Hello,
Read Acts 19:21-41
Today we get the story of Christianity in conversation (competition?) with worship of Greek Artemis (Roman Diana), and how Christianity is continuing to turn the world upside-down.
Do you all like how Luke writes? “No little disturbance broke out…” or as we would say, a big disturbance broke out between Demetrius the silversmith and followers of Jesus. Demetrius riles up the other silversmiths about how Paul has persuaded and drawn away people from worship of Artemis by saying that “gods made with hands are not gods.” Not only is this happening in Ephesus but in the surrounding region.
What is fascinating about this is that Ephesus was home to the Temple of Artemis, one of the 7 ancient wonders of the world. If there was an area that should have been more resistant and harder to persuade about worship of God and not the gods and goddesses of the Roman empire, then Ephesus was one of those towns, especially when it came to Artemis worship. And yet, Christianity is taking root.
Well, Demetrius succeeds in pulling at people’s emotions and religious passions and a mob forms. Paul, of course, wants to face the mob head on in Ephesus’ 25,000 seat theater. For hours confusion, and shouting reigns before the town clerk can quiet everyone enough to remind them of the danger of rioting and how that would impact the whole area economically and in the eyes of Rome. Notice, this is the way to disband the mob, because there are no worthy charges against the Christians who haven’t robbed the temple or uttered blasphemy against Artemis.
This story is an incredibly powerful story of how following Jesus reorients our priorities. Following Jesus shifts how we look at life, no longer were people buying little miniatures of Artemis because Artemis was being revealed as an idol even in Ephesus. It also shows how pockets of faithful people can have great impacts on the surrounding community. So few Christians began in Ephesus, and yet within a few years the culture has clearly shifted. What are ways that you can faithfully follow Jesus, trusting that small moments of faithfulness when partnered with the Spirit can change a family, and community?
Grace and Peace,
Matt