The Fight

1. The Fight The End of Paul’s 3rd Missionary Journey Acts 19-20

2. How would you respond? A Christian friend says, “I believe in Christ, but I don’t see why we need to get all worked-up about this idea of developing a so-called personal ministry” Ministry Rocks!

3. 5,000-10,000! Acts 19:19 And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of all; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. Laodicea

4. 1 Corinthians 16:8-9 (NASB95) But I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; for a wide door for effective service has opened to me… Laodicea and there are many adversaries.

5. The Fight 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 no little business for the craftsmen.

6. The Fight 25 He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: “Men, you know 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 man-made gods are no gods at all.”

7. The Fight 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.”

8. The Fight 28 And when they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 And the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia.

9. The Fight 30 And when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, the disciples would not let him. 31 And also some of the Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to venture into the theater.

10. The Fight 32 So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and the majority did not know for what cause they had come together.

11. The Fight 33 And some of the crowd concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the assembly. 34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single outcry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

12. The Fight 35 And after quieting the multitude, the town clerk said, “Men of Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, and of the image which fell down from heaven?” 36 “Since then these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash.

13. The Fight 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.” 38 “So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against any man, the courts are in session and proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the lawful assembly.”

14. The Fight 40 “For indeed we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today’s affair, since there is no real cause for it; and in this connection we shall be unable to account for this disorderly gathering.” 41 And after saying this he dismissed the assembly.

15. The Fight • Falsehood Exists. • Why not believe in Artemis? • She Doesn’t Exist. • She Cannot Save. • She Cannot Even Help.

16. The Fight • Falsehood Exists. • " Leads to a Kind of Madness. • Po Worship: as Valid as Any Religion?

17. …A Kind of Madness FRIEND: Add up all the non believers, and you come up with more people believe in alternative means to salvation than Christ… KEITH: What is this? truth by numbers? Democratic truth? FRIEND: Using the science of statistics, I'm best off in the non Christ group. KEITH: Strange science, Charles. When the vast majority of people believed the world was flat, they were wrong. FRIEND: No they were not. FRIEND: Look outside, using your own perception the world is flat KEITH: sorry Charles, if we're going to debate whether the world is round or flat, i think you just lost me on that one

18. Incorruptable God The Fight • Falsehood Exists. • " Leads to a Kind of Madness. • Po Worship: as Valid as Any Religion? • Imaginary Truth: Arbitrary and Chaotic. Though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but became futile in their speculations, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four footed animals and crawling creatures… Romans 1:19ff

19. The Fight • Falsehood Exists. • " Leads to a Kind of Madness. • " is Contagious. 1 Tim. 4:1 (NASB-U) But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons… So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know for what reason they had come together…they shouted for about two hours, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!“ Acts 19:32,35 (NASB95)

20. An Interesting Story Dr. Joel Hughes

21. I got an email today… • The message: • “I would like to share with you my new non-profit site, www.holophany.com as part of my effort to promote Holophany. Holophany is a new philosophy and logic, a theory of Creation and creativity that weds science and consciousness under the canopy of rational spirituality…through Holophany a person can learn the process of Creation and creativity as well as how to bridge warring nations into peaceful relations. Holophany is that body of knowledge where man learns that each and every man is at once connected to and equally an expression of God…”

22. The Background… • A minor celebrity (for her new age stuff) in Israel… • In 1987 she started receiving mainly scientific messages from a spiritual source-”SHET.” • “Having no scientific background, she turned to physicists to gain insight into the nature of these messages as well as to inquire into their worth…they proved to be very valuable. Over the years, she has had 1130 sessions with SHET. • She was featured in a book about the “ten most amazing people in Israel” by journalist Rami Shir, and she has lectured and held workshops on the SHET material in Israel and Montreal, some of the latter for psychologists and psychiatrists. • She’s spamming university email accounts in the US to promote herself…

23. The Website… The book… The celebrity…

24. Some Quotes… “Every eye sees God differently and every eye is right.” -SHET “Each person, animal or rock is a different expression of the spiritual wholeness, of God…” -SHET

25. Conclusion? • SHET is full it… “a new philosophy and logic…that weds science…under the canopy of rational spirituality… Then: “Since Creation is God’s thoughts…” • Holophany is a tired rehashing of new-age pantheism. • Shet is probably a demon; a real spiritual being that lies to this woman. • Who would buy into this?

26. Who Would Buy Into This?

27. “Truth Is Relative,Say Americans” Source: Barna Research Group, February, 2002

28. The Fight • Falsehood Exists. • " Leads to a Kind of Madness. • " is Contagious. But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness , although they have denied its power; 2 Tim. 3:2-5

29. The Fight • Falsehood Exists. • " Leads to a Kind of Madness. • " is Contagious. • " Necessitates a Response. • We should be burdened. When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. Mark 6:34 (NASB95) [They] repeatedly urged [Paul] not to venture into the theater

30. The Fight “Why can’t you Christians just liveand let live?” • Falsehood Exists. • " Leads to a Kind of Madness. • " is Contagious. • " Necessitates a Response. • We should be burdened. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:31 (NLT) • Is It Reasonable to Assume That: • God would make salvation freely available… • Pay a Horrific Price for It… • And Then Regard it all Optional? How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? Hebrews 10:29 (NIV)

31. The Fight • Falsehood Exists. • " Leads to a Kind of Madness. • " is Contagious. • " Necessitates a Response. • We should be burdened. • It Is Not Possible to Hide.

32. “Absolute Truth” broken down by: “There are moral truths which are unchanging, and that truth is absolute, not relative to the circumstances” Evangelicals Source: Barna Research Group, November, 2001

33. “Truth”Among Teenagers Source: Barna Research Group, February, 2002

34. The Fight • Falsehood Exists. • " Leads to a Kind of Madness. • " is Contagious. • " Necessitates a Response. • We should be burdened. • It is Not Possible to Hide. • Christians Cannot Sit Still.

35. Paul Could Not Sit Still After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and when he had exhorted them and taken his leave of them, he left to go to Macedonia. When he had gone through those districts and had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece. And there he spent three months…Acts 20:1-6 (NASB95)

36. "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first… Revelation 2:1-5 (NIV) “…had given them much exhortation”

37. Paul’s Response But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away. 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 (NASB95) And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas… Acts 20:1-6 (NASB95) Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first…Revelation 2:5 (NIV) Not an Option

38. The Eutychus Syndrome 20:7-12 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead.

39. The Eutychus Syndrome 20:7-12 But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, "Do not be troubled, for his life is in him." When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten , he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted.

40. The Eutychus Syndrome 20:7-12 • What does it mean? Let's not be too hard on Eutychus. At least he was there for the service, and he did try to keep awake…—Bible Exposition Commentary - New Testament Christians who slumber during one hour in church somehow manage to stay awake during early morning fishing trips, lengthy sporting events and concerts, or late-night TV specials…We need to prepare ourselves physically for public worship to make sure we are at our best—Bible Exposition Commentary - New Testament Sleeping when hearing the word, is an evil thing, a sign of low esteem of the word of God. —Matthew Henry Concise

41. The Eutychus Syndrome 20:7-12 • What does it mean? “Christianity Today”

42. How would you respond? A Christian friend says, “I believe in Christ, but I don’t see why we need to get all worked-up about this idea of developing a so-called personal ministry” Ministry Rocks! I'm No Eutychus! What Could Possibly Be More Vital?