November 28

Acts 18:19-28; Acts 19:1-41 (biblegateway.com)

The Gospel’s Power in Ephesus

After encouraging the young churches and writing letters to strengthen their faith, Paul continues his ministry, returning to Asia Minor where God powerfully works in Ephesus, establishing a strong church and spreading the gospel across the region.

Acts 18:19–28 — The Gospel Strengthened and Expanded

As Paul continues his journey from Corinth, he travels with Priscilla and Aquila and arrives at Ephesus, one of the most important cities in Asia Minor, known for its wealth, trade, and devotion to the goddess Artemis (v. 19). Ephesus would soon become a central hub for Paul’s later ministry. As was his custom, he entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews, explaining and proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the promised Messiah. The people listen with genuine interest and invite him to stay longer, but Paul declines, explaining that he must continue his journey, promising, “I will return again if God wills” (v. 20–21). His response reflects not reluctance but submission, as Paul lives by God’s timing, not human opportunity. His dependence on the Lord’s will sets an example of obedience for all who serve Christ.

Leaving Ephesus, Paul sails to Caesarea, then goes “up” to greet the church, likely referring to a visit to Jerusalem, and afterward travels “down” to Antioch (v. 22). This marks the close of his second missionary journey, bringing him back to the sending church that had originally commissioned him (Acts 15:35–36). Paul’s return to Antioch reminds us that missionary work is accountable work rooted in the fellowship, support, and prayers of the local church.

After spending some time there, Paul begins his third missionary journey, retracing his steps through Galatia and Phrygia to strengthen the disciples (v. 23). The word strengthen conveys the idea of establishing believers in sound doctrine and steadfast faith. Paul’s concern is not only for evangelism but also for endurance. Discipleship means more than conversion; it means nurturing believers toward maturity, ensuring that faith is both informed and anchored.

Meanwhile, in Ephesus, another servant of God emerges, Apollos, a Jew from Alexandria (v. 24). Alexandria, in Egypt, was a renowned center of education and Greek culture, home to the largest library of the ancient world and to a large, learned Jewish community. Apollos is described as “an eloquent man, mighty in the Scriptures,” indicating both intellectual giftedness and deep familiarity with the Old Testament. He has been “instructed in the way of the Lord” and speaks with spiritual fervor, teaching accurately about Jesus, though his understanding is incomplete, as he knows only “the baptism of John” (v. 25). Like John the Baptist, he calls people to repentance and expectation of the coming Messiah but does not yet understand the fullness of Christ’s redemptive work—His death, resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. His zeal is sincere, but his knowledge is limited.

As Apollos preaches boldly in the synagogue, Priscilla and Aquila, who have remained in Ephesus, recognize both his giftedness and his need for fuller instruction. They take him aside privately and “explain to him the way of God more accurately” (v. 26). Their approach models humility and spiritual wisdom. They do not publicly embarrass him but teach him graciously and personally. Their example illustrates how discipleship flourishes through patient mentorship and how both men and women can play vital roles in nurturing theological understanding within the church. God honors faithful teachers who quietly shape others for greater service.

With this deeper understanding of Christ and the Spirit’s work, Apollos soon desires to minister in Achaia, where Corinth is located. The believers in Ephesus encourage him and send letters of commendation to the disciples there, affirming his faith and ministry (v. 27). Upon his arrival, Apollos “greatly helps those who through grace had believed.” The phrase highlights the balance between divine grace and human faith. Salvation is entirely of God’s grace, yet it is received and lived out through faith. Apollos’s ministry builds up those already converted, strengthening their grasp of Scripture and confirming their confidence in Christ.

Apollos also engages in bold public debate, “powerfully refuting the Jews” and “showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus” (v. 28). His background in the Old Testament equips him to demonstrate that all the promises, from Moses to the Prophets, find their fulfillment in Jesus. His ministry complements Paul’s work, as Paul later writes, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6). Their partnership shows that the work of the gospel depends not on personal credit but on divine cooperation: many servants, one mission, one Lord.

This passage presents a vivid picture of how God builds His church through different kinds of people, including Paul, the missionary pioneer; Priscilla and Aquila, the faithful mentors; and Apollos, the eloquent teacher. Each contributes uniquely to the same redemptive purpose. The narrative also emphasizes key truths for believers today: ministry is guided by God’s providence, strengthened through biblical teaching, and multiplied through humble cooperation. Zeal without full understanding needs correction; knowledge without zeal needs fire, but when both unite under the Spirit’s leading, the result is effective witness.

Through Paul’s submission, Aquila and Priscilla’s quiet instruction, and Apollos’s refined zeal, Acts 18 closes with a portrait of the early church functioning in harmony, with many members and one mission. The same Spirit who directed Paul’s steps continues to guide believers today, calling each to serve faithfully in the place and time God appoints, so that, together, the church might grow in truth, unity, and grace.

Acts 19:1–41 — The Gospel Confronts Darkness and Transforms a City

As Paul continues his mission, he arrives in Ephesus, where he had earlier left Priscilla and Aquila (v. 1). Ephesus stands as one of the most influential cities in the Roman world, renowned for its trade, wealth, culture, and its magnificent temple to Artemis (Diana), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The city’s devotion to this goddess made it a spiritual stronghold of pagan superstition and occult power. Into this setting of darkness, Paul brings the light of the gospel, a message that will soon transform not only individuals but the very heart of the city.

Upon arrival, Paul meets a group of disciples and asks them a crucial question: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” Their answer reveals an incomplete understanding of the faith. They have only received John’s baptism and have not heard the full message of Christ or the gift of the Spirit (v. 2–3). Paul explains that John’s baptism pointed forward to Jesus, calling for repentance in preparation for the coming Messiah. When these men hear the truth, they are baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. As Paul lays his hands on them, the Holy Spirit comes upon them, and they begin to speak in tongues and prophesy (v. 4–7). This marks their full inclusion into the new covenant community. Luke notes there were about twelve men, small in number, yet this faithful group becomes the beginning of a powerful work that God will expand throughout Asia Minor.

Paul then enters the synagogue and preaches boldly, reasoning and persuading the Jews about the kingdom of God for three months. His extended stay shows both the openness of some listeners and his determination to establish a lasting witness in the city. When some harden their hearts and begin to publicly slander “the Way,” Paul withdraws with the believers and begins daily teaching in the lecture hall of Tyrannus (v. 8–9). This marks a strategic shift from synagogue ministry to open discipleship. For two years, he continues this teaching ministry, training believers who, in turn, spread the gospel across the entire region; so much so that “all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord” (v. 10). Ephesus becomes a missionary training ground, from which churches in Colossae, Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Smyrna likely emerge. Paul’s ministry here reflects a balance of bold proclamation, patient instruction, and the multiplication of discipleship.

During this period, God performs extraordinary miracles through Paul, so remarkable that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched him were used to heal the sick and drive out evil spirits (v. 11–12). These miracles are not performed to entertain or elevate Paul but to demonstrate Christ’s power in a city obsessed with magic and the occult. The miracles expose the emptiness of superstition and confirm that true authority belongs to the risen Lord alone.

The contrast between genuine and counterfeit power becomes evident when a group of Jewish exorcists, the seven sons of Sceva, attempt to invoke the name of Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims” (v. 13–14). Treating Jesus’ name as a magical formula rather than an expression of faith, they discover that spiritual authority cannot be borrowed. The evil spirit replies, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” and the possessed man overpowers them, leaving them beaten and naked (v. 15–16). News of this spreads quickly, filling the city with awe and fear. The name of the Lord Jesus is magnified, for the people realize His power is real and His name is not to be used for personal gain or manipulation (v. 17).

This incident produces a wave of conviction among new believers. Many come forward to confess their past involvement in sorcery and occult practices. In a dramatic act of repentance, they bring their scrolls of magic and burn them publicly, valued at fifty thousand pieces of silver, an immense sum (v. 18–19). Their repentance is both costly and sincere. They willingly destroy what once defined them to follow Christ completely. This moment shows that true conversion is not merely belief with words but a transformation that forsakes sin and idolatry. Luke concludes this section with a triumphant summary: “So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily” (v. 20). The gospel not only changes individuals, it overturns entire systems of darkness.

After these events, Paul senses the Spirit directing him toward Jerusalem, with a long-term desire to go on to Rome, the heart of the empire. He sends Timothy and Erastus ahead into Macedonia while remaining in Ephesus for a time (v. 21–22). His plans reveal a missionary’s heart guided by the Spirit rather than personal ambition. Every movement is marked by dependence on divine leading, not human strategy.

Yet the success of the gospel soon provokes resistance. A silversmith named Demetrius, whose trade is making miniature silver shrines of Artemis, stirs up his fellow craftsmen, warning that Paul’s message threatens both their profit and their religion. “This Paul has persuaded many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods at all” (v. 23–26). His argument appeals not to truth but to greed and civic pride. Demetrius claims that not only their business but the very honor of Artemis and the prestige of Ephesus are at stake (v. 27). His words ignite fury, and soon the city is in an uproar.

The mob seizes Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions, and drags them into the massive Ephesian theater, which could hold some 25,000 people (v. 28–29). Paul wants to enter and address the crowd, but the disciples, and even some friendly city officials, beg him not to risk his life (v. 30–31). Inside the theater, confusion reigns; some shout one thing, some another, and most have no idea why they are there. A Jew named Alexander attempts to speak, perhaps to defend the Jewish community, but when the crowd recognizes that he is not a supporter of Artemis, they shout him down for two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” (v. 32–34). The riot reveals how spiritual and economic powers intertwine to resist the truth.

Finally, the city clerk, acting as the local Roman official, quiets the crowd. He appeals to their civic pride, reminding them that the fame of Artemis and the sacred image that “fell from heaven” are beyond question. He insists that the men they accuse have not blasphemed the goddess nor robbed her temple. If Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint, they should take it to the lawful courts (v. 35–39). His reasoning is pragmatic: Rome severely punishes civil disorder, and they risk being charged with unlawful assembly. His words restore calm, and he dismisses the crowd (v. 40–41).

The chapter closes with a striking contrast: the power of the gospel brings life, unity, and truth, while idolatry produces confusion, greed, and chaos. Ephesus has witnessed both a revival and a riot, proof that the gospel does not coexist peacefully with false religion. It confronts deception, exposes darkness, and calls people to radical repentance.

For believers today, Acts 19 reminds us that wherever Christ’s truth takes root, it will challenge the idols of culture, whether material, moral, or spiritual. The Spirit’s work transforms not only hearts but whole communities, replacing superstition with faith, bondage with freedom, and fear with joy. Through Paul’s faithfulness, the believers’ repentance, and the Spirit’s power, the gospel prevails over darkness. The same word of the Lord that “increased and prevailed mightily” in Ephesus continues to do so today, calling people from every city and nation to worship the living God.

Conclusion

Acts 18:19–28; Acts 19:1–41 reveal both the transforming power of the gospel and the reality of spiritual opposition. The message of Christ changes lives, exposes false religion, and challenges idolatry, both spiritual and material alike. Through faithful preaching, teaching, and discipleship, the Word of God spreads throughout Asia, and the name of Jesus is exalted above all others.

For believers today, these chapters remind us that the gospel still confronts hearts and cultures, calling people to repentance and faith. The power of God’s Word and Spirit is greater than any opposition or false system. Like Paul, Aquila, Priscilla, and Apollos, we are called to serve faithfully in whatever place God assigns, teaching truth, mentoring others, and standing firm against spiritual darkness. The Word of the Lord still grows mightily and prevails wherever Christ is lifted up.