When the home team wins a championship, it is HUGE. Everyone is going to Academy, wearing the gear, closing schools, having a parade. The city is turned upside-down—for a day or two. But God sent Paul and others to Ephesus for TWO YEARS. He revolutionized the city of idols.
First, Apollos “vigorously refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating through the scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah” Acts 18:28. Then Paul held discussions “in the lecture hall of Tyrannus … for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the message of the Lord. God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands so that even cloths and aprons that touched his hand were brought to the sick and the diseases left them and evil spirits came out of them” Acts 19:9-12.
Did you catch that? God anointed Paul so powerfully, he could touch a cloth and it could be used to heal someone Paul would never see! God went to great lengths to reveal His power and truth to the people of Greece—and this went on for TWO YEARS.
Finally, Jewish exorcists who did not know Christ began using His name to exorcise demons. They would say, “‘I command you by the Jesus that Paul preaches.’ Seven sons of Sceva … were doing this. The evil spirit answered, ‘I know Jesus, and I’ve heard of Paul. But who are you?’ Then the possessed man leaped on them, overpowering them all, … so that they ran out of the house naked and wounded” 19:13-16. Everyone heard about that (of course) and excitement about Jesus spread.
Finally, a silversmith named Demetrius rallied the other idol makers and convinced them their jobs were at risk if the city abandoned its idols. The men had a screaming riot for two hours until the clerk calmed them down.
Jesus turned the world upside-down. Don’t be surprised if He turns your life upside-down too.
“I have not come to bring peace but a sword” Matthew 10:34.
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