Message

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Thank God for teaching us the hope of God through the study of Ezekiel 37. The hope of God is that when the dead dry bones heard the word of the LORD, they could live and became a vast army for the LORD. Today’s passage in Acts also teaches us the hope of God. When Paul had intensive Bible study with disciples, numbering twelve, for two years, the word of the LORD spread widely and grew in power until all the Jews and Greeks in the city of Ephesus heard the word of the LORD. God worked powerfully in the city that the name of the Lord Jesus was in high honor. This is the hope and vision we want to have in our prayer that Toronto be a holy city. We want to learn a principle of discipleship ministry in this hope and vision of God. First, the disciples baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (1-7). Look at verse 1. “While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples.” As you know, the word disciple came from the word discipline. Disciples are those who have been disciplined and are willing to be disciplined more and more. Disciples are learners. Paul must have been happy to see the some disciples there. But when Paul had fellowship with them, they were depressive and unenergetic, though they looked sincere. So he asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one, coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Here we see that Christianity is more than repentance. Repenting one’s sin is really beautiful. There are so many people who do not want to repent. They are proud and self-righteous. They have no eyes to see themselves as sinners. They have no idea to repent before God. So those who repent are really beautiful. Some other religions may teach about repentance and then about keeping certain moral rules. However, Christianity is more than repentance, though repentance is an important part of it. Repentance is like cleaning one’s house. On one occasion Jesus said about an evil spirit. The spirit came out of a man and then returned to the man with seven other spirits, when the evil spirit found the house of the man’s heart unoccupied, swept clean and put in order (Mt 12:44; Lk 11:24-26). It teaches that the house of one’s clean heart must be filled. It is to believe in Jesus and let him come in his or her heart and sit on the throne. In this way the relationship with the Lord Jesus begins. In Christianity repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus go together (Eph 20:21). So hearing on Paul’s teaching, the disciples were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Look at verses 6 and 7. “When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.” Here we learn more about Christianity. There is the Holy Spirit. The world does not know the Holy Spirit, though some know a sort of spirits. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of God. Christian life is the life with the Holy Spirit living in us (Jn 4:23). But one misunderstanding among Christians is that they think speaking in tongue is the sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit for all Christians. That’s not true. Speaking in tongues is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (the message of wisdom, the message of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in different kinds of tongues, the interpretation of tongues in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11). He compares the gift of tongue and the gift of prophesy. He said in 1 Corinthians 14, “I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues…I thank God that I speak in tongue more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.” We must know that Christian life is the life with the Holy Spirit, not just speaking in tongues. This is the wonder of the life of a Christian. According to the Bible no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:3). And by the Holy Spirit we can call God “Abba Father” (Ro 8:15-16). And also we must know that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth (Jn 14:17; 16:13). The Holy Spirit is our best Bible teacher and helps us to understand the words of the Bible (Jn 14:26; 16:13). Second, the disciples, taught in the word of the Lord (8-10). Receiving the Holy Spirit is not everything about Christian life. Afterward what did Paul do? Look at verse 8. “Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.” As we study the gospel and the book of Acts, we see that synagogue was the primary place for preaching and teaching to our Lord Jesus and St. Paul. In Ephesus Paul used the synagogue for his preaching. At that time in Ephesus there was the temple of the great goddess Artemis and it was the city of a pagan culture. St. Paul needed boldness to preach there about the kingdom of God. The main focus of Christian message is the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is the ultimate purpose for all mankind who are living in this perishable world. Paul preached for three months there. Then what happened? Look at verse 9a. “But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way.” Some people’s unbelieving was willful. They could have believed the truth of God. But they became obstinate and refused to believe. Unbelieving is not a matter of intellect, but that of one’s will and choice. And those who do not believe become a big hindrance to the gospel work. They were not only unbelieving but also maligned the Way. Paul confronted a great obstacle in doing the work of God. At his situation what did Paul do? Look at verses 9b and 10. “So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.” Here we learn about how to overcome gospel obstacles and have a successful discipleship ministry. First of all, Paul left them. Paul did not fight a human battle at all with his human strength. He simply left them. Leaving seems to be a passive attitude, but it is a wise act in the spiritual warfare. Then, Paul took the disciples with him. The disciples were different from ordinary crowd. They had a strong pure desire to learn. So took the disciples with him and they followed him in the midst of strong objection. In that aspect they were worthy of Paul’s time and effort for their discipleship. The disciples were twelve. They would be the vessel of Bible study with one spirit and heart. In doing all things having one vessel is very important. It is much more true with Bible study vessel for discipleship training. Paul gave himself for this precious vessel. When we think of them, they seemed to have a poor start with just knowing John’s baptism only. But to Paul they turned out to be very precious people to the point of forming the vessel of Bible study with him. They also showed themselves to be faithful to the end. And these people were God gave Paul and thus all he had at that time. Paul considered them very precious and devoted himself for them. On one occasion a crowd of five thousand people came to Jesus. Jesus fed them with free bread. They really liked it. However, when Jesus taught them the word of God, almost all of them left. Jesus’ ministry seemed to be in a crisis. In that situation Jesus asked the Twelve, “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:67-68). Their decision was so precious. Jesus was very happy with the twelve, who had pure spiritual desire for the word of the Lord. Jesus’ direction became clearer to concentrate on discipleship training for them in the word of God. What did Paul do with the twelve in Ephesus? He had discussions with them daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. In other words Paul had intensive Bible study with them daily. Most probably Paul was convinced that intensive Bible study was the best way to help them and would make them strong and be raised up as firm disciples of Jesus at the time of adversity. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” So Paul had intensive daily Bible study with them. Most people think Bible study is extra that can be done after their major study and main work. But here our eyes are newly open to see the word “daily”: Paul had discussions daily. An important thing must be done daily. “Daily” is a common word, but it is also an uncommon, remarkable word. What we do daily seems to be an ordinary thing, but is of extraordinary importance. For example, we eat daily and sleep daily. Missing even one day in doing such a thing causes a big trouble. In the Old Testament when the Israelites were in the desert, they had nothing to eat. Then God provided manna from heaven, daily portion on each day so that they might go out and gather on a daily basis. It was to teach them that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Dt 8:3; Mt 4:4). God wanted them to depend on God every day by hearing his word daily. As for Jesus, in his one day’s life, to come to God and listen to him in prayer was as of first importance. So he did it early in the morning every day. It was his daily life. Bible study needs our daily effort. Disciples are to study the word of the Lord daily. So Paul engaged in daily intensive Bible study with the disciples. It was done in the lecture hall of Tyrannus, which was different from synagogue. Paul rented the lecture hall of Tyrannus. The Tyrannus school were used for lessons of philosophy. From 11 am – 4 pm, in the heat of the day, these rooms were empty. So Paul rented these rooms for it was the perfect time and place for Bible study. This daily Bible study and lecture went on two years. What did this result it? Verse 10 says that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia head the word of the Lord.” What a tremendous effect of the twelve disciples’ Bible study! Most probably after intensive Bible study with Paul, the disciples had Bible workshop inviting many people in Ephesus or 1:1 Bible study with them. Anyway, all in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. It was a province-wise work of God through his word. We learn the power of some ordinary disciples’ intensive Bible study done daily and steadfastly. Third, the name of the Lord Jesus held in high hour (11-21). This part is about how God blessed Paul’s ministry of the word of the Lord. Verse 11 says. “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul…” Even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. Paul’s healing power was transferred to the sick even through his handkerchiefs and aprons. The spiritual world and spiritual power are very cool. Without wire healing power would be delivered just through handkerchiefs and aprons that were touched by a spiritual man’s power. On the other hand what was contrary took place. Some Jewish exosists wanted to copy Paul’s power of driving out evil spirit. They would say, “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” One day the evil spirit answered, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He punched them so severely that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. Nobody can mimic someone’s spiritual power. Then what happened in the city? Look at verse 17. “When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honour.” What a city Ephesus had become! This is what we wish as we pray for Toronto to be a holy city, the city where Jesus’ name is held in high honour. It coincides with the Lord’s prayer, “Hallowed be your name…” Look at verses 18-19. “Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.” At that time scrolls were rare because printing had not yet been invented. Yet, their repentance was so powerfully done without calculation. The total value of the scrolls was fifty thousand drachmas ($100 * 50,000 = 5,000,000). How could it be possible? The author commented in verse 20, which says, “In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.” No one could measure the power of the ministry of God’s word. It was the undeniable result of Paul’s intensive Bible study with the disciples, which went on daily and for two years. After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome.” According to his hope and vision. He indeed went to Rome. what Paul did in Rome was to teach the word of God in a rented house for two whole years. 250 years later, Rome became a Christian city. In this study we learn the power of intensive and steadfast Bible study among the disciples. The power of the word of the Lord overcomes any cultural barrier and human circumstances. May we engage in intensive Bible study and Bible teaching ministry in the light of Paul’s discipleship work in Ephesus that the word of the Lord may spread widely and grow in power in U of T and in this city Toronto.

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