Rioting in the Theater

In one paragraph

The pastor walked through Acts 19:21-41, the account of the riot in the theater at Ephesus, using it to ask what the "undeniable facts" of our own society look like and whether the way Christians live their lives quietly challenges them. The sermon was more narrative and historical than the previous two weeks, and he said plainly that he intended it that way. Paul, still in Ephesus after years of...

Read together

1. Acts 19:21 Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to go to Macedonia and Achaia before Jerusalem
2. Acts 19:23-41 the narrative of the riot in the theater at Ephesus concerning the Way
3. Philippians 4:19 quoted as first principle of giving: God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus
4. Matthew 6:21 quoted as second principle of giving: where your treasure is, there your heart will be also
5. Matthew 28:19 the Great Commission referenced in the context of baptism: go therefore making disciples, teaching and baptizing
6. Acts 1:8 Jesus telling Christians they will be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts

Talk about it

1. The pastor talked about Paul feeling 'compelled by the spirit' and then saying 'I must go to Rome,' describing it as a divine necessity. What is something you sense God compelling you toward, and what makes it hard to say yes to that?
2. Demetrius was not wrong that Paul's preaching was costing him business. When has living out your faith cost you something, and how did you handle that?
3. The pastor listed things like the big bang, evolution, and 'this is all there is' as examples of what society treats as undeniable facts. What are some of those assumptions you run into most often, and how do you respond to them?
4. The mayor pointed out that most people in that amphitheater did not even know why they were there, yet they were chanting along. Can you think of a time you found yourself going along with a crowd without stopping to ask why?
5. The Temple of Artemis took 120 years to build, was once one of the greatest structures in the world, and today has one column left standing with nobody worshiping there. What does that picture say to you about where you are placing your confidence and energy right now?