Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. (9) 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. (10) 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.

(11) God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, (12) 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.

(13) 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.” (14) Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. (15) One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?” (16) 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.

(17) 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. (18) Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. (19) 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. (20) In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

(21) After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.” (22) He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.

(23) About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. (24) A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. (25) 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. (26) 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. (27) 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.”

(28) When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” (29) Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. (30) Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. (31) Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

(32) The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. (33) The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. (34) But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

(35) The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: “Fellow Ephesians, doesn’t all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? (36) Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. (37) You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess. (38) If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges. (39) If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. (40) As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it.” (41) After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

ACTS 20 (GWT) – 5:51
Acts, chapter 20. (1) When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples, encouraged them, said goodbye, and left for Macedonia. (2) He went through that region and spoke many words of encouragement to the people. Then he went to Greece (3) and stayed there for three months.

When Paul was going to board a ship for Syria, he found out that the Jews were plotting to kill him. So he decided to go back through Macedonia. (4) Sopater (son of Pyrrhus) from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia accompanied Paul. (5) All these men went ahead and were waiting for us in Troas. (6) After the Festival of Unleavened Bread, we boarded a ship at Philippi. Five days later we joined them in Troas and stayed there for seven days.

(7) On Sunday we met to break bread. Paul was discussing Scripture with the people. Since he intended to leave the next day, he kept talking until midnight. (8) (Many lamps were lit in the upstairs room where we were meeting.)

(9) A young man named Eutychus was sitting in a window. As Paul was talking on and on, Eutychus was gradually falling asleep. Finally, overcome by sleep, he fell from the third story and was dead when they picked him up. (10) Paul went to him, took him into his arms, and said, “Don’t worry! He’s alive!” (11) Then Eutychus went upstairs again, broke the bread, and ate. Paul talked with the people for a long time, until sunrise, and then left.

(12) The people took the boy home. They were greatly relieved that he was alive.

(13) We went ahead to the ship and sailed for the city of Assos. At Assos, we were going to pick up Paul. He had made these arrangements, since he had planned to walk overland to Assos. (14) When Paul met us in Assos, we took him on board and went to the city of Mitylene. (15) We sailed from there. On the following day we approached the island of Chios. The next day we went by the island of Samos, and on the next day we arrived at the city of Miletus. (16) Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia. He was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem for the day of Pentecost, if that was possible.

(17) From Miletus Paul sent messengers to the city of Ephesus and called the spiritual leaders of the church to meet with him in Miletus. (18) When they were with him, he said to them, “You know how I spent all my time with you from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia. (19) I humbly served the Lord, often with tears in my eyes. I served the Lord during the difficult times I went through when the Jews plotted against me. (20) I didn’t avoid telling you anything that would help you, and I didn’t avoid teaching you publicly and from house to house. (21) I warned Jews and Greeks to change the way they think and act and to believe in our Lord Jesus.

(22) “I am determined to go to Jerusalem now. I don’t know what will happen to me there. (23) However, the Holy Spirit warns me in every city that imprisonment and suffering are waiting for me. (24) But I don’t place any value on my own life. I want to finish the race I’m running. I want to carry out the mission I received from the Lord Jesus—the mission of testifying to the Good News of God’s kindness.

(25) “Now I know that none of you whom I told about God’s kingdom will see me again. (26) Therefore, I declare to you today that I am not responsible for the spiritual death of any of you. (27) I didn’t avoid telling you the whole plan of God. (28) Pay attention to yourselves and to the entire flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops to be shepherds for God’s church which he acquired with his own blood. (29) I know that fierce wolves will come to you after I leave, and they won’t spare the flock. (30) Some of your own men will come forward and say things that distort the truth. They will do this to lure disciples into following them. (31) So be alert! Remember that I instructed each of you for three years, day and night, at times with tears in my eyes.

(32) “I am now entrusting you to God and to his message that tells how kind he is. That message can help you grow and can give you the inheritance that is shared by all of God’s holy people.

(33) “I never wanted anyone’s silver, gold, or clothes. (34) You know that I worked to support myself and those who were with me. (35) I have given you an example that by working hard like this we should help the weak. We should remember the words that the Lord Jesus said, ‘Giving gifts is more satisfying than receiving them.’”

(36) When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. (37) Everyone cried a lot as they put their arms around Paul and kissed him. (38) The thought of not seeing Paul again hurt them most of all. Then they took Paul to the ship.

COMMENTS – 10:27
So in Acts 19, Paul sort of stirred things up in Ephesus, didn’t he? There was a whole industry built around the worship of Artemis and the silversmith, Demetrius even had a financial interest in keeping people devoted to this false god didn’t he? It was big business.

What really caught my attention about this scene was when during the confusion at the big assembly, it said in verse 32 that “Most of the people did not even know why they were there.” Well, that even happens now with big demonstrations, doesn’t it? There’s mass confusion, shouting and even violence. And many of the demonstrators don’t even know why they’re there. And some are there for their own vested interests as Demetrius was.

Well as it says in Ecclesiastes, “there’s nothing new under the sun”. Beloved, people don’t change. Circumstances change, but men and women are still the same. They needed Jesus in Paul’s time, and we need him now.

And then in Acts 20, the thing that stands out to me is where Paul says, “I want to finish the race that I’m running. I want to carry out the mission I received from the Lord Jesus; the mission of testifying to the Good News of God’s kindness.”

Paul had already been on the receiving end of quite a lot of persecution. And the Holy Spirit told him that in every city imprisonment and suffering was waiting for him. Yet Paul was determined to run and to finish the race.

Beloved, I want to have that kind of determination, too, don’t you? When your race is over, and you stand before God, don’t you want to hear the words “Well done, good and faithful servant.” To me, that’ll be a glorious day, and I’ll do whatever it takes. I’ll go through any trial to hear those words.

I hope you feel the same way. And as time runs down, and I believe we are in the final days, living for Jesus is not going to get any easier. We look at the news today and we see how persecution against believers around the world is growing. And one of the most important things we can do is to decide before persecution comes to us what we will do when we look it in the face. That’s one of the reasons we’re told in scripture that we will face trials. God wants us to know that things aren’t going wrong when these times come. He wants us to know that it’s part of his plan, and he wants us to prepare mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Have you given any thought to what you’ll do when this kind of persecution comes your way? I pray it never does. But it is good to be prepared. What do you think? You have a comment? Let me know, lifespringmedia.com/s12e332. Tomorrow is Epistles Sunday and our reading will be 1 John 1 through 3.

Boost.

DISTINGUISHED PRODUCER SHOUT-OUT – 13:20
Lifespring Family Berean Brother Paul of Seattle sent in his weekly row-‘o-ducks donation of 22.22. Thank you, Brother Paul. You are today’s Distinguished Producer. Thank you, Brother Paul. And God bless you.

BRYAN DUNCAN’S NEW PODCAST – 13:40
Interspersed in all my other activities, I’ve been working on my friend Bryan Duncan’s website for his new podcast Nutshell Sermons. It’s almost completely dialed in for this first iteration. It looks pretty good, I think. Stop on by and take a look at nutshellsermons.com. Right now he’s got eleven episodes up and he’s got over thirty more in the wings already. Here’s his first episode. It’s called Not Really A Preacher.

EPISODE 1 OF NUTSHELL SERMONS – 14:04
Hi, it’s Bryan, your lunatic friend. Welcome to Nutshell Sermons. I’m not really a preacher. I don’t even play one on TV. But I have sat under a lot of sermons. Most of them are like three hours long, or at least they feel that way. And then I think to myself, “Wow, this could have been said in about two minutes.” I’m just a pragmatic guy sitting in the back row, trying to figure things out. Hey, I don’t claim to be an authority on biblical teaching or spiritual matters, but I like a song that Bonnie Raitt sings that says, “I ain’t no icon carved out a soap sent here to clean up your reputation.” I am, however, a believer in Jesus, that He has a plan for my life. But I’ve discovered there’s a lot of mental ping-pong going on every day trying to separate fact from fiction in following him. So I thought I would share my nutshell sermons with you. Take them with a grain of salt.

SUBSCRIBE TO NUTSHELL SERMONS – 15:03
You can subscribe to Nutshell Sermons on your favorite podcast app and his is a value-for-value podcast. Take a look at nutshellsermons.com/support.

ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 15:23
On this date in church history, July 30, 1718, William Penn died. He was the English Quaker statesman and colonial leader. His frame of government for the American colony of Pennsylvania in 1682 established the structure for religious and political freedom in the colony. Penn’s best known writing is the ethically challenging “No Cross, No Crown” which he wrote in 1669.

And on this date in church history, July 30, 1822, African-American clergyman James Varick was consecrated as the first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.

PRAYER REQUESTS – 16:10
For prayer requests, I do have an update on Kathi. She’s still at Loma Linda University Medical Center, and she’s doing well. After her blood transfusions, her hemoglobin count went up to 10. It’s been as low as four and normally is 10 and a half to 15. So she’s doing pretty well there. The doc has moved her from a liquid diet to soft foods, so that’s good. They just want to be sure that she can handle food without throwing up or losing blood again. They’re trying to be sure there is no more bleeding going on in her esophagus. Also, she’s supposed to have a physical therapy session today with the goal of walking around the nurse’s station. Thank you so much for your prayers for Kathi and Del. I really appreciate it, and they do, too.

CLOSING PRAYER – 16:52
All right, let’s pray. Our heavenly Father thank You for Your word and for letting us know that we should be prepared for difficulties, And that when they come it isn’t because things have gone sideways. They’re expected. Strengthen us, Lord, when those times come and help us to remain faithful and focused on you. I thank you for having your hand on Kathi and Del, and for the Loma Linda medical staff. Please continue to strengthen her lord and bring healing to her body.

And thank you, Lord for the Lifespring family. They have been a blessing to me and I pray God that you would really bless each one of them. I pray this in Jesus name, amen.

If you have a prayer request or a praise go to – what is it? prayer.lifespringmedia.com.

OUTRO S12E332 – 17:43
Comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e332. Send an email to me at st***@*************ia.com. Thanks to the team: Kirsty. Sean of San Pedro and Denise. Thank you to Brother Paul of Seattle for his weekly row-of-ducks donation. And thank you for letting me spend some time with you today. Support the show please at lifespringmedia.com/support.

And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb.

Bye.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai
Corrected by Denise