Introduction

Acts 19:21-32 ESV  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.”  (22)  And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.  (23)  About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way.  (24)  For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen.  (25)  These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.  (26)  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.  (27)  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.”  (28)  When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”  (29)  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.  (30)  But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him.  (31)  And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater.  (32)  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.

• So at this point in Acts Paul has decided that he wants to pass through Macedonia, visit Rome, and then make it to Jerusalem.
  • But before he does that, saints, Paul causes some problems in Ephesius.
    • Actually, it wasn’t Paul, it was Christianity in general that was causing the Ephesian society some problems.

Acts 19:23 ESV  About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way.

• Now “The Way” is what Christianity was called before it was Christianity. It has been mentioned about 4 times in Acts already so I am sure you guys are with it…
• But read this verse and just think on it for a minute…

Acts 19:23 ESV  About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way.

• In other words… CHRISTIANS WERE CAUSING PROBLEMS.
  • Christianity was causing a HUGE disturbance in Ephesis.
  • Life wasn’t normal any more… there are issues and the issues were because of Christians.
    • Listen, let me tell you what this sermon is about…
      • This is sermon is about this: If you are living a Christian Life, and you are having a Christian influence. And you are producing good works and good fruit for the kingdom… THEN YOU ARE GOING TO CAUSE ISSUES.
    • And if you aint causing issues with the world… and you aint causing issues with the devil… and you aint causing issues in an evil society… THEN SOMETHING IS WRONG.
    • THE WAY IS DISTURBING TO THE WORLD.
      • WE CAUSE NO LITTER DISTURBANCE!
        • Why, though?
        • I mean we preach love, and truth…
          • And sure we preach about righteousness and justice… but it is always pared with mercy and grace.
        • Every Christian I know wants everyone to go to heaven.
          • I want the athiests I know to go to heaven.
          • I want those who hate me and persecute me to go to heaven.
          • I want anyone and everyone who currently identifies as LGTBQ to go to heaven.
          • I want my friends to go to heaven.
          • I want my enemies to go to heaven.
      • So the question must be asked: Why on earth would a religion about loving people enough to die for them… why is THAT religion the one that causes such large problems in society?
• Well it is the same reason that Jesus caused problems in society… and it is the Title of my sermon:

• They Just Don’t get Jesus.
  • They Just don’t get Him… and because they don’t get Him, they don’t get you and me.
    • And they hate Him because they don’t get Him…
    • And guess what… they hate you because they hated him first.

John 15:18-19 ESV  “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.  (19)  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

• Listen, this sermon is for some very particular people in the church right now… you know who you are…
  • I used to do everything in my power not to right sermons about people or for specific people… but the Holy Spirit has changed me on that…
  • The Holy Spirit cares about the church… but He ALSO cares about individuals…and I know there are some individuals in the church who need to hear this tonight.
  • So maybe this sermon is for you…
    • If you are in a place where your family, your coworkers, your community is raging against you… then this sermon is for you.
    • And if it is not for you, then hold on to it close, because it will be for you soon… because if you are living according to the Way… if you are opening your Bible, reading it and doing what it says… then you are going to cause some big disturbances.

• Now my sermon has two points this evening and I will give them to you up front.
  • Point One: Jesus is Bad For Business
  • Point Two: They Don’t Even Get Why They Hate Us.
• So let’s get into it with point one: Jesus is bad for business.

Point One – Jesus is Bad For Business

Acts 19:23-27 ESV  About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way.  (24)  For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen.  (25)  These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.  (26)  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.  (27)  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.”

• Demetruis… what is Demetrius’ problem with Jesus?
  • Is it that Jesus forgives sins?
    • No
  • Is it that Jesus heals on the Sabbath?
    • Not at all?
  • Is it that Jesus’ followers want everyone to come to repentance and none to perish?
    • Certainly not.
  • What exactly is the problem that Demetrius has with the Way… with Jesus… with Christians?
    • His problem with Christianity is that Christianity is BAD FOR BUISNESS.
• Demetrius makes little silver idols of the goodess Artemis and sells them… he and many others had become wealthy doing this…
  • But there is a problem… PEOPLE ARE BECOMING CHRISTIANS. THEY ARE GETTING SAVED.
    • And because they are getting saved they don’t want to buy these false god’s anymore.
      • Jesus is Bad for Business.

Acts 19:25-26 ESV  These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.  (26)  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.

• Demetrius gathered all the other false god idol makers together and was like “Yo! Nearly everyone in Asia is becoming a Christian… and now they say things like “Do not have false Idols or bow down before them”
  • WE HAVE MADE OUR WEALTH ON SELLING FALSE GODS.
• Now saints… don’t you find it interesting that Demetrius was seeing all these people changed and delivered and he never stopped to ask “Why” or “What’s the deal with this Jesus guy”/
  • All he cares about is the MONEY!
• So here are some things to consider church… as I talk about he fact that Jesus is bad for Business, at last for the Worlds business… if you are Chick fil A, Pizza Ranch, or Hobby Lobby, Jesus is God for business… but I am talking about why the world Just Doesn’t Get Jesus right…
  • Jesus is bad for wordly business… so consider this…
• First:

1 Timothy 6:10 ESV  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

• Demetrius had all kinds of evil in his heart… he started a riot in Ephesus to try to kill Paul and the other Christian evangelists… why? Because of the love of money…
  • But pair that with this:

Matthew 19:23-24 ESV  And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven.  (24)  Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

• I believe every word of the Bible is true… EVERY WORD.
  • Which means I believe that the love of money leads to all kinds of evil and the falling away from the faith.
  • I also believe that it is harder for a rich man to get to heaven than a poor man.
    • This being true… WHY WOULD A CHRISTIAN EVER PURSUE EARTHLY WEALTH?
      • I DON’T WANT TO FALL AWAY.
      • I WANT TO ENTER HEAVEN… AND NOT AS A CAMMAL THAT WAS PURRIED AND FUNNELD THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE EITHER.
      • I WANT TO STROLL THROUGH THOSE GATES… NOT BE PRESSED AND JUICED THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE.
• Now these doesn’t mean you can’t have nice things… but it does mean you shouldn’t love money…
  • Now consider this…

Haggai 2:8 ESV  The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts.

• What you have is not yours. It is God’s.
  • The money you have is not yours, it is God’s… He let’s you use it for a time… but it belongs to him.
    • You know the parable of the Talents in Matthew?
      • The Master gives 3 servants Talents and two of them multiple it but one just saves it…
        • Yeah that parable is not about “Your gifts” it is not about “your abilities”
        • Nope, it is about MONEY!
          • A talent was 6,000 danariei… and a denarius was a days wage for a common worker.
          • This means this is 20 years worth of work. If the average salary is 50k then a talent is roughly a million dollars in todays terms.
            • So the master gives each of them a million bucks then judges them base on who multiplied it.
• What does this mean? That we should invest in aggressive stock portfolios? No! Well maybe… but more likely it means this…
  • We should use what God has given us for His glory… especially our money.
    • Your money belongs to God… stop using it to promote evil.
      • I don’t buy girl scout cookies… why? Because the girl scouts are a HUGE donor to planned parenthood.
      • No, that’s GOD’S Money Satan… you can’t have it back.
      • I do my best not to give evil companies my money… though no doubt we still have to live in this world.
      • I don’t donate when I buy things… “Do you want to round up to support such and such cause?” NO! That is God’s money! You can’t have it back world.
        • “But pastor they are doing good!”
          • THE WORLDS DEFINITION OF GOOD DOES NOT MATCH UP WITH OUR DEFILNITION OF GOOD Y’ALL.
          • I use to buy those little papers that you put your name and McDonalds hangs them up as a fundraiser… it was for United Way.
          • Then I found out United Way HATES Jesus and apparently they hate babies too because they also are a huge supporter of planned parenthood.
          • Now, unless I know the cause intimately well, I am not giving them money.
  • You know how many people have called me from jail asking me to bail them out?
    • NO! I am not bailing you out! Why would I use God’s money to help you avoid the consequences of your sin.
      • I will visit you. I will pray for you and with you… but you reap what you sow.
        • Now, if you are locked up for unjust reasons… not because of your sin but because the system is broken… then I got you… but don’t come calling to me to use God’s money in support of your stupidity.
      • By the way… I Ain’t cosigning for your car either.

Proverbs 17:18 ESV  One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.

• Y’all I have lost friends because I wouldn’t cosign their car loan…
• I have been cussed out by church members because I wouldn’t pay their bail.
• I have gotten into arguments with family members because I refuse to buy girlscout cookies.
  • THEY JUST DON’T GET JESUS Y’ALL.
    • That brings me to point two…

Point Two – They Don’t Even Get Why They Hate Us

Acts 19:28-29 ESV  When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”  (29)  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.

Acts 19:32 ESV  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.

• A riot is taking place because these silversmiths who have lost business due to Christianity…
  • These silversmiths have hyped up everyone into a riotous frenzy and they are ready to start killing Christians…
    • But look at verse 32 again… they were in confusion… they did not know why they had come together…

Acts 19:32 ESV  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.

• THEY DIDN’T KNOW! BUT THEY WANTED BLOOD.
  • Remember the scene of Jesus’ trial?
  • The mob cried out Crucify Him.
    • Pilot asked “why”
    • Did anyone give an answer? NO! There was no logic, there was no argument… it was just “Crucify Him”.
  • Sure the handful of Pharisees knew why they wanted Jesus killed… but the vast majority of the crowd were not pharisees.
    • Sure Demitrious knew why he wanted the Christians killed.
      • But the vast majority of the crowd had no idea…
• I once was asked “Why won’t you support my daughter?” when I declined buying girls scout cookies.
  • “It’s not about supporting planned parenthood” they said “it is about supporting my daughter”.
    • This woman didn’t get it. She was angry… but she did not know why.
      • Lady I support your daughter… I always have… even when she was in the womb. And I am thrilled she survived this modern day holocaust…
      • But many other young girls are not as lucky as your daughter… and I support them to.
  • “Why won’t you support gay marriage… why are you telling me who I can and can’t love? Christians are all HOMOPHOBES.
    • What? Mariage is a CHRISTIAN institution. It is a sacred sacrament of the church.
      • I don’t care what you want to do in your house with consenting adults…
      • But don’t call it holy, because it aint…
      • Marriage is from God and is the image God made of how the relationship between the church and Christ is suppose to work.
        • THE WORLD DOES NOT GET TO HAVE THAT. I AM NOT OK WITH THE WORLD TAKING THE THINGS OF GOD AND CALLING THEM HOLY.
        • But the LGBTQ loby doesn’t know anything about the bride of Christ… they don’t even know why they hate us… they don’t understand our side at all… but they know they hate us.
• Some of us, myself included, have family members who hate us.
  • They don’t even know why they hate us…
    • Tell story about sibling and tell story about “My body my choice”
  • Stop trying to reason with them… they don’t understand… trying to reason with them is like Panchus Pilot asking “Why, what crime has this man committed”.
    • Continue serving God… continue praying for them… continue doing the right thing…
    • Don’t try to be their friend… you are their enemy and THEY know that… they don’t know why… but they know it… and you bowing down to them is not going to help.
    • BUT BE ENCOURAGED. You are doing the right thing… and you are not alone.

Conclusion

Luke 12:52-53 ESV  For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three.  (53)  They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Matthew 5:11-12 ESV  “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  (12)  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Luke 14:26 ESV  “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

• Altar call, steadfastness in the trail of being hated.