I'm Longing for a Satisfying Benediction for a Holy Assembly

Who is there who does not know?

(Acts 19:35-41, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, March 3, 2013)

[35] 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? [36] Seeing then that these things cannot be denied,

A substantial number of enraged Ephesian patriots had been shouting together in the outdoor theater for two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.” They were proud of their city, the magnificent temple located there, and their goddess, whom they supposed to be the one that showered them with so many great blessings.

Underneath all the bravado and the anger was an unholy fear. Demetrius had whipped up the craftsmen to a frenzy regarding the danger to their wealth, their culture, and even their goddess that was coming to the whole province of Asia because of Paul's teaching that gods made with hands were not gods. The craftsman had gone out into the streets and gathered a somewhat nbconfused and rowdy mob that made their way into the theater thinking that they had the right to express themselves in the way they wanted to in order to defend what they held dear.

This mob did not want to hear anything from a Jew named Alexander who had tried to quiet them, but they did have to listen to the town clerk. His words are before us now. Like Pharaoh, Pilate, or Herod, those dignitaries who were not part of the community of those who “worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness” might yet find their words recorded for posterity in the historical accounts in the Scriptures. Their speeches and sayings often contain surprising revelations. God is able to bring a profitable word out of the mouth of Balaam's donkey. He is not threatened by the greatest powers among men.

The town clerk of Ephesus could appeal to certain propositions that the citizens of Ephesus considered self-evident. “Who is there who does not know?” He said, “These things cannot be denied.” What things? That Artemis is for Ephesus, and Ephesus is for Artemis. That no one could even think about the word “Ephesians” without automatically thinking of the goddess Artemis. That the Ephesians were defenders and keepers of the great temple right outside the city. That a sacred stone had fallen from the sky that was obviously from Artemis.

These truths were presented to the mob as timeless. But how have they fared over the hundreds of years that have passed between the middle of the first century and today? The word “Ephesians” does not remind the world of Artemis today. Without a doubt, that word has international significance. Millions of people from places as far off as the islands of Indonesia connect the word Ephesians with a tiny book of only 2,235 Greek words that has been already been translated into about 2,000 languages. How about the temple of Artemis? Gone. One pillar still stands comprised of about fifteen fragments that don't even go together. In the picture I saw I thought I could make out a bird's nest on top of that “column” with a mother bird feeding three of her little one's. The temple was destroyed by the Goths in 268 AD and the precise location of it was eventually lost to memory, so much so that it took sixty years of searching before it was positively identified in 1869. About that stone, there is no clear knowledge of it today, so that some consider it mythical and others suggest that it may have been a meteorite.

… you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. [37] For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. [38] 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. [39] But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. [40] 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.”

The town clerk ended up being wrong about Artemis and about what would be the enduring legacy of the Ephesians. Nonetheless, his advice to the crowd in the theater as an official who cared about public safety and order was good. Since the crowd that day was convinced that these facts about Ephesus, Artemis, the temple, and her sacred image were undeniable, they really did not need to have an unruly meeting in the theater that could lead to unnecessary arrests.

If they felt that Paul and others had committed a crime, they could try to make their case in a lawful way according to the judicial procedures of their time and place. There was no evidence that the companions of Paul had violated any law. Every society has rules of decorum and order. We are glad that they do. But the Christians had not created a public scandal. Demetrius, the craftsman, and the confused mob in the theater were in danger of being rightly judged by the authorities for inciting a riot.

[41] And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

This speech worked. It must have been very deflating to the Ephesian/Artemis patriots to be brought low like that. They could not reject the town clerk's instruction without adding further proof to their obvious lawlessness. They were the ones who were out of line. Many of the people may have left that theater with a chuckle or too, but it would have been the embarrassing laughter of rowdies who come to realize that they just got saved from what could have turned out to be a nasty scrape with the authorities.

They had to leave that assembly deflated. We have an assembly here today hundreds of years later. We have seen the clarity of the Savior that Paul preached in Ephesus. His Word has come down to us from heaven because He came down from heaven. He has become our sacred rock, the Cornerstone of the church. We are His temple. He is our Defender and our Redeemer.

When we dismiss this assembly today we may be humbled by a fresh recognition of our own shameful sin, but we are more than elated by the glory of our great God. We boast in His cross, and we have a sure hope in His resurrection. We leave with the timeless instruction of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians, valued by Christians for many centuries.

[4:1] I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, [2] with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, [3] eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [4] There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—[5] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Our faith is not in a goddess who could never save anyone, but in a Redeemer who has set millions free from the bondage of false gods and goddesses. We are no longer stuck in systems of “timeless” truths that could not stand the test of time. We send one another out, not with a deflated sense that we should be more careful about getting overly excited about our god, but with the Christian hope, that says, “I know that my Redeemer lives.” We are sent with His sure blessings, like the benediction that have come down to us from Ephesians 6:23-24, “Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.” We leave with the assurance that Christ shall have dominion, and if there are those who do not know the undeniable truths of this timeless Word, we pray that God might use us to bring them news about the glory of our King.
Old Testament Passage: 1 Kings 10:1-10 – People hear about the glory of a great king

Gospel Passage: Luke 21:20-28 – The greatest King is coming again in glory

Sermon Point: Christ shall have dominion. He is the God who came from heaven, and He is coming again with the fullest victory.