Anthem Hayden

As Paul’s third missionary trip drew to a close, he and his ministry partners visited believers in Tyre, Ptolemais, and Caesarea. At each stop, the Holy Spirit spoke and clearly warned Paul that affliction and persecution awaited him in Jerusalem. Nevertheless, Paul remained steadfast in his conviction that the Spirit was using these warnings to prepare him for persecution, not to spare him from it.

In this week’s text, Paul is tenderhearted and loving as he informs the Ephesian elders that they will never again see him in this lifetime. This passage gives us a unique picture of Paul’s heart for people he loves, as well as a beautiful picture of what Godly leadership can and should look like in the local church. While Paul’s address was specifically to elders, his words of exhortation and encouragement can readily be applied to every believer.

This week’s text tells the story of a young man named Eutychus, who attended a church service in Troas to listen to Paul preach. Unfortunately, this young man positioned himself on a window ledge. While he was technically in the service, he was also right on the edge, right between the light of the room and the darkness of the night outside. During the marathon service, Eutychus grew drowsy and eventually fell asleep, which led him to plummet from the third-story to the ground below. This unusual account illustrates to us the very real risks of flirting with the edge, toying with darkness, and spiritually falling asleep.

From before Roman times, Ephesus was home to a local false goddess who became known as Artemis (known to the Romans as Diana). In this week’s passage a group of Ephesian craftsmen who fashioned idols of this false deity began a riot against the believers who were threatening their culture, religion, and livelihood. Soon a massive crowd formed as numerous other Ephesians joined in the tumult, even though most of them weren't clear on why they were upset and rioting. Fascinatingly, God used a representative of the local government to protect the believers, talk sense into the people, and quell the riot.

During Paul’s time in Ephesus, God poured out His Spirit in numerous exciting ways: people heard the Gospel, God performed extraordinary miracles, the
sick were healed, those under spiritual oppression were liberated through the power of Christ, the fear of the Lord fell upon all, the name of Jesus was extolled, people confessed their sins and renounced their sinful behavior, and the Word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily! We all desire to experience such powerful movements of the Lord... but what are we willing to do to see God move in similar ways?