Pitfalls of Cultural Conflict | Acts 19:21-41
Luke highlights three pitfalls of cultural conflict that Paul and the believers in Ephesus avoided: (1) spiritual compromise; (2) public dispute; and (3) unnecessary offense. This sermon is part 15 of “Spreading the Faith,” Bryan Craddock’s verse-by-verse sermon series on Acts 8-20.
The first time I remember hearing about archaeology was in the movie, “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Professor Indiana Jones used his trusty bullwhip to avoid pitfalls, booby traps, and bad guys to bring home long-lost treasures. But I’ve learned that real life archaeological work is not so adventurous. It is a slow and tedious process of carefully uncovering ruins of long-lost civilizations.
The first excavations of Ancient Ephesus began all the way back in the 1860s. It had been a major port city, the capital of the Roman province of Asia. But it had been abandoned for centuries, and much of it had become buried. Since that time great discoveries have been made. Everyday crowds of tourists travel to Turkey to visit the site. As impressive as the ruins of the city are, it is estimated that at most only 25 percent of it has been uncovered.
Sometimes the work of spreading the faith feels as slow and tedious as an archaeological excavation like that. As we proclaim the gospel of Christ, we find that people’s hearts are buried under layers of false cultural ideas, littered with the ruins of life in a fallen, sinful world. To communicate the good news in a meaningful way, we must invest time in relationships to patiently dig down and sweep aside some of that debris.
But evangelism is still an adventure. We are trying to bring home long-lost treasures--people made in the image of God for whom Jesus died. His word and Spirit have the power to raise them up and give them eternal life. But as we go with the gospel, we will encounter pitfalls, traps that Satan rigs up in the world to hinder us from fulfilling Christ’s mission.
In Acts 19:21-41, Luke highlights three pitfalls of cultural conflict that Paul and the believers in Ephesus avoided. Most of the hostility that Christians faced beforehand came from Jews who refused to believe that Jesus is the Christ who died and rose again so that we can be saved by God’s grace. But on this occasion a group of Gentiles rises up in protest as they realize that Christianity contradicts their fundamental worldview and way of life.
Christians always face similar conflicts. Even in societies where Christianity is the dominant influence, there are always aspects of culture, values and ways of thinking that contradict biblical teaching. So, the same pitfalls are always there. To be faithful witnesses, we need to make sure that we avoid them. The first may be the most obvious.
Spiritual Compromise
When I visited Ephesus, I was amazed to see a mosaic tiled floor that is still largely intact after hundreds of years. An ancient craftsman took the time to select the right materials and to install them in a way that would last. There were probably other workmen who could make a similar looking floor faster with cheaper materials. But the product of that compromise would have crumbled long ago.
As Christians, we encounter a similar pitfall in spreading the faith. We are tempted to avoid cultural conflict by making spiritual compromises. We might minimize the essential commitment of following Christ or water down the essential beliefs to make them seem more acceptable. But such compromises might leave someone with something less than saving faith. In 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, Paul says,
According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Paul wrote those words from Ephesus. That was how he approached his ministry in Corinth, and he refused to compromise in Ephesus. He sought to ground believers in Christ alone as their foundation. In fact, he believed that the time had come for him to move on from Ephesus. In Acts 19:21-22, Luke tells us,
Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome." And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
Apparently, Paul thought that the foundation in the churches in Ephesus and the surrounding area was strong enough that his ministry there was no longer needed. But that does not mean that the work of ministry there was done. We will see in Acts 20 that he returns to meet with the Ephesian elders at a nearby town. We know from 1 Timothy 1:3, that he sends Timothy there at some point to address doctrinal problems. There is also a tradition that the Apostle John comes to Ephesus many years later. That would explain how he ends up exiled on the isle of Patmos just off the coast where he receives the visions that he records in the book of Revelation.
But Paul’s initial ministry in Ephesus makes such an impact that even unbelievers feel it. Acts 19:23-27 says,
About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, "Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship."
Idolatry was big business in Ephesus. The city was home to the Great Temple of Artemis that was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Thus far archaeologists have only found fragments of it. But a museum near the site has a small model that helps us imagine what it must have looked like. It is said to have been 450 feet long, 225 feet wide, and 60 feet high with more than 127 columns.
The museum also has a marble statue of Artemis on display that stands over 9 feet tall. It is covered with ornaments that symbolize fertility. The silver shrines that these workmen in Acts made were probably household versions of this idol. Worshiping her was a normal part of life in Ephesus. But the culture was polytheistic. They believed in a pantheon of gods besides Artemis. So, they probably would not care if people wanted to add Jesus to the list, as long as they kept honoring Artemis.
The Christians in the area would not make that compromise. Demetrius recognizes that they had turned away. They repented. They decisively turned from idolatry to worship God alone. So, Demetrius is concerned that this will affect their business and their city’s reputation.
The uncompromising commitment of those Christians was grounded in Paul’s uncompromising teaching. Even Demetrius understood that according to Paul, gods made with hands are not gods. Paul explains this idea in 1 Corinthians 8:4-6 by saying,
Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "an idol has no real existence," and that "there is no God but one." For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth--as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"--yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
Belief in the three-in-one Creator God--Father, Son and Holy Spirit--is essential to saving faith. There is no other god, and there is no basis or reason for our existence apart from him. He alone deserves worship. In the Greco-Roman world, people were tempted to compromise by worshiping other gods. Today we might be tempted to compromise by saying that all religions worship the same God, or by tacking God onto a secular worldview as nothing more than a distant force behind the Big Bang. We must avoid the pitfall of compromising on the essential beliefs and commitments of biblical Christianity. That leads directly to a second pitfall.
Public Dispute
One of the highlights of touring Ephesus is seeing its grand theater. It is built on a hillside, and it is estimated that when Paul was there it could seat around 25 thousand people. In those days, it probably hosted concerts, plays, gladiatorial contests, and festivals in honor of the gods. It also became the setting for political discourse, and according to Acts 19, a major protest that almost turned into a riot.
You might assume that Christians would be eager to use a venue like this for proclaiming the gospel. Many today think that bigger is always better, even if you rile people up to gather a crowd. But we have seen in Paul’s missionary journeys that public disputes with emotionally agitated crowds are not ideal for spreading the faith (Acts 14:19; 16:19-24; 17:5-10; 18:12-17). They are another pitfall to be avoided whenever possible.
Acts 19:28-34 reinforces this perspective. After Demetrius stirs up the silversmiths, Luke tells us,
When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel. But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater. Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"
Confusion reigns. Some are angrily shouting that Artemis is great. Others are swept up in the crowd but don’t understand what is going on. There is no meaningful interaction happening in this situation.
Paul probably wants to intervene on behalf of Gaius and Aristarchus. But the other disciples prevent him, and so do some of the Asiarchs, men who had responsibility for governing the province. We see the wisdom of this choice with Alexander the Jew. He is probably trying to argue that Christianity is not a Jewish sect, but he just gets shouted down.
Paul is not afraid of facing opposition like this. He expected it. During his first missionary journey, he was stoned and left for dead in Lystra (Acts 14:19). On his second journey, he was beaten and thrown in jail in Philippi (Acts 16:22-23). There were also mob protests instigated by Jews in Thessalonica, Berea, and Corinth (Acts 17:5, 13; 18:12).
On this third journey, he seems to have already had problems in Ephesus. Luke does not mention it in Acts, but as Paul defends the hope of bodily resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:30-32, he says,
Why are we in danger every hour? I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
The promise of resurrection and eternal life in Christ enables us to be bold. Communicating the hope of the gospel is worthy of suffering. But we must still exercise wisdom. In most public disputes, people are not interested in listening. Several verses from the Book of Proverbs give us helpful advice.
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion (18:2).
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words (23:9).
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. (26:4-5).
It is easy to get drawn into endless arguments that do not accomplish anything. If you try to correct a fool by unwittingly adopting his approach to interacting, you only end up affirming his foolishness and discrediting yourself and your message. To avoid that pitfall, we must seek to interact in settings that allow us to patiently reason with people. In 1 Peter 3:14-15, Peter says,
But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.
If you are in a situation where you cannot interact with gentleness and respect and stay focused on the hope of the gospel, then it is often better to remain silent. Jesus chose to respond that way at several moments during the trials leading up to his crucifixion (Isa 53:7; Mt 26:63; 27:12-14; Jn 19:9). As his ambassadors, we must interact with people in a way that represents his character. So, we should avoid public disputes and one other pitfall.
Unnecessary Offense
In ancient times, Ephesus was a major commercial port. But the closest harbor today is in the city of Kuşadasi, a half hour drive south. In fact, the shoreline is now over three miles away from Ephesus. How could something like that happen? Silt from the Cayster River gradually filled in the harbor, pushing ships farther and farther away.
If we are not careful, something similar can happen with our witness for Christ. When we say or do things that offend unbelievers, we push them away. Now the gospel itself can be offensive, and we should not compromise our message. But Satan tempts us to adopt self-righteous attitudes, to voice strident opinions, and to behave in hateful ways. We might even assume that this is what it means to follow Jesus, but there is nothing Christlike about it. This is another pitfall. Even when those unnecessary offenses seem minor, they build up and push people farther and farther away from the safe harbor of eternal salvation.
Paul and the Christians in Ephesus avoided this pitfall. Because they did so, the conflict with the silversmiths in Ephesus dies out. Acts 19:35-41 tells us,
And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, "Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky? Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion." And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.
Town clerk could also be translated as scribe or secretary. This official probably functioned like a mayor or a city manager, and his speech shows how deeply rooted their beliefs were. He considers the story of this sacred stone falling from the sky as undeniable proof that Artemis had chosen them to keep her temple. This responsibility was a huge source of pride for the city.
But the Christians in Ephesus might have been tempted to mock that legend. They could have cursed Artemis or vandalized the temple in some way. You could argue that there is a biblical basis for doing so in the Old Testament. After he came down from Mount Sinai, Moses ground up the golden calf that the people of Israel began to worship (Ex 32). Prophets like Isaiah ridicule the worship of idols (Isa 44:9-20).
But the difference in those stories is that the people of Israel knew better. God revealed himself to them and gave them his word, but they chose to ignore it. That was not the case with the idol worshipers of Ephesus. They were blind to God’s truth. In 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, Paul explains,
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
How do spiritually blind people come to see? Paul continues in 2 Corinthians 4:5-6 by saying,
For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
God must shine his light in someone’s heart, and he does so as we humbly serve them and proclaim Christ to them. So, it seems that the Christians in Ephesus kept that purpose in view. They avoided the pitfall of unnecessarily offending the worshipers of Artemis. But this sense of care must extend beyond people’s religious views. In Romans 12:17-18, Paul says,
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
We should strive to maintain peace. New Testament believers are not called to be culture warriors or judgmental morality police fighting the unbelieving world. Our goal is not to gain power to coerce people into external conformity with God’s commands, though Satan would love for us to focus on that. When we shove morality down the throats of people who are trapped in spiritual bondage, they either get exasperated and resentful or they develop a superficial conformity that only hardens their hearts to the gospel. In 2 Corinthians 5:20, Paul describes our mission by saying,
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
We must avoid all these pitfalls and distractions to stay laser-focused on delivering God’s gracious appeal. No matter how immoral or idolatrous someone has been, Jesus wants them to believe in him so that they can be reconciled to God. Nothing else matters until that relationship begins. Once it does, then and only then can true spiritual change begin.
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So, beware of these pitfalls. We must avoid spiritual compromise, communicating the essential truths and the essential commitment of the gospel. We must avoid public disputes and fruitless arguments with people who are not interested in hearing what we have to say. They only waste our time. Finally, we must avoid the unnecessary offenses that push people away so that we can communicate the gospel appeal of Jesus Christ to them in a way that faithfully reflects his character.
These points apply to believers, but you may not be there yet. Your perception of Christianity may have more to do with the pitfalls rather than the gospel. If so, I hope that this message has swept aside some of that debris. I pray that you will hear the invitation that you can be reconciled to God today through faith in Jesus who died for your sins and rose again. You can become a true worshiper of God. As you consider that choice, you might want to read what Paul has to say about his own story in 1 Timothy 1.
If you’re a believer, have you succumbed to some sort of spiritual compromise? Are you holding on to cultural ideas that contradict God’s word? Is your faith and repentance partial? If so, I encourage you to reject any of those compromises today.
Are you being a Christlike ambassador? Are you caught in those pitfalls of public dispute and unnecessary offense? I exhort you to pursue gracious speech with a focus on communicating the gospel. May the grace of Christ be displayed in us!
Reflect
Which pitfall would you be most likely to fall into? Why?
What practical steps could you take to avoid that pitfall?
How should we respond to unbelievers if they bring up examples of Christians falling into these pitfalls?