The Word Is Alive The Book of Acts

1. The Word Is AliveThe Book of Acts Chapter Nineteen Narrated by Tony Gillon

2. Chapter Nineteen • Acts 18:23–21:16 - The Witness in Ephesus (continues)

3. The Witness in Ephesus • Summary to Chapter Nineteen • How things stand at this point in time.

4. The Witness in Ephesus • Summary to Chapter Nineteen • How things stand at this point in time. • Paul arrives in Ephesus.

5. The Witness in Ephesus • Summary to Chapter Nineteen • How things stand at this point in time. • Paul arrives in Ephesus. • Paul teaches in the synagogue and then relocates to the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

6. The Witness in Ephesus • Summary to Chapter Nineteen • Paul teachings is supported by signs and wonders from God.

7. The Witness in Ephesus • Summary to Chapter Nineteen • Paul teachings is supported by signs and wonders from God. • The seven sons of Sceva.

8. The Witness in Ephesus • Summary to Chapter Nineteen • Paul teachings is supported by signs and wonders from God. • The seven sons of Sceva. • The Ephesian silversmiths cause a riot.

9. The Witness in Ephesus • Acts 19:1-22 - Paul in Ephesus

10. The Witness in Ephesus • Acts 19:1-22 - Paul in Ephesus • Ephesus was an important port city.

11. Ephesus from around the time of Paul

12. The Witness in Ephesus • Acts 19:1-22 - Paul in Ephesus • Ephesus was an important port city. • The city was wealthy especially due to the work of the Guild of Silversmiths.

13. The Witness in Ephesus • Acts 19:1-22 - Paul in Ephesus • Ephesus was an important port city. • The city was wealthy especially due to the work of the Guild of Silversmiths. • The Council of Ephesus, AD 431.

14. The Witness in Ephesus • Acts 19:1–10 – • Paul encounters disciples of John

15. The Witness in Ephesus • Acts 19:1–10 – • Paul encounters disciples of John • At Ephesus, Paul led some disciples of John the Baptist to Christ (vv.1–7). His Ephesian ministry then extended throughout the entire Asian province (vv.8–10).

16. The Witness in Ephesus • 1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples

17. The Witness in Ephesus • 1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples • While Apollos was at Corinth: • Apollos had come to Ephesus just after Paul’s first visit, then moved on to Corinth (Acts 18:27).

18. The Witness in Ephesus • Interior refers to the main highway that went westward through the mountainous region from Phrygia into Asia and on to Ephesus on the coast.

19. The Witness in Ephesus • Interior refers to the main highway that went westward through the mountainous region from Phrygia into Asia and on to Ephesus on the coast. • Disciples here refers to followers of John the Baptist (v.4).

20. The Witness in Ephesus • Paul apparently was pleased with the work Apollos had done in his absence, and was now doing in Corinth.

21. The Witness in Ephesus • Paul apparently was pleased with the work Apollos had done in his absence, and was now doing in Corinth. • I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. (Continued).

22. The Witness in Ephesus • What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptised into the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:10-13). • Cephas being the apostle Peter.

23. The Witness in Ephesus • Personal comment: • It is inconsistent with the doctrine of Christ crucified, resurrected and glorified, not to be baptised into the Holy Spirit, as being baptised in the name of Jesus is the same thing as long as those who are baptised do accept the giving of the Holy Spirit and allow him to indwell them, teach them, guide them and convict them of the truth. (Continued).

24. The Witness in Ephesus • Let us often consider what we have been baptised into, that we may live up to our baptism and the promises we make.

25. The Witness in Ephesus • 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.”

26. The Witness in Ephesus • That they had not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit indicates they had not heard of the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), and therefore they probably had not heard much of Jesus’ life and ministry either, and certainly not of his death and resurrection.

27. The Witness in Ephesus • Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervour and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.(Acts 18:25).

28. The Witness in Ephesus • They would have known about John’s message: • John answered them all, “I baptise you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire(Luke 3:16).

29. The Witness in Ephesus • 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 baptised into the name of the Lord Jesus.

30. The Witness in Ephesus • John’s baptism: • They had probably been baptised by someone who themselves was not fully aware of the Gospel.

31. The Witness in Ephesus • John’s baptism: • They had probably been baptised by someone who themselves was not fully aware of the Gospel. • They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan — the one you testified about — well, he is baptising, and everyone is going to him” (John 3:26).

32. The Witness in Ephesus • We should recognise there were many who were recipients of John’s baptism, who then went on to be disciples of Jesus without undergoing a further baptism.

33. The Witness in Ephesus • We should recognise there were many who were recipients of John’s baptism, who then went on to be disciples of Jesus without undergoing a further baptism. • Having learned how Jesus had fulfilled the message of John the Baptist, these disciples of John submitted to baptism into the name of the Lord Jesus, in contrast to their former baptism of repentance only.

34. The Witness in Ephesus • 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

35. The Witness in Ephesus • 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. • The Holy Spirit came on them means they received the new covenant fullness and power of the Holy Spirit, something that happened to Jesus’ disciples for the first time on the day of Pentecost.

36. The Witness in Ephesus • Their speaking in tongues and prophesying was an outward demonstration and verification of their receiving the Spirit. • For a fuller understanding of the gifts of the Spirit we need to read commentaries on 1 Corinthians Chapters 12–14.

37. The Witness in Ephesus • 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.

38. The Witness in Ephesus • Entered the synagogue: • Paul taught in the synagogue for three months before having to relocate, showing he gave every effort and opportunity for the Jews to believe in Jesus.

39. The Witness in Ephesus • Entered the synagogue: • Paul taught in the synagogue for three months before having to relocate, showing he gave every effort and opportunity for the Jews to believe in Jesus. • He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel”(Matthew 15:24).

40. The Witness in Ephesus • Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience(2 Corinthians 5:11).

41. The Witness in Ephesus • Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience(2 Corinthians 5:11). • We were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention. • (1 Thessalonians 2:2b).

42. The Witness in Ephesus • Although these men were Jews and would claim to worship the God of Israel, in reality their hearts were hardened so that when they heard about Jesus they became obstinate.

43. The Witness in Ephesus • Although these men were Jews and would claim to worship the God of Israel, in reality their hearts were hardened so that when they heard about Jesus they became obstinate. • The Way was a common name for describing those who were followers of Jesus. • It was also called The Life.

44. The Witness in Ephesus • He took the disciples with him: • It seems that Paul may have taken the new Jewish converts out of the synagogue to lecture hall, so they would not come under the influence of those who opposed the Gospel, and thus be dragged back into their old ways.

45. The Witness in Ephesus • This is what Peter probably intimated at Pentecost: • With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation”(Acts 2:40).

46. The Witness in Ephesus • Daily discussions: • Once again, Paul did not restrict his teaching and Gospel proclamation to the Sabbaths, but worked each and every day, taking every opportunity to reach as many people as would listen to him.

47. The Witness in Ephesus • Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working” (John 5:17).

48. The Witness in Ephesus • Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working” (John 5:17). • Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him(Luke 19:47).

49. The Witness in Ephesus • The lecture hall of Tyrannus: • Some Greek manuscripts, in the Western text tradition, add that the daily lectures were held between the hours of 11:00 and 16:00, which included the hottest part of the day, when people would traditionally stop work for a midday siesta. Some may have then used this time more profitably to come and hear the word of God.

50. The Witness in Ephesus • 10This 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.