BACKGROUND
Paul followed through on his promise to return to the people in Ephesus. Ephesus was a leading business center and hub for sea and land transportation. It was up there with Antioch, Syria, and Alexandria, Egypt as one of the great cities of the Mediterranean.
Paul followed his usual pattern: proclamation to the Jews, rejection by the Jews, proclamation to the Gentiles, miracles, believers increasing, and persecution. He lectured in the hall of Tyrannus. Lecture halls at schools were used in the morning to teach philosophy, but they were empty during the hot part of the day (11 am to 4 pm). Many people did not work during this part of the day and would probably come to hear Paul preach. Paul stayed in Ephesus for a little over two years. He wrote his first letter to the Corinthians here to counter several problems in the Corinthian church. His second letter to the Corinthians is believed to have been written a year after 1 Corinthians and a year before Romans in 55 or 56 A.D. (Feel free to read them now if you prefer to read the New Testament in chronological order.)
Remember that John's baptism was just a baptism of repentance. The disciples in Ephesus did not understand the significance of His death and resurrection or the work of the Holy Spirit. They had turned from their sin but had not yet turned to Christ. Paul helped them to understand everything more fully.
APPLICATION
How would God have you respond to this part of Scripture? It is always important to dialogue with God about this and make sure you listen to Him rather than just monologue with Him.
Here are further questions to help you develop an "I will" statement that will help you walk in obedience to what you have learned from the Scriptures today:
How does this change how I live?
How does it change how I see God?
How does it change how I treat others?
What will I do to change?
Another key part of helping you apply what you are learning is by telling others what you learned. Who will you tell what you learned?
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for Your Word and the wonderful story of the early church in Acts. Help us to be as zealous as Paul in our proclamation of Jesus as the Christ. In His name, we pray, Amen.
How does this change how I live?
How does it change how I see God?
How does it change how I treat others?
What will I do to change?
Another key part of helping you apply what you are learning is by telling others what you learned. Who will you tell what you learned?
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for Your Word and the wonderful story of the early church in Acts. Help us to be as zealous as Paul in our proclamation of Jesus as the Christ. In His name, we pray, Amen.
1 comment:
I always have to manage the polarity of being a shepherd/builder of believers with being someone who loves to go out and share my faith. I have more opportunities to be salt and light when I was working at the university. I want to pray about this because reading the story of Sherry yesterday made me so happy. I love to talk to people who don't yet know Him!
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