Acts 19:19-41

Barcelona, Spain

Well, as it turns out, the great goddess Artemis - of the Ephesians! - isn’t so great after all. She is one in a long line of false gods - man-made objects of affection, trust, pride, and worship. But this story isn’t about Artemis. She is long forgotten. It is more about the devil and our desires that entice and drag us away. These same passions, when brought to fruition, result in death (James 1:15). And it is a reminder that we too - 2,000 some-odd years later - live in a fragile world subject to the same human conditions and tempter.

It is said that money is the root of all kinds of evil. That’s true. People are easily deceived. And our desire to accumulate wealth and power is immense. We see in this story how sneaky Demetrius was. He used the mob to get his way. The same tactic is prevalent today. Demetrius’ issue was lost demand for his evil product. Culture changes when people hear and understand the truth. And when they change what they do. The demand for nasty idols is eliminated when souls are won by God.

The message of the Saviour is the most valuable and powerful commodity. It gives life, healing, hope, and new birth into the Kingdom of God. The Messiah’s message is the treasure of eternal value. The devil and his demons know this well. They (v. 25) want to deceive people into believing that value comes from ourselves, our tribes, our stuff, and our ‘magnificent goddesses.’ That’s all lies. But it is effective. The devil succeeds when he motivates us to selfishness. We are tempted to hoard our possessions, protect our pride and increase the prestige of whatever group we belong to. Satan’s goal is to use and abuse you. He is motivated to keep you a slave to sin. The devil wins when he isolates people and when he produces bitterness. Today we have more electronic connections than imaginable. Yet mental illness, isolation, suicide, and despair are peaking.

        Jesus is totally different. God loves us. He wants us to have life and to have it to the full. He offers complete freedom from sin with a power that breaks sin and its bondage. Jesus gives healthy community, satisfaction, joy, love, and unity.

Every generation, nay, every community, will have a Demetrius of Ephesus. Shockingly we will find them in the church. Idol worship is as old as back pain. The love of money, power, and control are rampant today. We see in this Scripture passage a wicked combination of the love of money and idol worship. That’s an evil concoction.

        It is a badge of honor (not to mention a commandment) to reject the worthless idols of the world (Isaiah 45). Paul was ready, willing, and able to confront the money grubbers promoting this evil. Alexander and the other Jews of Ephesus were timid in their approach. They had lived under Artemis for a long time. Nothing will change until the Holy Spirit saturates the situation. Despite Paul’s eagerness to jump into the fray here, God stepped in with a different solution. That’s a good lesson for us. Be wise. And patient. We can and should use our reasoning abilities and must be prepared to speak out with the courage of Paul. But let God take the lead and trust in Him for justice and a creative response.

The Giver of life, joy, and unity is the only real God. He is the source of all good gifts, professions, vocations, skills, and abilities. He’s the one that gives us the joyous gift of children and family (Psalm 127).

Our King requires order. And due process, truth, justice, and good governance. We, as his followers, must share the valuable message so generously shared with us. We must repent of our sins and believe in Jesus. Let’s obey God today in thankfulness.

Lord Jesus, please build up your saints today. Open our eyes to the design of your creation. Help us know the value of eternity in your Kingdom - with clean consciences, confidence in sins forgiven, and trust in Your limitless creativity. Amen.