Jesus I Know, Paul I Know, But Who Are You?

Acts 19:8-20

November 9, 1997

 

What happened in Ephesus?  Evidences of awakening taking place.  What were the patterns established for the church by the example in Ephesus? 

1. An intensive training in God's Word

2. A genuine reverence for the name of Christ

3. A seriousness concerning holy living

I. An Enlargement in the Proclamation of the Word

 

1. Content (v. 8) - The kingdom of God

Paul was saturating them with the gospel

 

2. Process (vv. 8-9)

a. Reasoning - discuss, dispute, argue (same as 17:2), to revolve in the mind, teach with question 

    and answer method, and give a discourse always with the idea of intellectual stimulus.  No 

    hesitation to confront others with truth.  Stott calls it, "dialogue evangelism."

b. Persuading - convince; it is more the idea of overcoming the excuses and barriers that hinder 

    faith (may take on nature of apologetics and certainly exposition)

So this was not an "information dump."  He was seeking to stir their thinking on the gospel.

 

3. Adjustments (vv. 9-10)

 

 

II. A Genuine Reverence for the Name of the Lord

 

Name "signifies the person, words and works of Jesus, so that anyone who uses his name identifies completely with its bearer and becomes a true representative" (Simon Kistemaker).  There is a contrast here indeed! v. 11-17

 

1. The Lord get the glory (vv. 11-12)

 

2. The name of the Lord is not to be prostituted (vv. 13-16)

 

3. Fear of the Lord is increased - the Lord is in control! (v. 17)

His name is magnified in the wondrous turn of events.

 

 

III.  A Seriousness Concerning Holy Living (vv. 18-20)

 

1. Process of repentance in believers (v. 18)

 

2. Where there is great reverence there is great repentance (v. 18)

 

3. In awakenings and revivals, repentance becomes more thorough (vv. 18-19)

 

4. Proclamation and witness has more credibility by holy people (v. 20)

"Mightily" - "with force and rapidity" - J. A. Alexander

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